Contents
1. Who we are
Master Art Index is operated by Master Art Index Inc. ("we", "us", "our"), a corporation headquartered in the Province of Quebec, Canada. We provide institutional-grade AI valuation infrastructure for the art market.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect personal information in compliance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and Quebec's Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector, as modernized by Law 25 (formerly Bill 64).
In plain English: We only collect what we need to qualify your access to the platform and respond to you. We do not sell your data. You can ask us at any time what we hold about you, and we will delete it on request.
2. What we collect
Information you provide directly
- Identification data: full name, professional email, company or institution.
- Profile data: role (collector, institution, auction house, investor) and primary use case.
- Free-text content: any details you choose to add to the "Tell us more" field.
Information collected automatically
- Technical data: IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, and timestamps of visits.
- Usage data: pages visited, referring URL, and aggregated interaction events.
Information we do NOT collect
- Payment card or banking information.
- Government identification numbers.
- Sensitive categories such as health, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or political views.
3. Why we collect it
We use personal information for the following purposes only:
- Access qualification: reviewing applications to our private beta and onboarding qualified users.
- Communication: responding to inquiries, scheduling demonstrations, and sending product updates you have agreed to receive.
- Product improvement: understanding aggregate usage patterns to improve the platform.
- Legal compliance: complying with applicable laws, court orders, and regulatory obligations.
- Security: detecting fraud, abuse, and unauthorized access.
We never use your information for purposes that are not explained here without first asking for your consent.
4. Legal basis (PIPEDA & Law 25)
Under PIPEDA, we collect and use personal information based on your express or implied consent. By submitting our access form, you provide express consent to the processing described in this policy.
Under Quebec Law 25, we additionally rely on the following principles: purpose limitation (each piece of data has a specific purpose), data minimization (we only collect what is necessary), and transparency (this policy).
5. How we share information
We do not sell, rent, or trade personal information. We disclose personal information only in the following limited circumstances:
- Service providers: trusted vendors that host our website, process forms (e.g., Netlify), and provide email and analytics services. These providers act under written agreements that require equivalent privacy protection.
- Legal requirements: when required by valid legal process, court order, or statutory obligation.
- Business transfers: in the context of a merger, acquisition, or financing, with continued protection under this policy.
- With your consent: any other disclosure is made only with your express authorization.
6. Retention
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described above:
- Beta access applications: retained for up to 24 months from the date of submission, then anonymized or destroyed.
- Active customer records: retained for the duration of the commercial relationship plus 7 years for tax and accounting compliance.
- Technical logs: retained for up to 12 months for security and diagnostic purposes.
7. Security
We implement administrative, physical, and technical safeguards proportionate to the sensitivity of the information we hold. These include encryption in transit (TLS 1.2+), restricted access on a need-to-know basis, multi-factor authentication for internal systems, and continuous monitoring.
In the event of a confidentiality incident presenting a risk of serious injury, we will notify the Commission d'accès à l'information du Québec and the affected individuals as required by Law 25.
8. Your rights
You have the following rights regarding your personal information:
- Right of access: obtain confirmation of whether we hold your data and request a copy.
- Right of rectification: ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
- Right of erasure ("right to be forgotten"): ask us to delete your data, subject to legal retention obligations.
- Right to withdraw consent: withdraw your consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of past processing.
- Right to data portability: receive your data in a structured, commonly used electronic format.
- Right to object to automated decision-making: request human review of any decision based exclusively on automated processing that significantly affects you.
- Right to file a complaint: contact the Commission d'accès à l'information du Québec or the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada if you believe your rights have been violated.
To exercise any of these rights, contact our Privacy Officer (see Section 13). We will respond within 30 days.
9. Cross-border transfers
Some of our service providers operate servers outside of Quebec or Canada (notably in the United States and the European Union). Where personal information is transferred outside Quebec, we conduct a privacy impact assessment as required by Law 25 and put in place contractual safeguards ensuring an equivalent level of protection.
10. Cookies & analytics
Our website uses a minimal set of cookies and similar technologies:
- Essential cookies: required for the website to function (e.g., security, form submission).
- Analytics: aggregated, privacy-respecting measurement of page visits and interactions. We do not use cross-site tracking or behavioral advertising.
You can disable cookies through your browser settings; some features may not function as a result.
11. Children's data
Master Art Index is a professional product not directed at individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If you believe a minor has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.
12. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or in applicable law. The "Effective date" at the top of this page indicates the latest revision. Material changes will be notified by email to active users at least 30 days before they take effect.
13. Contact & Privacy Officer
For any question, request, or complaint relating to this Privacy Policy or to the processing of your personal information, please contact our designated Privacy Officer:
Privacy Officer, Master Art Index Inc.
Email: privacy@masterartindex.com
Postal address: available on request
Province: Quebec, Canada
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may file a complaint with the Commission d'accès à l'information du Québec or the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.