Privacy Policy
Last Updated: December 7, 2024
1. Introduction
BizCheckNow ("we," "our," or "us") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website bizchecknow.com ("Service").
Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By using the Service, you consent to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use the Service.
2. Information We Collect
A. Information You Provide Directly
Account Information
If you create an account, we collect:
- Email address
- Password (encrypted)
- Name (optional)
- Business name (if claiming a business)
Business Claim Information
If you claim a business profile, we collect:
- Your relationship to the business
- Contact information
- Verification documents you submit
Contact Information
If you contact us, we collect:
- Your email address
- Name
- Message content
Challenge/Dispute Information
If you challenge a TrustScore, we collect:
- Your contact information
- Documentation you submit
- Details of your dispute
B. Information Collected Automatically
Usage Data
We automatically collect:
- IP address
- Browser type and version
- Device type and operating system
- Pages visited and time spent
- Referring website
- Date and time of visits
Search Data
We collect:
- Business names and locations you search for
- Search timestamps
- Search frequency
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use:
- Essential cookies (required for site function)
- Analytics cookies (to understand usage patterns)
- Preference cookies (to remember your settings)
C. Information from Third Parties
We do not purchase or receive personal information about individual consumers from third parties.
For business profiles, we aggregate publicly available information from:
- Government databases (OSHA, EPA, health departments, courts)
- Better Business Bureau
- Google Places API
- State licensing boards
3. How We Use Your Information
We use collected information for:
A. Service Operations
- Providing and maintaining the Service
- Processing business searches and generating TrustScores
- Managing user accounts
- Processing business claims and challenges
- Responding to inquiries and support requests
B. Service Improvement
- Analyzing usage patterns to improve features
- Identifying and fixing technical issues
- Developing new features based on user needs
- Ensuring service security and preventing abuse
C. Communications
- Sending account-related notifications
- Responding to your requests
- Notifying you of changes to our Service or policies
- Sending marketing communications (only with your consent)
D. Legal and Safety
- Complying with legal obligations
- Enforcing our Terms of Service
- Protecting our rights, property, and safety
- Protecting users and the public from harm
5. Data Retention
We retain different types of data for different periods:
| Data Type | Retention Period |
|---|---|
| Account Data | Until you delete your account, plus 30 days for backup purposes |
| Search Data | 24 months to improve service and track trends |
| Business Profile Data | Indefinitely as public record aggregation |
| Analytics Data | 26 months (Google Analytics default) |
| Communication Records | 3 years for legal compliance |
| Challenge/Dispute Records | 5 years for legal compliance |
You may request deletion of your personal data at any time (see Your Rights section).
6. Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data:
Technical Measures
- SSL/TLS encryption for data in transit
- Encrypted database storage (Firebase)
- Secure authentication with password hashing
- Regular security updates and patches
- Access controls and authentication for admin functions
Organizational Measures
- Limited employee access to personal data
- Security awareness practices
- Incident response procedures
Important: No method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your data.
7. Your Rights and Choices
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:
A. Access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
B. Correction: You can request correction of inaccurate personal data.
C. Deletion: You can request deletion of your personal data, subject to certain exceptions (e.g., legal retention requirements).
D. Portability: You can request your data in a portable format.
E. Opt-Out: You can opt out of:
- Marketing communications (via unsubscribe link)
- Analytics cookies (via browser settings or our cookie banner)
- Account deletion (contact us)
F. Do Not Track: We currently do not respond to "Do Not Track" browser signals, as there is no industry standard for this.
To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@bizchecknow.com. We will respond within 30 days.
9. Third-Party Links and Services
Our Service contains links to third-party websites and services, including:
- Government databases (OSHA, EPA, health departments)
- Court record systems
- Better Business Bureau
- Google Maps
We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies.
10. Children's Privacy
The Service is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn we have collected such information, we will delete it promptly.
If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately at privacy@bizchecknow.com.
11. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)
If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):
A. Right to Know: You can request what personal information we collect, use, and disclose.
B. Right to Delete: You can request deletion of your personal information.
C. Right to Opt-Out: You can opt out of the sale of personal information. Note: We do not sell personal information.
D. Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your CCPA rights.
To exercise CCPA rights, contact us at privacy@bizchecknow.com.
We will verify your identity before processing requests.
12. European Privacy Rights (GDPR)
If you are in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):
A. Legal Basis for Processing
- Consent: Where you have given consent
- Contract: Where processing is necessary for our contract with you
- Legitimate Interest: Where we have a legitimate business interest
- Legal Obligation: Where we must comply with law
B. Your GDPR Rights
- Access, rectification, erasure, and portability (as described above)
- Right to restrict processing
- Right to object to processing
- Right to withdraw consent
- Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority
C. International Transfers
Your data may be transferred to and processed in the United States. We rely on standard contractual clauses and other safeguards for such transfers.
To exercise GDPR rights, contact us at privacy@bizchecknow.com.
13. Business Information Disclaimer
BizCheckNow displays information about businesses, not individuals. This includes:
- Business names and addresses
- Regulatory violations (OSHA, EPA, health inspections)
- Court records involving the business
- Review aggregations
This information is:
- Sourced from public government records
- Already publicly available
- Displayed for consumer protection purposes
- Protected under fair reporting and public interest principles
Business representatives may request correction of factual errors through our Challenge process, as described in our Terms of Service.
14. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. Changes are effective when posted on this page.
We will notify you of material changes by:
- Posting a notice on the Service
- Updating the "Last Updated" date
- Sending an email (for account holders)
Your continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
15. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, contact us:
For data protection inquiries (GDPR):
Data Protection Contact: privacy@bizchecknow.com