Privacy Policy

1. Overview

Welcome to GuruFocus ("we," "our," or "us"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website, use our investment research platform, and access our services.

By using GuruFocus, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, do not use our services.

2. Information We Collect

Personal Information

We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you:

• Register for an account or subscribe to our services
• Contact us through our support channels
• Participate in surveys, contests, or promotional activities
• Subscribe to our newsletters or marketing communications
• Upload documents or data to our platform

This information may include:

• Full name and contact information (email, phone, address)
• Professional information (company, job title, investment experience)
• Account credentials and security information
• Payment and billing information
• Investment preferences and portfolio data
• Communication preferences

Usage and Technical Information

We automatically collect certain information when you use our platform:

• IP address, browser type, and device information
• Operating system and technical specifications
• Pages visited, time spent, and navigation patterns
• Search queries and feature usage
• Performance data and error reports
• Referring website and traffic sources

Financial and Investment Data

To provide personalized investment insights, we may collect:

• Portfolio holdings and investment preferences
• Risk tolerance and investment objectives
• Trading patterns and strategy preferences
• Watchlists and saved searches
• Custom screens and analysis parameters

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for various business purposes, including:

Service Provision and Enhancement

• Providing access to our investment research platform
• Personalizing your experience and recommendations
• Processing transactions and managing subscriptions
• Delivering customer support and technical assistance
• Improving our services, features, and user interface
• Developing new products and analytics tools

Communication and Marketing

• Sending important service updates and notifications
• Delivering newsletters and market insights
• Providing promotional offers and product information
• Conducting surveys and gathering feedback
• Responding to inquiries and support requests

Legal and Security Purposes

• Complying with legal obligations and regulations
• Protecting against fraud and unauthorized access
• Monitoring for security threats and vulnerabilities
• Enforcing our terms of service and user agreements
• Resolving disputes and legal proceedings

4. Information Sharing

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

Service Providers

We work with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our platform:

• Cloud hosting and data storage providers
• Payment processing and billing services
• Email and communication platforms
• Analytics and performance monitoring tools
• Customer support and chat services
• Security and fraud prevention services

Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information when required by law or in response to:

• Court orders, subpoenas, or legal process
• Government investigations or regulatory requests
• Protecting our rights, property, or safety
• Preventing fraud or illegal activities
• Enforcing our terms of service

Aggregate and De-identified Data

We may share aggregated, de-identified, or anonymized data that cannot be used to identify you personally for research, analytics, or business purposes.

5. Data Security

We implement comprehensive security measures to protect your personal information:

Technical Safeguards

• End-to-end encryption for data transmission and storage
• Multi-factor authentication for account access
• Regular security audits and penetration testing
• Secure cloud infrastructure with enterprise-grade protection
• Advanced threat detection and monitoring systems
• Regular software updates and security patches

Organizational Measures

• Strict access controls and employee authentication
• Regular security training for all team members
• Data handling policies and procedures
• Incident response and breach notification protocols
• Third-party security certifications and compliance

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience on our platform:

Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Required for basic platform functionality
• Performance Cookies: Help us analyze usage and improve performance
• Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings
• Analytics Cookies: Provide insights into user behavior and trends
• Marketing Cookies: Enable personalized content and advertising

Managing Your Cookie Preferences

You can control cookies through your browser settings:

• Block all cookies or specific types of cookies
• Delete existing cookies from your device
• Set preferences for future cookie acceptance
• Receive notifications when cookies are being set

Note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our platform and your user experience.

7. Your Rights and Choices

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

Access and Portability

• Request access to your personal information
• Receive a copy of your data in a portable format
• Review how your information is being used

Correction and Updates

• Update or correct inaccurate information
• Complete incomplete personal data
• Modify your account preferences

Deletion and Restriction

• Request deletion of your personal information
• Restrict certain types of data processing
• Object to processing based on legitimate interests

Communication Preferences

• Unsubscribe from marketing emails
• Opt out of promotional communications
• Manage notification settings

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this privacy policy:

Account Information

• Active accounts: Retained while your account remains active
• Inactive accounts: Retained for up to 3 years after last login
• Deleted accounts: Most data deleted within 30 days

Transaction and Financial Data

• Payment records: Retained for 7 years for tax and legal compliance
• Subscription history: Retained for 5 years
• Billing information: Retained as long as legally required

Usage and Analytics Data

• Platform usage data: Retained for up to 2 years
• Aggregated analytics: May be retained indefinitely in anonymized form
• Support communications: Retained for 3 years

We may retain certain information longer if required by law, for fraud prevention, or to enforce our agreements.

9. International Data Transfers

GuruFocus operates globally, and your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own:

Transfer Safeguards

• We ensure adequate protection through approved transfer mechanisms
• Standard contractual clauses with service providers
• Adequacy decisions by relevant data protection authorities
• Appropriate technical and organizational measures

Data Processing Locations

Your data may be processed in:

• United States (primary data centers)
• European Union (EU operations and compliance)
• Other countries where our service providers operate

We take steps to ensure that your data receives an adequate level of protection wherever it is processed.

10. Children's Privacy

GuruFocus is not intended for use by individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18.

If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 18, we will take steps to delete such information promptly. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 18, please contact us immediately.

Parents and guardians who believe their child has provided personal information to us should contact us to have the information deleted.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, services, or legal requirements:

Notification of Changes

• Material changes will be prominently posted on our website
• Email notifications to registered users for significant updates
• Updated effective date at the top of this policy
• Archive of previous versions available upon request

Your Continued Use

Your continued use of our services after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated privacy policy. If you do not agree with the changes, you should discontinue use of our services.

We encourage you to review this privacy policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

12. Contact Information

We are committed to resolving any privacy-related concerns promptly and will respond to your inquiry within 30 days.

Data Protection Officer

For matters specifically related to data protection and GDPR compliance, you may contact our Data Protection Officer:

• Email: [email protected]
• Subject Line: "Data Protection Inquiry"

Supervisory Authority

If you are located in the European Union and believe we have not adequately addressed your concerns, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority.