### **Privacy Policy for www.bigcrimewatch.com** **Effective Date:** August 6, 2025 **Last Updated:** August 6, 2025 Thank you for visiting www.bigcrimewatch.com ("BigCrimeWatch," "us," "we," or "our"). This Privacy Policy outlines our practices regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of your information when you use our website and services. **IMPORTANT:** By using our service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our services. #### **1. Information We Collect** We collect information that you provide to us and information that is automatically collected when you use our website. **1.1 Personal Information You Provide:** - **Account Information:** When you register using Clerk authentication, we collect your name and email address - **Profile Information:** Any additional information you choose to add to your profile - **Communication Data:** Information when you contact us, including emails and support requests - **Preference Data:** Your saved locations, map preferences, and dashboard settings **1.2 Automatically Collected Information:** - **Device Information:** IP address, browser type, device type, operating system - **Usage Data:** Pages visited, time spent on pages, click patterns, search queries - **Location Data:** General geographic location based on IP address (not precise location) - **Technical Data:** Cookies, web beacons, and similar tracking technologies **1.3 Crime Data:** - **Public Crime Statistics:** We display publicly available crime data from official police sources - **This data does not contain personal information and is aggregated by location** #### **2. How We Use Your Information** We use the information we collect for the following purposes: **2.1 Service Provision:** - To provide and maintain our crime mapping service - To manage your account and authenticate your access - To personalize your experience and save your preferences - To display relevant crime data based on your selected areas **2.2 Communication:** - To send service-related notifications and updates - To respond to your questions and support requests - To send occasional newsletters (with your consent) - To notify you of important changes to our service **2.3 Improvement and Analytics:** - To analyze website usage and improve user experience - To troubleshoot technical issues and enhance security - To develop new features and services - To conduct research and analytics (using anonymized data) **2.4 Legal and Safety:** - To comply with legal obligations and law enforcement requests - To protect our rights and prevent misuse of our service - To ensure the safety and security of our users #### **3. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR/UK GDPR)** We process your personal data based on the following legal grounds: - **Legitimate Interest:** To provide crime data services and improve our platform - **Consent:** For marketing communications and optional features (where requested) - **Contract Performance:** To fulfill our service agreement with you - **Legal Compliance:** To meet our obligations under applicable laws #### **4. Third-Party Services and Data Sharing** We use third-party services to facilitate our website and may share limited data as follows: **4.1 Authentication Service:** - **Clerk:** Manages user authentication and account data. Review their privacy policy at - **Data Shared:** Name, email address, authentication tokens **4.2 Analytics and Performance:** - **Google Analytics:** Website usage analytics (anonymized) - **Mapbox:** Map rendering services (no personal data shared) - **Performance Monitoring:** Error tracking and performance optimization **4.3 No Sale of Personal Data:** - We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties - We only share data as necessary to provide our services or as required by law #### **5. Data Retention** We retain your personal data for as long as necessary to: - Provide our services to you - Comply with legal obligations - Resolve disputes and enforce agreements - **Account Data:** Retained while your account is active, deleted within 30 days of account closure - **Usage Data:** Anonymized and retained for up to 2 years for analytics purposes #### **6. Data Security** We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information: - **Encryption:** Data transmission is protected using SSL/TLS encryption - **Access Controls:** Limited access to personal data on a need-to-know basis - **Regular Security Reviews:** Ongoing monitoring and security assessments - **Third-Party Security:** Our service providers (like Clerk) maintain robust security standards **Data Breach Notification:** In the unlikely event of a data breach, we will notify affected users and relevant authorities within 72 hours as required by law. #### **7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies** Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience: **7.1 Types of Cookies:** - **Essential Cookies:** Required for basic website functionality - **Analytics Cookies:** Help us understand how you use our site (Google Analytics) - **Preference Cookies:** Remember your settings and preferences - **Marketing Cookies:** Used for advertising (only with your consent) **7.2 Cookie Management:** - You can control cookies through your browser settings - Disabling essential cookies may affect website functionality - You can opt out of analytics cookies in your privacy settings #### **8. Your Data Rights** Under applicable privacy laws (GDPR, UK GDPR, CCPA), you have the following rights: **8.1 Access and Portability:** - **Right to Access:** Request copies of your personal data - **Data Portability:** Receive your data in a machine-readable format - **Account Dashboard:** View and manage your data through your account settings **8.2 Correction and Deletion:** - **Right to Rectification:** Correct inaccurate personal information - **Right to Erasure (Right to be Forgotten):** Request deletion of your personal data - **Account Deletion:** Permanently delete your account and associated data **8.3 Control and Restriction:** - **Right to Restrict Processing:** Limit how we use your data - **Right to Object:** Opt out of certain data processing activities - **Consent Withdrawal:** Withdraw consent for marketing communications **8.4 How to Exercise Your Rights:** - Log into your account settings for most data management - Contact us directly for complex requests or account deletion - We will respond to requests within 30 days (GDPR) or as required by applicable law #### **9. International Data Transfers** Your personal data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside your jurisdiction: - **Adequate Protection:** We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place - **Standard Contractual Clauses:** Used for transfers outside the UK/EU - **Third-Party Compliance:** Our service providers maintain appropriate data protection standards #### **10. Age Restrictions and Children's Privacy** - **Age Requirement:** Our service is intended for users 13 years and older - **Parental Consent:** Users under 16 (EU) or 13 (US) require parental consent - **Data Collection:** We do not knowingly collect data from children under these age limits - **Discovery Process:** If we learn we have collected child data, we will delete it promptly - **Parent Rights:** Parents can request access to or deletion of their child's data #### **11. Changes to This Privacy Policy** We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in: - Our data practices - Legal requirements - Service features - User feedback **Notification Process:** - **Significant Changes:** We will notify you by email and/or prominent website notice - **Minor Updates:** Posted on this page with updated "Last Modified" date - **Review Responsibility:** You are advised to review this policy periodically - **Continued Use:** Using our service after changes constitutes acceptance #### **12. Contact Us and Data Protection** If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data rights: **Primary Contact:** - **Email:** info@bigcrimewatch.com - **Website:** [Privacy Center](https://www.bigcrimewatch.com/privacy) - **Response Time:** We will respond within 30 days **Data Protection Officer (if applicable):** - **Email:** support@bigcrimewatch.com **Supervisory Authority (UK/EU residents):** - You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) - **Website:** #### **13. Additional Provisions** **13.1 Marketing Communications:** - We will only send marketing emails with your explicit consent - Every marketing email includes an unsubscribe link - Opt-out requests are processed within 48 hours **13.2 Business Transfers:** - In case of merger, acquisition, or sale, your data may be transferred - We will notify you and ensure continued protection under this policy **13.3 Law Enforcement:** - We may disclose information if required by law or court order - We will notify affected users unless legally prohibited --- **Disclaimer:** This privacy policy is designed to comply with GDPR, UK GDPR, and CCPA requirements. However, it may not address all legal requirements for your specific jurisdiction. We recommend consulting with a legal professional to ensure full compliance with applicable privacy laws. **Last Updated:** August 6, 2025 **Version:** 2.0