Effective 2026-06-01 · Last updated 2026-06-01
1. Privacy Policy
**Effective date:** June 1, 2026
**Last updated:** June 1, 2026
Scout Technologies ("Scout," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting
your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and
protect personal information when you use scout.ca (the "Platform"), in
accordance with Canada's *Personal Information Protection and Electronic
Documents Act* (PIPEDA) and Quebec's *Act Respecting the Protection of Personal
Information in the Private Sector* (Law 25).
1. Who We Are
Scout Technologies is operated by Luis Napoles, based in Ottawa, Ontario,
Canada. Scout is an online marketplace connecting customers with local service
providers.
For privacy inquiries, contact us at: **[email protected]**
2. What Information We Collect
### Information you provide directly
**All users (customers and providers):**
- Full name
- Email address
- Password (stored as a one-way cryptographic hash — never in plain text)
- Sign-in method (email/password or OAuth provider such as Google)
**Service providers additionally provide:**
- Business name
- Business category and service area
- Pricing information (budget tier, pricing style, starting price)
- Portfolio photos and logo
- Phone number(s)
- Contact email (may differ from login email)
- Website URL
- Self-declared license number and insurance status
- Availability calendar
- Bio and business description
**Customers additionally provide:**
- Job descriptions submitted to providers
- Preferred dates and scheduling preferences
- Written reviews and review photos
### Information collected automatically
- IP address (for security and fraud prevention)
- Browser type and device information
- Pages visited and time spent on the Platform
- Search queries entered on the Platform
- Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 9)
3. How We Use Your Information
We use personal information only for the purposes for which it was collected:
| Purpose | Legal Basis |
|---------|-------------|
| Creating and managing your account | Contract |
| Connecting customers with service providers | Contract |
| Processing provider subscription payments via Stripe | Contract |
| Sending transactional emails (job requests, confirmations, reviews) | Contract |
| Improving search results and platform performance | Legitimate interest |
| Detecting fraud and ensuring platform integrity | Legitimate interest |
| Sending marketing emails (only with your explicit opt-in) | Consent |
| Complying with legal obligations | Legal obligation |
We do **not** sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties
for their marketing purposes.
4. How We Share Your Information
### With other users
- **Provider profiles** are publicly visible: business name, category, service
area, bio, portfolio photos, reviews, ratings, pricing style, and budget tier.
- **Contact information** (phone, email, website) is only shown to authenticated
customers who have initiated a job request, and to the provider themselves.
- **Customer reviews** display your first name only.
### With service providers (vendors)
We use the following third-party services that may process your data:
| Vendor | Purpose | Privacy Policy |
|--------|---------|----------------|
| Stripe | Payment processing | stripe.com/privacy |
| Resend | Transactional email | resend.com/legal/privacy-policy |
| DigitalOcean | Hosting and infrastructure | digitalocean.com/legal/privacy-policy |
| Sanity | Content management | sanity.io/legal/privacy |
All vendors are contractually required to process data only as instructed and
in accordance with applicable privacy laws.
### Legal requirements
We may disclose personal information if required by law, court order, or
regulatory authority, or to protect the rights, safety, or property of Scout,
our users, or the public.
5. Your Rights
Under PIPEDA and Quebec Law 25, you have the right to:
- **Access** the personal information we hold about you
- **Correct** inaccurate or incomplete information
- **Delete** your account and associated personal data
- **Withdraw consent** for optional processing (e.g., marketing emails)
- **Data portability** — receive a copy of your data in a structured format
- **File a complaint** with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
at [priv.gc.ca](https://www.priv.gc.ca)
**Quebec residents** have additional rights under Law 25, including the right
to be informed about automated decision-making and enhanced data portability.
To exercise any of these rights, email **[email protected]**. We will respond
within 30 days.
To delete your account, you may also use the account deletion option in your
account settings, or contact us directly.
6. Data Retention
| Data type | Retention period |
|-----------|-----------------|
| Active account data | Duration of account |
| Deleted account PII | Anonymized within 30 days of deletion request |
| Payment records | 7 years (required by CRA) |
| Server logs | 90 days |
| Review content | Retained (anonymized after account deletion) |
7. Data Storage and Security
Your data is stored on servers located in **Toronto, Ontario, Canada**
(DigitalOcean Toronto data centre). We do not transfer personal data outside
Canada except to the third-party vendors listed in Section 4, whose servers
may be located in the United States or other jurisdictions. Where applicable,
we rely on standard contractual clauses or equivalent safeguards.
We implement reasonable security measures including:
- Encrypted passwords (bcrypt hashing)
- HTTPS for all data in transit
- Access controls limiting data access to authorized personnel
- Regular security reviews
No system is perfectly secure. In the event of a data breach affecting your
rights, we will notify you and the applicable privacy regulator as required
by law.
8. Children's Privacy
Scout is not intended for use by individuals under the age of 18. We do not
knowingly collect personal information from minors. If you believe we have
inadvertently collected such information, contact us at [email protected].
9. Cookies
We use cookies and similar technologies to:
- Maintain your login session
- Remember your search preferences
- Analyze usage patterns (analytics)
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may
affect some platform functionality (such as staying logged in).
We do not use advertising cookies or share cookie data with ad networks.
10. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of
material changes by email or by posting a notice on the Platform at least
14 days before the change takes effect. Your continued use of Scout after
the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
11. Contact Us
**Privacy Officer:** Luis Napoles
**Email:** [email protected]
**Mailing address:** Ottawa, Ontario, Canada