Privacy Policy
Privacy isn't a checkbox for us — many of our users have real reasons to care about who sees
what. Here's exactly what we collect, why, and what we never do.
What we collect
Information you give us
- Account details — email, display name, optional profile info
- Business submissions — listings, photos, descriptions you upload
- Messages — anything you send us via the contact form or email
Information collected automatically
- Basic device and browser info, for compatibility and security
- Aggregate usage stats (page views, search terms) — never tied to your identity
What we never collect
We do not request, store, or infer your sexual orientation, gender identity, HIV status, or any other special-category data. Your reasons for using LGBTShops are your own.
How we use your data
- Operate the directory and your account
- Verify business submissions and prevent abuse
- Reply to your support requests
- Send occasional, opt-in updates — never marketing spam
What we never do
- Sell your data — to anyone, ever
- Run third-party ad trackers or behavioral profiling
- Share your account information with business owners
- Use dark patterns to keep you on the site or signed up
Cookies & analytics
We use a single first-party session cookie to keep you signed in. For analytics, we run a privacy-respecting tool that doesn't use cookies and doesn't track individual users — we only see aggregate trends.
Your rights
You can access, correct, export, or delete your data at any time from your profile settings, or by emailing privacy@lgbtshops.com. Under GDPR and CCPA you also have the right to object to processing and to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.
Data retention
Account data is kept while your account is active and deleted within 30 days of account closure. Submitted business listings may remain in the public directory after account deletion, but with no link to your identity.
Security
We encrypt data in transit and at rest, follow standard security practices, and limit internal access to what's strictly necessary. No system is perfectly secure, but we treat protecting your data as a serious responsibility.
Children
LGBTShops is not directed at anyone under 16. If we learn we've collected data from a child under 16, we'll delete it promptly.
Contact
privacy@lgbtshops.comPrivacy questions, data requests, or concerns? Reach our team
