Clear Step Finance Privacy Policy
Effective date: September 27, 2025
This Privacy Policy explains how Clear Step Finance (“Clear Step Finance,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, and shares information when you use clearstepfinance.com and related pages (the “Service”). By using the Service, you agree to this Policy.
Controller / Business:
Ethetic Marketing (Clear Step Finance)
3774 Belt Line Rd, Unit #2049, Addison, TX 75001, USA
Email: [email protected]
We do not publish a phone number for privacy requests.
Scope & audience: This Policy covers clearstepfinance.com (including www and any subpages). The Service is intended for people 18+ in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
1) Information we collect
a) Information you provide
- Contact details (e.g., name, email address) and messages you send through our forms or email.
- We do not request Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, or other sensitive financial information on the Service.
b) Information collected automatically
- Device/usage data: IP address, browser and device type, pages visited, time on page, referrer, and general location (city/region) derived from IP.
- Cookies & similar technologies: Cookies, pixels, tags, and local storage for core functionality, security, analytics, and (where permitted) ad measurement. See “Cookies & choices.”
c) Information from partners
- Analytics and ads partners (e.g., Google Analytics; Meta Pixel) may provide aggregated or pseudonymous data about site usage or ad performance.
- Affiliate/offer partners (e.g., MaxBounty or related advertisers) may inform us if a click from our site resulted in a qualifying action, using anonymous IDs for tracking and fraud prevention.
2) How we use information
- Operate, secure, troubleshoot, and improve the Service (including hosting and anti-abuse).
- Respond to inquiries and provide educational content.
- Measure and optimize site traffic, content performance, and campaign effectiveness.
- Detect, prevent, and address fraud, abuse, or violations of our Terms.
- Comply with legal obligations.
No sale: We do not “sell” personal information as “sale” is defined under US state privacy laws.
No cross-context behavioral advertising (“sharing”): We configure our tools to use measurement only and do not use them to show targeted ads based on your activity across different sites. If this ever changes, we will update this Policy and provide a “Your Privacy Choices” control.
3) Advertising & analytics
We use analytics and measurement tools to understand aggregate usage and campaign performance:
- Google Analytics 4 (GA4): learn more or opt out at policies.google.com/technologies/ads and tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
- Meta (Facebook) Pixel: cookie info at facebook.com/policies/cookies/.
We may receive pseudonymous identifiers (e.g., cookie IDs) and campaign parameters (such as UTM tags). We do not enable Advanced Matching and do not send hashed emails or similar identifiers to ad platforms.
Where required by law (e.g., EU/UK), we obtain consent before setting non-essential cookies. See “Cookies & choices.”
Industry opt-outs (browser-based): NAI at optout.networkadvertising.org and DAA at optout.aboutads.info.
4) Disclosures of information
- Service providers/processors who help us operate the Service (e.g., Cloudflare Pages for hosting/CDN/security; Zoho Mail for email).
- Analytics/measurement partners (Google Analytics; Meta Pixel) — configured for measurement, not targeted advertising.
- Affiliate/offer partners and networks (e.g., MaxBounty) to validate clicks/events and prevent fraud (using click IDs/SubIDs, not directly identifying information).
- Legal/safety authorities when required by law or to protect rights and safety.
- Business transfers (e.g., merger, acquisition).
We do not authorize third parties to use personal information for their own independent marketing without your consent.
5) Data retention
We retain information only as long as necessary for the purposes described above or as required by law:
- Server/CDN logs: retained according to Cloudflare’s standard security/operations practices (typical window ≈ 30–90 days).
- Google Analytics 4 data: kept for 14 months (GA4 standard configurable maximum).
- Contact messages: kept until the matter is resolved and then deleted from our mailboxes in the ordinary course.
- Affiliate click/conversion metadata: we generally rely on network/provider retention; we do not store this in our own database.
6) Security
We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards appropriate to the nature of the information and our business (e.g., CDN/WAF protections, encrypted transport). No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure.
7) Children’s privacy
The Service is not directed to children under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If you believe a minor has provided information, contact us and we will delete it.
8) Cookies & choices
Browser controls: You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings.
Analytics/ads: Use the NAI/DAA links above, and Google/Meta settings.
Consent (EU/UK): Where required, we seek consent before setting non-essential cookies (e.g., analytics, pixel). If you withdraw consent, we will disable those categories going forward.
If you run into issues with cookie preferences, email [email protected].
9) Your rights
US state privacy laws (e.g., CA/VA/CO/CT/UT)
Depending on your state, you may have rights to access, correct, or delete your personal information. You may also opt out of targeted advertising or certain disclosures (not applicable here, because we do not engage in “sharing” as defined).
Submit requests to [email protected]. We will verify and respond as required by law.
Appeals: If we deny your request, you may appeal by emailing the same address with “Privacy Appeal” in the subject.
EU/UK GDPR
Legal bases include: legitimate interests (site operation, security/fraud prevention, analytics measurement), consent (non-essential cookies in consent jurisdictions), contract (responding to your requests), and legal obligations.
You may have rights to access, rectify, erase, restrict, object, port, and withdraw consent at any time.
We have not appointed an EU/UK representative or DPO. You may lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority.
Canada (PIPEDA)
You may request access to or correction of your personal information and make privacy complaints to us at [email protected].
10) International transfers
We are based in the United States. If you access the Service from outside the US, your information may be transferred to and processed in the US and other countries with different data-protection laws. Where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards (e.g., Standard Contractual Clauses) for transfers.
11) Do Not Track
We do not respond to browser “Do Not Track” signals. We honor applicable legal requirements (e.g., consent/opt-out rights) for cookies and targeted advertising (which we do not perform).
12) Third-party links
Our site links to third-party websites we do not control (including affiliate partners). Their privacy practices govern those sites. Review their policies before submitting information.
13) Changes to this Policy
We may update this Policy from time to time. The Effective date will be updated when changes are posted. If we make material changes, we will take appropriate steps to notify you.
14) Contact us
Privacy inquiries & data rights requests
Controller / Business: Ethetic Marketing (Clear Step Finance)
3774 Belt Line Rd, Unit #2049, Addison, TX 75001, USA
Email: [email protected]
Notice at Collection (US)
| Category | Examples | Sources | Purposes | Disclosures | Retention |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Identifiers | Name, email; IP address; cookie ID | You; your device/browser | Site operation; replies; security; analytics measurement | Service providers (Cloudflare, Zoho); analytics partners; affiliate networks (pseudonymous) | Contact data: until resolved. Logs: Cloudflare standard. GA4: 14 months. |
| Internet/Network activity | Pages viewed, device/browser info, referrer, time on page | Your device/browser; cookies | Analytics measurement; security/anti-abuse | Analytics partners; service providers | Logs: Cloudflare standard. GA4: 14 months. |
| Approx. geolocation | City/region from IP | Your device/browser | Fraud prevention; analytics measurement | Service providers; analytics partners | As above |
| Commercial interaction signals | Clicks on affiliate links; pseudonymous conversion data | You; affiliate network | Attribution; fraud prevention; reporting | Affiliate networks (e.g., MaxBounty) | Network/provider standard; we do not keep our own database copy |
| Sensitive info | Not collected | — | — | — | — |
We do not sell personal information and do not share it for cross-context behavioral advertising.