Statement on Device Data

Last Updated: 11th July, 2021

Brother Industries, Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Brother", "we", or "our"), a company operating in Japan, is committed to protect your privacy. Brother may collect and use the data and information relating your products (Device Data) after providing you a prior notice on such collection and processing. This Statement explains how we protect your privacy in relation to the Device Data that Brother may collect. through Brother's services, software, or products (collectively "Products").

1. How we collect your Device Data

When you use the Products which are connected to the internet, following Device Data may be automatically sent to Brother:

  • model name and version of the Product;
  • model names and version of browsers and their setting;
  • language and version of the firmware;
  • usage of the Product (for example, which application you used in software, or the print volumes);
  • serial number and IP address of the Product;
  • access logs of the websites and mobile apps that Brother Group companies provide; and
  • anonymous log data.

2. How we use your Device Data

We use your Device Data for:

  • general analysis on usage of the Product;
  • improving the existing line of Products and developing new functions and Products;
  • enhancing user experiences with our Products; or
  • as set forth in this Statement (collectively, "Purposes").

Except as otherwise described in this Statement, we will not use your Device Data for direct marketing purposes unless Brother informs you such purpose and obtains your consent.

3. How we share your Device Data

We work closely with Brother Group companies and we may share your Device Data with them. Furthermore, Brother and Brother Group companies may share your Device Data with its respective third parties specified below under the following circumstances:

  • business service providers; to store and process your Device Data, maintain information technology equipment and systems that may be used to store and process your Device Data and provide data analytics services.
  • law enforcement agencies, courts, regulators, government authorities; where it is necessary to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation, or otherwise to protect our rights or the rights of any third party.

We will take reasonable steps to ensure that the above Brother Group companies and third parties shall maintain appropriate physical and technical security to prevent loss or misuse of your Device Data.

4. Personal Data

If you register a Product or open an account at any of Brother Group companies and/or purchase services from them, such Brother Group companies may hold information with which you could be identified ("Personal Data"). Such Personal Data may include, among other things, your name, address, email address and serial number of a Product. In such a case, we may combine your Personal Data and Device Data. Our use and disclosure of your combined information will be for the purpose of customizing your user experience on websites and mobile apps of Brother Group companies by development of our Products and market research.

If the Device Data is of such a nature that is capable of identifying you by matching other Personal Data we hold, then we will protect such Device Data as Personal Data in accordance with this Statement and our privacy policy.

5. For Residents of EU

The data protection laws of European Community regards some of the Device Data that we obtain such as IP address and serial number (when you register a product with Brother Group companies) information which could identify an individual. Therefore, we protect your Device Data in accordance with our privacy policy. Please read our privacy policy in conjunction with this Statement.

6. Security

We take the security of your Personal Data very seriously and will use appropriate security measures to prevent unauthorized use or disclosure.

7. Contact

If you have questions regarding this Statement, please refer to the contact of our privacy policy.