Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy describes how Quogue.com ("we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, discloses, and protects information about you when you access or use our website at quogue.com (the "Site") and related services.

By accessing or using the Site, you agree to this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site.

1. Information We Collect

Information You Provide Directly

Contact information (name, email address, phone number) when you fill out forms, subscribe to our newsletter, submit events, list a business, or inquire about real estate
Account information if you create an account to manage a business listing, real estate listing, or contributor profile
Payment information processed through our third-party payment processor (Stripe) for business directory subscriptions — we do not store credit card numbers
Content you submit including event details, business information, news tips, photos, and messages
Communications you send to us

Information Collected Automatically

Device and browser information (type, operating system, screen resolution)
IP address and approximate geographic location
Pages visited, time spent on pages, click patterns, and referral sources
Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 5)

Information from Third Parties

Analytics data from Google Analytics 4 and/or Plausible Analytics
Search performance data from Google Search Console
Payment confirmation from Stripe

2. How We Use Your Information

We use collected information to:

Operate, maintain, and improve the Site
Send newsletters you have subscribed to (The Quogue Insider)
Process business directory listings and real estate inquiries
Forward real estate leads to the appropriate listing agent or brokerage
Moderate user-submitted content (events, businesses, tips)
Send transactional emails (confirmations, receipts, renewal notices)
Analyze site traffic and performance to improve content
Display relevant advertising and sponsored content
Comply with legal obligations
Prevent fraud and abuse

3. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share information with:

Real Estate Partners: When you submit a property inquiry, your contact information and message are shared with the listing agent and/or brokerage associated with that property
Service Providers: Third-party vendors who help us operate the Site including email delivery (SendGrid/Resend), payment processing (Stripe), analytics (Google/Plausible), and hosting (Base44)
Business Listing Owners: If you contact a business through the directory, your inquiry is forwarded to the business owner
Advertising Partners: Aggregated, non-personally-identifiable analytics may be shared with advertisers and sponsors
Legal Requirements: When required by law, subpoena, court order, or to protect our rights, safety, or property
Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets

4. Real Estate Lead Disclosure

Quogue.com operates as a marketing platform connecting prospective buyers and renters with real estate professionals. We are NOT a licensed real estate brokerage. When you submit a property inquiry:

Your information is sent directly to the listing agent and/or brokerage
We may receive referral fees or commissions from partner agents and brokerages
We do not guarantee the accuracy of property listings — all listing information is provided by the listing agent/brokerage and should be independently verified
We are not a party to any real estate transaction

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies for:

Essential cookies: Required for site functionality (session management, security)
Analytics cookies: To understand how visitors use the Site (Google Analytics 4 / Plausible)
Advertising cookies: To serve and measure display advertising (AdSense / Mediavine)
Preference cookies: To remember your settings and choices

You can manage cookie preferences through our cookie consent banner or your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may limit site functionality.

6. Advertising and Affiliate Links

The Site contains:

Display advertisements served by third-party ad networks
Affiliate links that earn us commissions when you make purchases through them (identified by /go/ URLs)
Sponsored content clearly labeled as "Sponsored" or "Sponsored by [Name]"
Paid business directory listings and featured placements

Articles containing affiliate links include a disclosure banner. Sponsored content is always labeled. We maintain editorial independence — paid placements do not influence our editorial content.

7. Your Rights and Choices

You may:

Unsubscribe from newsletters via the one-click unsubscribe link in every email
Request access to personal information we hold about you
Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal retention requirements)
Opt out of analytics tracking via our cookie consent banner
Request correction of inaccurate information
Lodge a complaint with a data protection authority

To exercise these rights, contact us at the contact page on this site.

8. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy, or as required by law. Newsletter subscriber data is retained until you unsubscribe. Business and real estate listing data is retained for the duration of the listing plus 12 months. Lead and inquiry data is retained for 24 months for billing reconciliation. Analytics data is retained per the default retention periods of our analytics providers.

9. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including encryption in transit (HTTPS), secure authentication, and access controls. However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Children's Privacy

The Site is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, contact us immediately at the contact page on this site.

11. Third-Party Links

The Site contains links to third-party websites, including business websites, event ticketing platforms, real estate listings, and affiliate partner sites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies.

12. California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), including the right to know what personal information we collect, the right to delete personal information, the right to opt out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information), and the right to non-discrimination for exercising your rights.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The "Last Updated" date at the top reflects the most recent revision. Continued use of the Site after changes constitutes acceptance.

14. Contact Us

For privacy-related questions or requests:
Email: the contact page on this site

Quogue.com is operated independently and is not affiliated with the Village of Quogue government.