Our Commitment to Privacy: WhatIP.ca is committed to protecting your privacy and complying with Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable provincial privacy legislation. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information.
1. Information We Collect
1.1 Information You Provide
When you register for an account or use our services, we may collect:
- Account Information: Name, email address, password
- Payment Information: Credit card details, billing address (processed securely through Stripe)
- Profile Information: Optional preferences and settings
- Communications: Messages you send to us, support requests, feedback
1.2 Automatically Collected Information
When you use our Service, we automatically collect:
- IP Addresses: Your public IP address (necessary for service functionality)
- Usage Data: Pages visited, features used, time and date of access, query history
- Device Information: Browser type, operating system, device identifiers
- Cookies and Similar Technologies: Session cookies, preference cookies, analytics cookies
- Log Data: Server logs including IP addresses, request types, timestamps
1.3 Information from Tool Usage
When you use our diagnostic tools, we may log:
- IP addresses and domains you query
- DNS lookup requests and results
- Network diagnostic test parameters and results
- Monitoring configurations and alerts (for registered users)
2. How We Use Your Information
We use collected information for the following purposes:
2.1 Service Provision
- Providing and maintaining the Service
- Processing your requests and queries
- Managing your account and subscriptions
- Sending service-related communications
2.2 Service Improvement
- Analyzing usage patterns to improve features
- Debugging and resolving technical issues
- Developing new tools and services
- Conducting research and analytics
2.3 Security and Fraud Prevention
- Detecting and preventing abuse, fraud, and illegal activity
- Protecting against security threats
- Enforcing our Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy
- Complying with legal obligations
2.4 Marketing (With Consent)
- Sending promotional emails about new features (you may opt out)
- Providing information about subscription upgrades
- Conducting surveys and gathering feedback
3. Legal Basis for Processing (PIPEDA Compliance)
We process your personal information based on:
- Consent: You have provided clear consent for processing
- Contract: Processing is necessary to provide the Service
- Legal Obligation: Required by Canadian or applicable law
- Legitimate Interests: For fraud prevention, security, and service improvement
4. How We Share Your Information
4.1 We Do NOT Sell Your Information
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.
4.2 Service Providers
We may share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our Service:
- Payment Processors: Stripe (for payment processing)
- Cloud Infrastructure: Server hosting and storage providers
- Analytics Services: To understand service usage (anonymized where possible)
- Email Services: For transactional and service emails
All service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for specified purposes.
4.3 Legal Requirements
We may disclose information when required by Canadian law or legal process:
- To comply with court orders, subpoenas, or legal obligations
- To protect our rights, property, or safety
- To investigate fraud or security issues
- To comply with lawful requests from law enforcement
4.4 Business Transfers
If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred. We will provide notice before your information is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.
5. Data Retention
We retain your information for as long as necessary to:
- Provide the Service to you
- Comply with legal obligations
- Resolve disputes and enforce agreements
- Maintain security and prevent fraud
Specific Retention Periods:
- Account data: Duration of account plus 1 year
- Transaction records: 7 years (as required by Canadian tax law)
- Usage logs: 90 days (unless needed for security investigations)
- Cached query results: 24 hours
6. Your Privacy Rights (PIPEDA Rights)
Under Canadian privacy law, you have the right to:
6.1 Access
Request access to the personal information we hold about you.
6.2 Correction
Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
6.3 Withdrawal of Consent
Withdraw your consent for processing, subject to legal and contractual restrictions.
6.4 Data Portability
Request a copy of your data in a structured, commonly used format.
6.5 Deletion
Request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal retention requirements.
6.6 Opt-Out of Marketing
Unsubscribe from promotional emails at any time.
To exercise these rights, contact us at: privacy@whatip.ca
7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use the following types of cookies:
- Essential Cookies: Required for service functionality (e.g., session management)
- Preference Cookies: Remember your settings (e.g., theme preference)
- Analytics Cookies: Help us understand usage patterns (may be disabled)
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling certain cookies may limit service functionality.
8. Security Measures
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information:
- Encryption in transit (HTTPS/TLS)
- Encryption at rest for sensitive data
- Secure password hashing (bcrypt)
- Regular security audits and updates
- Access controls and authentication
- Monitoring and logging for security incidents
However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.
9. International Data Transfers
Our Service is hosted in Canada. If you access the Service from outside Canada, your information may be transferred to and processed in Canada. By using the Service, you consent to this transfer. We ensure that any international transfers comply with PIPEDA requirements.
10. Children's Privacy
Our Service is not intended for individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we discover we have collected information from a child, we will delete it immediately. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us at privacy@whatip.ca.
11. Third-Party Links
Our Service may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., map services). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these websites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies.
12. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by:
- Posting the updated policy on this page
- Updating the "Last Updated" date
- Sending email notification for significant changes (if you have an account)
Your continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
13. Privacy Complaints
If you have concerns about how we handle your personal information:
- Contact our Privacy Officer at privacy@whatip.ca
- We will investigate and respond within 30 days
- If unsatisfied, you may file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada at www.priv.gc.ca
14. Contact Information
For privacy-related questions or to exercise your rights:
Privacy Officer
Email: privacy@whatip.ca
Website: https://whatip.ca