Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Independent Detective (“Independent Detective,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects the privacy of visitors to IndependentDetective.com and is committed to handling personal information responsibly.

This Privacy Policy explains the types of information that may be collected when you visit or interact with IndependentDetective.com, how that information may be used, when it may be shared with service providers, and the choices available to you.

This policy also explains our use of third-party services and application programming interfaces (“APIs”), including social media and artificial intelligence services used to operate, maintain, and promote Independent Detective.

2. Information We May Collect

The information collected depends upon how you interact with IndependentDetective.com.

Information You Provide

We may receive information that you voluntarily provide through forms, correspondence, account features, submissions, or other interactive portions of the website. This may include:

• Name;
• Email address;
• Information included in messages or inquiries;
• Information voluntarily submitted through website forms; and
• Other information that you choose to provide to us.

Technical Information

When you access the website, our hosting, security, analytics, or other technical services may automatically process certain information necessary to deliver and protect the website. This may include:

• Internet Protocol (IP) address;
• Browser and device information;
• Operating system;
• Pages requested or visited;
• Date and time of access;
• Referring pages or websites;
• Diagnostic and error information; and
• Security and anti-abuse information.

3. How We Use Information

Information collected or processed through Independent Detective may be used to:

• Operate and maintain IndependentDetective.com;
• Respond to inquiries and communications;
• Provide requested website features;
• Maintain website security and prevent abuse;
• Diagnose technical problems;
• Improve website functionality and performance;
• Maintain administrative records;
• Generate and manage content used by the website;
• Manage authorized social media publishing;
• Comply with applicable legal obligations; and
• Protect the rights, safety, and security of Independent Detective, its visitors, and others.

4. Case and Public-Interest Information

Independent Detective publishes informational material concerning missing persons, unidentified persons, unsolved cases, historical cases, investigations, and other matters of public interest.

Information appearing in case materials may originate from public records, law-enforcement agencies, government agencies, news reports, publicly available sources, authorized submissions, or other research sources.

Information appearing within a published case page is not necessarily information collected from that individual through their use of this website.

5. Cookies and Similar Technologies

IndependentDetective.com and services supporting the website may use cookies, local storage, or similar technologies where necessary for website operation, security, preferences, authentication, analytics, or other functionality.

Your browser may allow you to block or delete cookies. Disabling certain cookies may affect the operation of some website features.

6. Social Media and Third-Party Platforms

Independent Detective maintains accounts on third-party social media platforms and may use official APIs supplied by those platforms to manage and publish Independent Detective content.

These integrations are used primarily to distribute Independent Detective’s own public-interest and case-awareness content to accounts or destinations that Independent Detective is authorized to manage.

Social media platforms operate independently from IndependentDetective.com. Information processed directly by a social media platform is also subject to that platform’s own privacy policy, terms, and account settings.

7. Facebook / Meta Integration

Independent Detective may use Meta’s platform tools and APIs to publish or manage content associated with an authorized Independent Detective Facebook Page.

Where authorization credentials or access tokens are required, they are used for the purpose of authenticating authorized publishing operations and communicating with Meta’s APIs.

Independent Detective does not request a visitor’s Facebook password through IndependentDetective.com.

Facebook and other Meta services are operated by Meta and remain subject to Meta’s own terms, policies, and privacy practices.

8. X Integration

Independent Detective uses the X API to connect an authorized Independent Detective X account to our internal social publishing system.

The integration may receive authorization information necessary to identify the connected account and may securely maintain OAuth access and refresh tokens needed to perform authorized operations.

The integration is used to publish and manage Independent Detective content through the connected X account. This may include case-awareness posts, links to IndependentDetective.com, and relevant hashtags.

Independent Detective does not request or store an X user’s password. Authentication occurs through X’s authorization mechanisms.

Access to the connected X account may be revoked through X or through functionality provided by Independent Detective where available.

Information handled directly by X is governed by X’s own privacy policy, terms, developer requirements, and user settings.

9. Pinterest Integration

Independent Detective may use the Pinterest API to connect an authorized Pinterest account and publish Independent Detective content to Pinterest boards that Independent Detective is authorized to manage.

The intended Pinterest integration allows authorized administrators to create Pins containing Independent Detective case-awareness material, including descriptive text, images where appropriate, and links directing users to the corresponding IndependentDetective.com case page.

Pinterest authentication will be performed using Pinterest’s authorized authentication mechanisms. Independent Detective does not request or collect Pinterest account passwords.

We request only the Pinterest API permissions reasonably necessary to provide the enabled Pinterest functionality.

Information obtained through Pinterest’s API will be handled in accordance with Pinterest’s applicable Developer Guidelines, API documentation, and terms. Independent Detective does not sell Pinterest API information or use Pinterest API information to build unrelated profiles of Pinterest users.

Pinterest information is not combined with information from unrelated users or services for advertising profiling.

Pinterest is an independent third-party service. Activity occurring directly on Pinterest is also governed by Pinterest’s own privacy policy, terms, and account settings.

10. Artificial Intelligence Services

Independent Detective may use artificial intelligence services, including services provided through the OpenAI API, to assist authorized administrators with website operations and content workflows.

These tools may assist with functions such as drafting, summarization, classification, formatting, quality review, administrative analysis, or preparing social media campaign material.

AI-generated or AI-assisted material may be reviewed, modified, approved, or rejected by an authorized administrator before it is used or published.

Information transmitted to an AI service is also subject to the applicable service provider’s terms, privacy commitments, and data-processing practices.

11. OAuth Credentials and Access Tokens

Some third-party integrations use OAuth or similar authorization technology.

OAuth allows Independent Detective to obtain limited permission to interact with an authorized third-party account without requesting the account holder’s password.

Depending upon the service, our systems may securely store access tokens, refresh tokens, account identifiers, authorization scopes, expiration information, and other technical information necessary to maintain an authorized connection.

These credentials are used only for authorized functionality and are not sold to third parties.

12. Information Sharing and Service Providers

Independent Detective does not sell personal information simply because a person visits this website.

Information may be processed or disclosed to service providers when reasonably necessary to operate the website and its authorized functionality. These may include providers of:

• Website hosting and infrastructure;
• Security and fraud prevention;
• Email and communications;
• Website forms;
• Analytics;
• Artificial intelligence services;
• Social media APIs and publishing services; and
• Other technical services necessary to operate the website.

Information may also be disclosed when reasonably necessary to comply with applicable law, legal process, court orders, or legitimate governmental requests, or to protect the rights, safety, integrity, or security of Independent Detective or others.

13. Data Retention

Information is retained only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected or processed, including operational, security, recordkeeping, dispute resolution, and legal purposes.

Retention periods may differ depending upon the type of information and the service involved.

Third-party API information and authorization credentials are retained only as permitted by the applicable platform’s requirements and as necessary to maintain an authorized integration.

14. Data Security

Independent Detective uses reasonable administrative and technical measures intended to protect information under our control against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, misuse, or destruction.

API credentials, application secrets, and authorization tokens are intended to be accessible only to authorized systems and administrators where required for operation.

No method of electronic transmission or storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure, and therefore absolute security cannot be guaranteed.

15. Third-Party Websites

IndependentDetective.com may contain links to third-party websites, government agencies, law-enforcement resources, news organizations, social networks, or other external resources.

Independent Detective is not responsible for the privacy practices of websites or services operated by third parties. Visitors should review the applicable privacy policies of those services.

16. Your Choices and Requests

Depending upon your location and applicable law, you may have rights concerning personal information about you, which may include rights to request access, correction, or deletion of certain information.

You may contact Independent Detective regarding a privacy question or request using the contact information provided below.

We may need to verify a request before acting upon it. Certain information may also need to be retained where permitted or required by law, for security purposes, or for legitimate recordkeeping purposes.

17. Social Media Data and Authorization Requests

If you have authorized an Independent Detective application to access a supported third-party account and wish to revoke that authorization, you may use the controls provided by the applicable third-party platform.

You may also contact Independent Detective to request removal of authorization information maintained by Independent Detective where applicable.

Revoking an integration may prevent Independent Detective from performing future API operations through that account.

18. Children’s Privacy

IndependentDetective.com is a general-audience informational website and is not designed as an online service directed toward children under 13.

We do not knowingly use the website to solicit personal information directly from children under 13. If you believe a child has submitted personal information through the website, please contact us so the matter can be reviewed.

19. Changes to This Privacy Policy

Independent Detective may update this Privacy Policy when our website, technology, integrations, legal obligations, or privacy practices change.

The “Last Updated” date at the top of this page identifies the most recent revision.

20. Contact Independent Detective

Questions, concerns, or requests concerning this Privacy Policy or information handled by Independent Detective may be submitted through our website:

Independent Detective
Website: https://independentdetective.com/

Please use the contact method provided on IndependentDetective.com for privacy-related inquiries.