Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy describes how LifeIndex ("we," "us," "our") collects, uses, discloses and safeguards information when you visit lifeindexdata.com (the "Site"). By using the Site you agree to this Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site.

• Controller: LifeIndex, contact via contact form or privacy@lifeindexdata.com.
• Scope: Applies to all visitors, regardless of location. Additional disclosures for California and EEA/UK are below.
• We do not operate a mobile app, do not require accounts, and do not knowingly process sensitive data.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information you provide: Only what you submit via our contact/support form — name, email, topic and message. Providing this is voluntary.

2.2 Automatically collected:

• Server logs: IP address (truncated/anonymized where possible), user-agent, referrer, pages viewed, timestamps, response codes — for security, debugging and aggregate analytics.
• Device & browser type, approximate geolocation derived from IP (city/region level, not precise).
• No precise location, no biometric, no government ID, no financial data collected.

2.3 We do NOT collect: passwords, payment data, or require registration. We do not create user profiles for sale.

3. How We Use Information

• Operate, secure and improve the Site; fix bugs, prevent abuse, generate aggregate statistics.
• Respond to messages sent via the contact form.
• Measure audience and content performance (analytics).
• Serve and measure advertising (AdSense) where enabled.
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms.
• We do not sell your personal information. We do not use data for automated decision-making with legal effects.

4. Cookies & Similar Technologies

We and our partners (Google Analytics, Google AdSense) use cookies, local storage and pixels. Types:

• Necessary: Security, load balancing — no consent required.
• Analytics: _ga, _gid (Google Analytics) — aggregated visits, duration, pages.
• Advertising: AdSense cookies (_gads, IDE, DSID) for ad delivery, frequency capping, fraud prevention and, where consent given, personalized ads.

You can control cookies via browser settings (block/delete). Blocking may affect functionality. Consent is managed via our cookie banner where required. Full table of cookies, purposes and retention: Cookie Policy. See also Google Cookie Policy.

5. Analytics (Google Analytics 4)

We use Google Analytics 4 with IP anonymization. Data is aggregated; we do not merge GA data with other personal data. Retention is set to 14 months. You can opt out via GA Opt-out or browser add-on. GA4 processing is governed by Google's Privacy Policy.

6. Google AdSense & Advertising

• We display ads via Google AdSense. Google and its partners may use cookies to serve ads based on prior visits to this and other sites.
• Personalized vs non-personalized ads depend on your consent and Google settings.
• Manage preferences: Google Ad Settings and YourOnlineChoices.
• Ad placements are controlled server-side and disabled during development and maintenance.
• We do not control third-party advertiser practices. Ads do not imply endorsement. See How Google uses ad data.

7. Third-Party Data Sources (No User Data Shared)

All displayed statistics come from official U.S. government APIs: Census Bureau (ACS), Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), HUD, Federal Reserve (FRED), EIA, NHTSA and CFPB. We fetch public datasets server-side and cache them. We do not send your personal data to these agencies.

8. How We Share Information

• Service providers: Hosting, email delivery (SMTP), analytics, and ad partners — bound by confidentiality.
• Legal: If required by U.S. law, court order, or to protect rights/safety.
• No sale: We have not sold personal information in the preceding 12 months and do not sell it. We do not share for cross-context behavioral advertising except as AdSense does with your consent.
• Business transfer: If LifeIndex is acquired/merged, notice will be provided and Policy will apply to successor.

9. Your Rights — CCPA / CPRA (California Residents)

If you are a California resident, you have rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act as amended by CPRA:

• Right to know: Categories and specific pieces of personal information we collected, sources, purposes, and categories shared.
• Right to delete: Request deletion of personal information, subject to exceptions (legal retention, security).
• Right to correct: Request correction of inaccurate personal information.
• Right to opt-out: Of sale/sharing for cross-context ads — use Global Privacy Control (GPC) or Google Ad Settings.
• Right to limit: Use of sensitive personal information (we collect none).
• No discrimination: We will not discriminate for exercising rights.

To exercise: email privacy@lifeindexdata.com or contact form with subject "CCPA Request." We will verify via email and respond within 45 days (with 45-day extension if needed). Authorized agents must provide signed authorization.

Do Not Sell or Share: Enable GPC in your browser (e.g., Brave, Firefox). Our Site respects GPC as an opt-out of sale/sharing. Virginia (VCDPA), Colorado (CPA), Connecticut (CTDPA) and Utah (UCPA) residents: similar rights apply per state thresholds.

10. International Visitors & GDPR (EEA/UK)

Our Site is operated from the United States. If you access from outside the U.S., your information may be transferred to and processed in the U.S. Where GDPR applies, legal basis is legitimate interest (analytics/security/communication) and consent (cookies/ads). You have rights to access, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability, objection and withdrawal of consent. Contact us to exercise rights; you may also lodge a complaint with your supervisory authority.

11. Children's Privacy (COPPA)

The Site is not directed to children under 13 (or 16 where applicable). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child provided data, contact us for deletion. Parents may review COPPA at FTC COPPA.

12. Data Retention

• Contact form submissions: retained up to 24 months for support and legal compliance, then deleted or anonymized.
• Server logs: 90 days, then aggregated/anonymized.
• Analytics cookies: up to 14 months; ad cookies per Google retention.

13. Security

We use HTTPS/TLS, access controls and least-privilege. No system is 100% secure; you share information at your own risk. We will notify of breaches as required by U.S. state breach-notification laws.

14. International Transfers

As noted, data may be processed in the U.S. By using the Site you consent to this transfer. Where required we rely on Standard Contractual Clauses for safeguards.

15. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Policy to reflect legal, technical or business changes. Material changes will be posted here with a new "Last updated" date and, where required, consent will be re-obtained. Continued use after changes means acceptance. Previous versions are archived on request.

16. Contact Us

Questions, requests, or complaints: privacy@lifeindexdata.com (general & AdSense), support@lifeindexdata.com (support), ads@lifeindexdata.com (advertising) — or via contact form. For legal mail: LifeIndex, USA (postal on request). We aim to respond within 2 business days and CCPA requests within 45 days.

This Policy does not create contractual or legal rights beyond applicable law. For Terms see Terms and for data limitations see Disclaimer.