Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide

• Contact information (name, email address, phone number, mailing address) submitted via nomination, verification, or contact forms.
• Business information (agency name, website URL, industry, description).
• Payment information processed by third-party providers (e.g., Stripe). We do not store full card numbers.
• User submissions such as testimonials, portfolio links, or other content you provide.

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Technical data: IP address, browser type, device identifiers, operating system, referring URLs, and approximate location (city/region).
• Usage/analytics data: page views, navigation paths, session duration, and form interactions collected via analytics tools.
• Cookies and similar technologies: used to remember preferences, maintain sessions, provide security, and measure performance.

1.3 Information from Third Parties

• Public business information and nominations submitted by third parties for editorial research.

2. How We Use Information

1. Provide, operate, and maintain the Site and services.
2. Process nominations, verify agency details, and produce recognition materials (badges, verification pages, certificates).
3. Communicate with you regarding submissions, confirmations, updates, and support.
4. Process payments via third-party processors.
5. Monitor and improve performance, functionality, and user experience.
6. Detect, prevent, and address fraud, abuse, or security incidents.
7. Comply with applicable laws and enforce our Terms.

3. How We Share Information

We do not sell or rent personal information. We may share data only with:

• Service providers that help operate the Site (hosting, analytics, security, payment processing) under confidentiality obligations.
• Editorial publication of agency name, website, city, and recognition status on verification pages and listings.
• Legal compliance when required by law or to protect rights, property, or users.
• Business transfers in connection with mergers, acquisitions, or asset sales.

4. Cookies, Analytics, and Security Services

We use cookies and similar technologies for functionality, analytics, and security. You can control cookies through browser settings. Our third-party services include:

• PostHog (product analytics): collects event data (pageviews, clicks, form interactions) to improve the Site. PostHog may use cookies or local storage to recognize returning visitors and associate sessions with events.
• Google Analytics: used to understand aggregated traffic patterns and Site performance. Google may use cookies or device identifiers; see Google’s privacy policy and opt-out tools.
• Cloudflare (DNS, CDN, security): provides content delivery, DDoS protection, and security; transiently processes IP addresses and headers to serve and protect the Site.
• Cloudflare Turnstile: used on forms for anti-bot protection, processing technical signals (IP, browser, and environment) to assess risk.

Non-essential cookies can be disabled in browser settings; essential security cookies from Cloudflare may be required for operation.

5. Data Retention

We retain information as long as necessary to provide services, maintain editorial records, comply with legal obligations, and resolve disputes. When data is no longer required, we delete or de-identify it.

6. Data Security

We employ administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect information from unauthorized access, loss, or misuse. However, no method of online transmission or storage is completely secure.

7. Your Rights (U.S. State Privacy Laws)

Depending on your state (e.g., California, Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah), you may have rights such as access, deletion, correction, or opting out of certain processing. We do not sell personal information. To exercise these rights, contact [email protected].

8. Third-Party Links

The Site may contain links to third-party websites or platforms. We are not responsible for their content or privacy practices.

9. Children’s Privacy

Our Site is for users 18 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. Contact us if you believe a child has submitted information.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. The latest version will be posted here with an updated effective date. Continued use of the Site constitutes acceptance.

11. Contact Us

Questions or privacy requests: [email protected]
Mailing address: 530 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036, USA

Appendix: Third-Party Service Details

PostHog

• Purpose: product analytics (events, funnels, heatmaps).
• Data: event metadata, device/browser info, optional identifiers.
• Controls: IP masking and self-hosting options available.

Google Analytics

• Purpose: web analytics and performance measurement.
• Data: cookies/device identifiers, page paths, events, location.
• Opt-out: Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

Cloudflare (DNS/CDN/Security)

• Purpose: DNS, caching, optimization, and security.
• Data: IPs and headers processed transiently for routing and protection.

Cloudflare Turnstile

• Purpose: bot detection and abuse prevention.
• Data: technical signals (IP, browser, system) used to assess risk.