Effective Date: 09-12-2025
Last Updated: 09-23-2025

Civic Seal (“we,” “our,” “us”) provides a public platform for submitting feedback, complaints, and positive reports to local officials.
We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your information. This document explains how we collect, use, and protect your data, how cookies operate, and the terms governing your use of our website and services.

We collect information you provide and information generated automatically:

• Account & Contact Data – Name, email, phone number, mailing address, login credentials, or any details you submit voluntarily.
   
• Case/Feedback Data – Information you share when submitting complaints, compliments, photos, files, or other materials.
   
• Payment Data – If you donate or pay for services (for example, officials using the tracking platform), payment information is processed by third-party processors (such as Stripe or PayPal). We do not store full credit card numbers.
   
• Technical Data – IP address, device type, browser, operating system, referral URLs, pages visited, and approximate location.
   
• Cookies & Tracking Technologies – We use cookies, pixels, analytics tools, and similar technologies to operate and improve the platform.
   

We use collected information to:

• Provide and operate the Civic Seal platform.
   
• Route complaints, feedback, and positive reports to the appropriate officials.
   
• Follow up on issues and track resolution progress.
   
• Communicate with you about case updates, platform changes, or opportunities to participate.
   
• Process donations and provide donor recognition (if you opt in).
   
• Improve, secure, and personalize the Services.
   
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms.
   

We use the following types of cookies:

• Essential Cookies – Required for core features like log-in and secure form submissions.
   
• Analytics Cookies – Help us measure traffic, usage trends, and performance.
   
• Preference Cookies – Store user settings (language, region, display options).
   
• Advertising/Third-Party Cookies – May be used if we run ads or integrate with social platforms.
   

You can control cookies in your browser settings. Disabling cookies may limit some site functionality.

We do not sell your personal data. We may share information:

• With vendors and service providers (hosting, analytics, payment processing) under confidentiality agreements.
   
• With government or public agencies to route or respond to complaints or feedback you submit.
   
• To comply with applicable law, legal process, or governmental requests.
   
• During a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, subject to appropriate safeguards.
   

We retain information as long as needed to provide our services, resolve disputes, comply with legal obligations, or as otherwise required by law.
You may request deletion of personal data where legally permitted.

Depending on your location, you may have rights under privacy laws (such as CCPA/CPRA, GDPR, or other state laws), including:

• Access and Portability – Request a copy of personal data we hold about you.
   
• Correction and Deletion – Ask us to correct inaccurate data or delete data where legally possible.
   
• Opt-Out of Certain Processing – Object to specific uses such as targeted advertising.
   

To exercise these rights, contact us at [Insert Contact Email].

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your information.
However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure.

Our services are not intended for children under 13 (or under 16 where applicable).
We do not knowingly collect data from minors without parental consent.

Our site may link to external websites. We are not responsible for their privacy or security practices.

By accessing or using Civic Seal’s website or services (“Services”), you agree to be bound by this Agreement.

You agree to use the Services only for lawful purposes and will not submit false, harmful, or defamatory content.

You retain ownership of content you submit but grant Civic Seal a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, display, and distribute it as necessary to operate the platform.

We may modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the Services at any time without liability.

The Services are provided “as is” and “as available” without warranties of any kind, express or implied.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Civic Seal is not liable for indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from your use of the Services.

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Civic Seal, its officers, employees, and agents from any claims or damages related to your use of the Services or violation of this Agreement.

This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of [Insert State], without regard to conflict of law principles.
Any dispute shall be resolved by binding arbitration or small-claims court unless prohibited by applicable law.

If you choose to donate, you may receive public acknowledgment (e.g., a shout-out on our Facebook page and a listing on our website’s Donor Wall) unless you request anonymity.

We may update this document from time to time.
Material changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Last Updated” date.
Your continued use of the Services after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.

For privacy questions, requests, or legal concerns, please contact:
Privacy Officer – Civic Seal
Email: info@thecivicseal.com
Mailing Address: 225 7th Street. Parkersburg, WV 26101