Privacy Policy

Policy Updated: Mon., Oct 12, 2026

At HeyGov, accessible from https://heygov.com/, one of our main priorities is the privacy of our visitors. This Privacy Policy document contains types of information that is collected and recorded by HeyGov and how we use it.

This Privacy Policy is issued by HeyGov, Inc. and applies to all of its websites and products, including heygov.com, Vanteve (vanteve.com) and ClerkMinutes (clerkminutes.com). Where a product site has its own privacy page, that page covers product-specific details and this policy applies to everything else.

If you have additional questions or require more information about our Privacy Policy, do not hesitate to contact us.

This Privacy Policy applies only to our online activities and is valid for visitors to our website with regards to the information that they shared and/or collect in HeyGov. This policy is not applicable to any information collected offline. It does cover information we receive through the connected channels we describe below, including text messaging and connected Facebook Pages.

Consent

By using our website, you hereby consent to our Privacy Policy and agree to its terms.

Information we collect

The personal information that you are asked to provide, and the reasons why you are asked to provide it, will be made clear to you at the point we ask you to provide your personal information.

If you contact us directly, we may receive additional information about you such as your name, email address, phone number, the contents of the message and/or attachments you may send us, and any other information you may choose to provide.

When you register for an Account, we may ask for your contact information, including items such as name, company name, address, email address, and telephone number.

How we use your information

We use the information we collect in various ways, including to:

• Provide, operate, and maintain our website
• Improve, personalize, and expand our website
• Understand and analyze how you use our website
• Develop new services, features, and functionality
• Communicate with you, either directly or through one of our partners, including for customer service, to provide you with updates and other information relating to the website, and for marketing and promotional purposes
• Send you emails
• Find and prevent fraud

SMS / Text Messaging

When you text one of our Virtual Clerk phone numbers, we collect your mobile phone number and the content of your messages in order to respond to your requests and provide the services you ask about.

We do not sell, rent, or share mobile phone numbers or SMS opt-in data with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Mobile information is used solely to operate the text-messaging service you have engaged with.

Message frequency varies based on your activity and the requests you send. Message and data rates may apply.

You can opt out of text messages at any time by replying STOP. Reply HELP for help. For full terms, see our Terms and Conditions: https://www.heygov.com/terms-and-conditions

Facebook Pages and Meta Platform Data

HeyGov offers an optional Facebook integration. A municipality can connect its official Facebook Pages to its HeyGov account. Once connected, residents' Messenger messages and comments on the Page's posts arrive in HeyGov. They can be answered automatically by the municipality's virtual clerk, Vanteve, or by municipal staff from HeyGov. Staff can also publish the municipality's announcements to the Pages they choose.

Our role

The municipality owns the resident data in its HeyGov account. When a municipality connects its Facebook Page, HeyGov acts as a service provider to that municipality, and processes information received from Meta only on that municipality's instructions and only to operate the service described in this section.

What we receive from Meta

When an authorized administrator of a municipality connects its Page, we receive:

• the Page's name, ID, category, and profile image;
• a Page access token that allows HeyGov to read and send messages, reply to comments, and publish posts on behalf of that Page;
• the content of messages residents send to the Page, including text and any attachments;
• comments residents post on the Page's posts, and the text of the post they commented on;
• the Page-scoped ID of the resident, and the name shown on their comment;
• message timestamps and delivery status;
• the Page metadata and engagement information needed to route, track, and close a request.

We request only the permissions required to do this: pages_show_list, pages_read_engagement, pages_read_user_content, pages_manage_metadata, pages_manage_engagement, pages_messaging and pages_manage_posts.

How we use it

Information received from Meta is used only to:

• deliver a resident's message into the municipality's HeyGov request queue;
• allow municipal staff to assign, track, respond to and close that request;
• answer residents' messages and comments automatically through the municipality's virtual clerk (Vanteve), with a public reply to a comment, or a single private Messenger reply when answering needs personal details;
• publish announcements that municipal staff write and send to the Pages they choose;
• maintain the municipality's own record of the request.
• A municipality can turn off comments or Messenger replies for each Page in its HeyGov settings.

What we do not do with it

We do not sell, rent, or license information received from Meta. We do not use it for advertising or ad targeting, and we do not share it with data brokers or advertising networks. We share it only with the municipality whose Page received the message, and with the service providers that host and operate HeyGov on our behalf. We do not use the content of resident messages to train machine learning models. To generate replies, the text of a message or comment is processed by our AI model providers on our behalf. They may not use it to train their models.

How long we keep it

We keep information received from Meta for as long as the municipality's HeyGov account is active, and for up to 90 days after that account is closed. After that period we delete it. A municipality may ask us to delete it sooner - see "Deleting your data" below.

Disconnecting a Page

A municipality can disconnect its Facebook Page at any time inside HeyGov, at Menu > City Settings > Integrations > Facebook > Disconnect. You can also remove HeyGov from the Page's connected business integrations at https://www.facebook.com/settings?tab=business_tools.

When a Page is disconnected, we stop receiving new messages and comments from it, and we revoke the stored Page access token. To also have previously received message data deleted, follow the instructions in "Deleting your data" below.

Our compliance

Our use of information received from Meta APIs follows Meta's Platform Terms and Developer Policies, including their limited use requirements.

Log Files

HeyGov follows a standard procedure of using log files. These files log visitors when they visit websites. All hosting companies do this and a part of hosting services' analytics. The information collected by log files include internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, Internet Service Provider (ISP), date and time stamp, referring/exit pages, and possibly the number of clicks. These are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable. The purpose of the information is for analyzing trends, administering the site, tracking users' movement on the website, and gathering demographic information.

HeyGov does not provide government information and all information is pulled and directly shared from official public government websites. HeyGov does not represent any government entity that information is connected to.

CCPA Privacy Rights (Do Not Sell My Personal Information)

Under the CCPA, among other rights, California consumers have the right to:

Request that a business that collects a consumer's personal data disclose the categories and specific pieces of personal data that a business has collected about consumers.

Request that a business delete any personal data about the consumer that a business has collected.

Request that a business that sells a consumer's personal data, not sell the consumer's personal data.

If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you. If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please contact us.

GDPR Data Protection Rights

We would like to make sure you are fully aware of all of your data protection rights. Every user is entitled to the following:

The right to access – You have the right to request copies of your personal data. We may charge you a small fee for this service.

The right to rectification – You have the right to request that we correct any information you believe is inaccurate. You also have the right to request that we complete the information you believe is incomplete.

The right to erasure – You have the right to request that we erase your personal data, under certain conditions.

The right to restrict processing – You have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal data, under certain conditions.

The right to object to processing – You have the right to object to our processing of your personal data, under certain conditions.

The right to data portability – You have the right to request that we transfer the data that we have collected to another organization, or directly to you, under certain conditions.

If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you. If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please contact us.

Deleting your Data

You can ask us to delete the personal information we hold about you, including anything we received from Meta through a connected Facebook Page.

If you are a resident

Email heygov@heygov.com with the subject line "Data deletion request". Tell us the municipality you contacted and the Facebook name you messaged or commented from, so we can find your records. You may also ask the municipality directly.

If you are a municipality

Email heygov@heygov.com from an address on your municipality's domain, or contact your HeyGov account manager. On request we will delete the message history received through your connected Facebook Page, revoke the Page access token and disconnect the Page.

What happens next

We will confirm receipt and complete the deletion within 30 days of verifying the request. We may retain a limited record where we are required to by law, or where the municipality is required to retain it under public records law — in which case we will tell you which records were kept and why.

Government and Legal Requests for Data

HeyGov discloses personal data to a government agency, law enforcement body, court or regulator only when a valid, legally binding request requires it, and then only the minimum necessary. This applies to all data we hold through our products, including data received from Meta platforms.

How we handle a request

- Written requests only. We act on written requests from an official channel that name the agency, the legal authority relied on and the specific data sought. Verbal or informal requests are declined until put in writing.

- We verify the requester. Before any further step we confirm the request is authentic, for example by calling the agency on a publicly listed number.

- Every request is reviewed for legality. We confirm the request rests on a valid legal instrument (a subpoena, court order or warrant), that the issuing authority has jurisdiction over HeyGov and the data, and that the request is specific about the people, data and time period.

- We challenge unlawful or overbroad requests. We ask the authority to narrow a vague or overbroad request, object in writing to an invalid one, and pursue legal remedies on the advice of counsel. No data is disclosed while a challenge is pending unless the law compels it.

- We disclose the minimum. Only the named individuals, data types and date range requested; no bulk exports and no direct system access; other people’s information redacted wherever possible; delivery over a secure channel to the verified official only.

- We notify the municipality. Unless the law prohibits it, we tell the affected municipality before disclosing anything so it can respond or object itself. Where a secrecy order applies, we give notice as soon as it lapses.

- Emergencies. Where there is a credible, imminent risk of death or serious physical injury, we may disclose the minimum data needed to address it. Every such decision is documented.

- We keep a record. Every request is logged, whether or not data is disclosed.

‍Public records requests

A request for a municipality’s records is not a government data request. It goes to that municipality’s clerk, who decides and responds under state public records law. If such a request reaches HeyGov, we redirect the requester to the municipality and assist the clerk on their instruction.

How to send a request

Send legal process to HeyGov, Inc. at heygov@heygov.com with the subject line “Legal process”, or by mail to 3818 Bay Shore Drive, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235. A request must be in writing and state the requesting agency and official’s contact details; the legal authority and instrument relied on, with a copy attached; the specific people, data types and date range sought; and the municipality concerned. Requests that do not meet these requirements are returned for completion before they are reviewed.

Children's Information

Another part of our priority is adding protection for children while using the internet. We encourage parents and guardians to observe, participate in, and/or monitor and guide their online activity.

HeyGov does not knowingly collect any Personal Identifiable Information from children under the age of 13. If you think that your child provided this kind of information on our website, we strongly encourage you to contact us immediately and we will do our best efforts to promptly remove such information from our records.