Understand Square’s information privacy policies
About information privacy with Square
Square collects and protects various types of personal information to provide secure payment processing and business services. This feature ensures compliance with privacy laws while maintaining service quality and security.
Square’s policies help ensure that your personal information, and that of your customers, is protected.
Before you begin
Any information that can be used to identify a person is considered personal information. This doesn’t include information that has been aggregated or made anonymous.
All information is securely stored on Square servers, and safeguards and procedures have been implemented in accordance with applicable law and regulations to maintain the physical and electronic security of Square’s software, services, and your personal information. Square’s measures include firewalls, system-wide data encryption, physical and electronic access controls, and strict rules regarding the access and use of data on the Square system.
In the event that personal information is compromised as a result of a breach of security, Square will promptly notify those persons whose personal information has been compromised, in accordance with the notification procedures set forth in this article or the Square Privacy Notice, by email, or as otherwise required by applicable law.
You can review and correct information about you or your business that Square keeps on file by contacting us. Learn how to get support at Square.
Square doesn't sell information to third-party vendors. For more information, please review Square’s Terms and Conditions, Privacy Notice, and Security Policy, as well as our Square Buyer Account Terms of Use and Buyer Features Privacy Policy.
Review information collected by Square
Understand what information Square collects during the following interactions with Square.
When you create your Square account, your name, location, phone number, email address and other related information is collected.
Log file information is automatically reported by your browser each time you access a web page. When you register with or view a Square site, Square servers automatically record certain information that your web browser sends whenever you visit any website. These server logs may include information such as your web request, Internet Protocol (IP) address, browser type, referring or exit pages and URLs, number of clicks, domain names, landing pages, pages viewed, and other such information.
When you access your Square account to settle funds, your bank account and payment card numbers, and information about financial institutions where you conduct business, is collected.
When underwriting your application for a Square account, additional personal information may be requested to verify your identity and manage risk. Square may ask you for your driver’s license number, social security number, birth date or other personal information. At times, Square will obtain information about you from third party verification services and credit bureaus.
When you use our service, your account transactions and transaction location is recorded. Information about your computer or access device may also be collected. Account and transaction information is collected through cookies and log files.
Buyer accounts
When you create a buyer account online, your name, email, payment card information, location or shipping information, and phone number may be collected.
Additional information from or about you may also be collected in other ways, including responses to customer surveys or your communications with Square Support.
Learn about the Square Buyer Account Terms of Use.
Square or our service providers may place cookies on your computer or device. Cookies are small data files that identify you when you use Square services. You have the option to decline cookies by using your browser’s settings tools, but this may interfere with your use of the Square website and services.
Square uses cookies and log file information to:
- Remember information so that you will not have to re-enter it during your visit or the next time you visit a Square site.
- Provide custom, personalized content and information.
- Monitor the effectiveness of Square services.
- Monitor aggregate metrics such as total number of visitors and traffic.
- Diagnose or fix technology problems reported by our customers or engineers that are associated with certain IP addresses.
- Help you efficiently access your information after you sign in.
Protect your personal information
You can take steps to keep your information secure by using strong, distinct passwords for all your online services. Password management software used on your computer or mobile device can help you generate and keep track of your passwords.
Square uses your personal information to provide you the features and functionality of the service, and may share it with our trusted third parties, to ensure that you have a safe, high-performance experience when using Square.
Knowing this information allows Square to verify your identity, communicate with you, and enforce Square’s agreements with you, as well as secure the best possible experience for all Square members by ensuring compliance with US state and federal laws and Square’s policies. Square may also use this information to measure how members use our services, and improve and enhance Square’s offerings to you.
Learn how to reset your password and set up two-step verification.
Information sharing with third parties
Square will not rent or sell your personal information to others but may share your personal information with third parties for the purpose of providing services to you. If we do this, such third parties’ use of your personal information is bound by terms at least as restrictive as our privacy policy. Square may store personal information in locations outside the direct control of Square, such as on servers or databases co-located with hosting providers.
Processing payments requires that we share your personal information with third parties, including but not limited to:
Service providers who provide a range of essential operational services including fraud prevention, transaction processing, collections, direct marketing, and managed technology services. Our contracts dictate that these service providers only use your information in connection with the services they perform for us and not for their own benefit.
Verification services and credit bureaus to underwrite your application for Square accounts and to comply with our legal credit reporting rights and obligations.
Financial institutions that allow us to offer your payment processing services, and partner with us to develop new offerings for you and other Square members.
Fellow Square members who may accept payments from you, or provide services to you, through using Square.
Law enforcement authorities or government representatives who may require us to share information in order to comply with court order and other legal mandates, or when we believe that disclosure is necessary to report suspicious activities, prevent physical harm, financial loss, or violations of our agreements and policies.
Other third parties, subject to your prior consent or direction.
Square may buy or sell assets or business offerings. Customer, member, transaction, email, and visitor information is generally one of the transferred business assets in these types of transactions. Square may also transfer such information in the course of corporate divestitures, mergers, or dissolution.
From time to time, Square may run contests, special offers, or other events or activities (“Events”) on Square services together with third party partners. If you provide information to such third parties, you give them permission to use it for the purpose of that event and any other use that you approve. Square cannot control third parties’ use of your information. If you do not want your information to be collected by or shared with a third party, you can choose not to participate in these events.
Except as otherwise described in this article or in the Square Privacy Notice, Square will not disclose personal information to any third party unless required to do so by law or subpoena or if we believe that such action is necessary to (a) conform to the law, comply with legal process served on us or our affiliates, or investigate, prevent, or take action regarding suspected or actual illegal activities; (b) to enforce our Terms, take precautions against liability, to investigate and defend ourselves against any third-party claims or allegations, to assist government enforcement agencies, or to protect the security or integrity of our site; and (c) to exercise or protect the rights, property, or personal safety of Square, our account holders or others.
Sharing buyer information
Information to help you and your customers recall transactions is available from the Transactions tab in Square Dashboard. Learn how to create customer groups and filters.
Decline to share personal information
You may decline to submit personally identifiable information through Square services, in which case Square may not be able to provide certain services to you. You may update or correct your account information at any time by logging in to your account. You can review and correct the information about you that Square keeps on file by contacting us.