CyberGuy.com Terms of Use Agreement, Ethics, and Privacy Data Policies

Kurt KnutssonJuly 7, 20170624 views

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING TERMS CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THIS WEBSITE OR SUBSCRIBING TO ANY NEWSLETTERS.

What we do

Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning journalist, investor and innovator who has a deep love of technology that makes life better. Kurt believes in getting smart about our choices in technology and educating our audience with his insights from two decades of work studying technology, gadgets, gear, new venture creation, apps and all things related to consumer electronics. To do that we created CyberGuy.com. We do the research for you. We also tap into those who are the best experts in their area of interest for fact checking. For example, if we write about kids toys, then we ask kids and their parents to chime in with hands on experience. They are the true playground experts.

We do not sell products

CyberGuy and its writers, editors and columnists could likely invent the next greatest hit in electronics, but the only thing we sell is CyberGuy merchandise and swag like t-shirts, hats etc. at this point.

We do not provide tech services

Often a question about hiring one of us to fix a tech problem, help build out a home theatre system, repair a broken this or that, or help with technology comes our way. We do not offer any such services either as a company nor do we allow our full-time or part-time contributors to perform such work. Additionally, no editorial employee or their immediate family member may work for any technology brand we cover. If it happens that someone in their family is connected in some way, we will always aim to disclose any relationship that could be perceived as a conflict of interest.

Advertising

We make money from advertisers. We have people separate from editorial employees that perform advertising sales. We also make money from affiliate links to retailers such as Amazon from products that we cover editorially. Our affiliate relationships do not dictate what we cover, how we cover it or what we say. When something is amazing and worth sharing, it’s because it is. When something fails and should be avoided, we equally share that truth. We always have and cannot exist without maintaining trust with our audience who know and love CyberGuy over a 20-year history of covering technology.

Giveaways and Contests

Yes, we get sent some amazing gear. Since we don’t keep it, we either give it away to a donate-worthy family or give it away in the form of a contest or sweepstake. We sometimes give away products or swag to our audience to build relationships and learn more about the type of audience we reach. Published rules dictate how our contests, sweepstakes, and giveaways are conducted. Winners are selected by a third-party contest management service. No employee or any family member is permitted to enter a contest or giveaway.

Investing

Some of us have private investments in the technology field. It’s hard not to choose to invest in the areas of focus we independently believe in from our expertise in the consumer tech industry. We aim to assign stories to contributors that do not have a financial investment in any company they cover. If anyone is known to have an investment in any company, product or service we cover, then we disclose that. CyberGuy investment decisions are made outside of and separate from editorial operations. Should we acquire a company we have covered, we will retroactively disclose that fact clearly on any previous editorial content that was published.

Personal Use of Site

CyberGuy.com and its content are for your personal, non-commercial use only. You may not sell or commercially exploit in any manner without separate explicit written permission, including but not limited to, access to CyberGuy.com content that is featured or displayed on the website.

You must not alter any content in terms of the template, background, colors, or the CyberGuy images used;
You may only share content that is clearly designated with sharing icons and only by using such sharing icons and functions provided on CyberGuy.com to share any content.
If you use content in your own document, you must provide the following attribution: “Source: Used with permission by CyberGuy.com www.cyberguy.com” after obtaining permission in writing.
The word “CyberGuy” must always be written with an uppercase “C and G” and with no spaces.
The word “CyberGuy” is to be used throughout any presentation, except where you are referring to the financial or banking industry, in which case the word “CyberGuy” must be used.
“CyberGuy” must not be abbreviated as “CG.”
“CyberGuy” is a registered trademark owned by GMKK and licensed to CyberGuy.com and protected under U.S. and international laws.
You must not use any robot or generative artificial intelligence to manipulate or alter or reproduce the trademark in any way.

Additional Restrictions on Use of CyberGuy content

Unless otherwise permitted in writing, you will not, and will not authorize or cause any other party to, do any of the following:

Commercially sell, broadcast, rent, share, or profit from the use of this content unless CyberGuy gives you explicit prior written permission to do so; commercially profiting from the use of content is strictly forbidden unless specifically granted by CyberGuy;
Modify or edit content to pass on as your own works without giving proper reference as noted above;
Manipulate or interfere with content or the CyberGuy website (“Website”);
Upload or otherwise transmit to or through the Website any unlawful, harmful, harassing, defamatory, threatening, vulgar, sexually explicit, hateful or otherwise objectionable material of any kind, or any material that can cause harm or delay to CyberGuy or its clients or Website users;
Use any trademarks, service marks, design marks, logos, photographs, or other content belonging to CyberGuy or obtained from the Website or CyberGuy, except as expressly granted under applicable written license;
Display the name, logo, trademark, or other means of attribution or identification of CyberGuy in such a manner as is reasonably likely to give a user the impression that you have the right to display, publish or distribute content;
Create a false identity or impersonate another person or entity in any way;
Restrict, discourage, or inhibit any person from using the content, disclose personal information about a third person on or through the Website or obtained from the Website without the consent of such person, or collect information about other clients of CyberGuy;
Gain unauthorized access to the Website, to other users’ accounts, names or personally identifiable information, or to other computers or websites connected or linked to the Website;
Frame, embed and/or pass off any portion of the Website in such a manner as to present such material as originating from a source other than CyberGuy;
Post, transmit or otherwise make available any virus, worm, spyware or any other computer code, file or program that may be or is intended to damage, hijack or impair the operation of any hardware, software or telecommunications equipment, or any other aspect of the Website or communications equipment and computers connected to the Website;
Use any scraper, spider, robot or other automated means of any kind to access the Website, deep-link to any feature or content in the CyberGuy Content, or bypass any measures used to prevent or restrict access to the content or the Website;
Remove, disable, damage, circumvent or otherwise interfere with any security-related features of the Website, features that prevent or restrict the use or copying of any part of the Website or content, or features that enforce limitations on the use of the Website or content;
Copy, cache or reformat any content for commercial purposes in any manner whatsoever not expressly permitted by CyberGuy;
Violate any applicable federal, state or local laws or regulations or these Terms; or
Assist or permit any persons in engaging in any of the activities described above.

Prohibition of Use for Generative AI Technologies

Restrictions on Use: Users are expressly forbidden from using the content, data, or any other materials provided on or through this website for the purpose of training, improving, or validating generative artificial intelligence (AI) models or any other machine learning models, irrespective of whether these models are for commercial or non-commercial use.
Definition: For the purposes of these terms, “generative artificial intelligence” or “generative AI” refers to a type of AI that is capable of generating new content, including but not limited to text, images, audio, and video, which is based on patterns and information it has learned from existing data.
No Scraping or Data Harvesting: Any automated means of collecting, scraping, downloading, or storing data from this website with the intention to use it for training, refining, or testing generative AI models or any related machine learning endeavors is strictly prohibited.
Monitoring and Enforcement: We reserve the right to monitor the use of our website to ensure compliance with this prohibition. Any detected violations may result in immediate termination of access rights to our services, legal actions, and/or any other remedies available under law.
Liability: Users found in breach of this section of our terms and conditions will be held accountable for any damages, losses, or liabilities arising out of their unauthorized use of our content for generative AI learning. This includes, but is not limited to, potential intellectual property rights infringement, privacy breaches, and other violations of applicable laws and regulations.
Reporting: If you are aware of any violations of this policy, or if you suspect unauthorized use of our website’s data for generative AI learning, please report it immediately to help@cyberguy.com.

Community Guidelines

We invite people visiting CyberGuy.com and its properties to participate in our community. Having a method for anyone to comment and collaborate on our work only makes it better for everyone. You may only use the content for lawful purposes. You are solely responsible for the knowledge of and adherence to any and all laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to your use of the content. You agree not to use the content to recruit, solicit, or contact any third parties for employment or contracting for a business not affiliated with CyberGuy without our explicit prior written permission, which may be withheld in our sole discretion.

Connectivity Costs and Equipment

You are solely responsible for all service, telephony, printing, travel, and/or other fees and costs associated with your access to and use of the Website and content, including, but not limited to, any data charges imposed by a wireless carrier or Internet service provider and for obtaining and maintaining all telephone, computer hardware, printers, and other equipment required for such access and use.

Electronic Notice

By using the content or communicating with CyberGuy, you agree that CyberGuy may communicate with you via an email address you provide during registration regarding security, privacy, and administrative issues relating to your use of the content. If CyberGuy learns of a security system breach, CyberGuy may attempt to notify you by such email address. You may have a legal right to receive this notice in writing. To receive free written notice of a security breach (or to withdraw your consent from receiving electronic notice), please write to CyberGuy via help@cyberguy.com.

Use of Cookies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies on our website. A cookie is a small text file that is stored on your device when you visit a website. Cookies are used to remember your preferences, provide certain functionalities, and analyze how you interact with our website.

We use both session cookies and persistent cookies. Session cookies are deleted when you close your browser, while persistent cookies remain on your device until they expire or you delete them.

We use cookies for the following purposes:

Essential cookies: These cookies are necessary for our website to function properly. They enable you to navigate our website and use its features, such as accessing secure areas and making transactions.
Analytics cookies: These cookies allow us to collect information about how you use our website, such as which pages you visit and how long you spend on them. This helps us to improve our website and provide you with a better user experience.
Advertising cookies: These cookies are used to deliver personalized advertisements to you based on your interests and browsing history. We may use third-party advertising partners to serve these advertisements.

You can control the use of cookies on our website through your browser settings. However, please note that disabling cookies may limit your ability to use certain features of our website.

By using our website, you consent to the use of cookies as described in this Use of Cookies Policy.

Privacy and Data Policy

We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy and Data Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information when you visit our websites and use our services, including any data you may provide through third-party platforms.

Understanding This Policy

When we mention “digital properties,” we’re referring to all our websites, mobile applications, email newsletters, and other digital offerings. This Privacy Policy applies to all the personal data collected during your interactions with these digital properties.

Data Collection on Third-Party Sites

If you engage with our services on a third-party site or platform, the information collection is governed by their privacy practices. However, any data we collect directly in such contexts will be handled in accordance with this Policy.

Data Security Measures

While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security. We prioritize protecting your data against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. Our security measures include sophisticated technology solutions, well-established administrative processes, and physical barriers.

Data Retention Period

We keep your data only as long as necessary for the purposes it was collected, as detailed in this Policy, or as required by law.

Transparency in Sponsored Content

We clearly identify sponsored content to ensure our readers can distinguish it from our regular offerings. Our intention is to offer valuable insights, not to mislead.

Information We Collect

Personal Data: Information that identifies you, like your name, contact details, and any other data you provide when interacting with us.
Anonymous Data: Non-identifiable data which includes browsing details, usage statistics, and technical information.

Collection Methods

Direct Interactions: Data you provide by filling in forms, participating in discussions, or corresponding with us.
Automated Technologies: Cookies and similar technologies that collect data about your equipment and browsing actions.
Third Parties: Information we receive from other sources, such as analytics providers or advertising networks.

Use of Your Information

We use your data to provide services, manage our relationship with you, personalize your experience, improve our offerings, and ensure legal compliance.

Opting Out

You have the right to opt-out of receiving marketing communications from us and can exercise this right at any time by opting out at the bottom of any newsletter or marketing communication from us or by writing to us at:

CyberGuy.com
21650 Oxnard St, Suite 2400
Woodland Hills, CA 91367

Sharing Your Information

We only share your data with third parties in specific circumstances, such as with your consent, to provide content services, or where required for legal reasons.

Your Privacy Controls

You have the right to access, rectify, or erase your personal data, restrict processing, and object to certain uses of your data.

Advertising and Tracking

We engage with third-party advertisers who may use cookies to collect information for targeted advertising. You can opt-out of interest-based advertising.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy. We will notify you of any significant changes and indicate at the top of the Policy when it was last updated.

Jurisdiction

This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of California, without regard to its conflict of law principles.

Your Consent to Promotional Use

By participating in our contests and sweepstakes, you consent to the promotional use of your name and likeness without further compensation or limitations.

Contact Us

For any questions or concerns regarding your data or this Privacy Policy, please contact us at help@cyberguy.com.

California Consumer Privacy Act Notice

This notice applies to California residents and explains how we collect, use, and disclose personal information. Categories of Personal Information Collected: We may collect the following categories of personal information:

Identifiers (such as name, email address, and IP address)
Internet or other electronic network activity information (such as browsing history and interactions with our website)
Geolocation data
Inferences drawn from any of the above information

Purposes of Collection:
We may use personal information for the following purposes:

To provide you with relevant content and services
To communicate with you about our content and services
To personalize your experience on our website
To analyze and improve our website and services
To comply with legal obligations

Categories of Third Parties with Whom Personal Information is Shared:
We may share personal information with the following categories of third parties:

Service providers who help us provide our content and services
Analytics and advertising partners
Government entities as required by law

Your Rights:
You have the right to request access to or deletion of your personal information. You also have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information, if applicable. To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information below.

Contact Us:
If you have any questions or concerns about our privacy practices or this notice, please contact us at help@cyberguy.com.

Updates:
We may update this notice from time to time. The most current version will be posted on our website.

Limitation on Liability

CyberGuy and all of its subsidiaries, affiliates, licensors, service providers, content providers, employees, agents, officers, and directors, will not be liable for any incidental, direct, indirect, punitive, actual, consequential, special, exemplary, or other damages, including loss of revenue or income, loss of data, pain and suffering, emotional distress, or similar damages, even if CyberGuy has been advised of the possibility of such damages. In no event will the collective liability of CyberGuy and its subsidiaries, affiliates, licensors, service providers, content providers, employees, agents, officers, and directors to any party (regardless of the form of action, whether in contract, tort, or otherwise) exceed $50.

Disclaimer

CyberGuy makes no warranty that the quality of CyberGuy content will meet your expectations. CyberGuy does not warrant that the content will be error-free, that defects will be corrected, or that the content is free of viruses or other harmful components. CyberGuy does not warrant or make any representation regarding use, or the result of use, of the content in terms of accuracy, reliability, or otherwise. the content may include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors, and CyberGuy may make changes or improvements at any time. The content is provided “as is” and without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, or non-infringement.

You should use the content in the same manner as any other educational medium and should not rely on the content to the exclusion of your own professional judgment. CyberGuy disclaims any liability for damages, losses, or injuries arising out of actions or inactions taken by you based on statements or claims made in the content, in advertisements or marketing materials, or by CyberGuy representatives. You, and not CyberGuy, assume the entire cost of all necessary servicing, repair, or correction in the event of any loss or damage arising from the use of the content. You, and not CyberGuy, assume all risk arising from the use of the content, including but not limited to financial, intellectual, physical, or emotional risk.

Miscellaneous

These Terms, the construction and enforcement of its provisions, and the interpretation of the rights and duties of the parties shall be governed by the substantive laws of the State of California without regard to conflict of laws principles. You specifically consent to personal jurisdiction in California in connection with any dispute between you and CyberGuy arising out of these Terms or pertaining to the subject matter hereof. The parties to these Terms each agree that the exclusive venue for any dispute between the parties arising out of these Terms or pertaining to the subject matter of these Terms will be in the state or federal courts in Los Angeles County.

Modification of Terms

We may change these terms at any time. You are responsible for reviewing these terms. Your use or continued use of CyberGuy.com indicates your acceptance of these terms and any of their modifications.

Eligibility

CyberGuy.com is not intended for use by those younger than 13 years old. Do not use this site if you are under 13.

If any part of these Terms is unlawful, void, or unenforceable, that part will be deemed severable and will not affect the validity and enforceability of any remaining provisions. These Terms constitute the entire agreement between the parties relating to the subject matter contained herein. There are no third-party beneficiaries to these Terms.

These are guidelines and principles we decide by choice and have determined to abide by since we think this is the best way to operate our business.

[Updated and effective February 9, 2024]

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