Privacy Policy

Contents

Last updated: October 3, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how OwnBiz (“OwnBiz,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, shares, and protects personal information when you visit ownbiz.org, subscribe to our newsletter, or contact us (together, the “Website”). It also explains the choices and rights you have.

By using the Website, you agree to this Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use.

1. Information we collect

1.1. Information you give us

Newsletter subscription: your email address and, if you choose to provide it, your name.
Emails you send us: your email address, name, and anything you include in your message.

We do not ask for, and ask you not to send, sensitive information such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, health information, or confidential business or legal details.

1.2. Information collected automatically

When you visit the Website, we and our service providers automatically collect certain information through cookies, pixels, and similar technologies, including:

device and browser information, such as browser type, operating system, screen size, and language settings;
IP address and approximate location derived from it (city, region, or country);
usage information, such as pages viewed, time on page, links clicked, the page that referred you, and the date and time of your visit;
cookie identifiers and advertising identifiers;
newsletter engagement, such as whether an email was opened and which links were clicked.

1.3. Information from third parties

Our analytics and advertising partners may provide us with aggregated or de-identified reports about how visitors use the Website and interact with advertisements.

2. How we use information

We use personal information to:

Operate, maintain, and secure the Website.
Send the newsletter you subscribed to and manage your subscription.
Respond to your questions, corrections, and requests.
Understand how visitors use the Website and improve our content and design.
Display advertisements, including advertisements based on your interests, and measure their performance.
Detect, prevent, and respond to fraud, abuse, and security incidents.
Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Use.

3. Cookies, analytics, and advertising

3.1. Cookies

Cookies are small files stored on your device. We use:

Essential cookies that make the Website work and keep it secure;
Analytics cookies that help us understand how visitors use the Website;
Advertising cookies that third-party advertising partners use to show advertisements, limit how often you see them, measure their performance, and, in some cases, show advertisements based on your interests across websites.

3.2. Analytics

We use third-party analytics services, such as Google Analytics, to collect and analyze usage information. You can learn how Google uses information from sites that use its services at policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites and install the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

3.3. Advertising

We work with third-party advertising partners that may use cookies and similar technologies to collect information about your visits to the Website and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services that may interest you. We do not control these partners’ use of cookies or the information they collect.

You can limit interest-based advertising by:

visiting the Digital Advertising Alliance opt-out page at optout.aboutads.info;
visiting the Network Advertising Initiative opt-out page at optout.networkadvertising.org;
adjusting your Google ad settings at myadcenter.google.com;
using the cookie or privacy settings link on the Website, where available;
blocking or deleting cookies in your browser settings.

Opting out does not stop advertisements from appearing. It means the advertisements you see may be less relevant to you.

3.4. Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control

Browsers do not apply a uniform standard to “Do Not Track” signals, so the Website does not respond to them. Where required by law, we treat a Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal from your browser as a request to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information and of targeted advertising for that browser.

We do not sell personal information for money. We share personal information only as follows:

Service providers that host the Website, deliver our newsletter, provide analytics, maintain security, and support our operations, under obligations to use the information only to provide services to us.
Advertising partners that collect information through cookies and similar technologies, as described in Section 3. Under some state privacy laws, allowing these partners to collect information for advertising may be considered a “sale,” “sharing,” or “targeted advertising.” You can opt out as described in Sections 3.3, 3.4, and 7.
Legal and safety purposes when we believe disclosure is required by law, subpoena, or court order, or is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of OwnBiz, our users, or others.
Business transfers in connection with a merger, acquisition, financing, or sale of all or part of the Website, in which case personal information may be transferred to the new owner under this Privacy Policy.
With your consent or at your direction.

We may share aggregated or de-identified information that cannot reasonably be used to identify you.

If you subscribe, we use your email address to send the newsletter and related messages. Every newsletter email includes an unsubscribe link. You can also unsubscribe by emailing [email protected]. We may still send you a reply to a message you sent us after you unsubscribe.

6. Data retention

We keep personal information only as long as needed for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, including to provide the newsletter, respond to you, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. When you unsubscribe or we delete your information, we may keep a minimal record, such as your email address on a suppression list, so we do not contact you again.

7. Your privacy rights

7.1. Rights available to everyone

You can unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time, manage cookies in your browser, and use the advertising opt-out tools in Section 3.3. You can also ask us to access, correct, or delete the personal information we hold about you by emailing [email protected].

7.2. Additional rights under state privacy laws

Depending on where you live, state law may give you some or all of the following rights:

to know what personal information we collect, use, and disclose, and to receive a copy of it;
to correct inaccurate personal information;
to delete personal information;
to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information and of targeted advertising;
to limit the use of sensitive personal information (we do not knowingly collect sensitive personal information);
not to be discriminated against for exercising your rights;
to appeal our decision on your request.

How to make a request. Email [email protected] with the subject line “Privacy Request,” and tell us which right you want to exercise and the state where you live. To opt out of sale, sharing, or targeted advertising, you can also enable Global Privacy Control in your browser or use the cookie or privacy settings link on the Website, where available.

Verification. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request, usually by confirming control of the email address associated with the information. We will not ask for more information than needed to verify your request.

Authorized agents. Where allowed by law, you may use an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf. We may ask the agent for proof of authorization and ask you to verify your identity directly.

Response. We will respond within the time required by applicable law. If we deny your request, we will explain why.

Appeals. If we deny your request, you may appeal by replying to our decision or by emailing [email protected] with the subject line “Privacy Appeal.” If you are not satisfied with the result of the appeal, you may contact your state attorney general.

Categories of information. In the past 12 months, we have collected the categories of personal information described in Section 1: identifiers (such as email address, IP address, and cookie identifiers), internet and network activity, approximate geolocation, and inferences about interests drawn from browsing activity for advertising. We collect them from you, from your device, and from our analytics and advertising partners, for the purposes described in Section 2, and disclose them to the recipients described in Section 4.

8. Children’s privacy

The Website is intended for adults and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has given us personal information, contact us at [email protected] and we will delete it. We do not knowingly sell or share the personal information of consumers under 16.

9. Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures to protect personal information. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee the security of any information.

10. Visitors outside the United States

The Website is operated in the United States and intended for a U.S. audience. If you visit from another country, your information will be processed in the United States, where data protection laws may differ from those in your country.

If you are in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, we process personal information on the following legal bases: your consent (for non-essential cookies and the newsletter), our legitimate interests in operating, securing, and improving the Website, and compliance with legal obligations. You may have the right to access, correct, delete, restrict, or object to processing of your personal information, to data portability, to withdraw consent at any time, and to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority. To exercise these rights, email [email protected].

11. Third-party websites

The Website contains links to third-party websites and displays third-party advertisements. Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies, not this one. We encourage you to read the privacy policy of every website you visit.

12. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will change the “Last updated” date above. If we make material changes, we will provide notice on the Website or by email where appropriate.

13. Contact

Questions and requests about this Privacy Policy can be sent to [email protected].