1. Introduction

Welcome to LocaleLore ("we", "us", "our", or "Service"). This Privacy Policy explains howAscend Leads, LLC collects, uses, discloses, and protects your personal information when you use our location-based storytelling platform.

By using LocaleLore, you consent to the collection and use of your information as described in this Privacy Policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

• Account Information: Name, username, email address, password (encrypted)
• Profile Information: Profile picture, bio, preferences
• Content: Stories, facts, photos, comments, and other user-generated content
• Location Data: Geographic coordinates when you create location-based content
• Payment Information: Credit card details (securely processed by Stripe)
• Communications: Messages, support inquiries, feedback

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Device Information: Device type, operating system, browser, unique identifiers
• Usage Information: Pages visited, features used, time spent, click patterns
• Location Information: Approximate location based on IP address
• IP Address: For security and analytics
• Cookies: See our Cookie Policy for details
• Log Data: Access times, pages viewed, error logs

2.3 Information from Third Parties

• Social Login: Basic profile information from Google or other providers
• Payment Processor: Transaction information from Stripe
• Analytics: Aggregated usage data

3. How We Use Your Information

• Create and manage your account
• Process subscriptions and payments
• Display location-based content relevant to you
• Enable social features (friends, comments, messaging)
• Send notifications and communications
• Provide customer support
• Improve and personalize your experience
• Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and security issues
• Enforce our Terms of Service
• Comply with legal obligations
• Conduct analytics and research

4. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

For EEA/UK/Swiss users, we process your data based on:

• Contract Performance: To provide the Service
• Consent: For marketing emails and optional features
• Legitimate Interests: To improve the Service, ensure security
• Legal Obligation: To comply with laws

5. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We share information only with:

5.1 Other Users

• Public profile information (username, photo, bio)
• Stories, facts, and comments you post publicly
• Location data when you create location-based content

5.2 Service Providers

• Stripe: Payment processing
• Supabase: Cloud hosting and database
• Cloudflare: Map tile hosting and delivery
• Esri: Satellite imagery (only when the satellite map view is selected)
• Geoapify: Place search and route directions
• Sentry: Error tracking
• Email Services: Transactional and marketing emails

5.3 Legal Compliance

• To comply with laws, regulations, court orders
• To protect our rights and safety
• To detect and prevent fraud or security issues

5.4 Business Transfers

If we are involved in a merger or acquisition, your information may be transferred. We will notify you before this occurs.

6. Your Privacy Rights

6.1 All Users

• Access: Request a copy of your data
• Update: Correct inaccurate information
• Delete: Request account and data deletion
• Control Communications: Opt out of marketing emails
• Privacy Settings: Control who sees your content

6.2 EEA/UK/Swiss Users (GDPR)

Additional rights include:

• Right to Rectification: Correct inaccurate data
• Right to Erasure: "Right to be forgotten"
• Right to Restrict Processing: Limit how we use your data
• Right to Data Portability: Receive data in machine-readable format
• Right to Object: Object to processing for direct marketing
• Right to Withdraw Consent: At any time
• Right to Lodge a Complaint: With your data protection authority

Contact privacy@localelore.org to exercise these rights.

6.3 California Residents (CCPA)

• Know: What personal information we collect
• Delete: Request deletion of personal information
• Opt-Out: Of sale of personal information (we don't sell data)
• Non-Discrimination: Equal service regardless of privacy choices

7. Data Retention

How long we keep each kind of data, and what happens to it when you delete your account. Deleting your account starts a 30-day grace period in which you can cancel. When it ends we email you a last notice, and the deletion runs a day later; you can still cancel until then. We send that notice even if you have turned off emails, because it is about your own account.

• Account and profile: Kept while your account is open. Deleted a day after the 30-day grace period ends, once we have emailed you the last notice.
• Your lore, stories, comments, votes and messages: Kept while your account is open, and deleted with it. Published lore is removed, not kept under another name.
• Photos and files you uploaded: Kept while your account is open, and deleted with it. A photo you added to someone else's lore stays with that lore.
• Payment records (payments, subscriptions, tips and purchases): Kept for 7 years for tax and accounting. When you delete your account, your account, name and email are removed from them; amounts, dates and the payment processor's reference stay. They are deleted once they are 7 years old. Stripe and PayPal keep their own records under their own policies.
• Billing settings (your current plan and billing email, tip-jar settings and sponsorship listings): Deleted with your account.
• Support tickets and their messages: Deleted with your account.
• Contact form messages: Not linked to an account. Kept for 1 year, then deleted automatically; email privacy@localelore.org to have one deleted sooner.
• Security logs (for example, two-factor recovery codes being created or used): Kept for 1 year, then deleted automatically. When you delete your account, your user ID and IP address are removed from them.
• Account activity and email delivery records: Kept for 1 year, then deleted automatically. Deleted with your account if that comes first.
• Copies of your data exports: Kept for 7 days after the export is made, then deleted automatically.
• Error reports: Kept by Sentry for up to 90 days.
• Server request logs: Kept by Supabase, our database host, for 7 days.
• Analytics: The few product events linked to your account (signing up, submitting lore, starting a subscription) are deleted with it. The same events from signed-out visitors are deleted after 1 year. Page views are counted in aggregate by Plausible and are not linked to you.

8. Data Security

We protect your information with:

• Encryption: TLS/SSL for data in transit
• Password Protection: Hashed and salted passwords
• Access Controls: Strict limits on data access
• Row Level Security: Database-level protections
• Security Audits: Regular assessments

However, no method is 100% secure. You are responsible for protecting your account credentials.

9. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies for authentication, preferences, and analytics. See our Cookie Policy for details.

• Essential Cookies: Required for Service functionality
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand usage
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings

You can control cookies through your browser settings.

10. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own, including the United States. We ensure appropriate safeguards through:

• Standard Contractual Clauses (EU Commission approved)
• Adequacy decisions

11. Children's Privacy

Our Service is not for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with information, contactprivacy@localelore.org and we will promptly delete it.

Users aged 13-18 must have parental permission to use our Service.

12. Third-Party Services

Our Service integrates with third-party services, each with their own privacy policies:

• Stripe: stripe.com/privacy
• Cloudflare: cloudflare.com/privacypolicy
• Esri: esri.com/en-us/privacy
• Geoapify: geoapify.com/privacy-policy
• Google: policies.google.com/privacy

We are not responsible for third-party privacy practices.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy. We will notify you of material changes by:

• Posting the updated policy with a new "Last Updated" date
• Sending email notification
• Displaying a prominent notice on our Service

Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance. If you disagree, stop using the Service and delete your account.

14. Contact Us

For privacy questions or to exercise your rights:

• Company: Ascend Leads, LLC
• Address: Philadelphia, PA
• Privacy Email: privacy@localelore.org
• Support: support@localelore.org
• Data Protection Officer: legal@localelore.org (if applicable)

We will respond within 30 days.

15. Data Protection Authority

EEA/UK/Swiss users can lodge complaints with their local supervisory authority if unsatisfied with our response:

• UK: Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) - ico.org.uk
• EEA: Find your authority at EDPB Members