Last updated: November 2025
1. Who We Are
Ocala Business Directory (“ODB”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) operates https://ocalabusinessdirectory.com and its connected tools, including the Business Dashboard for local business owners.
Our mission is to connect Ocala-area residents and visitors with verified local businesses and provide business owners with tools to manage their online presence.
2. What Personal Data We Collect
2.1 Information You Provide
We may collect the following information when you interact with our website:
- Account information: name, email address, business name, phone number, and any information added to your business listing.
- Listing data: business descriptions, hours, photos, services, reviews, and messages.
- Contact forms: when you submit a support request or inquiry.
- Reviews and comments: text, name, rating, and metadata associated with the submission.
2.2 Automatically Collected Data
When you use our site, we automatically collect:
- IP address
- Browser agent and device type
- Cookies (details below)
- Pages visited and actions taken
- Login activity (e.g., login attempts, logout, dashboard redirects)
This helps with performance, spam prevention, security, and analytics.
3. Media & Uploaded Content
If you upload images to your business listing or user profile:
- Avoid uploading photos with embedded EXIF GPS data.
- Other visitors may be able to download and extract EXIF location data from images.
4. Cookies & Tracking Technologies
ODB uses cookies to:
- Maintain your login session
- Keep Business Dashboard functionality working
- Remember display preferences
- Improve performance and caching
- Prevent spam
- Track analytics (non-personal)
Login Cookies
- Temporary cookie on the login page to check browser compatibility
- Login cookies are stored for up to 2 days
- “Remember Me” extends login for 2 weeks
- Logout removes login cookies
Editing Cookies
If you edit or publish a listing or article, we store a cookie with the post ID.
This cookie contains no personal data and expires after 1 day.
5. Embedded Content From Other Sites
Listings, articles, or blog posts may include:
- Maps (Google Maps)
- Embedded business websites
- Videos
- Images
- Social media feeds
These external sites may:
- Collect data about you
- Use cookies
- Track interactions
- Associate data with your account (if logged in to that third party)
We do not control third-party data collection.
6. Who We Share Your Data With
We do not sell your personal information.
We only share data with:
6.1 Service Providers
Trusted partners that help operate ODB:
- Hosting & servers
- GeoDirectory (business listings)
- UsersWP (accounts & profiles)
- LiteSpeed (performance & caching)
- Security & anti-spam providers
- Email transactional services
6.2 Security & Account Recovery
If you request a password reset:
- Your IP address is included in the reset email for verification purposes.
7. How Long We Retain Your Data
Comments & Reviews
We retain comments and reviews indefinitely to maintain directory continuity.
User Accounts
For registered users:
- We store the personal information provided in their profile.
- Users may view, edit, or delete their information anytime (except username).
- Administrators may view and edit necessary information for moderation.
Business Listings
If you create or claim a listing:
- Listing content is kept as part of the public directory.
- If you choose to delete your listing, some data may remain for legal or administrative reasons.
8. Your Rights Over Your Data
You may request:
- A copy of all personal data we have about you
- Corrections or updates
- Deletion of your account
- Removal of personal information from your business listing
- Removal of reviews you personally created
We may retain specific data when necessary for:
- Legal compliance
- Fraud prevention
- Security
- Directory accuracy
- Business continuity
9. Where Your Data Is Sent
Your data may be processed through:
- Spam detection services
- Hosting and backup systems
- GeoDirectory business listing tools
- Email and notification providers
- Analytics platforms
Some providers are located outside the United States; all comply with GDPR/CCPA-grade protection standards.
10. AI-Generated Content (Optional if needed)
Some content on ODB may be produced or enhanced using AI tools to improve listing descriptions, suggestions, or user experience. AI-generated content does not use your personal data unless you explicitly provide it.
11. Security
We use industry-standard security measures to protect your data, including:
- SSL encryption
- Restricted admin access
- Database protections
- Security monitoring
- Anti-spam systems
- LiteSpeed protection layers
No system is 100% secure, but we take all reasonable measures to safeguard your information.
12. Contact Us
If you have questions or requests related to privacy, contact us at:
📧 privacy@ocalabusinessdirectory.com
📍 Ocala, Florida
🌐 https://ocalabusinessdirectory.com/contact/rsonal data we hold about you, including any data you have provided to us. You can also request that we erase any personal data we hold about you. This does not include any data we are obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes.
Where your data is sent
Suggested text: Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service.