Introduction

This Privacy Policy describes how Searchbug, Inc. (“Searchbug”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) collects, uses, shares, and protects information in connection with our website located at www.searchbug.com and our services. Searchbug is based in the United States, and the data available through our services is limited to the United States.

By accessing or using our website or services, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to this Privacy Policy.

Part I. Information We Collect

• When you create an account or order our services, we collect information necessary to complete your purchase, provide services, and prevent fraud, including your name, billing address, email address, telephone number, and payment information. Payment card data is processed by our payment processor (such as Braintree); we do not store full card numbers.
• When you contact us (for example, via our customer service form, email, or chat), we collect your name, email address, phone number, and any other information you choose to provide so we can respond to your inquiry or fulfill your request.
• For certain restricted tools and data, we may collect additional business or identity information and supporting documentation to verify your identity or your business and to comply with legal and contractual requirements.
• This information is not sold and is shared only with service providers such as payment processing, fraud prevention, and verification partners, which are contractually obligated to use the data solely to provide services to Searchbug and to protect the data.

• During normal usage of Searchbug, we collect general usage information such as time of visit, IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers, pages viewed, queries submitted, the referring URL, and similar technical details.
• We also use web cookies and similar technologies to support authentication, maintain session tracking, remember preferences (such as city and state entered into search forms), and help us understand how our website is used. For more information about cookies in general, click here.
• This information is not sold and is shared only with providers of analytics, security, and fraud prevention services, which are contractually obligated to use the data solely for improving our website experience, securing our systems, and preventing misuse.

Part II. Tracking Technologies and CIPA Disclosures

We use certain third-party tools that may be considered “tracking” or “interception” technologies under the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA) and similar laws. These tools may receive information directly from your browser when you visit our website.

• Google Analytics 4 – Used to understand how visitors use our website (for example, pages visited, time on site, and general usage patterns). Google Analytics may receive your IP address, browser and device information, and page URLs.
• Cloudflare Insights and related Cloudflare services – Used for security, performance monitoring, and reliability. Cloudflare may receive IP addresses, device and browser information, and basic usage data to protect our site and improve performance.
• Zoho SalesIQ (Live Chat) – Used to provide real-time customer support. When you use the chat feature, your chat messages, IP address, browser information, and page URL may be transmitted to Zoho to allow us to respond to your questions.
• Cookies and similar technologies – Used for authentication, session management, remembering preferences, and limited analytics.

These service providers act as our processors or agents and are contractually required to use the information they receive only to provide services to Searchbug, not for their own independent purposes, and not to sell or share your information for unrelated uses.

Where required by law, we present a consent banner or similar mechanism when you first visit our website. By clicking “Accept” or continuing to use the site after being presented with this notice (as applicable in your jurisdiction), you consent to our use of cookies, analytics, and chat tools as described in this Privacy Policy. If you choose not to consent, only essential cookies and scripts needed for the basic operation and security of the site will be used.

If you use our live chat (Zoho SalesIQ), your communications may be recorded and processed by our chat service provider so that we can assist you. By initiating or continuing a chat, you consent to this recording and processing.

Part III. How We Use Information

• To create and manage your account and authenticate your access.
• To process orders and payments through our payment processor.
• To provide our services, including contact verification, data append, and related tools.
• To verify identity and prevent fraud, including phone verification via SMS or automated call and small authorization charges for account verification when needed.
• To respond to customer service requests and provide support.
• To monitor, maintain, and improve the performance, security, and usability of our website and services.
• To comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms and policies.
• To generate aggregated, de-identified statistics and reports.

Part IV. How We Share Information

• Service Providers: We share information with third-party service providers that perform services on our behalf, such as payment processing (e.g., Braintree), analytics (e.g., Google Analytics), security and performance (e.g., Cloudflare), customer support (e.g., Zoho SalesIQ), and licensed data providers that help us fulfill your search requests. These providers are contractually required to use the information only to provide services to Searchbug and to protect it appropriately.
• Fraud Prevention and Verification: We may share limited information with payment processors, verification partners, or data providers to detect and prevent fraud, verify identity, and comply with legal and contractual requirements.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required to do so by law, subpoena, court order, or other legal process, or if we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.

We do not sell customer-provided personal information.

Part V. Cookies and Your Choices

You can manage cookies through your browser settings and, where available, through our consent banner or preference tools. Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the website or your ability to use some features.

Part VI. Data Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect the information we collect, including encryption in transit, access controls, and fraud-detection measures. However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Part VII. Data Retention

We retain account information, transaction records, and search queries for as long as necessary to provide our services, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, prevent fraud, and enforce our agreements. We may retain certain information for longer where required by law or for legitimate business purposes.

Part VIII. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have rights to access, correct, or delete certain personal information, or to object to or restrict certain processing. To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information below. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling your request.

Part IX. Children’s Privacy

Our website and services are intended for use by adults and are not directed to children under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we become aware that we have collected such information, we will take steps to delete it.

Part X. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page. Your continued use of the website or services after any changes become effective constitutes your acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.

Part XI. Problem Resolution

If you want to remove your Searchbug account or delete your social network login, please submit your request here and select Reason: "Opt-Out Request". If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at contact customer service.