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HOWDY PRIVACY POLICY

Effective Date: January 5, 2026

Howdy (“Howdy,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect information when you use the Howdy platform, including our website, mobile applications, QR codes, profiles, and related services (collectively, the “Platform”).

By using the Platform, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1. INFORMATION WE COLLECT

A. Information You Provide

Depending on how you use the Platform, we may collect the following information:

From Customers

  • Recognition content you submit

  • Optional name or identifier (if provided)

  • Optional account information (such as email address or phone number)

  • Private improvement feedback (if submitted)

  • Concern reports submitted to Howdy

From Providers

  • Name and profile information

  • Service category and general location details

  • Optional payment handle (such as Venmo)

  • Profile preferences (including whether private feedback is enabled)

Providing information beyond recognition is optional unless required to enable a specific feature.

B. Information Collected Automatically

We may collect limited technical and usage information, including:

  • Device type and browser

  • Approximate location (city or region level)

  • Date and time of interactions

  • QR code scan metadata

We do not collect precise real-time location data.

2. HOW WE USE INFORMATION

We use collected information to:

  • Display public recognition on Provider profiles

  • Enable customers to save and revisit recognized Providers

  • Allow Providers to manage their profiles

  • Recognition private feedback and reported concerns

  • Maintain trust, safety, and Platform integrity

  • Operate, improve, and maintain the Platform

  • Comply with legal obligations

Howdy does not sell personal information or use recognition content for advertising purposes.

3. PUBLIC VS. PRIVATE INFORMATION

Public Information

  • Provider name and profile details

  • Public recognition content

  • General service category and location

Private Information

  • Customer account information

  • Private improvement feedback

  • Concern reports

  • Provider internal notes (if applicable)

Private information is not publicly displayed and is accessible only as described in this Policy.

4. PRIVATE FEEDBACK & CONCERNS

  • Private improvement feedback is visible only to Providers who have opted in.

  • Concern reports are private and recognized internally by Howdy.

  • Concern reports are not publicly displayed.

Howdy may restrict or remove profile visibility based on safety or trust considerations. Howdy does not publicly disclose investigation outcomes.

5. PAYMENTS & THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Howdy does not process, store, or transmit payments.

If you choose to leave a tip or payment, you do so through a third-party payment provider subject to that provider’s own terms and privacy practices.

Howdy is not responsible for third-party payment processing, disputes, or data practices.

6. MINORS

Howdy accounts are available only to individuals 18 years of age or older.

Minors may appear in recognition content only through employer-managed profiles and may not manage profiles or receive payments through the Platform.

Howdy does not knowingly collect personal information directly from minors.

7. DATA SHARING

We may share information:

  • With service providers that assist in operating the Platform

  • To comply with applicable laws or legal requests

  • To protect the rights, safety, or integrity of users or the Platform

Howdy does not sell personal information to third parties.

8. DATA RETENTION

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to:

  • Provide and operate the Platform

  • Maintain trust and safety

  • Comply with legal obligations

You may request deletion of your account or personal information, subject to applicable laws.

9. SECURITY

Howdy implements reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect personal information.

No system is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. YOUR CHOICES

You may:

  • Submit recognition anonymously

  • Create or delete an account at any time

  • Control the visibility of optional information

  • Request access to or deletion of your personal data

Requests can be made through the Platform.

11. CHANGES TO THIS POLICY

Howdy may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Continued use of the Platform after changes indicates acceptance of the updated Policy.

12. CONTACT

Questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy may be directed to Howdy support through the Platform.

If you want next, I can also:

  • Give you the matching ToS copy-paste version

  • Create a plain-English “Privacy at a Glance” page

  • Help you add a short footer summary for trust signaling on the scan page