Privacy Policy

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Provide and maintain our Service: To deliver search results, process your requests, and enable core functionality
• Improve and optimize: To analyze usage patterns, identify issues, and enhance the Service's performance and features
• Personalize your experience: To tailor content and recommendations based on your search history and preferences
• Communicate with you: To send you service updates, newsletters, marketing materials (with your consent), and respond to your inquiries
• Process payments: To handle billing, subscriptions, and payment transactions
• Prevent fraud and abuse: To detect and prevent unauthorized access, security threats, and violations of our Terms of Service
• Comply with legal obligations: To fulfill legal requirements and respond to lawful requests from authorities
• Research and analytics: To conduct research, generate statistics, and analyze trends in aggregate form

We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

• Service Providers: With trusted third-party vendors who help us operate our Service (e.g., payment processors, email service providers, hosting providers, analytics services)
• Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, sale of assets, or bankruptcy, where your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity
• Legal Requirements: When required by law, court order, or government regulation, or when we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others
• With Your Consent: When you explicitly authorize us to share your information with specific third parties
• Aggregated Data: We may share anonymized, aggregated data that does not identify you personally for research, marketing, or analytical purposes

All third-party service providers are contractually obligated to maintain the confidentiality and security of your information and are prohibited from using it for any purpose other than providing services to us.

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of data in transit using SSL/TLS protocols
• Encryption of sensitive data at rest
• Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
• Access controls and authentication mechanisms
• Secure payment processing through PCI-compliant providers
• Regular backups and disaster recovery procedures

However, please be aware that no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and should notify us immediately if you suspect any unauthorized access to your account.

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

Specifically:

• Account information is retained while your account is active and for a reasonable period after closure
• Search query history may be retained for analytical purposes in anonymized form
• Payment and billing information is retained as required by tax and accounting regulations
• Usage data and logs are typically retained for 12-24 months
• Marketing communications data is retained until you unsubscribe

When we no longer need your information, we will securely delete or anonymize it in accordance with our data retention policies.

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to certain exceptions)
• Portability: Request a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Objection: Object to processing of your personal information for certain purposes
• Restriction: Request restriction of processing under certain circumstances
• Withdrawal of Consent: Withdraw consent for processing where we rely on consent as the legal basis
• Opt-out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time

To exercise these rights, please contact us at privacy@blacksheepsearch.com. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

Please note that we may ask you to verify your identity before processing your request to ensure the security of your personal information.

Our Service is not intended for children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

If we discover that we have collected personal information from a child under 18 without verification of parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information from our servers as quickly as possible.

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have data protection laws that are different from the laws of your country.

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, or Switzerland, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place when transferring your data internationally, such as:

• Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission
• Adequacy decisions by regulatory authorities
• Other legally approved transfer mechanisms

By using our Service, you acknowledge and consent to the transfer and processing of your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Our Service may contain links to third-party websites, blogs, and services that are not operated by us. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party sites.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

When you click on search results or external links provided by our Service, you will leave our platform and be directed to the third-party website. Any information you provide to those sites is governed by their privacy policies, not ours.

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right to Know: You have the right to request information about the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you, as well as the categories of sources, purposes for collection, and third parties with whom we share your information
• Right to Delete: You have the right to request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions
• Right to Opt-Out: You have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information (note: we do not sell personal information)
• Right to Non-Discrimination: You have the right not to receive discriminatory treatment for exercising your CCPA rights

To exercise your CCPA rights, please contact us at privacy@blacksheepsearch.com or call us at 1-800-XXX-XXXX (toll-free). You may also designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf.

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, or Switzerland, we process your personal information in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Legal Basis for Processing:

• Consent: When you provide explicit consent (e.g., for marketing emails)
• Contract Performance: To fulfill our contractual obligations to you
• Legitimate Interests: For our legitimate business interests (e.g., improving our Service, fraud prevention)
• Legal Obligation: To comply with legal requirements

You have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority if you believe we have not complied with applicable data protection laws.

Some web browsers have a "Do Not Track" (DNT) feature that signals to websites that you do not want to have your online activities tracked. Currently, there is no industry standard for how to respond to DNT signals.

At this time, our Service does not respond to DNT browser signals. However, you can control tracking through your browser settings and by managing your cookie preferences on our website.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make changes, we will:

• Update the "Last updated" date at the top of this Privacy Policy
• Notify you via email if the changes are material (if you have provided your email)
• Post a notice on our website for 30 days

Your continued use of the Service after any changes indicates your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.