Privacy Policy | Crop Markets

1. Introduction

At Crop Markets ("we", "our", or "us"), we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website crop-markets.com (the "Service").

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By using the Service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our Service.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information You Provide

We collect information that you voluntarily provide to us, including:

Account Information: Name, email address, password when you create an account
Payment Information: Credit card details, billing address (processed securely through Stripe)
Profile Information: Any additional information you choose to provide in your profile
Communications: Information in messages you send us, such as support inquiries or feedback
Newsletter Subscriptions: Email address when you subscribe to our newsletter

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you access the Service, we automatically collect certain information, including:

Usage Data: Pages viewed, time spent on pages, links clicked, articles read
Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device type
Log Data: Access times, pages requested, referring URLs
Cookies and Similar Technologies: Data collected through cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies (see our Cookie Policy)

2.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information from third-party services:

Authentication Services: Information from Firebase Authentication if you create an account
Payment Processors: Transaction information from Stripe for payment processing
Analytics Providers: Aggregated usage data from analytics services

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

3.1 Service Provision and Account Management

Create and manage your account
Process your subscription and payments
Provide access to premium content
Send transaction confirmations and account notifications
Respond to your inquiries and provide customer support

3.2 Content Delivery and Personalization

Deliver relevant content based on your interests
Remember your preferences and settings
Recommend articles and features you may find interesting
Track article views and reading history

3.3 Communication

Send newsletters and marketing communications (with your consent)
Provide updates about our Service and new features
Send promotional offers and subscription information
Notify you about changes to our Terms or Privacy Policy

3.4 Analytics and Improvement

Analyze usage patterns and trends
Improve our Service, content, and user experience
Develop new features and functionality
Monitor and analyze the effectiveness of our content

3.5 Security and Legal Compliance

Detect, prevent, and address technical issues
Protect against fraud and unauthorized access
Enforce our Terms of Service
Comply with legal obligations and respond to legal requests

4. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

If you are from the European Economic Area (EEA), our legal basis for collecting and using your personal information depends on the data and context:

Contract: Processing is necessary to perform our contract with you (e.g., providing subscription services)
Consent: You have given us permission to process your data (e.g., marketing communications)
Legitimate Interests: Processing is in our legitimate interests and doesn't override your rights (e.g., analytics, fraud prevention)
Legal Obligation: Processing is necessary to comply with the law

5. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

5.1 Service Providers

We share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf:

Firebase (Google): Authentication, database, and hosting services
Stripe: Payment processing and subscription management
Mailjet: Email delivery and marketing communications
Hetzner: Database hosting services
Analytics Providers: Website analytics and performance monitoring

5.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to:

Legal process (e.g., court orders, subpoenas)
Requests from government authorities
Protection of our legal rights or the rights of others
Investigation of fraud or security issues

5.3 Business Transfers

If Crop Markets is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred. We will provide notice before your information is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

5.4 With Your Consent

We may share your information for any other purpose with your consent.

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information:

Encryption of data in transit using SSL/TLS
Secure password storage with industry-standard hashing
Regular security audits and updates
Access controls and authentication requirements
Secure database connections with SSL certificates
PCI-compliant payment processing through Stripe

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

Specific retention periods:

Account Information: Retained while your account is active and for a reasonable period after account closure
Payment Information: Retained as required for accounting and tax purposes (typically 7 years)
Usage Data: Retained for analytics purposes, typically aggregated after 24 months
Marketing Communications: Retained until you unsubscribe

When we no longer need your information, we will securely delete or anonymize it.

8. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

8.1 Access and Portability

Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
Receive your data in a structured, commonly used format

8.2 Correction and Deletion

Update or correct inaccurate personal information
Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal obligations)

8.3 Restriction and Objection

Restrict how we process your information
Object to processing based on legitimate interests
Opt out of marketing communications

8.4 Withdraw Consent

Where we rely on consent to process your information, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time.

8.5 How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at support@crop-markets.com. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

9. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have data protection laws that differ from your country.

We take appropriate measures to ensure that your personal information receives an adequate level of protection, including using standard contractual clauses approved by regulatory authorities.

10. Children's Privacy

Our Service is not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 18 without parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information from our servers.

11. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have specific rights regarding your personal information under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

Right to Know: Request disclosure of the categories and specific pieces of personal information we collect
Right to Delete: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to exceptions)
Right to Opt-Out: Opt out of the sale of your personal information (we do not sell personal information)
Right to Non-Discrimination: Not receive discriminatory treatment for exercising your privacy rights

To exercise these rights, contact us at support@crop-markets.com or use our contact form. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

12. Do Not Track Signals

Some web browsers have a "Do Not Track" (DNT) feature. Currently, there is no industry standard for how to respond to DNT signals. At this time, our Service does not respond to DNT browser settings.

13. Third-Party Links

Our Service may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by:

Posting the new Privacy Policy on this page
Updating the "Last Updated" date
Sending an email notification to registered users (for material changes)

Your continued use of the Service after changes to this Privacy Policy constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

15. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:

Email: support@crop-markets.com
Website: crop-markets.com/contact

16. Additional Information for EU Residents

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority if you believe our processing of your personal information violates data protection laws.

For questions about data protection in your country, please contact your local data protection authority.