YourGreenBook LLC ("YourGreenBook", "we", "us", or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website (www.yourgreenbook.com) and use our services.
Please read this privacy policy carefully. If you do not agree with the terms of this privacy policy, please do not access the site or use our services.
Table of Contents
1. Information We Collect
Personal Information You Provide
We collect information that you voluntarily provide to us when you:
- Register for an account (name, email, password, phone number)
- Create a business listing (business name, address, hours, contact information)
- Subscribe to paid plans (billing information, payment details)
- Enter sweepstakes or promotions (email, account type, referral information)
- Contact customer support (name, email, message content)
- Leave reviews or ratings (review text, photos, ratings)
- Participate in surveys or feedback (responses, preferences)
Information Automatically Collected
When you access our website, we automatically collect certain information, including:
- Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers
- Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent, click patterns, search queries
- Location Data: General location based on IP address (city/state level)
- Cookies and Similar Technologies: See our Cookie Policy
Information from Third Parties
We may receive information from third-party sources:
- Social Media: If you connect via social media, we may receive profile information
- Payment Processors: Stripe provides transaction confirmation and payment status
- Analytics Providers: Aggregated usage statistics and performance metrics
Census Form Data
When you enter our sweepstakes via the Alternative Method of Entry (AMOE), we collect detailed demographic and behavioral data through an 11-step census form. This data includes:
Personal Information:
- Name, email, phone number, date of birth
- Mailing address (street, city, state, ZIP)
Demographic Information:
- Gender identity, race/ethnicity
- Income level, education level
- Household size, marital status, number of children
Behavioral Information:
- Voter registration status and participation
- Black-owned business shopping habits
- Social media usage and preferences
- Community involvement and interests
Essay Responses:
- Economic empowerment perspectives (minimum 100 characters)
- Vision for supporting Black-owned businesses (minimum 100 characters)
Identity Verification Data
If you opt for identity verification ($1.50 optional), we use Stripe Identity to verify your identity. Stripe may collect:
- Government-issued ID images (driver's license, passport, etc.)
- Selfie photo with liveness detection
- Document verification results
- Verification timestamp and status
Important: We do not store your ID images or selfies. Stripe processes and securely stores this data according to their privacy policy. We only receive a verification status (verified/failed) and a unique session ID.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use your information for the following purposes:
To Provide and Maintain Our Services
- Create and manage your account
- Display business listings and reviews
- Process payments and subscriptions
- Provide customer support
- Send service-related communications
To Improve Our Platform
- Analyze usage patterns and trends
- Develop new features and services
- Conduct research and testing
- Fix bugs and technical issues
For Marketing and Promotions
- Send promotional emails (with your consent)
- Administer sweepstakes and contests
- Track referrals and rewards programs
- Display targeted advertisements
For Legal and Security Purposes
- Comply with legal obligations
- Enforce our Terms of Service
- Protect against fraud and abuse
- Defend our legal rights
Census Data Usage
We use census form data to:
- Community Insights: Analyze aggregate trends to better understand and serve the Black community
- Business Matching: Connect users with relevant Black-owned businesses based on preferences and behaviors
- Platform Improvements: Enhance our directory and recommendation algorithms
- Research & Advocacy: Share anonymized aggregate data with community organizations and policymakers
- Marketing: Send targeted communications about businesses and events matching your interests (with your consent)
Your privacy matters: Your census data is anonymized before being used for aggregate analysis or shared with third parties. We never sell personally identifiable information.
5. Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your information, including:
- Encryption: Data encrypted in transit (HTTPS/TLS) and at rest
- Access Controls: Limited employee access on a need-to-know basis
- Authentication: Secure password requirements and optional 2FA
- Monitoring: Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
- Incident Response: Procedures for detecting and responding to breaches
Important: No method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
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
Specific retention periods:
- Account Data: Retained while your account is active, then 90 days after deletion request
- Transaction Records: 7 years (for tax and legal compliance)
- Marketing Data: Until you unsubscribe or request deletion
- Analytics Data: Aggregated data retained indefinitely; individual data 26 months
- Census Entries: Retained for 3 years from submission date
- Verification Records: Retained indefinitely (provides ongoing verified status)
- Draft Entries: Deleted after 30 days of inactivity or upon user request
You may request deletion of your census data at any time by contacting support@yourgreenbook.com
7. Your Privacy Rights
You have the following rights regarding your personal information:
Access
Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Correction
Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
Deletion
Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal retention requirements).
Opt-Out
Unsubscribe from marketing emails via the link in each email or account settings.
Data Portability
Request a copy of your data in a machine-readable format.
Object to Processing
Object to certain types of data processing (e.g., marketing).
To exercise these rights, please contact us at privacy@yourgreenbook.com
8. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)
If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):
Categories of Information We Collect
- Identifiers (name, email, IP address)
- Commercial information (purchase history, subscriptions)
- Internet activity (browsing history, search queries)
- Geolocation data (city/state level)
- Professional information (business listings)
Your California Rights
- Right to Know: Request disclosure of categories and specific pieces of information collected
- Right to Delete: Request deletion of your personal information
- Right to Opt-Out: Opt-out of sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information)
- Right to Non-Discrimination: Not be discriminated against for exercising your rights
To submit a request, email us at privacy@yourgreenbook.com or call us at 1-800-YGB-BOOK. We will verify your identity before processing your request.
We Do Not Sell Personal Information: YourGreenBook does not sell your personal information to third parties.
9. EU/EEA Privacy Rights (GDPR)
If you are located in the European Union or European Economic Area, you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):
Legal Basis for Processing
- Consent: You have given clear consent for us to process your data
- Contract: Processing is necessary to fulfill our contract with you
- Legal Obligation: Processing is required by law
- Legitimate Interests: Processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests
Your GDPR Rights
- Right of Access: Obtain confirmation of whether we process your data and access to that data
- Right to Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
- Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your data ("right to be forgotten")
- Right to Restriction: Restrict processing under certain circumstances
- Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, commonly used format
- Right to Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing
- Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent at any time
To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@yourgreenbook.com
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority if you believe we have not complied with GDPR requirements.
10. Children's Privacy
Our services are not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18.
If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at privacy@yourgreenbook.com. We will delete such information from our systems.
Age Restriction: You must be at least 18 years old to use YourGreenBook. By using our services, you confirm that you meet this requirement.
11. International Data Transfers
YourGreenBook is based in the United States. If you access our services from outside the United States, your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States.
The United States may have data protection laws that differ from those in your country. By using our services, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States and other countries where we operate.
For EU/EEA users, we implement appropriate safeguards for international data transfers, such as:
- Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission
- Adequacy decisions where applicable
- Other legally recognized transfer mechanisms
12. Updates to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors.
When we make material changes, we will:
- Update the "Effective Date" at the top of this policy
- Notify you via email (if you have an account)
- Display a prominent notice on our website
- Request your consent if required by law
We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.
13. Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:
YourGreenBook LLC
Email: privacy@yourgreenbook.comPhone: 1-800-YGB-BOOKMail: YourGreenBook LLC, Privacy Department, [Address]
For general inquiries, visit our Contact Page
Last updated: January 1st, 2025