Effective October 27, 2026. Version 2026-10-27.
Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains how OpenMuni collects, uses, and shares information when you browse our website, create an account, or use our research services.
Information we collect
- Account and registration information. Your name, email address, residential address, account preferences, and sign-in information. Resident signup also records your confirmation that you meet the age and residency requirements, eligibility results, and acceptance of our policies. We do not ask for your date of birth, government identification, or residency documents.
- Research content. Questions you submit, conversation history, generated responses, and saved research preferences.
- Payment and usage information. If you purchase a subscription, our payment provider collects payment details and a billing address. We receive subscription status and transaction references, and keep records of service usage. We do not store full payment card numbers.
- Technical information. We and our service providers process information such as IP addresses, browser information, request times, and service activity to deliver the website, maintain security, and diagnose problems.
- Communications. Information you choose to provide when you contact us for support or with a privacy request.
OpenMuni also collects information from public municipal and regional sources to provide maps, data, and research. These records may include names, addresses, locations, and other information published by the source. We use public address records to check resident eligibility. Where those records list only a building, we match the building and ZIP code and retain your apartment or unit as self-declared. Where official unit records exist, the unit must match. An address match does not prove occupancy or identity.
How we use information
We use information to create and manage accounts, verify email addresses and resident eligibility, remember preferences, answer research questions, administer subscriptions and usage allowances, and respond to requests. We also use it to maintain and improve service reliability, prevent fraud and misuse, enforce our terms, and meet legal obligations.
Research uses artificial intelligence. Your question, relevant conversation context, and selected source material are sent to an AI service provider to generate a response. We do not automatically include your signup address in research prompts. Avoid including sensitive personal information in your questions.
For service oversight and answer quality monitoring, authorized Muni administrators can review questions you submit, processing outcomes, and optional thumbs-up or thumbs-down ratings. City administrators can review questions explicitly scoped to their city; platform administrators can review statewide research. The review interface excludes account identities and signup addresses, but your question may contain personal information you choose to enter. Other staff see only weekly dataset-category counts for groups with at least five distinct accounts. Question review records, ratings, and count events expire after 30 days and are removed when you delete research history or your account.
Cookies and location
We use cookies and browser storage to keep you signed in, protect account activity, remember preferences, and preserve research drafts. You can clear or block these through your browser settings, although some features may stop working. We do not use advertising cookies or track you across websites for targeted advertising.
If you allow your browser to share your location, map features can use it to show nearby information. You can decline or revoke location permission in your browser settings.
When we share information
We use service providers for hosting, account sign-in, email delivery, AI processing, and payments. They process information needed to perform those services. Providers that deliver maps or other website resources may also receive technical information when your browser connects to them. Research processing takes place in the United States.
We may disclose information when required by law or when reasonably necessary to protect people's safety, investigate fraud or abuse, or protect our legal rights. We may also share information at your direction. We do not sell your personal information or share it for targeted advertising.
How long we keep information
We retain information for the purposes described in this policy. Retention depends on the type of information and whether it is needed to operate your account, complete a request, maintain security, or meet accounting and legal obligations.
- Signup information. Unverified applications expire after 24 hours and are removed during routine cleanup. If account creation is still being resolved, limited contact and account information may remain until that process is complete.
- Account information. We keep it while needed to provide your account. Account deletion disables access and removes identifiable profile and residency information. Limited records may remain to complete deletion and prevent misuse.
- Research history. Conversation content is retained for 30 days unless you delete it sooner.
- Security and deletion records. Account security records are retained for 30 days, and minimal account deletion audit records remain for 30 days after deletion.
- Backups. Deleted information may remain in account backups for up to 60 days and research backups for up to seven days.
Usage, billing, and records needed to honor deletion requests are kept separately from research content and may remain after account or history deletion. Usage records include an identifier associated with your verified email to prevent repeated claims of limited allowances. These records are not automatically deleted after 30 days.
Deleting your account does not remove independently collected public records or change records held by their original publishers.
How we protect information
We use safeguards such as encryption and access controls to protect personal information. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure.
Your choices and requests
You can browse public information without an account. Use your account controls to update available profile information or request account deletion, and use the research controls to delete conversation history. You can also contact hello@muni.fyi to request access, correction, or deletion of your personal information, or to raise a concern about information displayed on OpenMuni.
Depending on where you live, applicable law may provide additional privacy rights. We may need to verify your identity before completing a request. Some information may need to be retained for legal, security, or accounting reasons, as described above.
Children's privacy
Resident accounts are available only to adults aged 18 or older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided personal information to us, please contact us so we can address it.
Changes and contact
We may update this policy as our services or privacy practices change. We will post the revised policy with an updated effective date and provide additional notice when required by law. For privacy questions or requests, email hello@muni.fyi.