Privacy Policy

At qz-l.com (operated by Q.Z.L Corp.), we value your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our URL shortening service.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide

• Account Information: When you register, we collect your email address and password (encrypted).
• URLs You Shorten: We store the original URLs you submit to create shortened links.
• Custom Short Codes: Any custom short codes you create.
• Payment Information: If you subscribe to premium plans, payment processing is handled by Stripe. We do not store your credit card information.

1.2 Automatically Collected Information

• Link Analytics: Number of clicks, referrers, browser/device types, and hourly trends.
• IP Addresses: Anonymized for analytics purposes only. We do not track personally identifiable information.
• Cookies: Essential cookies for session management and login functionality.
• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent, and interaction patterns to improve our service.

2. How We Use Your Information

• Provide and maintain our URL shortening service
• Generate analytics dashboards for your shortened URLs
• Process premium subscriptions and payments
• Send important service notifications and updates
• Improve service quality and user experience
• Prevent fraud, abuse, and security threats
• Comply with legal obligations

3. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell your personal information. We may share information in the following circumstances:

• Service Providers: Trusted third parties who assist in operating our service (e.g., hosting providers, payment processors).
• Legal Requirements: When required by law, court order, or governmental regulation.
• Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, sale, or acquisition of our company.
• Your Consent: When you explicitly authorize us to share your information.

4. Third-Party Services

• Google Analytics: For website traffic analysis (anonymized data).
• Google AI Studio: Powers our AI chat assistant feature.
• Stripe: Secure payment processing for subscriptions.
• Giscus: GitHub-powered commenting system for blog posts.

These services have their own privacy policies. We encourage you to review them.

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies for:

• Essential Cookies: Required for authentication and core functionality (cannot be disabled).
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how you use our service (can be managed in your browser).

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling essential cookies may limit functionality.

6. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data:

• Encrypted data transmission (HTTPS/SSL)
• Secure password hashing
• Regular security audits
• Rate limiting and CSRF protection
• Restricted database access

However, no internet transmission is 100% secure. Use our service at your own risk.

7. Data Retention

We retain your information as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services. You can request deletion of your account and data at any time. Some information may be retained for legal compliance, fraud prevention, or dispute resolution.

8. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

• Access: Request a copy of your personal data.
• Correction: Update or correct inaccurate information.
• Deletion: Request deletion of your account and data.
• Portability: Receive your data in a structured format.
• Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing emails (we don't send many!).

To exercise these rights, contact us at support@qz-l.com.

9. Children's Privacy

Our service is not intended for users under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, contact us immediately.

10. International Users

Q.Z.L Corp. is a Canadian small business, and our website and database servers are hosted in the United States by cloud service providers. If you access our service from outside the US, your data may be transferred to and processed in the United States. By using our service, you consent to this transfer.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. Continued use of our service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us: