Privacy Policy

Last updated: 2026. This page explains, in plain language, what happens to your data when you use GOTHAM GRADES.

The short version

There's no account, no sign-up, and no form on this site that asks you for personal information. We don't run advertising or analytics tracking today. The one piece of "your" data the site keeps — your pinned places — never leaves your own browser.

What we don't collect

We don't ask for your name, email address, phone number, or payment details, because there's nothing on this site that requires them. We don't maintain user accounts or a database of visitors.

Pinned places (local storage)

When you tap "Pin" on a place, that information is saved using your browser's own local storage — a standard web browser feature, similar to a cookie but only readable by this site and only stored on your device. It is never transmitted to us or to any server. Practically, that means:

• Your pinned list only shows up in the same browser, on the same device, where you saved it;
• It will not appear if you open the site on another device or in another browser;
• It will be deleted if you clear that browser's site data or cookies;
• No one else — including us — can see your pinned list unless you choose to export and share it yourself.

Third-party services this site relies on

To function, GOTHAM GRADES loads data and resources from a small number of outside services. Each operates under its own privacy practices, which we don't control:

• NYC Open Data / Socrata — every map view and search sends a request to NYC's public data API to fetch inspection records. If you search by name or address, the text you type is included in that request.
• OpenStreetMap Nominatim — used for the "Go to an address" feature; the address you type is sent to this free geocoding service to find its coordinates.
• CARTO — supplies the map's background tiles; loading the map sends standard tile requests to their servers (which, like most web services, may log the requesting IP address).
• Google Fonts — used for the site's typography; loading a page may request font files from Google's servers.

None of these services are, to our knowledge, used by us to build a profile of you — they're used purely to make the map, search, and design work.

If advertising is added in the future

We may introduce advertising (for example, through Google AdSense) to help cover the cost of running this site. If and when that happens, the advertising provider may use cookies to personalize ads or measure performance, governed by their own privacy policy. Our Cookie Policy and the cookie banner on this site are already in place to give you a clear choice if and when that changes.

Server logs

Like virtually any website, our hosting provider may keep basic technical logs (such as IP address, browser type, and page requested) for security and performance purposes. These are standard infrastructure logs, not used to track individual visitors for marketing purposes.

Children's privacy

This site is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

Your choices

You can clear your pinned places at any time by clearing this site's data in your browser settings. You can manage cookie preferences using the "Cookie preferences" link in the footer of any page.

Changes to this policy

This policy may be updated as the site changes — for example, if advertising or analytics are added. We'll update the "last updated" date above when that happens.

Contact

Questions about this policy can be sent through the contact details listed on the site's homepage or footer.