1. Introduction

Welcome to DealStocks ("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 website, mobile application, and related services (collectively, the "Service").

This Privacy Policy complies with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and other applicable privacy laws. If you are a California resident, please pay special attention to the California-specific rights section below.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information You Provide

We collect information you voluntarily provide to us, including:

Account Information: Username, email address, password, and profile details
Profile Data: Avatar images, bio information, website links, and address information
Content: Deal posts, comments, ratings, reviews, and other user-generated content
Communications: Messages sent through our contact forms, support requests, and user-to-user communications
Payment Information: Billing details for premium services (processed securely through third-party payment processors)

2.2 Information We Collect Automatically

We automatically collect certain information when you use our Service:

Usage Data: Pages visited, features used, time spent on pages, and interaction patterns
Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers, and mobile network information
Location Data: General geographic location based on IP address (with your consent for precise location)
Log Data: Server logs, access times, and error reports
Cookies and Tracking Technologies: As described in our Cookie Policy

2.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from:

Social Media Platforms: When you connect your social media accounts
Affiliate Partners: Commission and referral data from our affiliate marketing programs
Analytics Providers: Aggregated usage statistics and performance metrics

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information for the following business purposes:

Service Provision: To provide, maintain, and improve our Service
Account Management: To create and manage your account, process transactions, and provide customer support
Content Delivery: To display deals, facilitate user interactions, and personalize your experience
Communication: To send service-related notifications, updates, and marketing communications (with your consent)
Analytics: To analyze usage patterns, improve our Service, and develop new features
Security: To protect against fraud, abuse, and security threats
Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws and regulations
Business Operations: To conduct business analysis, reporting, and strategic planning

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

4.1 We Do Not Sell Personal Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for monetary consideration. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

4.2 Service Providers

We share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our Service:

Hosting and Infrastructure: Cloud hosting providers and content delivery networks
Email Services: Email delivery and marketing automation platforms
Analytics: Website analytics and performance monitoring services
Payment Processing: Secure payment processors for premium services
Customer Support: Help desk and customer service platforms

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information when required by law or to:

Comply with legal processes, court orders, or government requests
Protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of our users
Investigate potential violations of our Terms of Service
Prevent fraud or other illegal activities

4.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of the transaction, subject to the same privacy protections.

5. California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) Rights

If you are a California resident, you have the following rights under the CCPA:

5.1 Right to Know

You have the right to request information about:

The categories of personal information we have collected about you
The categories of sources from which we collected the information
Our business or commercial purpose for collecting the information
The categories of third parties with whom we share the information
The specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you

5.2 Right to Delete

You have the right to request that we delete your personal information, subject to certain exceptions such as:

Information necessary to complete a transaction or provide a service you requested
Information required for security purposes or to prevent fraud
Information we are legally required to retain
Information used for internal purposes that is reasonably aligned with your expectations

5.3 Right to Opt-Out of Sale

We do not sell personal information. However, if we were to sell personal information in the future, you would have the right to opt-out of such sales.

5.4 Right to Non-Discrimination

We will not discriminate against you for exercising your CCPA rights. We will not:

Deny you goods or services
Charge you different prices or rates
Provide you a different level or quality of services
Suggest that you may receive different prices or quality of services

5.5 How to Exercise Your CCPA Rights

To exercise your CCPA rights, please contact us at:

Email: privacy@dealstocks.org
Subject Line: "California Privacy Rights Request"
Include: Your full name, email address, and specific request

We will respond to your request within 45 days and may require verification of your identity.

6. Data Deletion Procedures

6.1 Account Deletion

You may request deletion of your account and associated data by:

Using the account deletion feature in your profile settings
Contacting us at privacy@dealstocks.org
Including "Account Deletion Request" in the subject line

6.2 What Gets Deleted

When you request account deletion, we will remove:

Your profile information and account credentials
Your deal posts and user-generated content
Your comments and ratings
Your communication history with us
Your usage analytics and personal preferences

6.3 What May Be Retained

We may retain certain information for legitimate business purposes or legal requirements:

Anonymized usage data for analytics and service improvement
Information required for legal compliance or dispute resolution
Information necessary to prevent fraud or abuse
Aggregated data that cannot be linked to you personally

6.4 Deletion Timeline

We will process your deletion request within 30 days and provide confirmation once completed. Some data may take up to 90 days to be fully removed from all systems and backups.

7. Data Security

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

Encryption: Data is encrypted in transit and at rest using industry-standard protocols
Access Controls: Strict access controls and authentication requirements for our systems
Regular Audits: Periodic security assessments and vulnerability testing
Staff Training: Regular privacy and security training for our team
Incident Response: Procedures for responding to potential security breaches

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:

Provide our Service to you
Comply with legal obligations
Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements
Improve our Service and develop new features

When we no longer need your personal information, we will securely delete or anonymize it in accordance with our data retention policies.

9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience. For detailed information about our cookie practices, please see our Cookie Policy.

Do Not Track: We do not currently respond to "Do Not Track" signals from web browsers. You can control tracking through your browser settings and our privacy controls.

10. Children's Privacy

Our Service is not intended for children under 16 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at privacy@dealstocks.org.

11. International Data Transfers

If you are located outside the United States, please note that your information may be transferred to and processed in the United States. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with applicable privacy laws.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by:

Posting the updated policy on this page
Updating the "Last Updated" date
Sending you an email notification for significant changes
Providing notice through our Service

Your continued use of our Service after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

13. Contact Information

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

General Privacy Questions: privacy@dealstocks.org
California Privacy Rights: privacy@dealstocks.org (subject: "California Privacy Rights")
Data Deletion Requests: privacy@dealstocks.org (subject: "Data Deletion Request")
General Contact: hello@dealstocks.org
Address: [Your California Business Address]
Phone: [Your Business Phone]