Privacy Policy

California users: Click here to see our Privacy Information for California Residents

Care.com Inc. (“Care.com,” “we” or “us”) provides this website and various digital content and services available at or through that website and related mobile applications (taken together, the “Service”). It is our policy to respect your privacy regarding any information we may collect while operating the Service, as set forth below. Please note that our affiliates may have separate privacy policies. By using the Service, you consent to our collection, storage, use and disclosure of your information as described in this Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect, Sources of Information, and the Purposes for Which We Use the Information.

Website and App Usage

Like most website and mobile application providers, Care.com collects certain information available via web browsers, mobile devices and servers, such as page views, clicks, browser type, device type, language preference, referring site, and the date and time of each visitor request. Care.com’s purpose in collecting such information is to better understand how Care.com’s visitors use its Service. From time to time, Care.com may release information in an aggregate or otherwise deidentified form, e.g., by publishing a report on trends in the usage of its Service.

Care.com also collects information like Internet Protocol (IP) addresses for logged in users.

Aggregated Statistics

Care.com collects data about the behavior of users of the Service. For instance, Care.com may collect data to identify the most popular activities on the Service, and activity dates and times. Care.com may use this information itself, display it publicly or provide it to others.

Gathering and Use of Information

Certain visitors to the Service choose to interact with Care.com in ways that require Care.com to gather information that can directly identify them. The amount and type of information that Care.com gathers depends on the nature of the interaction.

For example, we ask visitors who sign up for our newsletter to provide a ZIP code and email address, and creating an account may require a mobile phone number. Those who engage in transactions with Care.com — by purchasing admission to an activity, for example — are asked to provide additional information, including as necessary the financial information required to process those transactions. In each case, Care.com collects such information that is reasonably necessary or appropriate to fulfill the purpose of the visitor’s interaction with Care.com. Care.com does not disclose such information other than as described below. And you can always refuse to supply information, with the caveat that it may prevent you from engaging in certain activities through the Service.

If you are have provided your email address, phone number or other contact information, Care.com (and any activity provider you have booked with) may use that info to communicate with you (including via email and SMS/MMS) to tell you about upcoming activities, promotions, or new features, to solicit your feedback, or for other marketing purposes. To the extent required by law, you may opt out of marketing communications from Care.com, such as via an unsubscribe link at the bottom of a marketing email or by replying “STOP” to text messages. Note that you may not opt out of transactional communications, such as an email confirming your purchase with Care.com.

If you engage a service provider through the service, such as an activity partner or a payments processor, that service provider may provide us with information about you or your family, such as information relating to your activities or transactions with the service provider or activity partner.

If you send us a request (for example via a support email or via one of our feedback mechanisms), we reserve the right to use it in connection with our business and publish it in order to help us clarify or respond to your request or to help us support other users.

2. Categories of Third Parties With Whom We Share Information

Care.com discloses information that either directly or indirectly identifies you only to those of its employees, contractors, affiliated organizations and suppliers (including its providers) that reasonably need to know that information in order to process it on Care.com’s behalf or to provide services available via Care.com’s Services. Such information may be disclosed to activity providers, payment processors and other service providers, and as set forth under the headers “Cookies,” “Business Transfers”, and “Ads” below.

For example:
  • your name and your child’s name, birth date, school, allergies, and similar information is sent to activity providers you have booked with, so they can provide services and reasonably operate their business;
  • your contact phone number is provided to activity providers you have booked with so they can call in an emergency or to address issues related to the services they may be providing you;
  • your email address is provided to activity providers you have booked with so they can send you information regarding their programs, your email address may be provided to third parties acting on behalf of Care.com to facilitate marketing campaigns consistent with the terms of this Privacy Policy.

Some of Care.com’s employees, contractors, affiliated organizations and suppliers may be located outside of your home country; by using the Service, you consent to the transfer of such information to them.

Care.com may also disclose information in response to a subpoena, court order or other governmental request, or when Care.com believes in good faith that disclosure is reasonably necessary to protect the wellbeing, property or rights of Care.com, you, third parties or the public at large.

Care.com takes a variety of measures to protect against the unauthorized access, use, alteration or destruction of information. However, please note that no method of information security can be guaranteed to prevent unauthorized access or disclosure of information.

3. Cookies/Do Not Track Notice

A cookie is a string of information that a website stores on a visitor’s computer, and that the visitor’s browser provides to the website each time the visitor returns. Care.com uses cookies to help Care.com identify and track visitors, their usage of Care.com website, and their website access preferences. Care.com visitors who do not wish to have cookies placed on their computers should set their browsers to refuse cookies before using Care.com’s websites, with the drawback that certain features of Care.com’s websites may not function properly without the aid of cookies. Some browsers used to access the Internet may give you the option through "Do Not Track" settings associated with such browsers to request that a website operator not track your information across its website or other websites. We engage in such tracking in order to optimize and/or customize our Service, detect and respond to allegations of fraud, and to otherwise ensure the safety of our Registered Users and website visitors. While we do not currently honor such browser requests, we will not use your information in a manner that violates this Privacy Policy. In addition, you retain the ability to opt out of certain online analytics and advertising activities as discussed herein.

4. Business Transfers

If Care.com, or some or substantially all of its assets, were acquired, or in the event that Care.com goes out of business or enters bankruptcy, user information would be one of the assets that is transferred or acquired by a third party. You acknowledge that such transfers may occur, and that any acquirer of Care.com may continue to use your information as set forth in this policy.

5. Ads

Ads appearing on any of our websites may be delivered to users by advertising partners, who may set cookies. These cookies allow the ad server to recognize your computer each time they send you an online advertisement to compile information about you or others who use your computer. This information allows ad networks to, among other things, deliver targeted advertisements that they believe will be of most interest to you. This Privacy Policy covers the use of cookies by Care.com and does not cover the use of cookies by any advertisers.

6. Privacy Policy Changes

Care.com may change its Privacy Policy from time to time, and in Care.com’s sole discretion. If we make changes that are material, we will let you know by posting on the Service, sending you an email, or other communication before the changes take effect. The notice will designate a reasonable period of time after which the new Privacy Policy will take effect. Care.com encourages visitors to frequently check this page for any changes to its Privacy Policy. Your continued use of this site after any change in this Privacy Policy will constitute your acceptance of such change.

7. Privacy Information for California Residents

If you are a California resident, California law requires us to provide you with some additional information regarding how we collect, use, and share your “personal information” (as defined in the California Consumer Privacy Act ("CCPA")).

Categories of personal information we collect

Throughout this Policy, we discuss in detail the personal information we collect from and about our users. Under the CCPA, we are also required to provide you with the “categories” of personal information we collect as defined by California law. The categories we collect depending on the types of services you use are:

  • identifiers (such as name, address, email address);
  • commercial information (such as transaction data);
  • financial data (such as payment method details and billing address);
  • internet or other network or device activity (such as browsing history or usage information);
  • geolocation information (e.g., your approximate location based on IP address, or precise location with your consent);
  • inference data about you (e.g., the additional services or advertising we think would be of most interest to you based on your interactions with us);
  • professional or employment-related data (e.g., if you are a Care Provider, your references and employment history);
  • education information (e.g., if you are a Care Provider, your level of education);
  • legally protected classifications (such as gender or information obtained from a background check, where applicable);
  • physical characteristics or description (e.g., photos you choose to upload to your job postings or profile); and
  • other information that identifies or can be reasonably associated with you (e.g., registration and log-in information).

Please note that specific pieces of your personal information may belong to more than one of the above referenced categories.

How we source, use, and share these categories of personal information

We source, use, and share with third parties the categories of personal information we collect from and about you consistent with the various business and operational purposes we discuss throughout this Policy and for the business and operational purposes of our service providers in accordance with the CCPA. See the Information We Collect, Sources of Information, and the Purposes for Which We Use the Information and Categories of Third Parties with Whom We Share Information section(s) above for more information.

Please note that the CCPA sets forth certain obligations for businesses that "sell" personal information to third parties. We do not engage in such activity and have not engaged in such activity in the past twelve months from the effective date of this Policy.

CCPA Rights Disclosure. If you are a California resident, the CCPA allows you (or an authorized agent acting on your behalf) to make certain requests related to your personal information to the “businesses” (as defined by the CCPA) that collect and process your personal information. Specifically, the CCPA allows you to request businesses to:

  • Inform you about the categories of personal information we collect or disclose about you; the categories of sources of such information; the business or commercial purpose for collecting your personal information; and the categories of third parties with whom we share/disclose personal information. Such information is also set forth in this Policy.
  • Provide access to and/or a copy of certain personal information we hold about you.
  • Delete certain personal information we have about you.
  • Provide you with information about the financial incentives that we offer to you, if any.

The CCPA further provides you with the right to not be discriminated against (as provided for in applicable law) for exercising your rights. Please note that certain information may be exempt from such requests under California law. For example, we need certain information in order to provide the Services to you. We also will take reasonable steps to verify your identity before responding to a request. In doing so, we may use one or more of the following methods: (i) using your login credentials to verify you (it being understood that we may also ask you to reauthenticate yourself), or (ii) matching two or more data points provided by you with data points maintained by us. If we are unable to verify you through the foregoing methods, we shall have the right, but not the obligation, to request additional information from you. If you would like further information regarding your legal rights under California law or would like to exercise any of them, or if you are an authorized agent making a request on a user’s behalf, please visit https://www.care.com/explore/settings?section=data or contact us at . We will handle such requests as they relate to personal information that we collect and process for our business purposes as a business under the CCPA. If you have provided personal information to an activity provider through our Service, please note that the activity provider is also a business with a separate relationship with you, and it collects and processes your personal information for its own business purposes. If you also want to make a data request with respect to an activity provider, please contact the activity provider directly.

Shine the Light Disclosure.The California “Shine the Light” law gives residents of California the right under certain circumstances to request information from us regarding the manner in which we share certain categories of personal information (as defined in the Shine the Light law) with third parties for their direct marketing purposes. We do not share your personal information with third parties for their own direct marketing purposes.

8. Privacy Information for Nevada Residents

Under Nevada law, certain Nevada consumers may opt out of the sale of "personally identifiable information" for monetary consideration (as such terms are defined under Nevada law) to a person for that person to license or sell such information to additional persons. If you are a Nevada resident and you have purchased services or products from us, you may submit a request to opt out of any potential future sales under Nevada law by contacting us via e-mail at . Please note we may take reasonable steps to verify your identity and the authenticity of the request.

9. Questions or Requests to Delete

If you have questions about your personal data please contact our support team at .

Effective Date:
September 15, 2020