Privacy Policy for Contemporary Sommelier Society, LLC

Effective Date:  July 21, 2025

1. Information We Collect

Educational Information

  • Student enrollment and course progress data

  • Assignment submissions and grades

  • Learning analytics to improve educational outcomes

  • Communication within the platform (messages, forum posts)

Account Information

  • Name, email address, and contact information

  • Login credentials and account preferences

  • Profile information you choose to provide

Technical Information

  • IP address, browser type, and device information

  • Usage patterns and platform interaction data

  • Cookies and similar tracking technologies

2. How We Use Your Information

Primary Educational Purposes

  • Delivering and improving our educational services

  • Tracking academic progress and providing feedback

  • Facilitating communication between students and instructors

  • Maintaining platform security and functionality

Administrative Purposes

  • Processing payments and managing billing

  • Providing customer support

  • Complying with legal obligations

  • Maintaining accurate records

Marketing Communications (Opt-in Only)

  • Informing you about new courses and educational opportunities

  • Sending newsletters and educational content

  • Providing information about relevant products and services

Note: Marketing communications are always optional. You can opt out at any time.

3. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties except in the following limited circumstances:

Service Providers

  • Payment processors for billing (billing information only)

  • Cloud hosting and technical infrastructure providers

  • Customer support platforms

Legal Requirements

  • When required by law, court order, or legal process

  • To protect our rights, property, or safety

  • To investigate suspected fraud or security issues

Educational Partners

  • With instructors for legitimate educational purposes

  • With accreditation bodies when required

  • Anonymous, aggregated data for research purposes

4. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures including:

  • Encryption of data in transit and at rest

  • Regular security audits and updates

  • Access controls and authentication requirements

  • Staff training on data protection practices

5. Student Rights

Access and Control

  • Right to access your personal information

  • Right to correct inaccurate information

  • Right to request deletion of your data (subject to educational record requirements)

  • Right to opt out of marketing communications

Data Portability

  • Right to export your educational records

  • Right to transfer data to another educational platform

6. Data Retention

  • Educational records: Retained as required by law and institutional policies

  • Account information: Retained while your account is active

  • Marketing data: Retained until you opt out

  • Technical logs: Retained for the duration deemed necessary by us

7. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

  • Maintain your login session

  • Remember your preferences

  • Analyze platform usage

  • Improve user experience

You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences.

8. Third-Party Links

Our platform may contain links to external websites. This privacy policy does not apply to third-party sites, and we encourage you to review their privacy practices.

9. Changes to This Policy

We will notify you of material changes to this privacy policy via:

  • Email notification to your registered address

  • Prominent notice on our platform

  • Updated "Last Modified" date

10. Contact Information

For questions about this privacy policy or your data:

Privacy Officer
Contemporary Sommelier Society
1290 Mountain Road PL NE
Suite N
Albuquerque, NM 87110
Email: helpme@cssomm.com
Phone: 505-390-2777

11. Compliance

This policy complies with applicable privacy laws including:

  • Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

  • General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

  • California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)

This privacy policy was last updated on 7/21/2025. We encourage you to review this policy periodically for any changes.