Privacy Policy

Introduction

At SourceDeck, we take your privacy seriously. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our platform that connects expert sources with journalists and media professionals for editorial content and digital PR opportunities.

SourceDeck facilitates professional connections between media members, expert sources, and PR professionals. Our platform emphasizes transparency and professional networking.

By using SourceDeck, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

1. Information We Collect

We collect information in several ways to provide and improve our services:

Information You Provide Directly

• Contact information (name, email address, phone number, professional title)
• Professional background, expertise areas, and qualifications
• Company or organization information
• Media credentials (for journalists and media professionals)
• Expert profile information including bio, credentials, and areas of expertise
• Communications with SourceDeck support and other users
• Payment information (processed securely through third-party providers)
• Campaign preferences and link building requirements

Automatically Collected Information

• Device data (operating system, browser type, device identifiers, IP address)
• Online activity (pages viewed, time spent, navigation paths, click patterns)
• Platform interactions and feature usage
• Cookies, pixels, web beacons, and similar tracking technologies

Information from Third Parties

• Publicly available information from social media profiles (LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.)
• Professional credentials from public databases and directories
• Publication history and media appearances
• Data from marketing partners and analytics providers

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide and operate our platform connecting experts with journalists
• Facilitate media outreach and expert source matching
• Process link building campaigns and track deliverables
• Manage your account, subscriptions, and transactions
• Send you journalist requests, media opportunities, and platform notifications
• Communicate with you about your campaigns, placements, and service updates
• Improve our matching algorithms and platform features
• Conduct research and development to enhance our services
• Provide customer support and respond to inquiries
• Send marketing communications about our services (with opt-out options)
• Monitor platform usage, analyze trends, and measure campaign performance
• Detect, prevent, and address fraud, security threats, and technical issues
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms of service

3. How We Share Your Information

We share your information in the following circumstances:

• With Other Users: Expert profiles are visible to journalists and PR professionals using our platform. Journalist profiles may be visible to verified expert sources.
• Service Providers: We share data with third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf (payment processing, email delivery, analytics, hosting).
• Marketing Partners: We may share data with advertising and marketing partners to provide interest-based advertising (you can opt out).
• Legal Requirements: We disclose information when required by law, court order, or to protect our rights and safety.
• Business Transfers: In connection with mergers, acquisitions, or asset sales, your information may be transferred.
• With Your Consent: We may share information for other purposes with your explicit consent.

4. Public Profiles and Transparency

SourceDeck operates as a professional networking platform for media and PR:

• Expert source profiles are generally public and visible to platform users to facilitate professional connections
• Your profile may include your name, photo, credentials, expertise areas, and professional background
• You can control profile visibility settings in your account preferences
• Non-users may claim existing profiles to update or remove their information
• Communications between journalists and experts may be monitored for quality assurance and platform safety

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to:

• Remember your preferences and settings
• Understand how you use our platform
• Measure campaign effectiveness and ad performance
• Provide personalized content and recommendations
• Analyze platform traffic and usage patterns via Google Analytics

You can control cookies through your browser settings and opt out of interest-based advertising through industry opt-out tools.

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure.

• All data is encrypted in transit using SSL/TLS
• Data at rest is encrypted using industry-standard encryption
• Access to personal data is restricted to authorized personnel only
• Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
• Secure payment processing through PCI-compliant third-party providers

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services and fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy:

• Account information is retained while your account remains active
• Campaign and placement data is retained for reporting and compliance purposes
• Financial records are retained as required by applicable law
• You may request deletion of your account and associated data at any time
• Some information may be retained in backup systems for a limited period

8. Your Rights and Choices

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information
• Profile Privacy: Make your expert profile private (limits platform discoverability)
• Profile Claims: Non-users can claim profiles to update or remove information
• Marketing Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing emails via the unsubscribe link
• Tracking Opt-Out: Disable cookies, use privacy browsers, adjust mobile ad settings
• Data Portability: Export your data in a portable format
• Object to Processing: Object to certain types of data processing

To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@sourcedeck.io

9. Third-Party Services

Our platform integrates with third-party services, including:

• Payment processors (Stripe, PayPal) for secure transaction processing
• Analytics services (Google Analytics) for platform usage analysis
• Email service providers for communications and notifications
• Media monitoring and PR tools for tracking placements
• Cloud hosting and infrastructure providers

These third parties have their own privacy policies governing their use of your information. We are not responsible for their privacy practices.

10. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and maintained on servers located outside of your country of residence. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

For users in the European Economic Area (EEA), we comply with GDPR requirements and use standard contractual clauses approved by the European Commission for international data transfers.

11. European User Rights (GDPR)

If you are a resident of the European Economic Area, you have additional rights under GDPR:

• Right to access your personal data
• Right to rectification of inaccurate data
• Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten")
• Right to restrict processing
• Right to data portability
• Right to object to processing
• Right to withdraw consent at any time
• Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@sourcedeck.io

12. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

California residents have specific rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right to know what personal information is collected, used, shared, or sold
• Right to delete personal information
• Right to opt-out of the sale of personal information
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising CCPA rights

Note: SourceDeck does not sell personal information to third parties.

13. Children's Privacy

Our services are intended for professional use and are not directed to children under 16 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you become aware that a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at privacy@sourcedeck.io

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date. For significant changes, we may provide additional notice such as email notification. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically.