1. Introduction
Welcome to Online Beacon (onlinebeacon.co). We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting the personal information you share with us. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you visit our website or use our business directory, how we use and protect it, and the choices you have.
By using onlinebeacon.co, you agree to the collection and use of information as described in this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the website.
2. Information We Collect
We collect information in the following ways:
Information you provide to us
- Your name, email address and phone number when you contact us or fill in a form
- Business details such as business name, address, website, category, description and photos when you submit or update a listing
- Any other information you choose to include in a message to us
Information collected automatically
- Your IP address, browser type and device type
- Pages you visit, the time spent on them and the links you click
- The website that referred you to us
- Approximate location based on your IP address
Information from public and third-party sources
Some listing details, such as business hours, photos, ratings and reviews, may come from publicly available sources, including public business profiles.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Operate, maintain and improve the directory
- Publish, update and manage business listings
- Respond to your questions, requests and support messages
- Understand how visitors use the website so we can improve content and features
- Detect, prevent and address spam, fraud, abuse and security issues
- Comply with legal obligations
We do not use your personal information for purposes that are unrelated to the ones listed here without telling you first.
4. Business Listings and Public Information
Online Beacon is a public business directory. Information included in a business listing, such as the business name, address, phone number, website, category, description, hours, photos and reviews, is displayed publicly and can be seen by anyone who visits the website. Please do not include private personal information in a listing that you do not want to be public.
Business owners can ask us to correct, update or remove their listing at any time through our Contact Us page.
5. Cookies and Similar Technologies
We use cookies and similar technologies to keep the website working properly, remember your preferences and understand how visitors use our pages. Cookies are small text files stored on your device.
- Essential cookies help the website load and function correctly
- Analytics cookies help us count visits and see which pages are most useful
- Preference cookies remember choices you make, such as search filters
You can block or delete cookies through your browser settings. If you do, some parts of the website may not work as intended.
6. Third-Party Links and Services
Our website links to business websites and may include content or tools from third parties, such as maps, embedded videos, news feeds and social sharing buttons. These third parties may collect information about you under their own privacy policies. We are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of other websites, and we encourage you to read their policies before sharing information with them.
7. How We Share Information
We do not sell, rent or trade your personal information. We may share information only in these situations:
- With trusted service providers who help us host, maintain and secure the website, under obligations to keep it confidential
- When required by law, court order or a valid request from a public authority
- To protect the rights, property and safety of Online Beacon, our users or others
- As part of a merger, sale or transfer of our business, in which case this policy will continue to apply to your information
8. Data Retention
We keep personal information only for as long as it is needed for the purposes described in this policy, or as long as required by law. Messages you send us are kept while we handle your request and for a reasonable period afterwards. Business listing information is kept while the listing remains published or until the business owner asks us to remove it.
9. Data Security
We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information against loss, misuse and unauthorized access, including secure connections (HTTPS) and limited access to our systems. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.
10. Your Privacy Rights
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:
- Ask what personal information we hold about you
- Ask us to correct information that is inaccurate or incomplete
- Ask us to delete your personal information
- Object to or limit how we use your information
- Withdraw consent where we rely on your consent
Residents of the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom and California (under the CCPA) may have additional rights under local law. To make a request, please reach us through our Contact Us page. We will respond within the time required by applicable law.
11. Children's Privacy
Online Beacon is not intended for children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.
12. International Users
Our website is operated from the United States. If you visit from another country, your information may be transferred to, stored and processed in the United States or other countries where our service providers operate. By using the website, you understand that your information may be handled in countries with different data protection laws than your own.
13. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or the law. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this page periodically.
14. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your information, please reach us through our Contact Us page.