The GeoConnect® mobile application and services, as well as the GeoConnect® website located at www.geoconnect.com (the “Site”) and any content therein (collectively, the “Services”) offer users a forum to interact with other GeoConnect® users in the same area, in order to post and share comments, chat, interact via chat, group chat, and newsfeeds. In this Privacy Policy (“Policy”), we describe how we collect, use, and disclose information that we obtain about users of our Services, which are available via mobile applications (the “App”) and/or the Site.
What Information We Collect
Account Information. When you first launch the App, we assign you a user id but we do not require you to provide your name or email address unless you choose to login using said method. We may also collect the following information: Geolocation Data – We ask you to share your location information from your mobile device. If you choose not to, the Services will not function. Location information is used to place you in your local GeoConnect® group, to place you in your home GeoConnect® group, and as explained below. You can revoke your consent by changing the settings or preferences on your device or by deleting GeoConnect® from your device. Your Content and Usage- We collect any content you submit to the Services. The content includes anything in your posts (for example, photos and links), replies and views, as well as information about when you submitted the content, when it was viewed, and other activities. Other Information you Provide to Us – When you contact GeoConnect®, we will collect any information you volunteer.
Information We Collect Automatically – We may automatically collect information about your use of the Services such as: access time, device ID, application ID or other unique identifier; domain name, IP address, screen views; geo-location data (with your permission); language information; device name and model; operating system information; your activities within the Services; and the length of time that you are logged in. We may combine this information with other information that we have collected about you. Social Media Sites- You can like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and promote us on other social media sites. We collect information about who has liked us or followed us. However, we don’t associate your social media account with your GeoConnect® account. You may also share Posts through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media accounts.
How We Use Information We Collect
In general, we use the information we collect from and about you to provide and operate the Services, respond to your requests, and to provide customer service and technical support. We may also use information: To place you in your local GeoConnect® group so that you can post and review content based on your current location. To place you in your home GeoConnect® group so that you can post and review content in your community even when you are away. To tailor the information that we may send or display to you, offer location customization, send you push notifications and alerts, and to otherwise personalize your experiences while using our Services. To send you notices. To display advertising, including advertising that is targeted to you based on your location, as well as your GeoConnect® activities. Verify your identity and prevent spam or other unauthorized or illegal activity.
To better understand how users access and use our Services, both on an aggregated and individualized basis, in order to improve our Services and respond to user desires and preferences, and for other research and analytical purposes.
Where Information is Processed
GeoConnect® is based in the United States. No matter where you are located, you consent to the processing and transferring of your information in and to the U.S. and other countries. The laws of the U.S. and other countries governing data collection and use may not be as comprehensive or protective as the laws of the country where you live. And, your information may be made available to government or law enforcement requests.
How We Share Information
You cannot control who views your content; any content you post is publicly available. So, if you don’t want to share something publicly, don’t post it. GeoConnect® is a social network, and the content you post may be shared with and viewable by others. We do not identify you by name or contact information to other GeoConnect® users. However, we cannot prevent others from determining your identity from the content you post or how you share content through third party sites. The information we collect, including personally identifiable information, may be shared as follows: GeoConnect® Users- Any information that you post, including comments, replies and other information is publicly available. We cannot control how your information is used by others. Your posts are available to all other users. Users can also freely share any GeoConnect® content, no matter who posted it, through other third party sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. And, your posts may be publicly distributed outside of GeoConnect® by us or third parties. Service Providers – We may disclose the information we collect to third party vendors, service providers, contractors or agents who perform functions on our behalf. Business Transfers – We may transfer the information we have collected to another company in connection with, or during negotiations of, any merger, sale of company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of our business. Third Parties and Partners – We may share the information with our third party partners, including advertisers and researchers. For example, if you post content that mentions one of our advertisers, we may share that content with them. Or, we may work with a researcher to analyze the content on a particular feed. In Response to Legal Process- We also may disclose the information in order to comply with the law, a judicial proceeding, court order, subpoena, or other legal process. For example, we may share your IP address or other identifier, your location information, or any other information we have collected about you and your device.
To Protect Us and Others – We also may disclose information if we believe it is necessary to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding illegal activities, suspected fraud, situations involving potential threats to the safety of any person, violations of our Terms of Service or this Policy, or as evidence in litigation in which GeoConnect® is involved.
Aggregate and De-Identified Information – We may also share aggregate or de-identified information about users with third parties for marketing, advertising, research or similar purposes.
Invite Contacts
You can choose to “Share GeoConnect®” by inviting contacts via email, text or other means. You choose what contacts to invite and when to invite them. If you invite a contact, we will generate a message with the GeoConnect® download URL included, which you can choose to send via your mobile device.
Your Content
You can delete content you have posted (including replies). Content you delete will be hidden from other users. However, GeoConnect® may maintain a copy of such content in our records. Push Notifications/Alerts
We may send push notifications or alerts to your device. You can deactivate these messages at any time by changing the notification settings on your device or by changing your GeoConnect® settings.
Third Party Analytics
We may use automated devices and applications, included those offered by third parties to evaluate usage of our Services. We also may use other analytic means to evaluate our Services. We use these tools to help us improve our Services, performance and user experiences. The information collected may include unique device identifiers, device manufacturer and operating system, IP address, browser type, session start/stop time, and user activity.
From within the App, you may opt out of the collection of this information by third party analytics companies for the App (but not for the Site) by setting the toggle at the end of the Policy to the right. The opt-out is not available on the Site. Please note that if you choose to opt out of any data collection, that opt-out will not result in the deletion of data that has already been collected from the App. To learn how Google Analytics uses your data from the Site and how to opt out of collection of your information by Google Analytics via the Site please visit http://www.google.com/analytics/
learn/privacy.html and https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. To learn how Optimizely uses your data from the Site and how to opt out, please visit https://www.optimizely.com/privacy/ and https://www.optimizely.com/opt_out/.
Third Party Ads
We may display ads to you (including in-app ads), and we may target those ads based on your location, your GeoConnect® activities, and other criteria (e.g., the time of day). We do not currently respond to do-not-track signals that may be sent from your device. For more information about interest-based ads, including how to opt out of having your web browsing information used for behavioral advertising purposes, please visit www.aboutads.info/choices.
Third-Party Links
Our Services may contain links to third-party websites. Any access to and use of such linked websites is not governed by this Policy, but instead is governed by the privacy policies of those third party websites.
Minors
You must be at least 14 to use our Services. If you are not at least 14, please do not use our Services or provide any information to us. If we discover that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, we will delete such information from our systems.
Contact Us
If you have questions about the privacy aspects of our Services or would like to make a complaint, please contact us at support@geoconnect.com.
Changes to this Policy
This Policy is current as of the Effective Date set forth above. We may change this Policy from time to time, so please be sure to check back periodically. We will post any changes to this Policy on our Site, at http://www.geoconnect.com/privacy. If we make any changes to this Policy that materially affect our practices with regard to the personal information we have previously collected from you, we will endeavor to provide you with notice in advance of such change by highlighting the change on our Site, or providing notice in our mobile app.