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Privacy policy

CarGurus

Review these first

Score72.0
Reviewed
Policy typePrivacy policy
Concern findings5
Protections5
Source supportStrong

Source provenance

Verified official source
Retrieved
Last checked
PublishedAutomated refresh

What changedMaterial language shifts detected around arbitration, privacy, sell your, share your. 117 new line(s), 117 removed line(s).

Snapshot hash 7996598af18eaf76a801f17f6d5938b8f12ebb3062f17fd41612e8de7287305a

Snapshot of the source text at fetch time, not a live mirror of the policy page.

Plain-English summary

The policy includes several critical risks for users. By using the digital properties, users acknowledge and assume the inherent risks of internet-based data transfer and agree to arbitrate disputes related to such risks (risk_flags-1). Users also waive claims of unlawful wiretapping for electronic communications and tracking technologies (risk_flags-2). The company can unilaterally change the Privacy Notice, and continued use signifies agreement, with stopping use being the only recourse (risk_flags-3). Additionally, arbitration provisions from the Terms of Use are incorporated. User profiles and publicly posted information may be permanently viewable (risk_flags-5). The company sells or shares identifiers/biographical information, internet activity information, non-precise geolocation data, and inferred consumer profiles for marketing and advertising. Personal information may be retained for long periods, and social media networks may collect information even without explicit activation of widgets (gotchas-2).

90% confidence

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Risk Flags

4 findings

Critical issues or red flags that may indicate significant risks or potential harm to the user. These are often non-negotiable terms that can have far-reaching consequences.

high95% confidence

Consent to Arbitration for Internet-Based Data Transfer Risks

By using the digital properties, users acknowledge and assume the inherent risks of internet-based data transfer and agree that disputes relating to such risks are subject to the arbitration provisions in the Terms of Use.

Mandatory arbitration

Why it matters: This means that users implicitly agree to arbitrate any disputes arising from internet-based data transfer risks, potentially waiving their right to pursue these claims in court.

By using our digital properties, you acknowledge and assume the inherent risks of internet-based data transfer, and agree that disputes relating to such risks are subject to the arbitration provisions in the Terms of Use.

Security, paragraph 1 · Citation strength: strong

high95% confidence

Waiver of Unlawful Wiretapping Claims for Electronic Communications and Tracking Technologies

Users consent to the use of electronic communications and tracking technologies and waive any claim that such practices constitute unlawful wiretapping, eavesdropping, or interception under any state law, including but not limited to the California Invasion of Privacy Act, to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Why it matters: Users give up their right to claim that electronic communications and tracking technologies used by the service constitute unlawful wiretapping or interception under various state laws, which could limit their ability to seek legal recourse for privacy violations.

You consent to the use of electronic communications and tracking technologies, and waive any claim that such practices constitute unlawful wiretapping, eavesdropping, or interception under any state law, including but not limited to the California Invasion of Privacy Act, to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Technologies We Use to Automatically Collect Personal Information, paragraph 4 · Citation strength: strong

high90% confidence

Unilateral Changes to Privacy Notice with Continued Use as Agreement

The modified Privacy Notice will be effective immediately upon posting. Your continued use of our digital properties after the posting of the modified Privacy Notice constitutes your agreement to abide and be bound by it. If you object to any modification, your sole recourse is to stop using the digital property.

Unilateral amendment

Why it matters: The company can change its Privacy Notice at any time, and by continuing to use the service, users automatically agree to these new terms, with their only option to dissent being to stop using the service.

The modified Privacy Notice will be effective immediately upon posting. Your continued use of our digital properties after the posting of the modified Privacy Notice constitutes your agreement to abide and be bound by it. We encourage you to periodically review this page for the latest information on our privacy practices. If you object to any modification, your sole recourse is to stop using the digital property.

Changes to this Privacy Notice, paragraph 2 · Citation strength: strong

medium90% confidence

Public Viewability of Member Profile and Content

Your member profile will be publicly viewable and identifiable via your username. CarGurus will not share your email address with any other members or display it publicly. Please consider carefully before making any information public as you are solely responsible for any information you make public. Once you have posted information, you may not be able to edit or delete it.

Why it matters: Information posted on a member profile, identifiable by username, will be publicly visible, and once posted, it may be difficult or impossible to edit or delete, leading to potential long-term public exposure of shared content.

Your member profile will be publicly viewable and identifiable via your username. CarGurus will not share your email address with any other members or display it publicly. Please consider carefully before making any information public as you are solely responsible for any information you make public. Once you have posted information, you may not be able to edit or delete it.

Publicly Posted Information, paragraph 1 · Citation strength: strong

Data Use

All clear

Practices related to the collection, processing, sharing, and selling of user data, especially those that might be unexpected or go beyond what is strictly necessary for the service.

Looking good

No data-use concerns flagged

Verbaterm only flags concerns it can cite. No source-backed data-use findings are shown here.

Cancellation and Renewal

Not clearly stated

Terms related to how subscriptions or services can be canceled, auto-renewal policies, and any associated hurdles or conditions.

Not clearly stated

No cited billing terms — wording is unclear

There is no information regarding cancellation or renewal policies in the provided clauses.

Gotchas

1 finding

Less obvious or easily overlooked clauses that could be disadvantageous to the user, including hidden fees, unexpected limitations, or broad grants of rights to the company.

medium90% confidence

Social Media Information Collection without Explicit Activation

Applications or widgets from social media providers that allow interaction or content sharing, such as the Facebook® "Share" or "Like" button, may allow social media networks to collect information about you even when you do not explicitly activate the network's application or widget while on our digital property.

Why it matters: Social media networks may collect your information through embedded widgets on the company's digital properties, even if you don't interact with them, potentially leading to data collection without your direct action.

These widgets, such as the Facebook® "Share" or "Like" button, are visible to you on the page that you visit. This may allow the social media networks in which you participate to collect information about you, even when you do not explicitly activate the network's application or widget while on our digital property.

b. Automatic Collection of Personal Information, paragraph 4 · Citation strength: strong

Protections

5 findings

User-friendly clauses that protect privacy, offer control over data, or guarantee certain rights. These are beneficial aspects of the policy.

Protection95% confidence

Opt-Out for Sale/Sharing of Personal Information and Targeted Advertising

Users may opt out of the "sale" or "sharing" of their Personal Information, or the use and disclosure of their Personal Information for "targeted advertising" by navigating to "Your Privacy Choices" or enabling a universal tool like Global Privacy Control (GPC).

Why it helps: This provides users with a mechanism to prevent their personal information from being sold or shared for targeted advertising, giving them control over how their data is used for marketing purposes.

Please click here to opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information, including targeted advertising. You may also choose to enable online, where available, a universal tool that automatically communicates your opt-out preferences, such as the Global Privacy Control (“GPC”). We will process the GPC signal as a request to opt out.

Professional or employment-related information, paragraph 25 · Citation strength: strong

Protection95% confidence

Explicit Commitment Not to Sell or Share Under-18 Personal Information

The company states that it does not knowingly sell or share personal information about persons under the age of 18.

Why it helps: This commitment helps protect the privacy of minors by explicitly stating that their personal information will not be knowingly sold or shared for commercial purposes.

We do not knowingly sell or share personal information about persons under the age of 18.

Professional or employment-related information, paragraph 25 · Citation strength: strong

Protection95% confidence

Right to Request Deletion of Personal Information

All users, regardless of location, may submit a request to delete personal information maintained by CarGurus by visiting their My Privacy Rights page.

Why it helps: This provides users with the ability to request the deletion of their personal information, giving them control over their data and enhancing their privacy.

All users, regardless of location, may submit a request to delete personal information maintained by CarGurus by visiting our My Privacy Rights page.

Your Privacy Rights and Choices, paragraph 1 · Citation strength: strong

Protection90% confidence

Limited Use of Sensitive Personal Information

The company limits the use or disclosure of "sensitive personal information" or "sensitive data" for permitted business purposes only, and does not use or disclose such information for inferring characteristics about users.

Why it helps: This clause helps protect sensitive personal information by restricting its use to necessary business purposes and preventing its use for profiling, which enhances user privacy and reduces the risk of misuse.

We do not use or disclose such information for the purpose of inferring characteristics about you or for any purpose other than the limited permissible purposes set forth in the regulations implementing California law. Such purposes include providing our services and verifying, maintaining the quality of, and improving our services.

Professional or employment-related information, paragraph 7 · Citation strength: strong

Protection90% confidence

User Control Over Member-to-Member Communications

All members have the option to turn off the member-to-member communication features at any time.

Why it helps: This allows users to control unwanted communications from other members, enhancing their experience and privacy on the platform.

All members have the option to turn off the member-to-member communication features at any time.

Publicly Posted Information, paragraph 2 · Citation strength: strong

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