PRIVACY POLICY.

1. INTRODUCTION

Thought Continua LLC, doing business as LocalArtist ("we," "us," "our"), is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our platform at heylocalartist.com.

By using LocalArtist, you consent to the data practices described in this policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our platform.

2. INFORMATION WE COLLECT

2.1 Information You Provide

We collect information you provide directly to us, including:

• Account Information: Name, email address, password, phone number (optional)
• Profile Information: Bio, profile photo, gallery images, location (city/neighborhood), art mediums, social media links
• Payment Information: Payment card details (processed and stored by Stripe, not by us), bank account information for artists/studios (stored by Stripe Connect)
• Booking Information: Booking details, messages to artists/studios, addresses for private sessions
• Communication Data: Messages, reviews, ratings, and other communications on the platform

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you access our platform, we automatically collect:

• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers
• Usage Data: Pages viewed, time spent on pages, clicks, navigation paths
• Location Data: Approximate location based on IP address
• Cookies: We use cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 8)

2.3 Information from Third Parties

• Stripe: Payment and payout information, transaction history, fraud detection data
• Authentication Providers: If you sign up using social login (future feature)

3. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION

We use your information for the following purposes:

• Platform Operation: To provide, maintain, and improve our services
• Account Management: To create and manage your account
• Booking Processing: To facilitate bookings, payments, and communications between students and artists/studios
• Payment Processing: To process payments and facilitate payouts via Stripe
• Communication: To send transactional emails (confirmations, reminders, updates)
• Marketing: To send promotional emails (you can opt out anytime)
• Safety & Security: To detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and violations of our Terms
• Analytics: To understand how users interact with our platform and improve user experience
• Legal Compliance: To comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service

4. HOW WE SHARE YOUR INFORMATION

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

4.1 With Other Users

• Public Profiles: Artist and studio profiles are publicly visible, including name, bio, location, photos, and ratings
• Booking Information: Students' names and contact info are shared with artists/studios for confirmed bookings
• Reviews: Your name and review content are visible to other users

4.2 With Service Providers

We share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf:

• Stripe: Payment processing and payout management
• Firebase (Google): Database, authentication, file storage, and hosting
• Resend: Transactional email delivery
• Vercel: Application hosting and deployment

4.3 For Legal Reasons

We may disclose your information if required by law or if we believe it is necessary to:

• Comply with legal processes, court orders, or government requests
• Enforce our Terms of Service
• Protect the rights, property, or safety of LocalArtist, our users, or the public
• Detect, prevent, or address fraud, security, or technical issues

4.4 Business Transfers

If LocalArtist is acquired by or merged with another company, your information may be transferred to the new owner.

5. DATA STORAGE AND SECURITY

5.1 Where We Store Data

Your data is stored on servers operated by Firebase (Google Cloud Platform) and Vercel, located in the United States. Payment information is stored by Stripe in accordance with PCI-DSS requirements.

5.2 How We Protect Your Data

We implement industry-standard security measures, including:

• Encryption of data in transit (HTTPS/TLS)
• Encryption of sensitive data at rest
• Secure authentication (Firebase Auth)
• Role-based access controls
• Regular security audits and monitoring

However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your information.

5.3 Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services. After account closure, we may retain certain information for legal compliance, dispute resolution, and fraud prevention. You may request deletion of your data (see Section 6).

6. YOUR RIGHTS (GDPR & CCPA)

If you are located in the European Union, United Kingdom, or California, you have certain rights regarding your personal information:

6.1 Access & Portability

You can access and download your personal information through your account settings or by contacting us.

6.2 Correction

You can update your profile and account information through your account settings.

6.3 Deletion ("Right to be Forgotten")

You can request deletion of your account and personal data. Note that we may retain some information for legal compliance or legitimate business purposes.

6.4 Opt-Out of Marketing

You can opt out of marketing emails by clicking "unsubscribe" in any promotional email or by updating your email preferences in account settings.

6.5 Restrict or Object to Processing

You can request that we limit how we use your data or object to certain types of processing.

6.6 Withdraw Consent

If we process your data based on consent, you can withdraw that consent at any time.

To exercise these rights, contact us at contact@heylocalartist.com. We will respond within 30 days.

7. CHILDREN'S PRIVACY

LocalArtist is not intended for users under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child under 18, we will delete it promptly. Parents or guardians who believe we may have collected information from a minor should contact us immediately.

8. COOKIES AND TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES

8.1 What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small data files stored on your device that help websites remember information about your visit.

8.2 How We Use Cookies

• Essential Cookies: Required for platform functionality (authentication, security)
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how users interact with our platform
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences

8.3 Your Choices

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling cookies may affect platform functionality.

9. THIRD-PARTY LINKS

Our platform may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., artists' personal websites, social media). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these websites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies.

10. INTERNATIONAL USERS

LocalArtist is operated from the United States. If you are located outside the U.S., please be aware that your information will be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States. By using our platform, you consent to this transfer. The U.S. may not have the same data protection laws as your jurisdiction.

11. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by email or through a notice on our platform. Your continued use after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

12. CONTACT US

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, or to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us:

Thought Continua LLC DBA LocalArtist
Email: contact@heylocalartist.com
Subject: Privacy Inquiry

For users in the EU/UK, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

13. DATA PROTECTION OFFICER

For privacy-related inquiries, you may contact our Data Protection Officer at contact@heylocalartist.com with "DPO" in the subject line.