Privacy Policy

Last updated: May 2025

LocationsNear.Me ("we," "us," or "our") operates the website at locationsnear.me. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your choices regarding your data.

1. Information We Collect

Information you provide

• Search queries and location input — the keywords and city/state you type into our search forms.
• Listing submissions — if you submit a business listing, we collect the business name, address, phone, website, category, and your optional contact details (name and email) for follow-up.
• Update suggestions — if you suggest a correction to a listing, we collect your message and optional name/email.
• Business owner accounts — if you subscribe to a paid plan, we collect your name, email address, and the listing you are claiming. Payment processing is handled entirely by Stripe; we never receive or store your full card number.

Information collected automatically

• Log data — your browser may send us your IP address, browser type, referring URL, and pages visited. We use this for security monitoring and aggregate analytics.
• Cookies — we use session cookies to keep you logged in (for business owners) and functional cookies required for payment and spam-protection services. We do not use persistent advertising cookies of our own.
• Location data — if you use the "Use My Location" feature, your browser sends us a latitude/longitude coordinate to find the nearest city. We use this only to populate the search form and do not store it.

2. How We Use Your Information

• To return search results for businesses near a location you specify.
• To process and display business listings submitted by users or claimed by owners.
• To process subscription payments and manage business owner accounts.
• To review suggested updates and improve the accuracy of directory data.
• To detect and prevent spam, abuse, and fraudulent submissions.
• To send transactional emails (subscription receipts, renewal notices) via our payment processor.

We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

3. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services, each of which has its own privacy policy:

• Google AdSense — displays advertisements on the site. Google may use cookies to serve ads based on your browsing history. You can opt out via Google's Ad Settings. See Google's Privacy Policy.
• Google reCAPTCHA v3 — protects our listing submission and update forms from automated spam. reCAPTCHA collects hardware and software information and sends it to Google for analysis. See Google's Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
• Stripe — processes subscription payments for business owners. Stripe collects your payment card details directly and does not share them with us. See Stripe's Privacy Policy.
• Tawk.to — provides the live chat widget you may see on the site. Any conversation you have via chat is stored by Tawk.to. See Tawk.to's Privacy Policy.
• OpenStreetMap / Leaflet — powers the maps on business detail pages. Map tiles are loaded from OpenStreetMap servers, which may log your IP address. See OpenStreetMap's Privacy Policy.

4. Cookies

We use the following types of cookies:

• Strictly necessary — session identifiers for logged-in business owners, and CSRF tokens required for form security. These cannot be disabled without breaking the site.
• Third-party functional — cookies set by Stripe and reCAPTCHA when you interact with payment or submission forms.
• Advertising — Google AdSense may set cookies for ad personalization. You can manage these via your browser settings or the Google opt-out link above.

Most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies. Note that disabling cookies may affect some features of the site.

5. Data Retention

• Business listings — retained indefinitely as part of the public directory. Owners may request removal (see below).
• Submitted listings and update suggestions — retained for review and moderation. Approved data is incorporated into directory listings; rejected submissions are deleted after review.
• Business owner accounts — retained while a subscription is active and for a reasonable period afterwards for billing and dispute resolution.
• Server logs — retained for up to 90 days for security and diagnostic purposes.

6. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the right to access, correct, or delete personal information we hold about you. California residents have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to know what personal information is collected and to request deletion.

To exercise any of these rights, or to request removal of a business listing, contact us at hello@locationsnear.me.

7. Children's Privacy

LocationsNear.Me is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has submitted personal information to us, please contact us and we will delete it.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. Continued use of the site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

9. Contact

Questions about this policy? Contact us at hello@locationsnear.me.