Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

Account Information: When you create an account, we collect your email address, username, and password (stored as a secure hash).

Appraisal Content: Photos you upload, item descriptions, condition notes, and any markings or dimensions you provide. By submitting an appraisal, you consent to public display of this content.

Usage Data: We automatically collect IP address, browser type, device type, pages visited, and interaction data (votes, comments, searches).

Payment Information: Payment processing is handled by Stripe. We do not store credit card numbers. Stripe may share transaction details (amount, date, status) with us.

2. How We Use Your Information

• Provide AI-powered appraisal services and display results publicly
• Improve our AI models and appraisal accuracy using aggregated, anonymized data
• Process payments for subscriptions, unlocks, and human reviews
• Send transactional emails (appraisal results, purchase confirmations)
• Send notification emails (discussion replies, new comments) — you can unsubscribe
• Prevent fraud, abuse, and enforce rate limits
• Generate anonymous analytics and market trend data

3. Data Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. We share data with:

• OpenAI: Photos and descriptions are sent to OpenAI for AI analysis. OpenAI's data usage policy applies.
• Amazon Web Services: Photos are stored on AWS S3. Content is served via CloudFront CDN.
• Stripe: Payment processing for subscriptions and purchases.
• Google: Analytics (GA4) and advertising (AdSense) services.
• Amazon SES: Email delivery service.

4. Cookies & Tracking

We use cookies for:

• Authentication: Session cookies to keep you logged in
• Preferences: Theme (dark/light mode), display settings
• Analytics: Google Analytics to understand usage patterns
• Advertising: Google AdSense for personalized ads (you can opt out via Google Ad Settings)
• Rate Limiting: Anonymous submission tracking cookies

5. Your Rights

• Access: You can view your appraisals, comments, and account data at any time
• Correction: Edit your appraisals and account information
• Deletion: Request account deletion by contacting [email protected]
• Visibility: Hide individual appraisals from public view
• Data Export: Request a copy of your data by contacting support
• Opt Out: Unsubscribe from notification emails via the link in each email

6. Data Retention

Appraisals and photos are retained indefinitely as part of the public archive unless you request removal. Account data is retained while your account is active. Rate limiting data is automatically purged after 30 days.

7. Children's Privacy

InstAppraisal is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We will notify registered users of material changes via email.

9. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

InstAppraisal does not sell personal information to third parties. We never have and never will. Your photos, appraisal data, and account information are used solely to provide and improve our appraisal services.

We may share limited data with advertising partners (such as Google AdSense) for the purpose of serving relevant ads. You can opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ad Settings or by using the opt-out tools provided by the Network Advertising Initiative.

If you wish to exercise your right to opt out of data sharing for advertising purposes, contact [email protected].

10. Your State Privacy Rights (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a resident of California or another US state with applicable privacy legislation, you have additional rights regarding your personal information:

• Right to Know: You can request a summary of the personal information we have collected about you, the sources, the purposes, and the third parties we share it with.
• Right to Delete: You can request that we delete the personal information we have collected from you, subject to certain legal exceptions.
• Right to Opt-Out of Sale/Sharing: We do not sell your personal information. We share limited data with Google for advertising purposes, and you may opt out as described in Section 9.
• Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of these rights.
• Right to Correct: You can request that we correct inaccurate personal information we maintain about you.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected]. We will verify your identity and respond within 45 days as required by law.

Categories of personal information collected in the past 12 months: Identifiers (email, username, IP address), commercial information (purchase history), internet activity (browsing, search, interaction data), and user-generated content (photos, descriptions, comments).

11. Contact

For privacy inquiries: [email protected]

InstAppraisal, Inc.