Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

Information you provide:

1. Account Information: When you create an account, we collect the email address and password you provide, along with your chosen username. If you sign in with Google, we receive your name and email address from Google.
2. Password Security: Your password is hashed and stored securely. We do not have access to your plain-text password.
3. Phone Number: We collect and verify your phone number via SMS as part of our account verification process to prevent bots and fraudulent accounts.
4. User Content: Any ratings, comments, polls, replies, or other content you submit to the Platform.
5. Preferences: Username, theme preferences (light/dark mode), and Terms of Service acceptance records.

Information collected automatically:

1. Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent, and interactions with the Platform. We also collect anonymous, aggregate page view counts (for example, the total number of times a company profile is viewed) to understand platform engagement. These counts are collected in aggregate and are not tied to your identity or any user account; we do not track your individual browsing history.
2. Device Information: Browser type, operating system, and device identifiers.

For reference, the information described above falls within the following categories of personal information:

1. Identifiers: such as your name (if you sign in with Google), email address, phone number, username, and online identifiers (for example, your IP address).
2. Commercial Information: not currently collected, as the Platform does not process purchases or transactions.
3. Internet or Electronic Usage Data: such as browsing and usage data, device identifiers, browser type, operating system, and interactions with the Platform, as described above.
4. Geolocation Data: not currently collected. We do not collect precise or approximate geolocation data about you.

2. How We Use Your Information

1. To provide, maintain, and improve the Platform.
2. To verify your identity and prevent fraudulent accounts and score manipulation.
3. To display your submitted ratings, comments, and polls to other users.
4. To calculate and display aggregated Integrity Scores based on community submissions.
5. To calculate and display your personal activity statistics (such as audits submitted, comments posted, and poll participation) within your own account settings, visible only to you.
6. To send you notifications about activity on the Platform, such as replies to your comments, if you have notifications enabled.
7. To communicate with you about your account and respond to inquiries.
8. To enforce our Terms of Service and protect the safety and integrity of the Platform.

3. How We Share Your Information

1. Public Display: Your submitted ratings, comments, and polls are publicly visible along with your display name. Your email address and phone number are never publicly displayed.
2. Service Providers: We may share information with third-party service providers who help us operate the Platform, including our hosting provider and our SMS verification provider (for phone number verification).
3. Legal Compliance: We may disclose information if required by law or to protect our rights.
4. No Sale of Personal Data: We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

4. Company Data Sourcing

In addition to personal user data, the Platform displays factual information about businesses, including revenue, ownership, and leadership data. This information is sourced from public filings and reputable business reporting, not from personal data collection, and is unrelated to the personal information described in this policy.

5. Cookies, Local Storage, and Do Not Track Signals

We use browser storage to keep you logged in and to remember your theme preference (light or dark mode). We do not use tracking cookies for advertising purposes.

Do Not Track Signals. Some browsers offer a "Do Not Track" feature that lets you tell websites you visit that you do not want them to track your online activity. Because there is not yet an accepted industry standard for how to respond to these signals, our Platform does not currently respond to Do Not Track signals. We will update this Policy if that practice changes.

Managing Cookies. Most browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings, including blocking or deleting cookies. If you block or disable cookies, some features of the Platform, such as staying logged in or remembering your theme preference, may not work as intended. Your choices are specific to the browser and device you use.

6. Data Retention

We retain your account information and User Content for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, we will remove your personal information and User Content from the Platform. Aggregated, anonymized scores that cannot be traced back to individual users may be retained.

Upon account deletion, personal information is removed within 30 days, except where retention is required for legal or security purposes.

7. Your Rights

You may:

1. Access and update your account information at any time through the Settings page.
2. Delete your account and associated data at any time through the Settings page.
3. Request a copy of your personal data by contacting us.

8. Security

We implement reasonable security measures to protect your personal information. However, no method of electronic storage or transmission is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach affecting your personal information, we will notify affected users as required by applicable law.

10. Children's Privacy

The Platform is not directed to, and is not intended for use by, children. You must be at least 18 years old to create an account or use the Platform, and we require users to confirm they are 18 or older during account creation. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of 18, including children under the age of 13. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 18 without appropriate consent, we will take steps to delete that information as quickly as possible. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at the address in the Contact section below and mark your inquiry "Children's Privacy Request," and we will investigate and respond promptly. Parents and guardians can learn more about protecting children's privacy online at https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0031-protecting-your-childs-privacy-online.

11. International Users

The Platform is operated from the United States. If you access the Platform from outside the United States, your information will be transferred to and processed in the United States, which may have different data protection laws than your jurisdiction.

12. Third-Party Links and Content

The Platform may contain links to third-party websites or services that we do not control. This Policy does not apply to the privacy practices of those third parties, and we encourage you to review their privacy policies. We are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of any third-party site.

13. Marketing Communications

If we send you marketing communications (which, as described in our Terms of Service, requires your separate opt-in), you may opt out at any time by following the unsubscribe instructions included in those communications, by replying "STOP" to marketing SMS messages, or by contacting us using the information in the Contact section below. Opting out of marketing communications will not affect service-related messages we send about your account, such as security alerts or replies to your inquiries.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make a material change to this Policy, we will notify you by email to the address associated with your account or by posting a prominent notice on the Platform at least fifteen (15) days before the change takes effect, consistent with the notice practice described in our Terms of Service. Non-material changes may be made by updating the "Last Updated" date above. Your continued use of the Platform after a change takes effect constitutes your acceptance of the revised Policy.

15. Contact

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at support@publicvantage.org or at Public Vantage LLC, 7901 4th St N, STE 300, St. Petersburg, FL 33702.