What is the Belocal franchisee's responsibility regarding obtaining consent for the collection and use of Personal Information?

According to Belocal's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the franchisee is responsible for obtaining the necessary consent for collecting, using, storing, processing, and sharing Personal Information from all parties as required by Privacy Laws or Data Protection and Security Policies. This responsibility extends to any Personal Information, which includes data that can identify, locate, or contact an individual or household, such as the franchisee's Independent Staff, advertisers, and recipients of the Publication.

The franchisee must retain copies of all such consents, store them properly, and share them with Belocal in the manner Belocal requires. Furthermore, the franchisee must fully comply with Data Protection and Security Policies and Privacy Laws concerning any person's exercise of their rights under the Privacy Laws. If any individual seeks to exercise their rights regarding Personal Information, the franchisee must comply with such requests according to the terms of the franchise agreement, Data Protection and Security Policies, the Franchise Brand Standards Manual, Privacy Laws, and any instructions from Belocal.

Belocal may request the franchisee to cooperate or coordinate with them to provide information about how the franchisee has collected, used, stored, processed, and shared Personal Information. This ensures that Belocal can maintain oversight and compliance with applicable laws and policies across all franchise locations. The franchisee also warrants that they will only collect, use, store, process, or share Personal Information if permitted by the franchise agreement, Data Protection and Security Policies, the Franchise Brand Standards Manual, Privacy Laws, and, if applicable, with written approval from Belocal. The franchisee is explicitly prohibited from selling Personal Information or re-identifying any Personal Information that has been de-identified.

If the franchisee uses a vendor that handles Personal Information, they must ensure that the vendor is contractually bound to the same data protection obligations that Belocal requires. This ensures that all parties involved in handling Personal Information adhere to the same standards of privacy and data protection. These obligations are continuing, meaning they persist throughout the term of the franchise agreement.