Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains what information Public-Record.org collects from visitors, how we use it, who we share it with, and what rights you have over your data. We believe in complete transparency about our data practices.
This Privacy Policy applies to all visitors of public-record.org and all associated subdomains. By using our website, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.
1. Who We Are
Public-Record.org (“we,” “us,” “our”) is an independently operated informational and educational website that provides guides to accessing U.S. public records. We are not a government agency and are not affiliated with any federal, state, county, or local government entity. We do not host, store, or provide direct access to any government records or personal data of individuals found in public records.
For any privacy-related questions or concerns, you can contact us at: contact@public-record.org
2. Information We Collect
We collect minimal data necessary to operate our website, analyze traffic, and deliver relevant content. Here is a specific breakdown of what we collect and how:
2.1 — Information Collected Automatically
When you visit our website, certain information is collected automatically by our servers, analytics tools, and third-party services:
| Data Category | Specific Data Points | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Device & Browser Data | IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device type (mobile/desktop), screen resolution | Website functionality, analytics, security |
| Usage Data | Pages visited, time spent on pages, click behavior, referring URL, exit pages, date and time of visit | Content improvement, traffic analysis, understanding user needs |
| Location Data (General) | Approximate geographic location derived from IP address (city/state level, not precise GPS) | Serving geographically relevant content, analytics |
| Cookies & Tracking Technologies | Session cookies, persistent cookies, pixel tags, web beacons (detailed in Section 4 below) | Site functionality, analytics, advertising |
2.2 — Information You Provide Voluntarily
We may collect information you voluntarily submit to us through:
| Data Category | When Collected | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Contact Information | When you email us at contact@public-record.org to report an error, ask a question, or provide feedback | Responding to your inquiry, improving content accuracy |
| Email Address | If you subscribe to a newsletter or notification service (if offered) | Sending requested communications |
2.3 — Information We Do NOT Collect
Public-Record.org does not collect, store, or have access to: Social Security numbers, government-issued ID numbers, financial account information, credit card numbers, criminal history data, personal public records of any individual, passwords to government portals, or any sensitive personal information as defined by the CCPA/CPRA. We are an informational guide — we do not operate a people search database or background check service.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following specific purposes:
Website Operations & Improvement
To operate, maintain, and improve our website; to understand which content is most useful to visitors; to identify and fix technical issues; and to optimize page load times and user experience.
Analytics & Performance
To analyze website traffic patterns, measure content performance, understand geographic distribution of visitors, and make data-driven decisions about which topics and jurisdictions to cover in our content.
Communication
To respond to emails, questions, error reports, and feedback that you voluntarily send to us.
Advertising & Affiliate Services
To display relevant third-party affiliate widgets and advertisements; to track referral clicks to affiliate partner services for commission purposes. (See Section 5 for full details on third-party services.)
Legal Compliance & Security
To comply with applicable laws and regulations; to protect against malicious, deceptive, or illegal activity; and to enforce our Terms of Use.
4. Cookies & Tracking Technologies
Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies. Here is a detailed breakdown:
| Cookie Type | Provider | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | Public-Record.org | Site functionality, session management, security | Session / up to 1 year |
| Analytics | Google Analytics (GA4) | Traffic analysis, user behavior, content performance measurement | Up to 2 years |
| Advertising / Affiliate | Affiliate partners (e.g., people search services) | Tracking referral clicks, attributing conversions for affiliate commissions | Up to 30 days |
How to Manage Cookies
You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website. Here are links to cookie management instructions for major browsers:
Google Chrome: Settings > Privacy and Security > Cookies
Mozilla Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data
Safari: Preferences > Privacy > Manage Website Data
Microsoft Edge: Settings > Cookies and Site Permissions > Cookies
Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to understand how visitors interact with our website. Google Analytics collects data such as pages visited, session duration, traffic source, device type, and approximate geographic location. This data is processed by Google in accordance with their privacy policy. Google Analytics uses cookies to track user interactions.
You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on, available at: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
We have enabled IP anonymization in Google Analytics, which truncates your IP address before it is stored, providing an additional layer of privacy protection.
5. Third-Party Services & Affiliate Partners
Our website integrates with certain third-party services for analytics, advertising, and content delivery. These third parties may collect data independently when you interact with their services on our site:
| Third Party | Service Type | Data They May Collect | Their Privacy Policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google (Analytics, Maps) | Analytics, embedded maps | IP address, usage data, location data, cookies | policies.google.com/privacy |
| Affiliate Partners | People search / background check widgets | Click data, referral source, cookies for conversion tracking | Linked on respective partner sites |
| WordPress / Hosting Provider | Website hosting, content delivery | Server logs (IP address, request data) | Available on hosting provider’s site |
| Google Fonts (if used) | Font delivery | IP address, browser data | policies.google.com/privacy |
6. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We do not share your personal data with any party except in the following limited circumstances:
Service Providers
We share data with trusted service providers who assist us in operating our website — including hosting providers, analytics services, and email service providers. These providers are contractually obligated to use your data only for the purposes we specify and to maintain appropriate security measures.
Affiliate Partners (Click & Conversion Data Only)
When you click on an affiliate link or widget, the affiliate partner may receive referral data (such as a click ID, referring page URL, and timestamp) for the purpose of tracking commissions. This data does not include your name, email address, or other personally identifying information unless you voluntarily provide it directly to the affiliate service.
Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, court order, or government regulation, or if we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, the safety of others, or to respond to a government request.
Business Transfers
In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will provide notice before your data is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.
7. Your Privacy Rights
Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal data under applicable privacy laws, including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA), Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA), and other state privacy laws. These rights may include:
How to Exercise Your Rights
To exercise any of the above rights, please email us at contact@public-record.org with the subject line “Privacy Rights Request” and include a description of your request. We will respond to verifiable consumer requests within 45 days as required by applicable law. If additional time is needed, we will notify you of the reason and extension period (up to an additional 45 days).
We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling your request. We will not require you to create an account with us to submit a privacy request.
8. “Do Not Sell My Personal Information” & Do Not Track
Do Not Sell
Public-Record.org does not sell personal information to third parties as defined by the CCPA/CPRA. We do not exchange personal data for monetary or other valuable consideration.
Do Not Track (DNT) Signals
Some web browsers transmit “Do Not Track” (DNT) signals to websites. There is currently no universally accepted standard for how websites should respond to DNT signals. At this time, our website does not respond differently to DNT signals, but we respect your right to control tracking through browser cookie settings and analytics opt-out tools as described in Section 4.
Global Privacy Control (GPC)
We recognize Global Privacy Control (GPC) signals as valid opt-out requests where required by applicable state law. If your browser sends a GPC signal, we will treat it as a request to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information for that browser and device.
9. Data Retention
We retain personal information only as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected:
| Data Type | Retention Period | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Server logs (IP, request data) | Up to 90 days | Security monitoring, troubleshooting |
| Google Analytics data | 14 months (GA4 default) | Traffic analysis, content performance |
| Email correspondence | Up to 2 years | Responding to inquiries, content corrections |
| Cookies (analytics/advertising) | Varies (see Section 4) | Analytics, affiliate tracking |
When personal data is no longer needed for the purposes described above, we securely delete or anonymize it.
10. Data Security
We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect the information we collect and maintain, including:
HTTPS encryption (SSL/TLS) across the entire website to protect data in transit between your browser and our servers.
Access controls limiting who can access server-side data, analytics accounts, and administrative systems.
Regular software updates to our WordPress installation, plugins, and server software to patch known vulnerabilities.
Secure hosting with a reputable hosting provider that maintains physical and network security standards.
While we take reasonable measures to protect your data, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, but we are committed to maintaining industry-standard protections.
11. Children’s Privacy
Public-Record.org is not directed at children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 13 without verified parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information as soon as possible.
If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child under 13 has provided personal information to us, please contact us immediately at contact@public-record.org so we can take appropriate action.
12. Links to Third-Party Websites
Our website contains links to external websites, including official government websites (.gov domains), court record portals, and third-party affiliate services. This Privacy Policy applies only to Public-Record.org. We are not responsible for the privacy practices, content, or data collection of any third-party website.
We encourage you to review the privacy policy of every external website you visit through links on our site, particularly before submitting any personal information to government portals or third-party services.
13. California Privacy Disclosures (CCPA/CPRA)
If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) provides you with specific rights regarding your personal information. This section supplements the information in this Privacy Policy with California-specific disclosures.
Categories of Personal Information Collected (Last 12 Months)
Identifiers: IP address, email address (if voluntarily provided)
Internet or Network Activity: Browsing history on our site, search history on our site, interaction with advertisements/affiliate widgets
Geolocation Data: Approximate location derived from IP address (city/state level)
Categories of Personal Information Sold or Shared
Sold: None. We do not sell personal information.
Shared for Cross-Context Behavioral Advertising: Internet or network activity information may be shared with advertising/affiliate partners through cookies and tracking pixels for the purpose of measuring affiliate conversions. You may opt out by managing cookie preferences in your browser or by using the Global Privacy Control signal.
Sensitive Personal Information
We do not collect sensitive personal information as defined by the CCPA/CPRA, including Social Security numbers, financial account details, precise geolocation, racial or ethnic origin, religious beliefs, genetic data, biometric data, health information, or sex life/sexual orientation data.
14. Additional State Privacy Disclosures
Residents of Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, Indiana, Kentucky, Rhode Island, and other states with comprehensive privacy laws have similar rights to those described in Section 7 above, including the right to access, delete, and correct personal data, and the right to opt out of targeted advertising.
If you are a resident of any of these states and wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us at contact@public-record.org with the subject line “State Privacy Rights Request” and include your state of residence.
If we decline to take action on your request, you have the right to appeal. To submit an appeal, please email us at the address above with the subject line “Privacy Appeal” and include a description of your original request and the reason for your appeal. We will respond to appeals within the timeframes required by applicable law.
15. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make material changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.
If we make material changes that significantly affect how we handle previously collected personal information, we will make reasonable efforts to notify you (such as by posting a prominent notice on our website).
📨 Privacy Questions or Requests
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, want to exercise your privacy rights,
or have concerns about how your data is handled, please contact us:
Email: contact@public-record.org
Subject Line: “Privacy Inquiry” or “Privacy Rights Request”
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