Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how Searchly ("we", "us", "our") collects, uses and protects information when you use this website. By using this site, you agree to the practices described here.

Information We Collect
  • Contact form messages. When you use the Contact Us form, we store your name, the phone number or email you provide, and your message, so we can respond to you.
  • Reviews. When you rate or review a shop, we store the rating, your name if you choose to give one, and your comment. These are shown publicly on the shop's page. We also store a one-way scrambled (hashed) version of your IP address to help prevent spam — your actual IP address is never stored in readable form or shown to anyone.
  • Location, if you choose to share it. If you tap "Use My Location," your browser asks your permission directly — we only receive your location if you say yes. It's kept in a cookie in your own browser to sort shops by distance, and is not stored on our server. You can turn this off at any time from the "Turn off" link shown wherever location is active.
  • Business/shop information. Details about listed businesses (name, address, phone, photos, etc.) are added by us or by the business itself, for the purpose of the directory listing.
Cookies

This site uses a small number of cookies: one to keep you logged into the admin panel if you're an administrator, and one (only if you choose to share your location) to remember your location for a few hours so you don't have to share it again on every page. We don't use cookies to track you across other websites, and we don't sell or share cookie data with advertisers.

How We Use Information

We use the information above to operate and improve the directory: responding to enquiries, displaying reviews, showing nearby shops when you share your location, and keeping business listings accurate. We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

Third-Party Content

Some shop pages may include embedded YouTube videos, Instagram reels, or Google Maps. When you interact with this embedded content, the respective third party (YouTube/Google or Instagram/Meta) may collect information according to their own privacy policies, which we encourage you to review. We don't control what these third parties do with that data.

Advertisements

This site may display paid banner advertisements from local businesses or other clients. These ads are managed directly by us — we do not share your personal information with advertisers. If you click an ad, you'll be taken to the advertiser's own website, which has its own separate privacy practices.

Data Security

We take reasonable precautions to protect information submitted through this site, including secure password storage, protection against common web attacks, and validation of uploaded files. No method of storing or transmitting data online is 100% secure, but we work to protect your information appropriately.

Children's Privacy

This site is not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how your information is handled, please contact us or email searchlysupport@gmail.com.