Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide

City Clock is designed with privacy in mind. We collect minimal information:

• Preferences: Your selected cities, time format preferences (12-hour vs. 24-hour), and theme settings are stored locally in your browser using cookies and localStorage
• Geolocation: Only when you explicitly grant permission, we access your approximate location to determine your local time zone and suggest nearby cities

1.2 Automatically Collected Information

• Usage Analytics: We use Google Analytics to understand the big picture — which pages people enjoy, which cities are most popular, and roughly where our visitors are (country/city level only). It's always anonymous: we can't identify you personally, and you can opt out anytime
• Device Information: Browser type and version, operating system, device type (mobile/desktop), screen resolution, and referring website
• Log Data: IP address (anonymized), access times, and pages viewed for security and performance monitoring

2. How We Use Your Information

We use collected information for the following purposes:

• Service Delivery: Display accurate time information for your selected cities and remember your preferences between visits
• Service Improvement: Analyze usage patterns to improve features, identify bugs, and optimize performance
• Security: Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and technical issues
• Legal Compliance: Comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes

3. Data Storage and Security

Local Storage: Your city selections and preferences are stored locally in your browser's cookies and localStorage. This data never leaves your device unless you explicitly share it. We do not have access to this personal data on our servers.

Server Data: Analytics data and server logs are stored on secure servers with industry-standard encryption (TLS/SSL). Access is restricted to authorized personnel only.

Security Measures: While we implement reasonable security measures, no internet transmission is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your information.

4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

4.1 Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies (Required): Necessary for the Service to function. These store your city preferences, time format selection, and theme choice. Duration: Persistent (no expiration unless you clear your browser data)
• Analytics Cookies (Optional): With your permission, Google Analytics cookies help us learn what visitors love so we can keep improving City Clock — always anonymously. Duration: 26 months (Google Analytics standard). Prefer not to? Simply choose "Essential Only" in the banner or use the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on
• Advertising Cookies (Optional): Ads help keep City Clock free. With your consent, Google AdSense may use cookies (like the DoubleClick cookie) to show ads that better match your interests, based on visits to this and other sites. Duration: up to 13 months. You're in control — decline in the banner or manage preferences anytime at Google Ad Settings

4.2 Managing Cookies

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling essential cookies may affect Service functionality. Most browsers allow you to:

• View and delete existing cookies
• Block third-party cookies
• Block all cookies (not recommended for our Service)
• Clear cookies when closing your browser

5. Services That Help Us Run City Clock

To keep City Clock fast, free, and improving, we work with two trusted Google services. Each operates under its own privacy policy:

• Google Analytics: Gives us anonymous, aggregated stats — like visitor counts and popular pages — so we know what to improve. It never reveals who you are. Google Privacy Policy
• Google AdSense: Shows the ads that keep City Clock free. With your consent, it may use cookies to make those ads more relevant to you. Prefer fewer personalized ads? Adjust anytime at Google Ad Settings. How Google uses information from partner sites

These services are operated by Google under its own privacy practices, which we encourage you to review.

6. Data Retention

• User Preferences (Local): Stored indefinitely in your browser until you clear your cookies/localStorage
• Analytics Data: Retained for 26 months (Google Analytics standard retention period)
• Server Logs: Retained for 30 days for security and troubleshooting purposes, then automatically deleted

7. Children's Privacy (COPPA Compliance)

Our Service is not directed to children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information.

The Service may be used by individuals of any age for educational purposes (learning about time zones), but we do not knowingly target or collect data from children.

8. International Users and GDPR Rights

8.1 For European Economic Area (EEA) Users

If you are located in the EEA, you have the following rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

• Right to Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate data
• Right to Erasure ("Right to be Forgotten"): Request deletion of your data under certain circumstances
• Right to Restriction: Request limitation of processing your data
• Right to Data Portability: Request transfer of your data to another service
• Right to Object: Object to processing of your data for certain purposes
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for data processing at any time

Legal Basis for Processing: We process your data based on (1) your consent for optional cookies and geolocation, (2) legitimate interests for analytics and service improvement, and (3) contractual necessity for providing the Service.

To exercise these rights, please use your browser settings to clear cookies/localStorage (for locally stored data) or contact us through the methods in Section 12.

8.2 Data Transfers

Our Service is hosted and operated in various locations globally. By using the Service, you consent to the transfer of your information to countries outside your country of residence, which may have different data protection laws.

9. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

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

• Right to Know: Request information about the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you
• Right to Delete: Request deletion of your personal information
• Right to Opt-Out: Opt-out of the sale of your personal information (Note: We do not sell personal information)
• Right to Non-Discrimination: Not be discriminated against for exercising your CCPA rights

Categories of Data Collected: Identifiers (anonymized IP address), usage data, device information, and geolocation (when permitted).

We Do Not Sell Your Data: We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for monetary or other valuable consideration.

10. You're in Control

Your choices always come first. Here's how you can manage your information anytime:

• Clear Your Preferences: Clear your browser's cookies and localStorage at any time to delete your saved city selections and preferences
• Disable Location Sharing: Revoke location permission in your browser settings (typically in the address bar or browser settings menu)
• Opt Out of Analytics: Install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on or use browser privacy settings
• Control Personalized Ads: Manage advertising preferences at Google Ad Settings or opt out at aboutads.info
• Use Browser Privacy Features: Enable "Do Not Track" settings, private browsing mode, or third-party cookie blocking

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time. Changes will be effective immediately upon posting to this page with an updated "Last Updated" date.

Material Changes: If we make material changes that significantly affect your privacy rights, we will provide prominent notice on our homepage or through other appropriate communication channels at least 30 days before the changes take effect.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of the Service after any modifications constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

12. Contact Us for Privacy Concerns

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us through our Contact page.

Response Time: We aim to respond to all privacy inquiries within 5 business days (30 days for GDPR/CCPA requests as required by law).

Complaints: If you are in the EEA and believe we have not adequately addressed your privacy concerns, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

13. Additional Information

No Account Required: Our Service does not require account creation. We do not collect usernames, passwords, email addresses, or other personal identifiers unless you voluntarily provide them through contact forms.

Anonymous Usage: You can use City Clock completely anonymously by disabling cookies (though this may affect functionality), using incognito/private browsing mode, or using VPN services.

Open Source Time Zone Data: We use the IANA Time Zone Database (public domain) for time zone information. No personal data is collected through this database usage.