1. Data controller
The data controller for the Service is:
- Entity: Help4GEO (individual operator)
- Place of business: People's Republic of China
- Contact email: support@help4geo.com
- Data Protection Officer (DPO): Not yet appointed (individual operator)
2. Personal information we collect
2.1 Information you provide
- Account information: name, email address, and password (stored encrypted).
- Payment information: transaction amount and payment status. We do not store full card numbers — card data is handled by our payment processor (see Section 5).
- Communication records: emails, tickets, and feedback you send to our support team.
2.2 Information we collect automatically
- Device and network: IP address, device model, operating system, browser type, and time zone.
- Usage behavior: page visits, feature usage, operation logs, and session duration.
- Log data: request timestamps, error logs, and performance data.
3. How we use your personal information
- Provide and maintain the Service — Contract performance
- Billing and payment processing — Contract performance
- Customer support — Contract performance / legitimate interests
- Service notifications (billing, security, policy updates) — Legitimate interests
- Security and fraud prevention — Legitimate interests
- Product optimization and analytics — Legitimate interests
- Legal compliance — Legal obligation
We may aggregate or de-identify data for statistical analysis. Such data cannot be traced back to a specific individual.
4. Cookies and tracking technologies
- Strictly necessary — Maintain login and core functionality. Can be disabled: No.
- Functional — Language preferences and personalization. Can be disabled: Yes.
- Analytics — Anonymous usage statistics and product optimization. Can be disabled: Yes.
We use basic analytics tools to improve the user experience. You can adjust your cookie preferences through your browser settings.
5. Sharing and disclosure of personal information
We do not sell your personal information. We only share your information in the following circumstances:
- Service providers: cloud computing, payment, support, and analytics vendors, bound by confidentiality agreements. Payment card data is handled exclusively by our configured hosted payment processor and is not stored on our servers.
- AI model providers: to provide the Service, we transmit your inputs to DeepSeek (a third-party AI model provider), which processes the data only on our instructions and for no other purpose.
- Legal and regulatory requirements: when required by law, court orders, or legitimate requests from competent authorities.
- Business transactions: in the event of a merger or acquisition, we will notify you in advance and ensure protective obligations continue.
- With your consent: for other purposes, subject to your explicit prior consent.
6. Data security measures
- Encryption in transit: TLS / HTTPS.
- Storage security: sensitive data such as passwords is encrypted or hashed.
- Access control: principle of least privilege.
In the event of a security incident affecting your rights, we will notify you and the relevant supervisory authorities as required by law within 72 hours of discovery. Please keep your account credentials safe and do not share them with others.
7. Retention of personal information
- Account information — While the account is active, plus 90 days after cancellation — Deleted or anonymized.
- Transaction records — As required by law, typically 3 years — Deleted or archived.
- Support records — 1 year — Securely deleted.
- Security audit logs — 6 months — Securely deleted.
8. Your data rights
To exercise any of the rights below, contact us and we will respond within 30 calendar days.
- Right to be informed — Learn what data we collect and how we use it.
- Right of access — Obtain a copy of your personal information.
- Right to rectification — Correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
- Right to erasure — Request deletion of data under certain conditions.
- Right to restrict processing — Pause data processing in certain circumstances.
- Right to data portability — Obtain your data in a machine-readable format.
- Right to object — Object to processing based on legitimate interests or for marketing.
- Right to withdraw consent — Withdraw authorization for consent-based processing.
If you believe we have not handled your data properly, you have the right to file a complaint with the data protection authority in your jurisdiction (such as the Cyberspace Administration of China).
9. Marketing communications and opt-out
With your consent, we may send service-related notifications by email. We will not send you commercial marketing messages unless you have separately given explicit consent. Service-essential notices (such as billing and security alerts) are not subject to opt-out.
10. Cross-border data transfers
Our servers and partners are primarily located in the People's Republic of China. If personal information needs to be transferred outside China for business purposes, we will complete a personal information protection impact assessment as required by law and adopt necessary safeguards such as standard contractual clauses to ensure data security.
11. Protection of minors
The Service is intended for users aged 18 and above. We do not knowingly collect information from minors below this age. If you believe your child has provided us with information, please contact us immediately and we will delete it as soon as possible.
12. Third-party links and services
The Service may contain links to third parties or integrate with third-party services (such as DeepSeek). This policy applies only to information we collect directly. We are not responsible for the data practices of third parties, and we recommend reviewing their policies before use.
13. Changes to this policy
In the event of material changes, we will notify you at least 1 day in advance via an on-site announcement or your registered email, and update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance.
14. Contact us
- Privacy contact email: support@help4geo.com
- Customer support email: support@help4geo.com
- Entity: Help4GEO (individual operator)
- Postal address: Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Avenue, Jimei District, Xiamen, Fujian, China
- Service hours: Monday to Friday, 09:00–18:00 (UTC+8)