*Maru Group - Cookie Policy

* “Maru Group” includes Maru Canada Inc, Maru Blue Canada Inc, Maru/Blue US LLC, Maru Group LLC, Maru Group Limited, Maru/edr Limited

This Cookie Policy (the ”Policy”) describes how Maru Group ( “Maru”, “us” or “we”) uses cookies and similar technologies to collect and store information when you visit this website (the “Site”). For additional information on our privacy practices, please visit our privacy policy.

Should you have any questions regarding this Policy, you can contact our Privacy Officer by email at privacy@marugroup.net,

You may also call us at any of our numbers listed at www.marugroup.net/contact.

 

WHAT ARE COOKIES?

When you visit the Site, MARU or a third party may send you a cookie. Cookies are small text files that may be placed in your browser directory on your computer or mobile device. When a website is accessed, a cookie that is placed on a device will send information to the party that has placed the cookie. Cookies are extremely common and used on most websites. Each cookie will typically contain the name of the domain from which the cookie has come, the “lifetime” of the cookie, and a value (usually a unique number). For a more thorough explanation of what cookies are and how they operate, please visit www.aboutcookies.org or www.allaboutcookies.org.

 

WHY ARE COOKIES USEFUL?

In general, the purpose of cookies (and similar technologies) is to improve the performance of the Site and your experience while visiting the Site. Cookies help make your visits easier by recognizing you upon return and providing a customized experience. Cookies also allow us to do useful things; for example, cookies allow us to find out whether you have visited the Site previously. Cookies help us make the Site work more efficiently, enable extra functionality, and provide us with additional information about your visit. Cookies also allow us to track overall Site usage and determine areas that users prefer.

 

FIRST PARTY AND THIRD PARTY COOKIES

Our Site may place first party cookies and allow third parties to place cookies on your device. The difference between a first party cookie and a third party cookie relates to the control of the party who serves the cookie. First party cookies are cookies that are specific to the website that created them. Their use enables us to operate an efficient service and to track the patterns of behavior of visitors to the Site. Third party cookies, on the other hand, are placed on your device by a third party (i.e., not by MARU). While we may allow third parties access to the Site to place these cookies on users’ devices, for example by embedding functionality such as Social Media widgets, we do not retain control over the information supplied by the cookies, nor do we retain access to that data. Some third party cookies have the ability to track your browsing activity across sites, such as ad networks which are intended to deliver relevant, targeted ads to you and services delivered on external websites. This information is controlled wholly by those third parties in accordance with their respective privacy policies. We do not share your personal information with the third parties for their own use.

 

SESSION AND PERSISTENT COOKIES

Our Site may place session and persistent cookies on your device. Whereas the difference between a first party and third party cookie relates to the party controlling the initial placement of the cookie on your device, the difference between a session and a persistent cookie relates to the length of time the cookie lasts. Session cookies are cookies that typically last for as long as you are using your browser, also known as a browser session. When you end your browser session, the cookie expires. Persistent cookies, as the name implies, are persistent and will last after you close your browser. This allows for quicker and often more convenient access to our Site among other functionality.

 

LINKING OF COOKIE DATA WITH OTHER DATA

Information gathered through usage of a cookie is not generally linked to any direct personal identifiers (e.g., your name or e-mail address). Once you submit personal data on our sites however (e.g., by signing up to receive information from us, become a customer, etc.), we may link such personal data with cookies or other data that are associated with your visit(s) to our Site. This linkage allows us to create a ‘profile’ of your preferences so that we may tailor Site content, offers, and promotions to your interests.

 

DISABLING, DELETING, OR OPTING OUT OF COOKIES

IIf you do not want to have cookies placed on your device by third parties, many of them offer ways to opt-out. Most web browsers allow you to view and control most cookies through browser settings. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser to decline cookies. You may also delete existing cookies through your browser. Information on deleting/controlling cookies for specific browsers can be found at www.aboutcookies.org or www.allaboutcookies.org. Please note that if you delete cookies, or visit from another browser or device, you may need to set your preferences again including opt-out preferences. If you disable cookies, you may not be able to use the full functionality of the Site. In particular, you may have limited access to some areas or be transitioned to a different experience.

 

SIMILAR TECHNOLOGIES

There are other technologies that perform a similar function to cookies. These include web beacons and clear gifs, local shared objects (also known as “LSOs” or “Flash cookies”), and digital fingerprints. These technologies may be used in conjunction with cookies to help us generate additional functionality and data:

  • Web beacons/clear gifs – When we send you newsletters or other messages we use these technologies so that we can track email open and click rates, which in conjunction with cookies helps us understand your interests and send you more relevant, targeted messages.

  • Digital fingerprinting – When you become a member of our Market Communities, we use “digital fingerprinting” technology to help us uniquely identify you, and to ensure the integrity of survey results by suppressing duplicate accounts, fraudulent surveys, and fraudulent responses. To create the digital fingerprint, we use third party technology to collect data points about your computer and to generate a unique identifier by combining those data points. This digital fingerprint cannot reveal your personal identity on its own, and your personal information is not transferred to any third party via the digital fingerprint without your consent.

  • Website Behavior analytics – When visiting the MARU Group website, scripting technology will be used to create usage heatmaps and other website experience data. PII is suppressed from this collection, unless you provide your consent.

 

DO NOT TRACK SIGNAL

Some browsers allow you to send a ‘Do Not Track’ request when you visit a website. Aside from the cookie related settings listed above, this Site does not process Do Not Track signals sent by your browser.

 

CHANGES TO THIS POLICY

MARU encourages you to periodically review this Policy to stay informed of how we manage your personal information. If any changes are made to this Policy, MARU will revise the “Last Updated” date that is indicated on the Policy.

 

Last Updated: July 6, 2022