Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Shield of Steel ("Company," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our platform connecting licensed security professionals with employers in the State of Tennessee.

By accessing or using Shield of Steel, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not access the platform.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide when registering for an account, including but not limited to:

• Full legal name and contact information (email address, phone number, mailing address)
• Professional photographs for profile identification
• Tennessee Private Protective Services (TN-PPS) license information, including license number, type (unarmed, armed, commissioned), issue date, and expiration date
• Employment history, certifications, and professional qualifications
• Geographic location data (city, county, zip code) for service area matching
• Availability schedules and hourly rate preferences
• Business information for employer accounts (company name, EIN, business address)

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you access our platform, we automatically collect certain information, including:

• Device information (browser type, operating system, device identifiers)
• IP address and approximate geographic location
• Usage data (pages visited, features used, time spent on platform)
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies
• Profile view statistics and interaction metrics

2.3 Third-Party Information

We may receive information about you from third-party sources, including license verification through the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, background check providers (with your consent), and publicly available professional records.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Platform Operations: To create and manage your account, facilitate connections between security guards and employers, and provide our core services
• License Verification: To verify the validity and current status of TN-PPS licenses and maintain compliance with state regulations
• Communication: To send service-related notifications, respond to inquiries, and facilitate messaging between users
• Safety and Security: To detect, prevent, and address fraud, unauthorized access, and other illegal activities
• Improvement: To analyze usage patterns, improve our services, and develop new features
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes
• License Monitoring: To track license expiration dates and send renewal reminders

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

4.1 With Other Users

Security guard profiles (including name, photo, location, license information, skills, certifications, and availability) are visible to registered employers. Guards may control visibility of employment history through profile settings. Employer company information is visible to guards when contact requests are initiated.

4.2 With Service Providers

We share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist in operating our platform, including cloud hosting providers, email services, analytics providers, and payment processors. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information.

4.3 For Legal Purposes

We may disclose your information when required by law, in response to valid legal processes (subpoenas, court orders), to protect our rights and property, to prevent fraud or illegal activities, or in connection with a corporate transaction (merger, acquisition, sale of assets).

4.4 With Your Consent

We may share your information for other purposes with your explicit consent.

5. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information, including:

• Encryption of data in transit (TLS/SSL) and at rest (AES-256)
• Secure authentication mechanisms including password hashing and session management
• Regular security assessments and vulnerability testing
• Access controls limiting employee access to personal information on a need-to-know basis
• Secure data centers with physical security measures
• Regular backups and disaster recovery procedures

While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services. Upon account deletion request, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within 30 days, except where retention is required for:

• Compliance with legal obligations
• Resolution of disputes
• Enforcement of our agreements
• Legitimate business purposes (fraud prevention, security)

7. Your Rights and Choices

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal retention requirements
• Portability: Request a machine-readable copy of your data
• Opt-Out: Opt out of promotional communications at any time
• Profile Visibility: Control visibility of employment history and availability status

To exercise these rights, access your account settings or contact us using the information provided below.

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Maintain your session and authentication state
• Remember your preferences and settings
• Analyze platform usage and performance
• Enhance security and prevent fraud

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect platform functionality.

9. Children's Privacy

Shield of Steel is not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If we become aware that we have collected information from a minor, we will take steps to delete such information promptly. Given the nature of security licensing requirements, all users must be of legal age to hold a TN-PPS license.

10. Third-Party Links

Our platform may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy on this page with a new "Last Updated" date and, for significant changes, via email notification. Your continued use of the platform after such modifications constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

12. Contact Information

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

13. Additional Disclosures for California Residents

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right to know what personal information is collected, used, shared, or sold
• Right to delete personal information held by businesses
• Right to opt-out of sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information)
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising CCPA rights