Last Updated: March 4, 2026

At Hashtag Local Inc. (#local), we are committed to protecting the privacy of our residents, business partners, and community members. This policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information when you visit hashtaglocal.com or use our Community Hub services.

1. Information We Collect

To provide a personalized local experience, we collect the following types of information:

Personal Identification: Name, email address, and phone number (collected when you create an account, register a business, or book a discovery call).

Transaction Data: When purchasing local gift cards, we collect billing information. Note: We do not store full credit card numbers on our servers; these are processed by our secure third-party payment providers.

Location Data: To show you relevant "Local Genius" results, we may request access to your approximate location via your browser or device.

Business Information: For our "Approved Businesses," we collect business names, addresses, social media links, and promotional content.

Usage Data: Information on how you interact with the Hub, such as which local deals you view or search queries you send to our AI tools.

No mobile information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes. All the above categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your data to make your community experience better:

To facilitate the purchase and delivery of discounted local gift cards.

To power the Local Genius AI, providing accurate answers to your community questions.

To connect residents with relevant local business promotions.

To communicate updates about the Hashtag Charitable Foundation and community events.

To send appointment reminders and confirmations via SMS/Text (only for those who have explicitly opted in).

3. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell your personal data to third-party advertisers. We only share information in the following ways:

With Local Merchants: When you purchase a gift card, we share necessary details with the merchant so they can honour your purchase.

Service Providers: We share data with trusted partners who help us run our platform (e.g., payment processors, hosting services).

Legal Requirements: If required by Canadian law or to protect the safety and rights of our community.

3.1 SMS/Mobile Privacy (A2P Compliance)

No mobile information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes. All the above categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties.

4. AI and Data Processing

Our Local Genius and Marketing Genius tools use artificial intelligence to process queries. While we use this data to improve the accuracy of our local recommendations, we do not use your private personal conversations to "train" public AI models in a way that identifies you personally.

5. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies to remember your preferences (like your home neighbourhood) and to analyze site traffic. You can manage your cookie settings through your browser at any time.

6. Your Rights and Choices

As a user, you have the right to:

Access the personal information we hold about you.

Request the correction or deletion of your data.

Opt-out of marketing emails or SMS updates at any time.

Inquire about how your data is being handled under PIPEDA guidelines.

7. Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we encourage you to use strong passwords for your #local account.

8. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact our Privacy Officer at:

Hashtag Local Inc. 180 College Ave N, Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, N7T 7X2 Email: [email protected] Website: hashtaglocal.com Phone: +1 519-330-1138

9. SMS/Text Messaging Program Disclosure

Hashtag Local Inc. operates an SMS program to provide administrative support and appointment lifecycle notifications for our Sarnia-Lambton community partners and residents.

How Users Opt-In: Users opt-in to our SMS program by providing their mobile phone number through our web-based forms (including our Discovery Call booking calendar and contact forms) and manually selecting the required checkbox signifying their agreement to receive text messages.

Message Frequency: Message frequency varies based on user interaction. For discovery calls, users typically receive one (1) confirmation message and one (1) reminder message per scheduled appointment.

Our Commitment: We prioritize your privacy. No mobile information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes. All the above categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties.