Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 07/19/2026

BorrowAPencil.org ("Website," "we," "us," or "our") is owned and operated by Distant Earth Web Development LLC.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information in a transparent and secure manner. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard information when you use BorrowAPencil.org.
By accessing or using the Website, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.

1. Scope and Eligibility

BorrowAPencil.org is a U.S.-only platform intended exclusively for individuals 18 years of age or older.

By using the Website, you confirm that:

You are at least 18 years old, and
You are located within the United States

We do not knowingly allow or collect information from individuals under 18.

2. Information We Collect

A. Information You Provide Directly

When you create an account or use BorrowAPencil.org, we may collect:

Name
Email address
Username or display name
Account password (stored using industry-standard one-way password hashing)
Profile or account settings
Listings you create (text-based descriptions only, no user-uploaded images)
Communications sent through our communication relay system
Any other information you voluntarily provide

B. Publicly Displayed Information

Because BorrowAPencil.org is a classifieds marketplace, certain information is publicly visible, including:

Listings you post
Listing titles and descriptions
Category selections
Any contact instructions included in listings
Your display name or username

Important: Any information you choose to include in a listing may be publicly accessible and could be copied or shared by others outside of our control.

C. Automatically Collected Information

We automatically collect certain technical data when you use the Website, including:

IP address
Browser type and version
Device type and operating system
Pages viewed and actions taken
Time and date of access
Referring website or source
Cookie identifiers and similar tracking technologies
Server and error logs

We may also record your IP address, the date and time of account registration, and the version of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy that you accepted in order to document your agreement and maintain legal records.

Our servers automatically generate logs containing technical information necessary to operate, maintain, and secure the Website. These logs may include IP addresses, browser information, timestamps, and requested URLs.

This information is collected through tools such as Google Analytics, our own server infrastructure, and similar technologies.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use collected information to:

Create and manage user accounts
Display and operate listings
Deliver messages between users through our communication relay system
Provide customer support
Send newsletters and marketing emails (you may opt out)
Improve Website performance and user experience
Monitor and prevent fraud, spam, or abuse
Investigate reported communications, listings, and potential violations of our Terms of Use
Record user acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and maintain audit logs related to account creation and legal compliance
Enforce our Terms of Use and platform rules
Comply with legal obligations

4. Listings and Public Content

BorrowAPencil.org is a classifieds-style platform for school supplies.

By posting a listing:

You understand that your listing becomes publicly visible
You are responsible for all content you submit
You should not include sensitive personal information in listings
We do not guarantee removal of content from third-party sites once published

We reserve the right to remove listings that violate our policies.

5. Communications Between Users

BorrowAPencil.org provides a communication relay system that allows users to communicate without automatically revealing their personal email addresses.

We temporarily process relay messages to deliver them between users. We store relay communications for up to three (3) months as necessary to transmit messages, investigate reported abuse, maintain system integrity, and comply with legal obligations. Relay messages older than three months are automatically deleted.

We do not routinely review messages or monitor communications in real time.

Users may report communications they believe violate our Terms or applicable law. When a report is submitted, we may review the reported communications to investigate abuse, enforce our Terms, protect users, comply with legal obligations, or maintain the security of the Website.

Users may voluntarily disclose their own contact information during communications if they choose. Any information voluntarily shared between users is done at the user's own discretion and risk.

We are not responsible for:

The content of user-to-user communications
How users use contact information after it is voluntarily shared
Any interactions that occur outside our platform

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to:

Maintain login sessions
Analyze site traffic and usage patterns
Improve Website functionality
Deliver and measure advertising performance

Cookies may include:

Essential cookies (required for operation)
Analytics cookies (Google Analytics)
Advertising cookies (Google Ads / remarketing tools)

You can disable cookies through your browser settings, but some features may not function properly.

Logged-in users can change their cookie choice at any time from the Cookie Preferences section of their account settings.

7. Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to understand how users interact with BorrowAPencil.org.

Google Analytics may collect:

IP address
Device and browser information
Pages visited
Time spent on pages
Interaction behavior

We use this data in aggregated form to improve the Website.

You may opt out using Google's browser add-on or ad settings.

8. Google Ads and Advertising

We use Google Ads and related advertising technologies, which may:

Display personalized ads based on your browsing behavior
Use cookies and identifiers to measure ad performance
Collect information about interactions with advertisements

Third-party advertisers may use cookies or similar technologies to serve ads across different websites.

You can manage ad personalization through your Google Ads Settings.

9. Email Communications and Marketing

We may use your email address to send:

Account-related notifications
Listing-related communications
Newsletters
Product updates and promotional content

You may opt out of marketing emails at any time by clicking "unsubscribe" or contacting us directly.

10. How We Share Information

We do not sell your personal information for money.

However, our use of advertising cookies and related technologies (such as Google Ads) may be considered "sharing" of personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising under certain state privacy laws, including California law. You may opt out of this sharing by clicking "Decline" in our cookie consent banner, through your Google Ads Settings, or by contacting us as described in Section 15.

In addition, we may share information with:

A. Service Providers

Third parties that help operate the Website, such as:

Hosting providers
Email delivery services
Analytics providers
Security and fraud prevention tools

These providers only access information necessary to perform their services.

B. Legal Compliance

We may disclose information if required to:

Comply with applicable laws
Respond to subpoenas, court orders, search warrants, lawful government requests, or other legal processes
Cooperate with law enforcement
Protect our rights, users, or the public

C. Business Transfers

If BorrowAPencil.org is involved in a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, user information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

11. Data Retention

We retain information only as long as necessary for:

Operating the Website
Maintaining user accounts
Legal compliance
Security and fraud prevention
Abuse investigations
Maintaining records of user acceptance of legal agreements, such as our Terms of Use and this Privacy Policy

You may request deletion of your account at any time. After deletion:

Some data may remain in backups for a limited period
De-identified or aggregated data may be retained

12. Account Deletion

Users may delete their account through account settings.

Upon deletion:

Your profile and active listings may be removed
Some information may be retained for legal, security, or administrative purposes

Information that may remain after account deletion includes, where appropriate, records of your acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, IP logs, fraud prevention records, and moderation history. This information is retained only as necessary to meet legal and security obligations.

We may not be able to remove content that has already been shared or copied externally.

13. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational safeguards to protect your information, including:

Encryption of sensitive data
Secure password storage
Access controls
Monitoring for suspicious activity

However, no system is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

14. User Rights (U.S. Privacy Laws)

Depending on your state (including California), you may have rights to:

Request access to personal information we hold
Request deletion of your personal data
Correct inaccurate information
Opt out of certain data uses (such as targeted advertising, where applicable)

To exercise these rights, contact us at the email below.

We may need to verify your identity before processing requests.

15. California Privacy Rights (CCPA/CPRA)

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

The right to know what categories of personal information we collect and why
The right to request deletion of personal information
The right to opt out of "sale" or "sharing" of personal information
The right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights

We do not sell personal information for money. However, our use of advertising cookies (such as Google Ads) may constitute "sharing" for cross-context behavioral advertising under the CCPA/CPRA. You may opt out of this sharing at any time by clicking "Decline" in our cookie consent banner or through your Google Ads Settings.

We collect the following categories of information:

Identifiers (email, IP address)
Internet activity (usage data, browsing behavior)
User-generated content (listings)

We use this information for operational, security, and advertising purposes.

To exercise your California privacy rights, contact us at:

Email: support@borrowapencil.org

Subject Line: "California Privacy Request"

We will verify your identity before processing any request.

16. Do Not Track Signals

Our Website does not currently respond to "Do Not Track" signals sent by browsers.

17. Third-Party Services

We rely on third-party services such as:

Google Analytics
Google Ads
Email delivery providers
Hosting infrastructure providers

These third parties may collect or process information under their own privacy policies.

18. International Use

BorrowAPencil.org is intended for users located in the United States only. We do not knowingly target or process data from users outside the U.S.

19. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time.

When we do:

We will update the "Effective Date" at the top
Continued use of the Website constitutes acceptance of the updated policy

20. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your data, contact:
Email: support@borrowapencil.org