PRIVACY POLICY

Effective Date: January 1, 2025
Version: 2.0
Last Updated: January 2025

1. INTRODUCTION

LocalAd.com (“we,” “us,” or “our”) operates the Forumla.us forum (the “Forum”). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you use our Forum.

By using the Forum, you consent to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. This Privacy Policy is incorporated into and subject to our Terms and Conditions.

Key Points:

  • We collect minimal personal information necessary for Forum operation
  • We do not sell your personal information to third parties
  • You have control over your data and privacy settings
  • We retain data only as long as necessary

2. INFORMATION WE COLLECT

Personal Information You Provide

When you register or use the Forum, you may provide:

Account Information:

  • Username (required)
  • Email address (required)
  • Optional profile information (bio, location, website)
  • Avatar/profile picture

Content Information:

  • Forum posts and comments
  • Private messages
  • Uploaded images or files
  • Reactions and votes on content

Information We Collect Automatically

When you use the Forum, we automatically collect:

Technical Information:

  • IP address
  • Browser type and version
  • Device type and operating system
  • Referring website
  • Pages visited and time spent
  • Date and time of visits

Usage Information:

  • Forum activity (posts viewed, threads participated in)
  • Login frequency and duration
  • Feature usage patterns
  • Search queries within the Forum

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

Essential Cookies (Required):

  • Maintain your login session
  • Remember your preferences
  • Provide security features
  • Enable core Forum functionality

Analytics Cookies (Optional):

  • Understand how users interact with the Forum
  • Improve Forum performance and features
  • Generate usage statistics

Cookie Duration:

  • Session cookies: Deleted when you close your browser
  • Login cookies: Last for 2 days (or 2 weeks if “Remember Me” is selected)
  • Preference cookies: Last for 1 year
  • Analytics cookies: Last for 2 years

You can control cookies through your browser settings, but disabling essential cookies may limit Forum functionality.

3. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION

We use your information to:

Provide Forum Services

  • Create and maintain your account
  • Enable participation in discussions
  • Display your posts and profile
  • Facilitate private messaging
  • Provide customer support

Improve and Secure the Forum

  • Monitor and analyze usage patterns
  • Detect and prevent spam and abuse
  • Enhance security and prevent fraud
  • Troubleshoot technical issues
  • Develop new features

Communications

  • Send account-related notifications
  • Respond to your inquiries
  • Notify you of important Forum updates
  • Send security alerts (mandatory)

Legal and Compliance

  • Comply with legal obligations
  • Respond to legal requests
  • Protect our rights and interests
  • Enforce our Terms and Conditions

4. HOW WE SHARE YOUR INFORMATION

Public Information

The following information is publicly visible on the Forum:

  • Username and profile information you choose to share
  • Posts, comments, and reactions
  • Join date and activity status
  • Avatar/profile picture

We Do NOT Sell Your Data

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

Limited Sharing Situations

We may share your information only in these circumstances:

Service Providers:

  • Hosting and infrastructure providers
  • Analytics services (with anonymized data when possible)
  • Security and spam prevention services
  • Email delivery services

Legal Requirements:

  • To comply with legal obligations
  • To respond to valid legal requests
  • To protect rights, safety, and security
  • In connection with legal proceedings

Business Transfers:

  • In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets
  • With appropriate data protection measures

With Your Consent:

  • When you explicitly agree to additional sharing
  • For specific features you choose to use

5. DATA RETENTION

We retain your information only as long as necessary:

Account Data

  • Active accounts: Retained while your account exists
  • Closed accounts: Deleted within 90 days of closure
  • Inactive accounts: May be deleted after 2 years of inactivity

Content Data

  • Public posts: Retained indefinitely for community continuity
  • Private messages: Retained for 1 year after account closure
  • Deleted content: Permanently removed within 30 days

Technical Data

  • Server logs: Retained for 90 days for security purposes
  • Analytics data: Aggregated data retained for 2 years
  • Cookies: Expire according to durations listed above

Legal Hold

We may retain data longer if required by law or for legal proceedings.

6. YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

Access and Control

  • View your data: Access your account information and activity
  • Edit your profile: Update your personal information
  • Download your data: Request an export of your information
  • Delete your account: Permanently close your account

Privacy Controls

  • Visibility settings: Control what information is public
  • Communication preferences: Manage notification settings
  • Cookie preferences: Control non-essential cookies
  • Search engine indexing: Opt out of search engine indexing

Data Subject Rights

Depending on your location, you may have additional rights:

Right to Access: Request confirmation of data processing and copies of your data

Right to Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete information

Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data

Right to Restrict Processing: Limit how we use your information

Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a portable format

Right to Object: Object to certain types of data processing

Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for voluntary data processing

To exercise these rights, contact us at admin@localad.com.

7. DATA SECURITY

We implement appropriate security measures to protect your information:

Technical Safeguards

  • Encryption of data in transit (HTTPS/TLS)
  • Secure server infrastructure
  • Regular security updates and patches
  • Access controls and authentication
  • Automated backup systems

Administrative Safeguards

  • Limited employee access to personal data
  • Regular security training for staff
  • Incident response procedures
  • Data processing agreements with vendors

Physical Safeguards

  • Secure data center facilities
  • Environmental and access controls
  • Equipment disposal procedures

Important: No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. CHILDREN’S PRIVACY

The Forum is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

Age Verification

  • Users must be at least 13 years old
  • Users aged 13-17 require parental consent
  • We may request age verification if needed

If We Learn of Child Data Collection

If we become aware that we have collected information from a child under 13:

  • We will delete the information promptly
  • We will terminate the account
  • We will not use the information for any purpose

Parents who believe we may have collected information from their child should contact us immediately at admin@localad.com.

9. INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS

The Forum is operated from the United States. If you are located outside the United States:

  • Your information may be transferred to and processed in the United States
  • U.S. privacy laws may differ from those in your country
  • By using the Forum, you consent to this transfer
  • We implement appropriate safeguards for international transfers

10. THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

External Links

The Forum may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for:

  • Privacy practices of external websites
  • Content or services of linked sites
  • Data collection by third parties

Embedded Content

Third-party embedded content (videos, images) may:

  • Set their own cookies
  • Collect usage information
  • Track your interactions
  • Apply their own privacy policies

Social Media Integration

If you connect social media accounts:

  • Information may be shared according to your social media privacy settings
  • We may receive basic profile information
  • You can disconnect integrations at any time

11. CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS

California residents have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

Categories of Information Collected

  • Identifiers: Username, email, IP address
  • Internet Activity: Browsing behavior, Forum usage
  • User-Generated Content: Posts, comments, messages

Rights Under CCPA

  • Right to Know: Categories and specific pieces of information collected
  • Right to Delete: Request deletion of personal information
  • Right to Opt-Out: Opt out of sale of personal information (we don’t sell data)
  • Right to Non-Discrimination: Not be discriminated against for exercising rights

To exercise CCPA rights, email admin@localad.com or use our data request form.

12. EUROPEAN PRIVACY RIGHTS

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, or Switzerland, you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

Legal Basis for Processing

  • Contract performance: To provide Forum services
  • Legitimate interests: To improve and secure the Forum
  • Consent: For optional features and communications
  • Legal obligations: To comply with applicable laws

Data Protection Officer

For GDPR-related inquiries, contact our Data Protection Officer at privacy@localad.com.

Supervisory Authority

You have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

13. PRIVACY POLICY CHANGES

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect:

  • Changes in our practices
  • Legal or regulatory requirements
  • New features or services
  • User feedback

Notification of Changes

  • Minor changes: Posted on the Forum with updated date
  • Significant changes: 30 days advance notice via email or Forum announcement
  • Continued use: Constitutes acceptance of updated policy

Version History

Previous versions of this Privacy Policy are available upon request.

14. CONTACT INFORMATION

For privacy-related questions, concerns, or requests:

LocalAd.com Privacy Team
Email: admin@localad.com
Privacy-specific inquiries: privacy@localad.com
Website: https://forumla.us

Data Protection Officer (GDPR inquiries):
Email: privacy@localad.com

Response Time: We will respond to privacy inquiries within 14 business days.

This Privacy Policy was last updated on January 1, 2025, and is effective immediately.