Privacy & Cookie Policy

Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Information We Collect

Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information about your device and browsing activity, including:

• Device Information: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device type, and screen resolution
• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, links clicked, referring URLs, and navigation paths
• Technical Data: Browser settings, time zone, language preferences, and cookie data
• Analytics Data: Session duration, bounce rates, and interaction patterns through Google Analytics

Information You Provide

We collect information that you voluntarily provide when you:

• Contact us via email at canadadebtclock [at] protonmail [dot] com
• Participate in surveys or feedback forms (if applicable)
• Report technical issues or errors

This may include your name, email address, and the content of your communications with us.

Information We Do NOT Collect

We do not collect sensitive personal information such as:

• Financial information or payment details
• Social Security numbers or government identification numbers
• Health or medical information
• Biometric data
• Information about children under 13 years of age

How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

• Website Operation: To provide, maintain, and improve our debt tracking services
• Analytics: To understand how visitors use our site and identify areas for improvement
• Performance Optimization: To enhance page load times, fix bugs, and optimize user experience
• Communication: To respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
• Advertising: To display relevant advertisements through Google AdSense
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes
• Security: To detect, prevent, and address technical issues, fraud, or security threats

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They help websites remember your preferences and improve your browsing experience.

Types of Cookies We Use

Essential Cookies (Required):

• Session cookies for basic website functionality
• Cookie consent preference storage
• Security and fraud prevention

Analytics Cookies (Optional):

• Google Analytics cookies to track visitor behavior and site performance
• Measurement of traffic sources and user engagement
• A/B testing and feature optimization

Advertising Cookies (Optional):

• Google AdSense cookies for personalized advertising
• Ad performance tracking and frequency capping
• Behavioral targeting based on browsing history

Third-Party Cookies

We use services from third-party providers who may set their own cookies on your device:

• Google Analytics: For website analytics and user behavior tracking
• Google AdSense: For displaying advertisements and measuring ad performance
• Google Tag Manager: For managing marketing and analytics tags

Google AdSense & Advertising

CanadaDebtClock.com uses Google AdSense to display advertisements and generate revenue to support the operation of this free public service. Google AdSense and its partners use cookies and other tracking technologies to serve ads based on your browsing history and interests.

How Google Uses Your Information

Google's advertising cookies enable Google and its partners to:

• Serve ads based on your prior visits to CanadaDebtClock.com and other websites
• Measure ad performance and engagement
• Prevent the same ad from continuously reappearing
• Detect and prevent click fraud and abuse
• Report aggregate statistics about ad impressions and interactions

Your Advertising Choices

You have control over personalized advertising:

• Opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings
• Use the Digital Advertising Alliance's opt-out tool
• Enable "Do Not Track" in your browser settings
• Use browser extensions that block advertising trackers

For more information about how Google uses data when you use our site, visit How Google uses data when you use our partners' sites or apps and Google's Privacy & Terms.

Cookie Consent Management

When you first visit CanadaDebtClock.com, you will see a cookie consent banner that allows you to make informed choices about cookies:

• Accept All: Allows all cookies including analytics and advertising cookies
• Essential Only: Only allows cookies necessary for basic website functionality

Your consent choice is stored in your browser's local storage. You can change your cookie preferences at any time by clearing your browser's cookies and revisiting our site, or by using your browser's cookie management settings.

Managing Cookies in Your Browser

Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings:

• Chrome: Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data
• Firefox: Options → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
• Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Cookies and website data
• Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Cookies and site data

Note that blocking or deleting cookies may affect website functionality and your user experience.

Data Sharing and Disclosure

Third-Party Service Providers

We share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website:

• Google LLC: For analytics (Google Analytics) and advertising (Google AdSense)
• Web Hosting Provider: For website hosting and server infrastructure
• Content Delivery Networks (CDN): For faster content delivery

These service providers are contractually obligated to use your information only for the purposes we specify and to protect your data in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Legal Requirements

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

• Valid legal processes (subpoenas, court orders, search warrants)
• Requests from government authorities or law enforcement
• Protection of our legal rights and safety
• Prevention of fraud, security threats, or illegal activities
• Enforcement of our Terms of Service

Business Transfers

If CanadaDebtClock.com is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity. We will provide notice before your information is transferred and becomes subject to a different Privacy Policy.

What We Do NOT Do

We do NOT:

• Sell your personal information to third parties
• Share your email address with advertisers or marketers
• Rent or lease user data to data brokers
• Use your information for purposes unrelated to operating this website

Data Security

We implement reasonable security measures to protect your information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction:

• Encryption: HTTPS/SSL encryption for data transmission
• Access Controls: Restricted access to personal information to authorized personnel only
• Security Monitoring: Regular monitoring for security vulnerabilities and attacks
• Software Updates: Keeping all software and systems up to date with security patches

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

Data Retention

We retain different types of information for varying periods:

• Analytics Data: Retained for up to 26 months in Google Analytics
• Server Logs: Retained for up to 90 days for security and debugging purposes
• Email Communications: Retained as long as necessary to respond to your inquiry
• Cookie Data: Retained according to individual cookie lifespans (ranging from session-only to 2 years)

After the retention period, we delete or anonymize the data so it can no longer be associated with you.

Your Privacy Rights

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

General Rights

• Access: Request access to the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal obligations)
• Objection: Object to processing of your information for certain purposes
• Data Portability: Request a copy of your data in a machine-readable format

European Union (GDPR) Rights

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

• Right to restriction of processing
• Right to withdraw consent at any time
• Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority
• Right not to be subject to automated decision-making

California Privacy Rights (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you have rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act:

• Right to know what personal information is collected, used, shared, or sold
• Right to delete personal information
• Right to opt-out of sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information)
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights

Exercising Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at canadadebtclock [at] protonmail [dot] com. We will respond to your request within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

Children's Privacy

CanadaDebtClock.com is not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete such information as quickly as possible.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at canadadebtclock [at] protonmail [dot] com.

International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in countries other than your country of residence, including the United States and other countries where our service providers operate. These countries may have data protection laws that differ from those in your country.

When we transfer your information internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable data protection laws.

Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, we rely on the following lawful bases to process personal information:

• Consent: When you accept non-essential cookies or submit personal details via email, you consent to those specific processing activities.
• Legitimate interests: We process limited analytics and security data to maintain and improve the website, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights.
• Legal obligation: Certain information may be retained or disclosed to comply with Canadian and international legal requirements.
• Performance of a contract: When you request direct communication or support, processing is necessary to fulfil that request.

Complaints and Escalation

We take privacy complaints seriously. If you believe we have processed your data in a manner inconsistent with this policy, please contact us first so we can investigate and respond within 30 days.

Residents of the EEA, UK, or Switzerland may also lodge a complaint with their local supervisory authority. Canadian residents can contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. Contact information for these authorities is available on their official websites.

Do Not Track Signals

Some web browsers have a "Do Not Track" (DNT) feature that signals to websites that you do not want to be tracked. Currently, there is no industry standard for how websites should respond to DNT signals. At this time, our website does not respond to DNT browser signals or mechanisms. However, you can use the cookie consent banner and browser settings to manage tracking technologies.

Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, including:

• Government of Canada websites (Department of Finance, Statistics Canada)
• Open data portals
• Related financial information resources
• Social media platforms

We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third-party websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make changes, we will:

• Update the "Last updated" date at the top of this policy
• Notify users of material changes through a prominent notice on our website
• For significant changes, we may provide additional notice via email (if we have your email address)

Your continued use of CanadaDebtClock.com after any changes to this Privacy Policy constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Email (and sole official contact channel): canadadebtclock [at] protonmail [dot] com
Website: https://canadadebtclock.com

We will make every effort to respond to your inquiry within 30 days. We do not maintain a phone line or physical mailing address for privacy queries; all correspondence must originate from the email above.

Definitions

For clarity, the following terms used in this Privacy Policy are defined as:

• "Personal Information" means information that identifies, relates to, or could reasonably be linked with you
• "Processing" means any operation performed on personal information, including collection, storage, use, and disclosure
• "Cookies" means small text files placed on your device to store preferences and track activity
• "Third Party" means any entity other than CanadaDebtClock.com and you
• "We," "Us," "Our" refers to CanadaDebtClock.com and its operators

This Privacy Policy is effective as of December 1, 2025, and applies to all information collected on or after this date.