Privacy policy

1. Introduction

At HooDat, Inc. ("HooDat," "we," "our," or "us"), we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our people lookup service ("Service").

This Privacy Policy applies to: (1) information we collect from registered users of our Service, and (2) information about individuals that is aggregated and displayed through our Service.

2. Information We Collect About Our Users

2.1 Account Information

When you create an account, we collect:

• Email address
• Password (encrypted)
• Name (optional)

2.2 Payment Information

Payment processing is handled by Stripe, Inc. We do not store complete credit card numbers. Stripe may store:

• Last 4 digits of card number
• Card expiration date
• Billing address

For Stripe's privacy practices, please visit: stripe.com/privacy

2.3 Usage Information

We automatically collect:

• Search queries and history
• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Device information
• Pages visited and features used
• Date and time of access

3. Information We Aggregate About Others

3.1 Sources of Information

Our Service aggregates publicly available information from various sources, which may include:

• Public records databases
• Publicly accessible social media profiles
• Public directories and listings
• Open web sources
• Third-party data providers who aggregate public information

3.2 Types of Information Aggregated

The information we may aggregate and display includes:

• Names and aliases
• Age range (not full date of birth)
• Current and past locations (city, state)
• Publicly listed phone numbers
• Publicly listed email addresses
• Publicly available social media profile information
• Publicly listed relatives and associates

3.3 What We Do NOT Have Access To

To be clear, HooDat does NOT have access to:

• Private social media profiles or posts
• Direct data feeds from any social media platform
• Private messages or communications
• Social Security Numbers
• Bank account or financial information
• Medical or health information
• Sealed, expunged, or juvenile records
• Private membership data
• Information about individuals under 18 years of age

4. How We Use Information

4.1 User Information

We use your account information to:

• Provide and maintain the Service
• Process payments and manage subscriptions
• Communicate with you about your account
• Respond to support inquiries
• Detect and prevent fraud or abuse
• Comply with legal obligations

4.2 Aggregated Information

We aggregate publicly available information to:

• Provide search results to our users
• Improve the accuracy and completeness of our database

5. Information Sharing

We may share information in the following circumstances:

• Service Providers: With vendors who assist in providing our Service (e.g., payment processing, hosting)
• Legal Requirements: When required by law, subpoena, or legal process
• Safety: To protect the rights, safety, or property of HooDat, our users, or others
• Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets

We do NOT sell your personal account information to third parties for marketing purposes.

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your information, including:

• Encryption of data in transit (TLS/SSL)
• Encryption of sensitive data at rest
• Access controls and authentication
• Regular security assessments

However, no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Your Rights and Choices

7.1 Account Information

You may:

• Access and update your account information through your settings
• Delete your account by contacting support
• Request a copy of your personal data

7.2 Opt-Out for Individuals in Our Database

If your information appears in our search results and you wish to have it removed, you may submit an opt-out request through our Opt-Out Form.

Please note:

• Processing may take up to 30 days
• We will work with our data providers to implement your request
• Some information may reappear if it becomes publicly available again
• Opt-out only applies to HooDat; your information may still appear on other services

8. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Maintain your session and authentication
• Remember your preferences
• Analyze usage patterns
• Detect and prevent fraud

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect Service functionality.

9. California Privacy Rights (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you have the following rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA):

• Right to Know: Request disclosure of personal information we collect, use, and share
• Right to Delete: Request deletion of your personal information
• Right to Correct: Request correction of inaccurate personal information
• Right to Opt-Out: Opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information
• Right to Non-Discrimination: Not be discriminated against for exercising your rights

To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@hoodat.wtf or use our Opt-Out Form.

Notice of Collection: We collect the categories of personal information described in Section 2 for the purposes described in Section 4.

10. Other State Privacy Rights

Residents of Virginia (VCDPA), Colorado (CPA), Connecticut (CTDPA), and other states with comprehensive privacy laws may have similar rights. Contact us at privacy@hoodat.wtf to exercise any applicable rights.

11. Children's Privacy

Our Service is not intended for individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we learn that we have collected information from a child, we will delete it promptly.

Our search results are filtered to exclude information about individuals we can identify as minors.

12. Data Retention

We retain information as follows:

• Account information: Until you delete your account, plus 30 days
• Search history: 90 days for active accounts
• Payment records: As required by law and for dispute resolution
• Aggregated data: Continuously updated from public sources

13. International Users

Our Service is operated in the United States and intended for U.S. users. If you access our Service from outside the United States, your information will be transferred to and processed in the United States.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by email or through a notice on our website. The "Last updated" date indicates when this policy was last revised.

15. Contact Us

For questions about this Privacy Policy or to exercise your privacy rights: