Under the Belocal franchise agreement, what constitutes 'Personal Information'?

According to Belocal's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, 'Personal Information' is defined within the franchise agreement. It includes any information that can be used to identify, locate, or contact an individual or household. This encompasses information related to Belocal's Independent Staff, advertisers, and recipients of the publication.

Furthermore, the definition extends to any information that is legally defined as protected, personal information under any Privacy Law. This means Belocal franchisees must be aware of and comply with all applicable international, federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to privacy, data protection, and information security. These laws cover the management, disclosure, reporting, and any other obligations related to the possession or use of Personal Information.

Belocal franchisees are responsible for adhering to the franchisor's data protection and security policies, which govern how Franchised Business Data and Personal Information are handled. These policies dictate how such data is collected, used, stored, processed, shared, or destroyed. Belocal retains the right to modify these policies, and franchisees must comply with any changes within thirty days of notice. This ensures that all Belocal franchises maintain consistent and up-to-date data privacy practices.

This broad definition of Personal Information and the associated compliance requirements highlight the importance of data privacy for Belocal franchisees. They must prioritize obtaining necessary consents, implementing appropriate security measures, and staying informed about evolving privacy laws to protect both their business and the individuals whose data they handle.