Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Oil Authority ("we," "us," or "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information you share with us. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding that information when you use oilauthority.com (the "Site").

This policy is governed by the laws of the Province of Alberta, Canada, including the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) of Alberta and applicable provisions of the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) of Canada.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Account Information

When you create an account, we collect your name, email address, and optionally your job title, company name, phone number, and social media profile URLs (LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Facebook). This information is used solely to operate your account and provide the Site's services.

2.2 Company and Marketplace Listings

If you submit a company profile or marketplace listing, we collect the business information you provide (company name, description, contact details, product information, images). This information is displayed publicly on the Site as part of the directory and marketplace features.

2.3 Cookies and Analytics

We use cookies and Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with the Site. This helps us determine which pages and features are most popular, identify technical issues, and improve the user experience. Analytics data is used for internal purposes only. Specifically:

• Essential cookies: Used for authentication (keeping you signed in) and site functionality. These are necessary for the Site to operate.
• Analytics cookies (Google Analytics): Collect anonymous, aggregated data about page views, session duration, geographic region (country/city level), device type, and browser. Google Analytics uses cookies to distinguish unique visitors and track navigation patterns. No personally identifiable information is sent to Google Analytics.

You may disable cookies in your browser settings. Disabling essential cookies may prevent you from signing in or using certain features of the Site.

2.4 Payment Information

When you subscribe to a paid plan or make a purchase on the Site, your payment is processed securely by Stripe, Inc. ("Stripe"). We never store credit card numbers, CVCs, or payment credentials on our servers.

Stripe may collect payment method details (card number, expiry date, CVC), billing address, and device information in order to process your transaction. We support the following payment methods through Stripe:

• Credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express)
• Apple Pay
• Google Pay
• Link by Stripe
• Klarna
• Affirm

All payment data is handled in accordance with PCI DSS Level 1 standards by Stripe. We store only transaction references, plan type, and payment status in our database for billing and account management purposes. Stripe's collection and use of your payment information is governed by Stripe's Privacy Policy.

For refund and billing inquiries, contact us at [email protected].

2.5 Log Data

Our servers automatically record standard log data when you visit the Site, including your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URL, pages visited, and timestamps. This data is used for security monitoring, debugging, and capacity planning.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, operate, and maintain the Site and your account
• Display your company profile, marketplace listings, or press releases as submitted
• Respond to your enquiries and provide customer support
• Analyse usage patterns to improve the Site (via Google Analytics)
• Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and security threats
• Comply with legal obligations under Alberta and Canadian law

4. Data Sharing

We do not sell, rent, trade, or share your personal information with third parties.

Your data is not provided to advertisers, data brokers, marketing partners, or any other external entity. The only circumstances under which we would disclose personal information are:

• Legal obligation: If required by law, court order, or governmental regulation under the jurisdiction of Alberta, Canada.
• Protection of rights: To protect the rights, property, or safety of Oil Authority, our users, or the public, as permitted by law.
• Consent: If you have given explicit, informed consent for a specific disclosure.

Google Analytics processes anonymous, aggregated analytics data on our behalf. Google does not receive any personally identifiable information from Oil Authority. Google's use of analytics data is governed by Google's own privacy policy.

5. Data Storage and Security

Your data is stored on secured servers. We use industry-standard security measures including encrypted connections (HTTPS/TLS), hashed passwords, and access controls to protect your information. For more details on our security practices, see our Security page.

6. Data Retention

We retain your account information for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, we will remove your personal information within 30 days, except where retention is required by law. Analytics data is retained in aggregated, anonymized form and cannot be traced back to individual users.

7. Your Rights

Under Alberta's Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA), you have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information
• Withdraw consent for the collection, use, or disclosure of your personal information (subject to legal and contractual restrictions)
• Request deletion of your personal information
• File a complaint with the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected].

8. Children's Privacy

The Site is not directed at individuals under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.

9. International Users

The Site is operated from Alberta, Canada. If you access the Site from outside Canada, your information may be transferred to and processed in Canada. By using the Site, you consent to the transfer of your information to Canada, where data protection laws may differ from those in your country of residence.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with a revised "Last updated" date. Your continued use of the Site after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at [email protected].

You may also contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta at www.oipc.ab.ca.