Snapshot of the source text at fetch time, not a live mirror of the policy page.
Plain-English summary
This privacy policy raises several concerns regarding the collection, use, and security of user data. The company collects a wide array of personal information, including sensitive data such as government IDs, geolocation, and biometrics, and explicitly states it may be used for targeted advertising or considered 'sold'. User activity, interactions (including video clips of cursor movements), and communications are extensively collected (data_use-1). Once collected, personal information, including sensitive data, is retained for a 'reasonable period' post-account activity, and anonymized data may be used indefinitely (data_use-3). There is no guarantee of security for internet transmissions or personal information. Automated systems, including AI, can lead to decisions that restrict access to services, such as geo-blocking. Personal information may be transferred internationally to countries with different privacy laws (risk_flags-5). The company also shares personal information with external business customers and listing partners (data_use-2).
90% confidence
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Risk Flags
2 findings
Critical issues or red flags that users should be aware of, such as significant privacy concerns, data sharing, or limitations on user rights.
high90% confidence
Broad collection of personal information including sensitive data
CoStar collects various types of personal information, including contact details, account credentials, communications you send, data about activities on their websites and mobile apps, transactional, financial, and employment details, government-issued identification, geolocation data, and biometric data, from direct submissions, use of services, and other sources like public data and credit reporting agencies.
Why it matters: The company collects a wide range of personal information, including sensitive categories such as government-issued identification, geolocation data, and biometric data, which increases potential privacy risks.
CoStar collects various types of personal information, including contact details, account credentials, communications you send us, and data about your activities when you visit our websites, use our mobile apps, or interact with our other services, allowing us to make inferences about you and your interests. Depending on the products or services you use, we also may collect transactional, financial, and employment details, government-issued identification, geolocation data, and biometric data. We get personal information from you directly, through your use of our products and services, and from other sources, such as public data, credit reporting agencies, and referrals.
Notice at Collection and Summary of Our Privacy Practices, paragraph 2 · Citation strength: strong
medium90% confidence
International transfer of personal information to countries with different privacy laws
The company transfers personal information to the United States and other countries, including the United Kingdom, Switzerland, India, and the Philippines, which may not have the same privacy laws or data protections as the user's home country.
Why it matters: Your personal information may be transferred and processed in countries outside of your home jurisdiction, which could subject your data to different privacy laws and potentially weaker data protection standards.
Subject to applicable laws and regulations, you may directly provide your personal information to, or we may transfer your personal information (or personal data) to or store your personal information in, the United States, where we are headquartered, and to other countries outside your own, where our affiliates, service providers, or data processors operate. In addition to the United States, we regularly process personal information in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, India, and the Philippines. These countries may not have the same privacy laws or data protections as your country.
5\. International Transfer of Personal Information, paragraph 1 · Citation strength: strong
Data Use
3 findings
How the company collects, uses, shares, and retains your data, including specific data types and purposes.
high90% confidence
Broad collection of user activity, interactions, and communications
CoStar collects various types of user activity and interaction data, including log-on activity, search history, saved searches, viewed properties, advertiser message engagement, user interactions (including video clips of cursor movements, scrolling, downloads), and audio or video from customer service calls or calls on CoStar Products.
Why it matters: The company collects extensive details about your online behavior, including specific interactions like cursor movements and scrolling, and records audio or video of calls, which can create a comprehensive profile of your activities and potentially expose sensitive information.
Log-on activity, search history, saved searches, viewed properties and listings, advertiser message engagement, user interactions (including video clips of your online interactions such as cursor movements, scrolling activity, or downloads), audio or video from customer service calls, calls that you host or attend on Costar Products, or other calls you place to inquire about certain listings on the Services.
1\. Types of Personal Information We Collect and Why, paragraph 2 · Citation strength: strong
medium90% confidence
Sharing of personal information with business customers and listing partners
CoStar shares personal information, including contact and demographic information, with its customers or subscribers, such as listing agents, property owners, brokers, landlords, or agents, when users view profiles, request information, submit bids, or use content-sharing features.
Why it matters: Your personal information, including contact and demographic details, can be shared with various third parties like listing agents and property managers, potentially leading to unsolicited contact or exposure of your data.
We share personal information, including contact information and demographic information, with CoStar customers or subscribers to our Services, such as listing agents when you view a profile, request more information, or submit a bid. We may also share your contact information within our professional directories or inventories, or when you use features that enable sharing with property owners, brokers, landlords, or agents. For example, if you use Apartments.com to inquire about a listing, the relevant property manager may receive your contact information.
4\. How We Disclose Your Personal Information, paragraph 3 · Citation strength: strong
medium90% confidence
Retention of personal information for a reasonable period after account activity, or indefinitely if anonymized
CoStar retains personal information only as long as reasonably necessary for stated purposes, while the account is active, or as needed to provide requested services, unless legally obligated to retain it longer. The company may also anonymize personal information and use this aggregated, anonymized, or de-identified information indefinitely without further notice.
Why it matters: Your personal data will be kept for an unspecified 'reasonable period' even after you stop using the services, and indefinitely if it is anonymized. This extended retention period could increase the risk of exposure or unauthorized access.
CoStar will retain your personal information only for as long as is reasonably necessary for the purposes set out on this Privacy Notice, for as long as your account is active, or as needed to provide the Services you request to you, unless we are legally obligated to maintain personal information longer. CoStar will retain and use any personal information to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, enforce our agreements, and as otherwise described in this Privacy Notice. In some circumstances we may anonymize your personal information (so that it can no longer be associated with you) for research, statistical or other business purposes.
7\. How We Retain Your Personal Information, paragraph 1 · Citation strength: strong
Cancellation and Renewal
All clear
Details about how users can cancel subscriptions or services, and information regarding automatic renewals.
✓
Looking good
No billing surprises spotted
Verbaterm only flags concerns it can cite. No cancellation, auto-renewal, or refund terms needed attention here.
Gotchas
1 finding
Potentially overlooked or tricky clauses that could have significant implications for users.
medium90% confidence
Privacy Notice changes are applicable as of the updated date
The Privacy Notice may be updated periodically, with changes posted on the page and the last updated date identified at the top. Changes are applicable as of the updated date unless otherwise noted.
Why it matters: The company can change its privacy policy at any time, and these changes are effective immediately upon being posted, potentially altering your rights or how your data is handled without direct notification beyond updating the page.
This Privacy Notice may be updated periodically to reflect changes in our privacy practices. We will post changes on this page and identify the date the privacy notice was last updated at the top of the page. Changes to this Privacy Notice shall be applicable as of the updated date unless otherwise noted.
9\. Other Important Information, paragraph 1 · Citation strength: strong
Protections
6 findings
Sections that outline user rights, data protection measures, and consumer-friendly policies.
Protection95% confidence
Right to access personal information
Users have the right to request access to their personal information.
Why it helps: This ensures users can review the personal data the company holds about them.
**Access to your personal information**. You have the right to request access to your personal information.
8\. Your Choices and Rights, paragraph 5 · Citation strength: strong
Protection95% confidence
Right to delete personal information
Users may request that the company delete some or all of their personal information.
Why it helps: Users have control over their personal data and can request its removal from the company's systems.
**Deletion of your personal information**. You may request that we delete your some or all of your personal information.
8\. Your Choices and Rights, paragraph 5 · Citation strength: strong
Protection95% confidence
Right to object to or restrict processing of personal information
Users may object to the company's use or disclosure of their personal information or restrict its ability to process personal information in some circumstances.
Why it helps: Users can limit how their personal information is used or shared, offering greater control over their privacy.
**Objection to or restriction of certain processing**. You may object to our use or disclosure of your personal information or restrict our ability to process personal information in some circumstances.
8\. Your Choices and Rights, paragraph 5 · Citation strength: strong
Protection95% confidence
Right to opt out of sales and targeted advertising
Users have the right to opt out of the processing of their personal information for sales and targeted advertising, with the caveat that opting out does not mean an end to seeing ads, but rather less relevant ones.
Why it helps: Users can prevent their personal data from being sold or used for targeted advertisements, improving their privacy and reducing unwanted personalization.
**Opting out of sales and sharing/targeted advertising**. Some of our personal data processing meets the definition of sale or “sharing” / targeted advertising under US consumer privacy laws. When it does, you may opt out of our processing of your personal information for sales and sharing/targeted advertising. Please be aware that opting out of targeted advertising does not mean that you will no longer see ads or even our ads on our Services or elsewhere, the ads will, however, likely be less relevant to you or your interests.
8\. Your Choices and Rights, paragraph 5 · Citation strength: strong
Protection95% confidence
Right to revoke consent for processing
When the company asks for consent to process personal information, users may revoke it at any time, although this may affect the provision of services that relied on that consent.
Why it helps: Users maintain control over their data by having the option to withdraw consent for data processing, enhancing their privacy choices.
Please note, however, that if you revoke your consent for the processing of personal information, then we may no longer be able to provide you services that relied on your consent.
8\. Your Choices and Rights, paragraph 5 · Citation strength: strong
Protection95% confidence
No discrimination for exercising privacy rights
The company states that it will not discriminate against any user for exercising lawful privacy rights.
Why it helps: Users are protected from negative consequences when they choose to exercise their privacy rights, ensuring that their choices are respected without penalty.
**Exercising your rights**. We will not discriminate against any user for exercising lawful privacy rights.
8\. Your Choices and Rights, paragraph 6 · Citation strength: strong
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