Privacy & Data Policy

1. Introduction

1.1. Datacy, Inc. ("we", "us", "our", or "Datacy") collects your data through our browser extension and web applications ("the Platform"). This Privacy Policy explains our data collection, usage, and disclosure practices. By using datacy.com and our Services, you accept these practices as described in this policy. All capitalized terms not otherwise defined in this Privacy Policy shall have the same definitions ascribed to them in the Terms and Conditions.

2. Our Privacy Principles

Datacy adheres to robust privacy principles:

2.1. Control: You have comprehensive control over your data, including what is collected and how it is shared.

2.2. Compliance: We process your data strictly according to your instructions, solely as necessary to deliver our services, maintain a feature-rich platform, or address fraud and security concerns.

2.3. Security: We implement rigorous measures to ensure your data is handled securely.

3. Data Management

3.1. Control Tools: You can manage, restrict, or opt-out of data collection from any website at any time

3.2. Transparency and Integrity: We guarantee that all data is anonymized to safeguard your privacy, securely stored, and shared only with brands and businesses that you have not excluded.

3.3. Data Sharing: With your explicit consent, we share your anonymized online behavior data with only with trusted brands that we partner with, and only for specific, agreed-upon purposes.

3.4. Data Usage: Our brand partners primarily use your anonymized data for market research, product development, and to gain insights into consumer perceptions and behaviors. We never share any information that could allow our partners to identify you. All shared data is aggregated with other users' data, providing insights without enabling targeted advertising.

4. The Data We Collect

4.1. Online behavior Data

4.1.1. Active Collection: Through the Datacy Chrome extension, APIs, and dashboard, you actively gather and share data that captures your online behaviors. This includes:

4.1.2. Interactions: Search queries, content engagement, influencer followings, and purchase history.

4.1.3. App Connections: You may elect to link data sources by connecting apps to enhance functionality.

4.1.4. Profile Inputs: Data collected when you answer profile questions.

4.1.5. Installation: Data generated from installing our browser extension and using our web application.

4.2. Basic Account Data: You provide personal details such as your name and email address, necessary for creating and managing your Datacy account.

4.3. Cross-device Functionality: We collect metadata to support features that function across your devices, enhancing the user experience on desktops and laptops.

4.4. Safety and Security: To secure your account and combat potential abuse, we collect metadata like your IP address, device history, and username changes, ensuring compliance with our Terms of Service.

5. Data We Do Not Collect

5.1. Sensitive Personal Information: Datacy never collects sensitive information, such as your social security numbers, biometric data, and personal identification numbers. Specific examples include

5.1.1. Financial Information: Datacy does not collect details such as bank account numbers or credit card information. We prioritize avoiding financial data to mitigate legal risks and preserve user trust.

5.1.2. Personal Communications: Our platform is designed not to collect personal communications, including emails, text messages, or direct messages from social platforms. Your private communications are completely off-limits to our data collection efforts.

5.1.3. Medical Records: We strictly do not collect medical history or any health-related information to ensure the utmost respect for your privacy.

5.2. Data of Users Under the Age of 18:

5.2.1. Age Restrictions: Individuals under the age of 18 are prohibited from creating a Datacy account. We strictly enforce this rule to comply with legal standards.

5.2.2. Protection Measures: Accounts suspected to be created by underage users are promptly closed. We are committed to not targeting or collecting information from minors, in accordance with youth protection regulations. 

6. Keeping Your Data Safe

6.1. Datacy is dedicated to protecting the data you collect, manage, and share through our platform. We implement industry-standard security measures, including encryption in transit and at rest, to safeguard the storage and handling of your data. However, it's important to recognize that no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is completely secure. While we commit to using commercially acceptable means to ensure the security of your information, we cannot guarantee absolute protection. We continuously work to enhance our security practices to protect your data against unauthorized access and potential threats.

7. Legal Bases for Data Processing

7.1. Contract Performance:

7.1.1. Service Provision: We process your data to deliver and enhance the services you receive from Datacy. This includes maintaining your account and improving service functionality.

7.1.2. Data Retention for Brand Customers: In accordance with our Terms and Conditions, we retain your anonymized behavior data which has been aggregated with data from other users to draw insights for our brand customers. To maintain the integrity of the services and insights we provide to these customers, we cannot decouple this data once shared. We continue to hold this information in an aggregated, anonymized format as insights outputs. It is structured in a way that ensures individuals can never be personally identified from this data. You can read more about this in our Terms and Conditions. 

7.1.3. Spam and Abuse Prevention: To safeguard against phishing, spam, and other abusive activities that violate our Terms of Service, we may review your data. Violations can lead to temporary or permanent account suspension. Appeals against such actions can be made via appeal@datacy.com. We employ automated algorithms to analyze data and prevent abuse.

7.1.4. Feature Enhancement: We use aggregated data about your interactions with Datacy to develop useful features. For example, the Search menu might display the data you frequently search for, based on a calculated rating of your typical queries.

7.2. Legitimate Interests:

7.2.1. We process your data as necessary for our legitimate interests, including legal compliance, system security, and maintaining the integrity, availability, and resilience of Datacy's operations. If you wish to request data deletion or object to our processing based on legitimate interests, please contact us at customer_support@datacy.com.

7.3. Consent

7.3.1. We process your data based on consent obtained when you use the Datacy browser extension, fill out your profile, respond to surveys, or link data sources for rewards. This consent grants Datacy a non-exclusive, transferable, perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, store, adapt, and create derivative works from your behavioral data for monetization purposes. You can modify or delete your data anytime.

7.3.2. Datacy retains a perpetual, worldwide license to use anonymized behavioral data for system development, product improvement, and customer satisfaction enhancements, consistent with the terms you agreed to upon registration. You may withdraw your consent and restrict further data collection at any time via the Datacy browser extension.

8. Onward Transfer

8.1. Third-Party Vendors: Datacy shares information with trusted third-party vendors who assist in managing our websites and platform, such as cloud hosting services. These vendors are contractually bound to use the information solely for performing services on behalf of Datacy and are prohibited from using it for any other purposes.

8.2. Legal Disclosures: Datacy may be required to disclose your information to third parties under certain circumstances, such as to comply with legal obligations or in response to lawful requests by public authorities, including meeting national security or law enforcement requirements. Additionally, we may disclose your information when we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding suspected or actual illegal activities, fraud, situations involving potential threats to the physical safety of any person, or violations of our terms and services.

8.3. Corporate Transitions: In the event of a corporate merger, consolidation, sale of assets, bankruptcy, or other significant corporate change, Datacy may transfer information, including any data we have collected on the platform, to a successor entity. We will notify users of such transfers through updates to our privacy policy, maintaining transparency and continuity of service.

9. Sharing Your Data

9.1. Data Use and Consent:  Datacy prioritizes your privacy. Datacy only collects, stores, accesses, uses, or shares your data with explicit consent, as detailed in this Privacy Policy and the Terms and Conditions

9.1.1. All behavioral data shared through our services is anonymized to eliminate personal identifiers, ensuring you remain unidentifiable as an individual, maintaining your privacy and anonymity. 

9.1.2. We only use your personal information to communicate with you, addressing inquiries or providing technical support.

9.2. Partnerships and Monetization: 

9.2.1. We partner with businesses to create consumer communities around shared interests, behaviors, and preferences. Your anonymized data is aggregated with others' to generate valuable insights, which help brands enhance their products and strategies. By participating, you benefit directly from monetization opportunities, influencing brand strategies meaningfully.

9.2.2. Until you are matched, your anonymized data remains unused and unshared, safeguarding your information under the strictest privacy standards. You will be notified within your apps when a matching brand is found and before any data sharing starts.

9.2.3. By agreeing to this Privacy Policy, you authorize us to represent you in sharing your data under these secure and controlled conditions. 

9.3. Security Measures: Datacy employs stringent security measures, including data encryption, to protect your information. 

10. Your Rights

10.1. Transparency and Control: Our platform ensures you have visibility and control over your data. Through your Datacy account, you can:

10.1.1. Pause Data Collection: Temporarily stop data collection from any source.

10.1.2. Restrict Specific Websites: Restrict specific websites you do not want to collect your data from..

10.1.3. Access and Review: View all data you have collected or shared through Datacy.

10.1.4. Amend Information: Update or correct any inaccurate or incomplete demographic or psychographic data we hold.

10.1.5. Restrict Sharing: Restrict any business you do not want to share your data with.

10.1.6. Delete Data: Remove any data or your account at any time.

10.2. Your California Privacy Rights (CCPA)
If you are a California resident, you have the right to:

10.2.1. Request the categories and specific pieces of personal data we have collected about you

10.2.2. Request deletion of your personal data

10.2.3. Opt out of the sale or sharing of your data

10.2.4. Not be discriminated against for exercising these rights

If you require assistance in exercising any of these rights or have other questions regarding your data privacy, please contact us at customer_support@datacy.com. We are committed to ensuring that you can easily manage your data in a way that respects your privacy and autonomy.

11. Account Management and Deletion

11.1. Deleting Your Account: You can request the deletion of your Datacy account at any time by contacting us at customer_support@datacy.com. Upon deletion, your account will be permanently removed from the Datacy network and cannot be recovered.

11.2. Account Self-Destruction Policy: If your Datacy account remains inactive for at least one year, it will automatically be deleted. This ensures that your personal information is not retained without your active engagement.

11.3. Data Retention and Usage Post-Account Deletion:

11.3.1. Consent and Retention of Anonymized Data: When you request the deletion of your Datacy account, all collection of new behavior data will cease immediately, all your personal data will be deleted and will no longer be used for operational purposes.  While all personal information is removed upon account termination, Datacy will continue to maintain a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, non-exclusive license to retain, use and make derivative work out of all of your anonymized behavioral data that has been previously shared.  This retention is based on the consent you provide as per our Terms and Conditions and is essential for legitimate business purpose of fulfilling existing contractual obligations with our brand customers. By signing up to datacy,  you acknowledge and agree that this anonymized data may continue to be used within the agreed-upon terms to support ongoing business operations and commitments, even after your account is closed.

11.3.2. Transparency and Continued Rights: These policies are designed to protect your privacy while complying with legal and contractual obligations, ensuring that your data is managed responsibly. If you have questions about how we handle account deletion or data retention, please reach out to customer support.

12. Making a Complaint

12.1. If you encounter any issues or have a complaint, please reach out to us directly at customer_support@datacy.com. We are committed to resolving your concerns swiftly and effectively. If you are not satisfied with the resolution, you have the right to escalate your complaint to your national data protection authority, which can adjudicate the matter.

13. Changes to This Policy

13. Datacy reserves the right to modify this Privacy Policy periodically. Any changes will be reflected by updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of the policy. The most current version of the Privacy Policy will dictate our use of your information and your interactions with our Services, Websites, and/or Platform. We encourage you to review this policy regularly to stay informed of how we are protecting your information. Your continued use of our services after any changes to this policy will constitute your acceptance of such changes.