User and Website Privacy Policy

Effective Date: December 8, 2018

This User and Website Privacy Policy describes what information we collect, how we use it, and what choices you have. We welcome your questions and comments on this policy; you can contact us at support@utilityapi.com.

UtilityAPI provides a platform (the “Service”) that allows you to request and download utility account holders’ utility billing and usage information (“Utility Data”). When you use the utilityapi.com website (the “Site”) or the Service, you consent to the current version of this User and Website Privacy Policy. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY, PLEASE DO NOT USE THE SERVICE.

This User and Website Privacy Policy only applies to (1) Site visitors and (2) parties who wish to use our Service to request and download Utility Data (“Users”). If you are a utility account holder who wishes to share their Utility Data with third parties, our Utility Account Holder Privacy Policy applies.

1. Information We Collect

We collect a variety of information from you through the Site or the Service. This information is divided into three categories: information you submit, information we collect automatically, and information we collect from third parties.

(a) Information You Submit

To use the Service, you have to provide us with information about you.

In order to use the Service, you’ll need to provide us with certain information, including your name, contact information, username, password, and billing information.

(b) Information We Collect Automatically

Our servers automatically collect certain basic information when you use the Site or Service, such as log information and cookies.

These days, whenever you use a website, mobile application, or other internet service, there’s certain information that gets created and recorded automatically. The same is true when you use our Site or Service. Here are some of the types of information we collect:

These days, whenever you use a website, mobile application, or other internet service, there’s certain information that gets created and recorded automatically. The same is true when you use our Site or Service. Here are some of the types of information we collect:

Log data. When you visit the Site or use the Service, our servers automatically record information (“log data”), including information that your browser sends whenever you visit a website. This log data includes your computer’s IP address, browser type, the webpage you were visiting before came to our Site, and how you used the Site or Service (such what parts of the Site or Service you used and when, and how often and how long you’ve used the Site or Service).

Cookies. “Cookies” are small text files containing a string of alphanumeric characters that are downloaded by your web browser when you visit a web site. We may use cookies for purposes of authorizing access to content and identifying users across multiple requests. We may use both session cookies and persistent cookies when you access and use the Site. A session cookie disappears after you close your browser. A persistent cookie remains after you close your browser and may be used by your browser on subsequent visits to the Site. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but your browser may allow you to modify your browser settings to decline certain cookies if you prefer. If you disable cookies, you may not be able to use all of the features and functionality of the Site.

Do Not Track Signals and Similar Mechanisms. We do not respond to browser-initiated Do Not Track signals, as the Internet industry is currently still working on Do Not Track standards, implementations, and solutions.

(c) Information From Third Parties

We may get information from you from other sources.

We may receive information about you from third parties or publicly available sources, as permitted by law, which we may combine with other information we receive from or about you.

2. How Do We Use the Information?

We use the information we collect to provide you and develop the Service, provide you with information, and protect UtilityAPI and our users.

We may internally use the information we collect about you as follows:

• For the purposes for which you gave it to us, including to provide and manage the Service.
• To send you records regarding our relationship and transactions or notifications of activity.
• To communicate with you about our Service, alert you to changes in our policies or agreements that may affect you, or to respond to questions you email to us.
• To troubleshoot or develop the Services, or to develop and improve our other products and services.
• To generate and review data and reports describing our user base and usage patterns.
• To enforce our Data Services Agreement or our Utility Account Holder Authorization and Agreement, protect the security and integrity of the Service, verify your identity, and prevent fraud and other prohibited or illegal activities.

We may combine information that we collect or receive through the Service with information we obtain from other sources and use it as described in this Privacy Policy.

Aggregated or De-Identified Data – We may aggregate and/or de-identify the information we collect to limit or prevent identification of any particular user. Our use and disclosure of aggregated and/or de-identified information is not subject to any restrictions under this Privacy Policy, and we may disclose it to others without limitation for any purpose.

3. How is the Information Shared or Disclosed?

We may share your information with our service providers, where required to comply with the law, and when you consent to such sharing. We may also share statistics about our subscriber base.

We share and disclose the information we collect about you as follows:

• We may share your information with contractors and third party service providers that help us operate our business. These contractors and third party service providers may be provided with access to your information needed to perform their functions but may not use such information for any other purpose. For example, we may share certain information with other companies that help us with billing and payment.
• We may provide third parties with statistics about our user base and its usage patterns. This may include making these statistics available on the Site.
• We may, at a utility’s request, share with the utility (or the utility’s designated agent or vendor) reports of what Users have requested data, information and receipts for authorizations, and logs of data access and collection in that utility’s territory.
• We will also disclose information when we believe that disclosure is reasonably necessary to comply with a law, regulation or legal process (like a court order, search warrant, or subpoena); to protect the safety, rights, or property of the public, any person, or UtilityAPI; or to detect, prevent, or otherwise address fraud, security or technical issues.
• We may also share your information with third parties whenever you consent to or direct such sharing.

4. Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, sale of capital stock or assets, reorganization, consolidation or similar transaction (a “Business Transfer”) involving UtilityAPI, or in connection with steps leading to a Business Transfer, the information we possess (including personally identifiable information) may be disclosed or transferred as a corporate asset to the acquiring entity.

5. Your Choices About Your Information

You can view and modify your account information in your Settings page; contact us to modify information that can’t be modified in your Settings.

You have the ability to access, review and change information associated with your account (such as your profile information, password, billing information, and user preferences) by logging into the Service and visiting the Settings page. You can also make a request to modify information that cannot be amended or deleted through the Service by contacting us using the contact information below in Contacting Us. We will take reasonable steps to permit you to modify or delete information that is inaccurate or incomplete, in accordance with applicable laws.

6. How Long We Keep Your Information

We keep your information for as long as your account is active. We may have to keep your information for longer if there is a legitimate business purpose to do so.

We will retain your information for as long as your account is active or as necessary for legitimate business purposes.

If you want to close your account, please email us at the contact information provided below in Contacting Us. Your account will be closed, we will delete your contact and billing data, and we will revoke any authorizations submitted to your account as soon as reasonably possible based on your account activity and in accordance with applicable law. However, please note that even after you close your account, we may retain and use certain of your information (such as information regarding transactions made through our Service and authorization records) where permitted by law to prevent fraud, collect any fees owed, resolve disputes, troubleshoot problems, assist with any investigations, and enforce our user agreements and terms. Federal, state, local laws may also require us to store certain information. In order to comply with those requirements, we may be unable to delete your information from our database until the expiration of the applicable period.

7. Security

We’re committed to online data security, and for that reason we take technical and organizational measures to protect your data against accidental or unlawful destruction or accidental loss, alteration, unauthorized disclosure or access. However, no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is absolutely secure. Therefore, while we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

8. International Users and Consent to Transfer

Utility Data, utility account authentication, and utility account access information will be processed in your country and will not be transferred outside of that country. Other information may be processed by us in the United States, where data protection and privacy regulations may not offer the same level of protection as in other parts of the world, such as the European Union. By using the Service, you agree to this Policy and you consent to the transfer of all such information to the United States, which may not offer a level of protection equivalent to that required in the European Union or certain other countries, and to the processing of that information as described in this Policy.

9. Third Party Links and Services

The Site may contain links to third-party websites. UtilityAPI is not responsible for the content or practices of those websites or services. The collection, use, and disclosure of your personal and other information is subject to the privacy policies of the third party websites or services, and not this Privacy Policy.

10. Children Under 13

UtilityAPI doesn’t knowingly collect information from children under 13. If you believe that your child under the age of 13 has provided personal information to us through the Site, contact us at support@utilityapi.com or the mailing address at the end of this Privacy Policy and we’ll work to delete any such personal information.

11. Effective Date; Changes

This Privacy Policy applies to all information collected by us or provided to us on and after the Effective Date (which you can find at the top of this page). We may occasionally make changes to this Privacy Policy, and if we do, we’ll post any changes on this page. By continuing to access or use the Service, you agree to these changes to be effective on a going-forward basis. We won’t retroactively apply any material change to the Policy without first obtaining your consent.

12. Contacting Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at support@utilityapi.com or (510) 907-0009 or UtilityAPI, Attn: Privacy Questions, 1212 Broadway, 16th Floor, Oakland, CA 94612.