Privacy Policy

Last updated: 4/14/2026

1. Introduction

CTK Advisors ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy and personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, process, and protect your information when you use our websites and services, including ctkadvisors.net, elevate.ctkadvisors.net, seekarc.io, shellbridge.io, and any other CTK Advisors-operated sites (collectively, the "Services").

2. Data We Collect

Information You Provide Directly:

• Name and contact information (email, phone)
• Project details and business requirements
• Messages and communications
• Budget range and project type

Information We Research (With Your Consent):

• Professional background from public LinkedIn profiles
• Company information and industry context
• Public social media presence (Twitter, GitHub)
• Recent news mentions and achievements
• Domain and company size information

Information Collected Automatically:

• IP addresses (for rate limiting and abuse prevention; auto-deleted within 24 hours)
• Basic request metadata (endpoint, timestamp)
• Some subsidiary sites (e.g., elevate.ctkadvisors.net) do not use cookies and do not track users

3. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data based on:

• Consent: For all data processing activities including contact management and AI-powered profiling
• Legitimate Interest: For website functionality and security
• Contract Performance: For delivering requested services

4. How We Use Your Data

Primary Purposes:

• Respond to your inquiries and provide requested information
• Understand your business needs and provide relevant solutions
• Improve our services and customer experience

AI-Powered Profiling (With Consent Only):

• Research your professional background to better understand your needs
• Compile comprehensive profiles for personalized service delivery
• Analyze industry context to provide relevant recommendations

AI-Generated Content:

• Some Services use AI models to generate responses from third-party source material
• AI-generated content may contain inaccuracies, omissions, or outdated information
• Users should independently verify any information before relying on it
• AI outputs do not constitute professional, legal, financial, or investment advice

5. Automated Decision-Making and Profiling

We use automated profiling systems that analyze your public information to create comprehensive profiles. This includes:

• Automated research of LinkedIn, social media, and news sources
• AI-powered analysis and synthesis of public information
• Confidence scoring and data quality assessment
• Automated profile generation and email notifications

By agreeing to our privacy policy, you consent to this automated profiling. You have the right to object to automated profiling and can opt-out at any time by contacting us.

6. Data Sharing and Third Parties

We may share your data with:

• AI Service Providers: OpenAI for research processing; Cloudflare Workers AI for content search and generation
• Search Services: Serper API for web research
• Email Services: Resend for notifications
• Infrastructure: Cloudflare for hosting and security

All third parties are bound by strict data processing agreements.

7. Data Retention

• Contact Information: Retained for 3 years or until you request deletion
• Research Profiles: Automatically expire after 1 year
• Communication Records: Retained for 2 years for service quality
• Analytics Data: Anonymized after 6 months
• Rate Limiting Data: IP addresses automatically deleted within 24 hours

8. Your Rights Under GDPR

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Access: Request copies of your personal data
• Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
• Erasure: Request deletion of your data
• Restrict Processing: Limit how we use your data
• Object to Processing: Object to automated profiling
• Data Portability: Transfer your data to another service
• Withdraw Consent: Revoke consent for profiling at any time

9. Data Security

We implement robust security measures:

• End-to-end encryption for data transmission
• Secure cloud infrastructure with Cloudflare
• Access controls and authentication systems
• Regular security audits and monitoring
• CSRF protection and rate limiting

10. International Data Transfers

Your data may be processed in the United States and other countries. We ensure adequate protection through:

• Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs)
• Adequacy decisions where applicable
• Additional safeguards for sensitive data

11. Cookies and Tracking

We use essential cookies for:

• Website functionality and security
• Analytics to improve user experience
• Remembering your preferences

Cookie usage varies by site. Some subsidiary services (e.g., elevate.ctkadvisors.net) do not use cookies and do not track users.

12. Contact Information

For privacy-related inquiries or to exercise your rights:

• Email: privacy@ctkadvisors.net
• Data Protection Officer: Chris Knuteson

13. Complaints

If you believe we have not addressed your privacy concerns adequately, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy periodically. We will notify you of significant changes via email or website notice.