Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide Directly

When you create an account or use our Services, we collect information you provide to us, including:

• Account Registration Information: Name, email address, phone number, password, and business/professional details
• Payment Information: Billing name, address, payment method details (processed securely through third-party payment processors)
• Marketplace Listing Information: Business name, description, services offered, location, contact information, business hours, photos, and other details you choose to display publicly
• Profile Information: Professional credentials, certifications, business registration details, and other optional profile data
• Communications: Messages you send to our support team, feedback, survey responses, and correspondence
• User Content: Content you upload to your subdomain website, marketplace listing, or email attachments

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you access or use our Services, we automatically collect certain information:

• Device Information: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device type, unique device identifiers
• Usage Information: Pages visited, features used, time spent on platform, click patterns, login frequency
• Email Metadata: Sender/recipient addresses, timestamps, email size (we do NOT read email content unless required for spam prevention or abuse investigation)
• Log Data: Server logs, error reports, performance data, and technical diagnostics
• Location Information: General location based on IP address (city/region level, not precise GPS)

1.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from third-party sources:

• Payment Processors: Payment confirmation, transaction details, billing status
• Authentication Services: If you sign up using third-party authentication (e.g., Google), we receive basic profile information
• Analytics Providers: Aggregated usage statistics and behavioral data
• Public Sources: Publicly available business information to verify marketplace listings

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

2.1 Service Provision & Account Management

• Create and manage your AddyBuddy account
• Provide professional email services and subdomain hosting
• Display your marketplace listing to potential customers
• Process payments and manage subscriptions
• Authenticate your identity and prevent unauthorized access
• Provide customer support and respond to inquiries

2.2 Service Improvement & Analytics

• Analyze usage patterns to improve our platform
• Develop new features and services
• Conduct research and analytics on user behavior
• Test new features and optimize user experience
• Monitor and ensure service performance and uptime

2.3 Communication

• Send service-related notifications (account changes, security alerts, billing)
• Provide customer support and respond to requests
• Send marketing communications (you can opt out anytime)
• Notify you about new features, updates, or promotions
• Request feedback or reviews

2.4 Security & Fraud Prevention

• Detect and prevent spam, abuse, and fraudulent activity
• Monitor for security threats and vulnerabilities
• Enforce our Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy
• Protect against unauthorized access or data breaches
• Investigate suspected violations or illegal activity

2.5 Legal Compliance

• Comply with Pakistani laws and regulations
• Respond to legal requests and court orders
• Maintain records for tax and accounting purposes
• Protect our legal rights and enforce agreements

3. Email Content & Privacy

3.1 When We Access Email Content

We may access email content only in the following limited circumstances:

• Spam & Abuse Prevention: Automated systems scan emails for spam, malware, phishing attempts, and other security threats
• Abuse Investigations: If we receive reports of Terms of Service violations, we may review specific emails
• Legal Obligations: When required by law, court order, or government request
• Technical Support: Only with your explicit permission when troubleshooting email delivery issues
• Service Maintenance: For system backups, disaster recovery, and infrastructure maintenance

3.2 Email Metadata

We collect and use email metadata (sender, recipient, timestamps, subject lines, IP addresses) to:

• Route emails correctly and ensure delivery
• Detect spam and abuse patterns
• Provide usage statistics in your account dashboard
• Troubleshoot delivery issues

3.3 Email Encryption

We support encryption in transit (TLS) for email transmission. However, email is inherently not an end-to-end encrypted communication medium. For highly sensitive communications, we recommend using dedicated encrypted messaging services.

4. Subdomain & Website Hosting Data

4.1 Website Content

Content you upload to your subdomain website (text, images, videos, files) is stored on our servers. We:

• Store content securely to provide hosting services
• Do NOT monitor or review website content unless we receive abuse complaints
• May scan for malware, viruses, or malicious code for security purposes
• May review content if suspected of violating Terms of Service

4.2 Website Visitor Data

When visitors access your subdomain website, we may collect:

• IP addresses and general location data
• Browser type, device information, and referral sources
• Pages viewed and interaction patterns

Important: This data is provided to you (the website owner) as analytics. We may also use aggregated, anonymized data for platform improvement.

4.3 Backups

We perform periodic system backups for disaster recovery. While we strive to maintain backups, we do not guarantee the ability to restore individual websites or specific data. You are responsible for maintaining independent backups.

5. Marketplace Listing Information

5.1 Public Information

5.2 Customer Inquiries

When customers contact you through marketplace inquiry forms:

• We forward the inquiry to your AddyBuddy email address
• We may retain inquiry data for spam prevention and analytics
• We do not share customer contact information with third parties for marketing

5.3 Reviews & Ratings

Customer reviews and ratings you receive are publicly displayed. We may moderate reviews to remove spam, profanity, or violations of our policies, but we do not edit genuine customer feedback.

6. How We Share Your Information

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

6.1 Service Providers

We share data with third-party service providers who help us operate our business:

• Payment Processors: To process payments and manage subscriptions (e.g., Stripe, PayPal)
• Email Infrastructure: Email delivery and anti-spam services
• Cloud Hosting: Server and storage providers
• Analytics Tools: Google Analytics and similar services (anonymized data)
• Customer Support: Help desk and ticketing systems

These providers are contractually obligated to protect your data and use it only for the purposes we specify.

6.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information when required by law or to:

• Comply with legal processes (subpoenas, court orders)
• Respond to government or law enforcement requests
• Protect our legal rights or defend against legal claims
• Prevent fraud, abuse, or illegal activity
• Protect the safety of our users or the public

6.3 Business Transfers

If AddyBuddy is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity. We will notify you of any such change.

6.4 With Your Consent

We may share your information with third parties when you explicitly consent (e.g., authorizing integrations with other services).

6.5 Aggregated Data

We may share aggregated, anonymized data that does not identify you personally (e.g., "500 businesses in Karachi use AddyBuddy") for marketing, research, or business purposes.

7. Data Security Measures

7.1 Security Practices

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data:

• Encryption: Data transmission is encrypted using TLS/SSL protocols
• Access Controls: Strict access controls and authentication requirements for our systems
• Firewalls: Network firewalls and intrusion detection systems
• Regular Monitoring: Continuous monitoring for security threats and vulnerabilities
• Secure Storage: Data stored on secure, access-controlled servers
• Password Protection: Passwords are hashed and encrypted
• Regular Audits: Periodic security audits and vulnerability assessments

7.2 User Responsibilities

You also play a critical role in security:

• Choose a strong, unique password for your AddyBuddy account
• Enable two-factor authentication if available
• Do not share your password with others
• Log out of shared devices
• Report suspicious activity immediately

7.3 Security Limitations

7.4 Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach that affects your personal information, we will notify you promptly via email and provide information about the breach, affected data, and steps you should take.

8. Data Retention & Deletion

8.1 How Long We Keep Data

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide Services and fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy:

• Account Data: Retained while your account is active, plus up to 90 days after account closure
• Email Content: Retained according to your storage limits and account status
• Website Data: Retained while subdomain is active, deleted within 30 days of account termination
• Marketplace Listings: Removed within 7 days of account closure or listing deletion
• Payment Records: Retained for 7 years for tax and accounting purposes
• Support Communications: Retained for 3 years for quality assurance
• Log Data: Retained for 12 months for security and analytics purposes

8.2 Account Deletion

When you delete your account:

• Your email address and subdomain will be deactivated immediately
• Your marketplace listing will be removed within 7 days
• Personal data will be deleted within 90 days, except where retention is required by law
• Backups containing your data will be purged in the normal backup rotation cycle (up to 90 days)

8.3 Data We Cannot Delete

Some data may be retained even after account deletion:

• Payment records required for tax compliance
• Data necessary for legal proceedings or investigations
• Aggregated, anonymized analytics data
• Public reviews you posted about other businesses (anonymized)

9. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

9.1 What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help websites remember your preferences and track usage.

9.2 Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Required for basic site functionality (login, account access, security)
• Performance Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our site (Google Analytics)
• Functionality Cookies: Remember your preferences (language, region)
• Marketing Cookies: Track conversions from ads and measure campaign effectiveness

9.3 Managing Cookies

You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling essential cookies may affect your ability to use certain features of our Services.

To manage cookies:

• Chrome: Settings → Privacy and Security → Cookies
• Firefox: Options → Privacy & Security → Cookies
• Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Cookies

10. Your Privacy Rights

10.1 Access to Your Data

You have the right to access the personal information we hold about you. You can view and update most information directly in your account settings.

10.2 Data Portability

You can request a copy of your data in a machine-readable format. Email support@addybuddy.com to request a data export.

10.3 Correction & Updates

You can update your account information, marketplace listing, and profile details at any time through your account dashboard.

10.4 Deletion & "Right to Be Forgotten"

You can delete your account at any time. Upon deletion, we will remove your personal data as described in the Data Retention section.

10.5 Marketing Opt-Out

You can unsubscribe from marketing emails by:

• Clicking the "Unsubscribe" link in any marketing email
• Updating email preferences in your account settings
• Contacting support@addybuddy.com

Note: You cannot opt out of essential service notifications (account security, billing alerts, terms updates).

10.6 Object to Processing

You can object to certain data processing activities (e.g., analytics, marketing). Contact us to exercise this right.

10.7 Complaint Rights

If you believe we have violated your privacy rights, you can file a complaint with:

• AddyBuddy: legal@addybuddy.com
• Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA)
• Your local data protection authority (if applicable)

11. Children's Privacy

If you believe a child under 18 has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at legal@addybuddy.com. We will promptly delete such information.

12. International Data Transfers

12.1 Data Location

AddyBuddy is based in Pakistan. Your data is primarily stored on servers located in Pakistan. However, some of our service providers (e.g., cloud hosting, analytics) may process data in other countries.

12.2 Cross-Border Transfers

When we transfer data internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place:

• Contracts with service providers requiring data protection equivalent to Pakistani standards
• Compliance with applicable international data protection laws
• Use of secure data transfer mechanisms

12.3 Pakistani Data Protection Laws

We comply with Pakistan's data protection regulations, including:

• Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016
• Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) regulations
• Other applicable Pakistani privacy laws

13. Third-Party Services

13.1 Third-Party Links

Our Services may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies before providing any information.

13.2 Third-Party Integrations

If you connect third-party services to your AddyBuddy account (e.g., payment processors, analytics tools):

• Those services have their own privacy policies
• We share only the data necessary for the integration to function
• You can disconnect integrations at any time

13.3 Social Media

Our website may include social media sharing buttons. These features may collect your IP address and set cookies. They are governed by the privacy policies of the respective social media platforms.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

14.1 Right to Modify

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or business operations.

14.2 Notification of Changes

When we make material changes to this Privacy Policy, we will notify you by:

• Sending an email to the address associated with your account
• Displaying a prominent notice on our website
• Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy

14.3 Continued Use

Your continued use of our Services after changes to this Privacy Policy constitutes acceptance of the updated terms. If you do not agree with changes, please discontinue use and contact us to delete your account.

15. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

We will respond to privacy inquiries within 30 days of receipt.