Privacy Policy

What information we collect

When you contact us, submit a business, report an issue, or request ownership of a listing, we receive the name, email address, message, and other details you enter. Business submissions may also include an address, city, state, ZIP code, service categories, phone number, and website. Ownership claims may include evidence of your relationship with the business.

If you request the newsletter, we store your email address and information about consent, confirmation, and unsubscribe status. We also maintain public directory information, including information imported from an earlier version of the directory or supplied for review.

When you use the website, hosting and technical systems may also process details such as requested pages, access times, browser information, and network addresses for delivery, security, or abuse prevention. The information recorded depends on the service and its configuration.

Sources of directory information

Business records may have been carried forward from the earlier TheScooterist directory, including its WordPress version, and may be updated using business information or corrections submitted for review. A published business listing does not necessarily mean the business or owner submitted it directly.

Directory information includes business names, services, locations, public-facing contact details, opening hours, websites, and, where available, media. Some details may identify individual owners or sole proprietors. If you want to review or correct an entry, send its page link and relevant details through the Contact page.

How we use information

We use submitted information to answer inquiries, review business entries and corrections, assess ownership claims, prevent abuse, and operate and improve the directory. Contact and listing-submission forms do not enroll you in the newsletter.

Directory information approved for publication may be visible to website visitors. Submitting a form does not automatically change a public listing or grant ownership of one.

Reasons for processing information where required by law

Where applicable privacy law requires a legal basis, the basis depends on the activity: consent for optional newsletter signups; handling inquiries or requests that you initiate; legitimate interests, where permitted and balanced against individual rights, in maintaining a useful directory, aggregate performance statistics, and website security; or complying with legal obligations.

Consent to be contacted about a submission is not consent to receive marketing messages.

Newsletter and email

Newsletter signup requires an explicit choice followed by an email confirmation. An unconfirmed request is not treated as an active subscription. You can unsubscribe using the link provided for that purpose. We retain unsubscribe status when needed to respect your choice.

The current website collects confirmed newsletter subscriptions but does not yet send bulk marketing campaigns. We use email services for confirmation messages and contact-form notifications. See the separate Newsletter Privacy Notice for more detail.

Analytics, cookies, local storage, and security

The directory records listing profile views and clicks on contact links in aggregated daily totals. These application counters do not include visitors' IP addresses in the stored totals. Short-lived, hashed request identifiers are also used for spam and rate limiting. Depending on server settings, those identifiers may be derived from network information. Hosting and infrastructure providers may separately maintain technical access or security logs, including network addresses.

The Save Business feature keeps saved listing identifiers in your browser's local storage on your device. The owner-only administrative area uses an essential session cookie with an eight-hour session lifetime. You can use browser settings to delete saved information or cookies, although necessary cookies are required for administrative sign-in.

The optional map is loaded only when you choose to load it and can connect your browser to OpenStreetMap services. If we enable other analytics or advertising technologies that use cookies or similar identifiers, we will explain their use and provide applicable consent or opt-out choices.

External providers and links

Hosting, database, and email-delivery services help operate the website and process the information needed for those functions. Loading an optional map may connect your browser to OpenStreetMap-related services. Business websites, directions, and other outbound links lead to independent services whose policies apply when you visit them.

Our website's application-level counters are separate from access logs or measurements that hosting, content-delivery, email, map, or other providers may maintain under their own practices.

How information may be shared

Authorized website administrators can review submitted messages, listing requests, and newsletter records. Service providers may process information to provide hosting, storage, and email delivery. Information may also be disclosed when legally required or when necessary to investigate misuse or protect rights and security.

We do not treat a contact message, correction request, or business claim as permission to send marketing emails.

International processing

TheScooterist can be accessed from different countries. Hosting, email, map, security, and other service providers may process information in a country other than the one where you live. The protections that apply depend on the service, the countries involved, and applicable law. You can ask for more information through the Contact page.

Advertising and third-party marketing

We do not treat a contact message, correction request, or ownership claim as permission to send marketing messages. If we add sponsored placements, affiliate links, or advertising technologies that process personal information, we will update relevant disclosures and provide any choices required by law. Third-party sites you visit through ads or business links may process information under their own privacy policies.

Retention and security

Contact messages, business submissions, correction requests, and ownership-claim details are kept for review, follow-up, directory accuracy, security, and reasonable record-keeping. This website does not currently apply a fixed automatic deletion deadline to these submission records. You can request review or deletion through the Contact page, subject to legitimate retention needs and applicable requirements.

Newsletter subscription records are retained while pending or active. Unsubscribed addresses and suppression status may be kept to prevent unwanted mail. Published directory entries and relevant source records may remain until corrected or removed. Temporary abuse-prevention records have expiry timestamps; separate hosting and infrastructure logs may follow their providers' retention practices.

We use access controls and abuse-prevention measures, but no internet service can guarantee absolute security.

Your privacy rights and choices

You can ask what information we hold about you, request correction or removal of inaccurate listing details, or submit another privacy-related request through our Contact page. We may need to verify your identity or your authority to act for a business before providing or changing records.

Depending on which laws apply, your rights may include access, correction, deletion, restriction, objection, portability, and withdrawal of consent. You can withdraw newsletter consent through the unsubscribe mechanism. Where applicable, you may also lodge a complaint with a data-protection authority. Legal exceptions and verification requirements may apply.

Children's privacy

TheScooterist is a business directory and informational resource, not a website designed for children. We do not ask children to submit personal information. If you believe a child submitted personal information through our forms, please use the Contact page so we can review it and take appropriate action.

Contact for privacy matters

TheScooterist is the public-facing name of this website. For privacy questions, requests concerning your personal information, or concerns about a directory entry, please use the Contact page.

Changes to this notice

We may update this notice when the website or its information practices change. The date at the top identifies the version presented here.