Privacy Policy

SmarterSquares ("SmarterSquares," "we," "us," or "our") is operated by Focalplex Inc., a Canadian company, and runs the website at smartersquares.com (the "Site"). We care about your privacy and we keep things simple: we collect as little as possible, we never sell your personal information, and we tell you plainly how the Site works. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, the third parties involved (including advertising and analytics partners), and the choices you have.

By using the Site, you agree to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of the Site.

1. Information we collect

We collect two broad categories of information:

Information you provide

Newsletter sign-ups. If you subscribe, we collect the email address you provide.
Contact messages. If you contact us, we collect your name, email, and the content of your message.

Our calculators and tools run entirely in your browser. The figures you type into them (home values, renovation costs, room dimensions, and so on) are processed locally on your device and are not transmitted to or stored on our servers.

Information collected automatically

Like most websites, when you visit we and our service providers automatically receive certain technical information, which may include your IP address, browser type and language, device type, operating system, referring/exit pages, the pages you view, and the dates and times of your visits. This information is collected through cookies and similar technologies (see Section 3).

The Site is hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS) and delivered through the Amazon CloudFront content delivery network. Like all web hosts, these services automatically generate standard server logs (including IP address, requested URL, and timestamp) for security, performance, and operational purposes. These logs are retained for a limited period and are not used to identify individual visitors.

2. How we use information

We use the information we collect to:

Operate, maintain, and improve the Site and our tools;
Send the newsletter and respond to your inquiries;
Understand how visitors use the Site so we can make it better;
Display advertising that helps keep the Site free;
Detect, prevent, and address technical issues, fraud, or abuse;
Comply with legal obligations.

3. Cookies & similar technologies

A cookie is a small text file stored on your device. We and our partners use cookies and similar technologies (such as web beacons and local storage) to operate the Site, remember your preferences, measure traffic, and serve advertising. The Site also uses your browser's local storage to remember tool settings and where you left off — this stays on your device.

You can control or delete cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers let you refuse or remove cookies; note that some parts of the Site may not function properly if you disable them.

Cookies and similar technologies we use

Name / provider	Purpose	Type / duration
_ga, _ga_* (Google Analytics 4)	Aggregate traffic measurement — pages visited, session counts. Loaded only per your consent choice.	Analytics · up to 2 years
Google advertising cookies (e.g., via AdSense, if/when ads are shown)	Ad delivery, frequency capping, and (with consent) personalization by Google and its partners.	Advertising · varies by vendor
ss-consent (SmarterSquares)	Remembers your cookie-consent choice so we don’t re-ask on every visit.	Strictly necessary · localStorage, 12 months
Tool settings (SmarterSquares)	Calculator inputs processed in your browser; not transmitted to our servers.	Strictly necessary · local only

Your consent choices

The Site uses a consent banner implementing Google Consent Mode v2. Analytics and advertising storage (ad_storage, analytics_storage, ad_user_data, ad_personalization) default to denied until you make a choice. You can accept, decline, or change your mind at any time via the “Cookie settings” link in the footer, which reopens the banner. Declining does not limit your use of the Site.

4. Advertising & Google AdSense

To keep SmarterSquares free, we display advertising, including through Google AdSense. The following disclosures apply:

Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this Site and other websites.
Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to you based on your visit to this Site and/or other sites on the internet.
You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings.
You can opt out of a third-party vendor's use of cookies for personalized advertising by visiting www.aboutads.info or www.youronlinechoices.eu (EEA/UK).

Third-party ad networks may use the DoubleClick DART cookie and similar identifiers to serve ads based on your visits to this and other sites. We do not control the cookies used by third-party advertisers, and this Privacy Policy does not cover their use of information. For more information about how Google uses data when you use our partners' sites or apps, see Google's Privacy & Terms.

For users in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, and other regions that require consent, we (through our advertising partners' consent tools) will ask for your consent before serving personalized ads. You may change or withdraw your consent at any time.

5. Analytics

We use analytics services (such as Google Analytics) to understand how visitors interact with the Site in aggregate — which pages are popular, how people arrive, and how the tools are used. These services set their own cookies and process technical data on our behalf. You can opt out of Google Analytics using the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

6. Third-party links

The Site contains links to third-party websites and resources. We are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of those sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of every site you visit.

7. Your choices & opt-outs

Newsletter: every email includes a one-click unsubscribe link.
Cookies: manage or delete cookies through your browser settings.
Personalized ads: use the opt-out links in Section 4.
Analytics: use the opt-out add-on in Section 5.

If you are located in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, you have the right to access, correct, update, port, restrict, or delete your personal data, and to object to or withdraw consent for certain processing. Our legal bases for processing are your consent (which you may withdraw at any time), our legitimate interests in operating and improving the Site, and compliance with legal obligations. To exercise your rights, contact us using the details in Section 14. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data-protection authority.

9. CCPA rights (California)

If you are a California resident, you have the right to know what personal information we collect, to request deletion of your personal information, and to opt out of the "sale" or "sharing" of personal information as those terms are defined under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA). We do not sell your personal information for money. However, the use of advertising cookies described in Section 4 may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" under California law. You may opt out using the links provided in Section 4, and we will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights. To submit a request, contact us using the details in Section 14.

10. PIPEDA rights (Canada)

SmarterSquares is operated by Focalplex Inc., a Canadian company, and we handle personal information in accordance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable provincial privacy laws. In practice this means: we collect the minimum personal information needed to run the Site; we obtain consent (express or implied, as appropriate) for collection, use, and disclosure; we use it only for the purposes described in this policy; and we protect it with appropriate safeguards. You have the right to access the personal information we hold about you, challenge its accuracy, withdraw consent, and ask how it has been used or disclosed. To exercise these rights, contact us using the details in Section 14. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.

11. Children's privacy

The Site is intended for a general, adult audience and is not directed to children under 13 (or under 16 in the EEA/UK). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.

12. Data security & retention

We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect the limited personal information we hold. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, however, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. We retain personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy or as required by law — for example, we keep your email until you unsubscribe.

13. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Material changes will be highlighted on the Site. Your continued use of the Site after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

14. Contact us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your personal information, contact us at privacy@smartersquares.com or through our contact page.