Privacy & Cookie Policy

Effective date: October 2, 2026 · Last updated: October 2, 2026

The WebSwan (“The WebSwan,” “we,” “us”) is a web design, local SEO and digital marketing studio based in Oakland, California. This policy explains what information we collect through thewebswan.com (the “Site”), how we use it, and the choices you have.

1. Information we collect

Information you give us

• Contact and project inquiries: name, email address, phone number, business name, website and any message you choose to share.
• Referrals: the name, phone number, business and website of the person you refer, plus your own name and phone number. Please only refer someone who is comfortable being contacted by us.
• Reviews: the “Write a review on Google” button takes you to Google, where you post your review directly on our Google Business Profile. We do not collect reviews on our Site. Reviews you post on Google are public and are governed by Google’s own terms and privacy policy.
• Clients: the business information, content and materials you provide so we can build and manage your project.
• Messages to SwanBot, our web assistant: the questions you type or select in the chat.

Please do not submit passwords, payment card numbers, health information or other sensitive personal information through our forms or chat.

Information collected automatically

• Device and usage information such as browser type, pages viewed, referring pages and approximate location derived from your IP address.
• Cookies and similar technologies, described in Section 4.

2. How we use information

• To respond to your inquiry, prepare demos and quotes, and provide our services.
• To follow up on referrals you send us.
• To operate, secure and improve the Site, including preventing spam and abuse.
• To understand how visitors use the Site through analytics and advertising measurement.
• To comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms.

3. How we share information

We do not sell your personal information for money. We share information only with service providers that help us run the Site, and only as needed to provide those services:

• Our website hosting and site-building platform (SiteSwan), including the performance monitoring it uses
• Form processing (Formspree) for inquiries and referrals submitted on our Contact page
• Google services: Google Analytics for site statistics, Google reCAPTCHA for spam protection, YouTube for embedded videos and Google Firebase to display client reviews on our About page
• SwanBot, our web assistant: SwanBot runs inside your browser. The messages you type to SwanBot are not sent to an outside AI provider and are not stored by us. If you choose to send us your details from the chat, they reach us by email.

We may also disclose information when required by law or to protect the rights and safety of The WebSwan, our clients, our users or others.

4. Cookies and your choices

We use strictly necessary cookies to run the Site and, with your choice where required, performance, functional and targeting cookies, including analytics and advertising cookies from the providers listed in Section 3. You can accept or decline non-essential cookies in our cookie banner and change your choice at any time through Cookie Settings or the Do Not Sell or Share My Info button. You can also block or delete cookies in your browser settings.

Opt-out preference signals

We honor browser-based opt-out preference signals, including Global Privacy Control (GPC). When we detect a valid signal, we treat it as a request to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information and of targeted advertising on this site. Because these signals vary by browser and by add-on, you can also opt out using the controls above.

Do Not Track

Our site does not currently respond differently to browser “Do Not Track” (DNT) signals. We do honor GPC as described above.

5. Your privacy rights

Depending on where you live, including California and other states with consumer privacy laws, you may have the right to:

• Know what personal information we collect and how we use it
• Access, correct or delete your personal information
• Opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information and of targeted advertising
• Not be discriminated against for exercising these rights

To make a request, call or text (415) 877-0687 or email designs@thewebswan.com. We will verify your request and respond within the time required by applicable law. You may use an authorized agent where permitted.

6. Data retention and security

We keep client project records for as long as we work together, and afterward only as long as needed for tax, accounting and legal purposes. Inquiry and referral records are kept for 24 months, unless you ask us to delete them sooner. SwanBot chat messages are not stored. We keep records longer only where the law requires it.

We use reasonable administrative and technical safeguards to protect personal information, but no method of transmission or storage is completely secure.

7. Third-party websites and links

Our pages link to websites and services we do not control, including client websites in our portfolio, Google, review sites and social media. Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies, and we are not responsible for them.

8. Children’s privacy

The Site is intended for adults and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

9. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The dates above show when it was last updated.

10. Contact us

The WebSwan

• Privacy requests: call or text (415) 877-0687 or email designs@thewebswan.com
• Location: Oakland, CA 94609 (by appointment only; please call or text to schedule)