Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how TownConnect collects, uses, stores, and protects information when you use the platform, including LocalScope, TownCircle, TownPerks, promotions, notifications, contact forms, and related community features.

By using the platform, you agree that your information may be handled in accordance with this policy.

1. Information We Collect

Depending on how you use the platform, we may collect information such as:

• Account information, including username, email address, and password hash
• Profile information, including date of birth, display name, biography, avatar, and settings
• Community activity, including searches, submissions, reviews, claims, RSVPs, posts, messages, and other interactions
• Rewards and participation data, including points, badges, streaks, and notification history
• Technical and security information, including IP address, browser, device, session activity, and error logs
• Marketing or subscription information, including newsletter subscriptions, promo views, and coupon redemptions
• Support or contact information you choose to submit through forms or messages

2. How We Use Information

We use collected information to operate and improve the platform, including to:

• Create, manage, and secure user accounts
• Provide access to TownConnect features and community tools
• Support LocalScope listings, TownCircle participation, events, claims, reviews, and rewards
• Send service messages, notifications, account alerts, and system updates
• Support moderation, trust, safety, fraud prevention, and abuse prevention
• Improve functionality, performance, analytics, and user experience
• Provide relevant local promotions, recommendations, and personalized features when enabled
• Respond to support requests, contact submissions, and partnership inquiries

3. Age Verification and Restricted Features

Some areas of TownConnect may be restricted based on minimum age requirements. Where age-gated features are enabled, date of birth and verification status may be used to determine access to restricted content, promotions, events, or other features.

Age-related information is used primarily for access control, safety, and compliance with platform rules.

4. Community Content and User Submissions

Information you choose to post, submit, review, or share through community features may be visible to other users, administrators, moderators, business owners, or other authorized platform participants, depending on the feature and its settings.

Please do not post sensitive personal, financial, medical, or confidential information in public or semi-public areas.

5. Promotions, Rewards, and Analytics

TownConnect may track how users interact with promotions, newsletters, reward systems, searches, listings, posts, and other platform features to improve relevance, measure engagement, and maintain system quality.

This may include page visits, listing views, promo views, redemptions, point awards, searches, leaderboard participation, and related usage activity.

6. Cookies, Sessions, and Local Storage

We may use cookies, session storage, local storage, and similar technologies to keep you signed in, protect accounts, support security features such as CSRF protection, remember preferences, improve performance, and support progressive web app functionality.

7. Third-Party Services

The platform may use third-party tools or infrastructure for analytics, maps, email delivery, media delivery, real-time features, security, or other technical operations. Those providers may process limited information as necessary to provide their services.

Examples may include analytics providers, hosting providers, mapping tools, content delivery services, and notification or real-time communication services.

8. Data Storage and Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and platform-level measures to protect stored information. These may include authentication controls, hashing of passwords, session protections, permission checks, and logging for reliability and abuse prevention.

However, no internet-based system or storage method can guarantee absolute security. Users are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of their login credentials and choosing strong passwords.

9. Data Retention

We retain information for as long as reasonably necessary to operate the platform, provide services, maintain records, support moderation and security, comply with legal obligations, and resolve disputes or technical issues.

Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information and how it is used.

10. Your Choices and Account Controls

You may be able to:

• Update profile and account information
• Change your password and certain account settings
• Manage notifications and newsletter subscriptions
• Request help regarding submitted content or account-related concerns
• Choose whether to participate in optional features where available

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time as the platform evolves. Updated versions will be posted on this page and may include a revised effective date.

12. Contact

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your information, please contact us at mail@ladysmith.com.