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PRIVACY POLICY - COMMITMENT TO YOUR PRIVACY
This site is owned and operated by GFI
Laboratory. Your privacy on the Internet is of the
utmost importance to us. At GFI, we want to make your
experience online satisfying and safe.
Because we gather certain types of
information about our users, we feel you should fully
understand our policy and the terms and conditions
surrounding the capture and use of that information.
This privacy statement discloses what information we
gather and how we use it.
REFUND POLICY
If a client
should decide that they do not need or wish to have a
DNA test performed, a partial refund will be issued
based on the level at which the analysis has been
performed. Clients who order a DNA collection kit that
has been shipped via any shipping service will be issued
a full refund less a restocking fee of $10 for each DNA
collection kit ordered.
DNA COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION
In non-legal DNA testing the samples are collected
privately and without an established chain of custody.
The individual submitting the sample, by submitting the
sample, has expressed implied consent for analysis of
the samples submitted and acknowledges that they have
obtained consent from all parties being tested when the
samples are submitted. Non-standard samples submitted
for anonymous testing will be processed with the
understanding that the submitter bears the legal
responsibility of consent for the owner of the sample.
Samples are collected and stored in 3 separate manners:
·
Physical Sample – Unprocessed samples received are
stored for approximately 6 months and are then
discarded.
·
Extracted Sample – Sample DNA that has been extracted
from the cellular material is retained for approximately
6 months to 1 year and then is discarded.
·
Sample Data – The actual DNA profile is kept permanently
on our server and back-up server.
The GFI Laboratory reserves the right to alter the
disposition of remaining specimens. The specimens may be
discarded immediately following analysis upon receiving
validated consent from the submitter.
DNA TESTING
The GFI Laboratory produces a partial genetic profile of
the samples submitted for analysis. This partial profile
is in no way a complete picture of the genetic make-up
of the individual being tested. The partial profile
contains no medical information and is simply a series
of numbers. At no time will the GFI Laboratory perform
additional genetic tests without the expressed written
consent of the individual.
DNA REPORTS
The
GFI Laboratory will not discuss your specific report
details over the phone without a password. This password
must have been provided with the samples for analysis.
Reports can be emailed upon request in writing or
verbally once the password has been verified. All
reports are physically mailed to the address provided on
the sample submission form.
WEBSITE
INFORMATION GFI LABORATORY GATHERS AND TRACKS
GFI Laboratory gathers two types of information about
users:
-
Information that users provide through optional,
voluntary submissions.
-
Information GFI Laboratory gathers through DNA
Testing. Under no circumstances does GFI
Laboratory divulge any information about an
individual user to a third party.
Children
Consistent with the Federal Children's Online Privacy
Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA), GFI Laboratory will
never knowingly request personally identifiable
information from anyone under the age of 13 without
requesting parental consent.
Usage tracking
GFI Laboratory tracks user traffic patterns throughout
all of our sites. However, we do not correlate this
information with data about individual users. GFI
Laboratory does break down overall usage statistics
according to a user's domain name, browser type, and
MIME type by reading this information from the browser
string (information contained in every user's browser).
GFI Laboratory sometimes tracks and catalogs the search
terms those users enter in our Search function, but this
tracking is never associated with individual users. We
use tracking information to determine which areas of our
sites users like and don't like based on traffic to
those areas. We do not track what individual users read,
but rather how well each page performs overall. This
helps us continue to build a better service for you.
Cookies
We may place a text file called a "cookie" in the
browser files of your computer. The cookie itself does
not contain Personal Information although it will enable
us to relate your use of this site to information that
you have specifically and knowingly provided. But the
only personal information a cookie can contain is
information you supply yourself. A cookie can't read
data off your hard disk or read cookie files created by
other sites. GFI Laboratory uses cookies to track user
traffic patterns (as described above). Our advertising
system delivers a one-time cookie to better track ad
impressions and click rates.
You can refuse cookies by turning them off in your
browser. If you've set your browser to warn you before
accepting cookies, you will receive the warning message
with each cookie. You do not need to have cookies turned
on to use this site. However, you do need cookies to
participate actively in message boards, forums, polling
and surveys.
USE OF INFORMATION
GFI Laboratory uses any information voluntarily given by
our users to enhance their experience in our network of
sites, whether to provide interactive or personalized
elements on the sites or to better prepare future
content based on the interests of our users.
When we use tracking information to determine which
areas of our sites users like and don't like based on
traffic to those areas. We do not track what individual
users read, but rather how well each page performs
overall. This helps us continue to build a better
service for you. We track search terms entered in Search
function as one of many measures of what interests our
users. But we don't track which terms a particular user
enters.
GFI Laboratory creates aggregate reports on user
demographics and traffic patterns for advertisers,
sponsors and partners. This allows our advertisers to
advertise more effectively, and allows our users to
receive advertisements that are pertinent to their
needs. Because we don't track the usage patterns of
individual users, an advertiser or sponsor will never
know that a specific user clicked their ad. We will not
disclose any information about any individual user
except to comply with applicable law or valid legal
process or to protect the personal safety of our users
or the public.
SHARING OF THE INFORMATION
GFI Laboratory uses the above-described information to
tailor our content to suit your needs and help our
advertisers better understand our audience's
demographics. We will not share information about
individual users with any third party, except to comply
with applicable law or valid legal process or to protect
the personal safety of our users or the public.
SECURITY
GFI Laboratory operates secure data networks protected
by industry standard firewall and password protection
systems. Our security and privacy policies are
periodically reviewed and enhanced as necessary and only
authorized individuals have access to the information
provided by our customers.
OPT-OUT POLICY
We give users options wherever necessary and practical.
Such choices include:
-
Opting not to participate in certain interactive
areas, which completely alleviates the need to
gather any personally identifiable information from
our users
YOUR CONSENT
By using this site, you consent to the collection and
use of this information by GFI Laboratory. If we decide
to change our privacy policy, we will post those changes
on this page so that you are always aware of what
information we collect, how we use it, and under what
circumstances we disclose it.
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