Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

Information You Provide

We collect information you voluntarily provide when you:

• Create an account: Name, email address, password, and profile information
• Submit a business listing: Business name, address, phone number, website, hours of operation, photos, and descriptions
• Write reviews: Review content, ratings, and any photos you upload
• Contact us: Name, email, and the content of your message
• Subscribe to newsletters: Email address and preferences

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we automatically collect:

• Device information: Browser type, operating system, and device identifiers
• Usage data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, clicks, and navigation paths
• Location data: Approximate location based on IP address (used to show relevant local businesses)
• Cookies and similar technologies: See our Cookies section below

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Operate and maintain the Baltimore Only directory
• Process business listings and account registrations
• Display reviews and facilitate community interactions
• Personalize your experience and show relevant local businesses
• Send transactional emails (account confirmations, listing updates, etc.)
• Send marketing communications (with your consent)
• Respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
• Analyze usage patterns to improve our services
• Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and security issues
• Comply with legal obligations

3. Information Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

• Public content: Reviews, ratings, and profile information you choose to make public are visible to all users
• Business listings: Business information is displayed publicly in our directory
• Service providers: We share data with trusted third parties who help us operate our services (hosting, analytics, email delivery)
• Legal requirements: We may disclose information when required by law, legal process, or government request
• Business transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, user data may be transferred
• With your consent: We may share information with your explicit permission

4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Keep you logged in to your account
• Remember your preferences and settings
• Understand how you use our website
• Show you relevant content and advertisements
• Analyze traffic and improve our services

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling cookies may affect some features of our website.

Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential cookies: Required for basic website functionality
• Analytics cookies: Help us understand usage patterns
• Preference cookies: Remember your settings and choices
• Marketing cookies: Used to deliver relevant advertisements

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information, including:

• Encryption of data in transit (HTTPS/TLS)
• Secure storage of passwords using industry-standard hashing
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Access controls limiting who can view personal data
• Employee training on data protection practices

However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your data.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:

• Provide our services to you
• Comply with legal obligations
• Resolve disputes and enforce agreements
• Maintain business records as required by law

When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within 30 days, except where retention is required by law.

7. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data
• Portability: Request a copy of your data in a portable format
• Opt-out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications
• Withdraw consent: Withdraw previously given consent

To exercise these rights, contact us at [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days.

8. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

California residents have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right to know what personal information is collected and how it's used
• Right to delete personal information
• Right to opt-out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information)
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights

9. Children's Privacy

Our Service is not directed to children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we discover that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, we will delete it immediately.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at [email protected].

10. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have different data protection laws. By using our Service, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States and other countries where we operate.

11. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these websites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any website you visit.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date. For significant changes, we will provide additional notice (such as email notification).

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

[email protected]

We will respond to your inquiry within a reasonable timeframe.