At BIMUsers.com, your privacy and the security of your professional data are our highest priorities. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, process, and protect your personal information when you use our website, APIs, Revit Add-ins, and related services.
1. Who We Are
Our website, BIMUsers.com, specializes in providing resources, file hosting, AI tools, and a collaborative community for Building Information Modeling (BIM) professionals. In this policy, "we," "us," and "our" refer to BIMUsers, acting as the Data Controller of your personal information.
2. Data We Collect Directly From You
We collect personal data when you interact with our site, register an account, or upload files. This includes:
- Account Information: Name, email address, username, and password.
- Profile Data: Job title, company name, professional biography, and profile pictures.
- User-Generated Content: Any BIM files (RVT, IFC, DWG), parameters, comments, forum posts, or metadata you actively upload to the Platform.
- Communication Data: Information you provide when contacting our support team or participating in surveys.
3. Automatically Collected Data
When you browse our Platform, we automatically collect specific technical data to ensure system stability, improve UI/UX, and prevent abuse:
- Device & Network Data: IP addresses, browser user agent strings, operating system, and device type.
- Usage Logs: Pages visited, time spent on pages, files downloaded, and search queries.
- Location Data: Broad geographic location derived from your IP address to deliver localized content.
4. Third-Party Logins (Single Sign-On)
If you choose to register or log in using third-party services like Google, Apple, or LinkedIn, we receive specific data from those providers as permitted by your privacy settings with them. This typically includes your name, email address, and profile picture. We do not receive or store your passwords for these third-party services.
5. BIM Add-in Telemetry & Diagnostics
If you install the BIMUsers Add-in for Autodesk Revit (or other CAD software), we collect diagnostic and telemetry data to improve software stability:
- Collected: Plugin version, host software version (e.g., Revit 2024), anonymous crash reports, and the frequency of tool usage.
- Not Collected: We DO NOT automatically scan, collect, or upload your private, local 3D building models, proprietary corporate templates, or hardware specs unless you explicitly initiate an upload to our cloud servers.
6. How We Use Your Data
We process your information for the following purposes:
- To provide, operate, and maintain the Platform and Add-ins.
- To process subscriptions, payments, and prevent fraudulent transactions.
- To send administrative emails, password resets, and subscription renewal notices.
- To personalize your experience, recommending BIM families or content relevant to your professional profile.
- To detect, prevent, and address technical issues, spam, or malicious scraping attacks.
7. Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning
We may use AI to enhance search functionality, generate parameters, or provide chat assistance. By using these features, you acknowledge that your inputs (prompts and search queries) may be processed by our AI systems or third-party AI partners. Do not input sensitive client data, personally identifiable information (PII), or classified infrastructure details into AI prompts.
8. Payment & Subscription Data
We use trusted third-party payment processors (e.g., Stripe, PayPal) to handle Premium subscriptions. We do not store your full credit card numbers or CVV codes on our servers. Your payment information is provided directly to our payment processors, whose use of your personal info is governed by their respective Privacy Policies.
9. User Content, Media & Public Forums
Public Visibility: Information you post in community forums, comments, or public profile sections is visible to other users and can be indexed by search engines like Google. Please exercise caution when sharing personal or company information publicly.
Media Uploads (EXIF Data): If you upload images, screenshots, or BIM files, you should avoid including embedded location data (EXIF GPS) or sensitive company metadata. Other users can download and extract this data from files hosted on the site.
11. Data Sharing & Third-Party Disclosures
We do not sell your personal data to data brokers or advertisers. We only share information in the following circumstances:
- Service Providers: Cloud hosting (e.g., AWS, Google Cloud), email delivery services, and payment processors necessary to operate the site.
- Legal Compliance: If required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court, subpoena, or government agency).
- Business Transfers: In connection with, or during negotiations of, any merger, sale of company assets, financing, or acquisition.
12. Marketing Communications & Opt-Out
If you create an account, we may occasionally send you newsletters, platform updates, or promotional materials regarding new BIM tools. You can opt out of receiving any, or all, of these communications from us by following the unsubscribe link or instructions provided in any email we send, or by updating your account preferences.
13. Data Security Measures
We implement industry-standard security measures, including SSL/TLS encryption for data in transit and encrypted database storage for data at rest. Passwords are salted and hashed. Access to user data is strictly limited to authorized administrators. However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security and cannot be held liable for sophisticated cyber-attacks beyond reasonable control.
14. Data Breach Notification
In the unlikely event of a data breach that compromises your personal information, we will notify affected users and the relevant supervisory authorities within 72 hours of becoming aware of the breach, in compliance with GDPR and applicable state laws. We will provide information on the nature of the breach and steps to take to protect yourself.
15. Data Retention
We retain your personal information only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. Active user accounts and associated uploaded BIM files are retained indefinitely to allow continuous service. If you request account deletion, we will remove your personal identifying data within 30 days. Anonymized usage metrics and public forum contributions may remain, disassociated from your identity.
16. Your Privacy Rights (GDPR & Global)
Depending on your location (such as within the European Economic Area or UK), you have the following data protection rights:
- Right to Access: Request copies of your personal data.
- Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate information.
- Right to Erasure ("Right to be Forgotten"): Request deletion of your account and personal data.
- Right to Data Portability: Request export of your data in a structured, commonly used format.
You can exercise these rights directly through your Account Settings or by contacting our Privacy team.
17. California Privacy Rights (CCPA / CPRA)
If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act grants you specific rights regarding your personal information. We do not sell personal data. You have the right to request what categories of data we have collected, the sources, and the purpose of collection. To make a "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" request or request data deletion, please contact our support team.
18. International Data Transfers
Your information, including Personal Data, may be transferred to—and maintained on—computers located outside of your state, province, or country where data protection laws may differ. By consenting to this Privacy Policy and submitting your data, you agree to these transfers, which are protected by Standard Contractual Clauses or other appropriate legal safeguards where required.
19. Embedded Content & Third-Party Links
Articles, BIM viewer windows, and tutorials on this site may include embedded content (e.g., YouTube videos, external 3D viewers). Embedded content behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website. We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or tracking practices of any third-party sites or services.
20. Children's Privacy
Our Service is intended for working professionals and students of legal age. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from anyone under the age of 13 (or 16 in certain EU jurisdictions). If you are a parent and you are aware that your child has provided us with Personal Data, please contact us for immediate deletion.
21. Updates to this Policy
We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Effective Date" at the top. For material changes, we may also notify registered users via email or a prominent notice on our Platform.
22. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests to exercise your data rights regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact our Data Protection Officer:
- Privacy & Data Requests: privacy@bimusers.com
- General Support: support@bimusers.com