Privacy Policy

PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

When you reach out to real estate agents, sellers, or our support team, we collect and use your personal information, including your name, email address, and phone number, to enable communication and provide you with the assistance you seek. We gather specific data automatically during your interactions with our Services. This data, which does not disclose your precise identity (such as your name or contact details), may encompass information related to your device and its usage. Our primary reasons for collecting this information are to ensure the security and functionality of our Services, as well as for our internal analytical and reporting requirements. Like many websites, we also collect information through cookies and similar technologies.

Device Information

We gather device-related information, encompassing data about the computer, phone, tablet, or any other device you utilize to connect with our Services. Depending on the specific device in use, this device data may comprise details like your IP address (or proxy server), unique device and application identification codes, geographical location, browser category, hardware model, Internet service provider, mobile carrier, operating system, and system configuration specifics.

Location Information

For instance, we may determine your precise or approximate location using methods like your IP address, the GPS of your mobile device, or data you provide to us, all depending on your device settings. Even when you're not actively using the app, we might still collect this information if you've authorized it through your settings or device permissions.

Log Data and Usage Information

We gather various types of data that pertain to your interactions with our Platform. Depending on your interactions with us, this log data may incorporate your IP address, device information, browser type, settings, and details about your activity within the Services, such as date and time stamps associated with your actions, pages and files viewed, search queries, and other activities, including feature usage. It's worth noting that we may collect this data even if you haven't created a FlatSurfer account or logged in.

HOW WE USE INFORMATION WE COLLECT?

We utilize your data to deliver, enhance, and manage our Services, maintain communication with you, enhance security, and prevent fraud, all while ensuring legal compliance. In some cases, we may also handle your data for additional purposes, contingent upon your explicit consent. We process your personal information for a variety of reasons, depending on how you interact with our Services.

Property Inquiries and Expressions of Interest

When you express interest in a property listed on our website, your personal information may be shared with the respective real estate agent or property seller to support the transaction and provide you with additional details about the property.

Service Providers

We may engage third-party service providers to assist in delivering our services. These providers may have access to your personal information only to the extent necessary to perform their tasks. We ensure that these providers adhere to strict data protection standards and comply with applicable laws.

Aggregated Data

We may use aggregated, non-personal data for various purposes, such as analytics, research, and improving our services. This data is not linked to any specific individual and cannot be used to identify you.

Marketing and Promotions

We may use your personal data to provide you with information about our services and promotional materials. However, we will only send you marketing communications if you have opted in to receive them. You have the right to opt out of these communications at any time.

HOW LONG WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION?

We will retain your personal information only for the duration necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this privacy notice, unless extended retention is mandated or permitted by law, such as for tax, accounting, or other legal requirements. Once we no longer have a valid business requirement to process your personal information, we will either erase it or anonymize the data. In cases where erasure or anonymization is not immediately feasible, such as when your data is stored in backup archives, we will securely store your personal information and isolate it from further processing until deletion is practicable. If you've registered for our services but haven't used them for a reasonable period, we may reach out to confirm your continued interest in receiving communications from us. Even if we remove your data, it may still exist in backup or archival storage for legal, tax, or regulatory compliance purposes.

DATA SECURITY

We take the security of your data seriously and have implemented appropriate measures to safeguard your personal information. We are committed to maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your data.

Data Protection Measures

We employ advanced technical and organizational measures to protect your data against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. These measures include, but are not limited to:

• Encryption: We use industry-standard encryption protocols to protect data transmitted over the internet. This safeguards your data during its transfer to and from our website.
• Access Control: Access to your data is restricted to authorized personnel who require access to perform their duties. Access control mechanisms ensure that your data is only accessible to those with the proper permissions.
• Secure Servers: Our data is stored on secure servers with stringent access controls and monitoring. Regular security audits are conducted to identify and address vulnerabilities.

Third-Party Security

We work with third-party service providers and partners to enhance our services. These providers are selected carefully, and they are contractually obligated to comply with data protection and security standards. We take steps to ensure that your data is protected even when it's processed by third parties.

Reporting Security Issues

If you discover or suspect a security issue on our website, we encourage you to report it to our security team immediately. We take all reports seriously and will investigate and address any security vulnerabilities promptly. Please be aware that while we take extensive measures to protect your data, no method of data transmission or storage is entirely secure. However, we are dedicated to continuously monitoring, assessing, and enhancing our security practices to protect your information. By using our website, you acknowledge that no data transmission or storage can be guaranteed as completely secure, and you accept the inherent risks associated with online activities.

INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS

Your personal information may be processed and stored in countries other than your own, where our service providers or servers are located. These international data transfers are necessary to provide you with our services. By using our website, you consent to your data being transferred to and processed in these locations.

Data Transfers Outside Your Country

The data protection and privacy laws in these countries may not be as comprehensive as those in your own country. However, we take appropriate steps to ensure that your data is handled securely, in compliance with this Privacy Policy, and in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

If you are located in the European Union or the United Kingdom

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and UK GDPR require us to explain the valid legal bases we rely on in order to process your personal information. As such, we may rely on the following legal bases to process your personal information:

• Consent. We may handle your data if you have provided explicit permission (consent) for a specific purpose. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.
• Legitimate Interests. We may process your data when we reasonably believe it is essential to pursue our legitimate business interests. These interests should not override your own rights and freedoms. For example, we might use your personal information for purposes such as:
  • Providing users with details about special offers.
  • Analyzing how our services are used to enhance user engagement and retention.
  • Supporting our marketing efforts.
  • Identifying and addressing issues or preventing fraudulent activities.
  • Gaining insights into how users interact with our products and services to enhance the user experience.
• Meeting Legal Requirements. We may handle your data when we deem it essential to fulfill our legal responsibilities. This may include cooperating with law enforcement or regulatory authorities, asserting or safeguarding our legal rights, or providing your information as evidence in legal cases in which we are a party.

If you are located in Canada

We might use your data if you have granted us explicit permission for a particular purpose. Alternatively, we may rely on situations where your consent can be reasonably assumed (implied consent). You retain the right to revoke your consent at any time. In some exceptional cases, we may be legally permitted under applicable law to process your information without your consent, including, for example:

• When collecting information is clearly in an individual's best interests.
• For the purpose of investigations and the prevention of fraud.
• During business transactions, provided specific conditions are met.
• If the data is contained in a witness statement and is necessary for assessing, processing, or settling an insurance claim.
• When we have reasonable grounds to believe that an individual has been, is, or may become a victim of financial abuse.
• When it is reasonable to assume that collecting and using data with consent would compromise data availability or accuracy. This collection should be for purposes related to investigating breaches of agreements or violations of Canadian laws or provincial laws.
• If disclosure is necessary to comply with a subpoena, warrant, court order, or court rules pertaining to record production.
• If the information was generated by an individual in the course of their employment, business, or profession, and the collection aligns with the original purposes for which the data was created.
• When the information is publicly available and falls within the specifications defined by regulations.

We remain committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your data, regardless of its location. We have implemented safeguards to protect your data during international transfers, and we continuously assess and enhance our practices to safeguard your information.

CALIFORNIA CONSUMER PRIVACY ACT (CCPA)

The California Code of Regulations provides the following definition for a "resident":

• Any person present in the State of California for reasons other than a temporary or brief stay.
• Any person who has a permanent residence in the State of California but is temporarily outside the state for a short duration.

Individuals falling outside these criteria are categorized as "non-residents". If you fall under this "resident" definition, specific rights and responsibilities related to your personal information must be followed. California Civil Code Section 1798.83, often referred to as the 'Shine The Light' law, allows California resident users to request, free of charge and once a year, information regarding the categories of personal information (if any) that we have disclosed to third parties for direct marketing purposes. It also includes the names and addresses of all third parties with whom we have shared personal information during the previous calendar year. If you are a California resident and wish to make such a request, please send a written request using the information provided in our "Contact Us" section. If you are a California resident under the age of 18 and have an active account with our Services, you hold the right to request the removal of publicly posted data that you no longer wish to be available on our Services. To initiate the removal of such data, please contact us using the provided contact information and include your account's associated email address, along with a statement confirming your California residency. We will ensure that the data is no longer visible on our Services, but please note that the data may not be entirely removed from all our systems (e.g., data backups, archiving and logging, caching, etc.).

CHILDREN’S ONLINE PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT (COPPA)

We do not intentionally request information from or promote our services to individuals under the age of 18. When you use our services, you confirm that you are at least 18 years old, or that you are the parent or legal guardian of a minor using our services, and you grant permission for the minor to do so. If we discover that we have gathered personal information from users under the age of 18, we will deactivate the account and make reasonable efforts to promptly remove this data from our records. If you become aware of any information that may have been collected from children under 18, please get in touch with us using the information provided in our "Contact Us" section.

YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS

Depending on your geographic location, applicable privacy laws may grant you certain rights regarding your personal information:

• Right to Correction: You have the right to request the correction of your personal information if it is inaccurate.
• Right to Deletion: You can request the removal or deletion of your personal information from our systems.
• Right to Restrict Data Usage: You have the right to prevent us from using your personal information entirely or restrict the ways in which we can use it.
• Right to Object:You can object to our use of your personal information, especially when we use it for our legitimate interests or when we employ it for profiling that informs our market research and user demographics. If you raise an objection, we will cease processing your personal information unless there are very exceptional circumstances, in which case we will provide an explanation for continuing to process your data.

DO WE USE COOKIES AND OTHER TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES?

Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently and provide information to the website owners. Cookies may be temporary or persistent and can be created by the website you are visiting (first-party cookies) or by other websites that provide content on the page (third-party cookies).

Why We Use Cookies

We use cookies for various purposes, including but not limited to:

• Functionality: Some cookies are essential for our website to function properly. They enable features like user authentication and account management.
• Performance: We use cookies to collect information about how you interact with our website. This helps us improve your user experience and the overall performance of the site.
• Marketing and Analytics: We use cookies to track user behavior, analyze trends, and gather demographic information. This data is used to tailor content and advertisements to your interests.

Types of Cookies We Use

Below are the types of cookies we may use:

• Session Cookies: These are temporary cookies that are deleted from your device when you close your web browser.
• Persistent Cookies: These cookies remain on your device even after you close your browser. They are used to remember your preferences and settings when you return to our website.
• First-Party Cookies: These cookies are set by our website and can only be read by our website.
• Third-Party Cookies: These cookies are set by other websites or services that provide content or features on our website, such as analytics or advertising services.

Cookie Control

You have the option to manage and control cookies. Most web browsers allow you to change your cookie settings, typically found in the "Options" or "Preferences" menu. You can choose to accept, reject, or delete cookies. However, please be aware that disabling cookies may impact your experience on our website.

Updates to Our Cookie Policy

We may update our Cookie Policy to reflect changes in our use of cookies or for legal and regulatory reasons. Any modifications will be effective upon posting the updated Cookie Policy on our website. By using our website, you consent to the use of cookies as described in this Cookie Policy. We value your privacy and strive to provide a transparent and secure browsing experience.

USE OF GOOGLE ANALYTICS

We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. ("Google"). Google Analytics helps us understand how our website is used and enables us to make informed decisions to improve the user experience. Google Analytics may collect information about your use of our website, such as:

• Your IP Address: This is a numerical label assigned to your device on the internet, which Google Analytics uses to determine the general location of your device and to provide us with aggregated demographic and interest data.
• Pages Viewed: Google Analytics tracks which pages you visit on our website.
• Time Spent on Pages: This measures the time you spend on each page, helping us gauge the effectiveness and interest in our content.
• Referring Websites: It identifies the websites that referred you to our website.
• Device and Browser Information: This data helps us understand which devices and browsers are most commonly used to access our website.
• Interaction with Website Features: Google Analytics tracks interactions with various elements on our website, such as clicks on buttons, forms, and links.

Google Analytics uses cookies to collect this information. Cookies are text files placed on your device to track usage patterns. The data generated by these cookies is sent to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. Google uses this data to evaluate your use of our website, compile reports on website activity, and provide other services related to website activity and internet usage.

Opt-Out of Google Analytics

You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on. This tool prevents your data from being used by Google Analytics. For more information about Google Analytics and how Google uses data, you can visit Google's Privacy Policy.

CONTACT US

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding your personal information, please contact us at: support@flatsurfer.com

CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices. Any modifications will be effective upon posting the revised Privacy Policy on this page.

Your Continued Use

Your continued use of our website after any changes to this Privacy Policy will signify your acknowledgment and acceptance of the updated terms. If you do not agree with any changes to this Privacy Policy, we recommend discontinuing your use of our website. We encourage you to periodically review this Privacy Policy to stay informed about how we are protecting your privacy and the security of your personal information.