Public.com · Public.com Privacy Policy · View original document ↗

Automatic Data Collection via Tracking Technologies

Medium severity Medium confidence Explicitdocumentlanguage Unique · 0 of 325 platforms
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Document Record

What it is

Public automatically collects technical information about how you use its platform, including your IP address, the pages you visit, how long you stay, and data gathered through cookies and tracking pixels.

This analysis describes what Public.com's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology

ConductAtlas Analysis

Why it matters (compliance & governance perspective)

This automatic collection occurs whether or not you actively provide information, and the data gathered may be shared with advertising and analytics vendors, some of whom may use it for cross-site tracking purposes.

Interpretive note: The specific third-party tracking vendors and the scope of data transmitted to them are not named in the policy, creating ambiguity about whether disclosed sharing categories fully capture actual data flows.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Simply browsing the Public website or app results in collection of your IP address, browsing behavior, and device identifiers through cookies and tracking pixels. This data may be shared with third-party analytics and advertising partners.

What you can do

⚠️ These actions may provide transparency or partial mitigation but may not fully address the underlying issue. Effectiveness varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances.
  • Delete Your Data
    Contact support@public.com to request opt-out of tracking-based data sharing for advertising purposes. California residents can also use a Global Privacy Control-enabled browser to signal opt-out preferences automatically.

How other platforms handle this

Cerebras Medium

We, or vendors we engage, may automatically collect information about your use of our website or services through cookies and similar technologies. This may include navigational and network-related activity such as your device's IP address, browser type and operating system; the length of time you v...

PlanetScale Medium

When you visit the Careers portion of our websites, we collect the information that you provide to us in connection with your job application. This includes but is not limited to business and personal contact information, professional credentials and skills, educational and work history and other in...

American Airlines Medium

American does not knowingly collect personal information directly from children – persons under the age of 13, or another age if required by applicable law – other than when required to comply with the law or for safety and security reasons. Due to the nature of our Services, we may collect travel i...

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▸ View Original Clause Language DOCUMENT RECORD
"
When you use our Services, we automatically collect certain information about your device and usage, including log data (such as your IP address, browser type, pages visited, and time spent), device information, and information collected through cookies, web beacons, pixels, and similar tracking technologies.

— Excerpt from Public.com's Public.com Privacy Policy

ConductAtlas Analysis

Institutional analysis (Compliance & governance intelligence)

REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: Tracking technology practices engage the FTC Act (deceptive practices in disclosures about tracking), CCPA/CPRA (which treats certain tracking as 'sharing' for cross-context behavioral advertising requiring an opt-out), and the EU ePrivacy Directive (if EU users access the platform). For California residents, the use of third-party pixels and trackers that enable cross-context behavioral advertising requires a 'Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information' opt-out mechanism. The FTC is the primary federal enforcement authority. The California Privacy Protection Agency enforces CPRA. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. Third-party tracking pixels (including Meta Pixel, Google Analytics, and similar tools) have been the subject of regulatory enforcement actions in healthcare and financial services contexts where sensitive behavioral data was transmitted to advertising platforms without adequate disclosure. Public's use of Google Tag Manager is visible in the page source, indicating active use of third-party analytics infrastructure. JURISDICTION FLAGS: California CPRA's opt-out of 'sharing' specifically covers data sent to advertising platforms for cross-context behavioral advertising. EU and UK users would require compliance with ePrivacy and GDPR consent requirements for non-essential cookies. The policy reviewed does not clearly address EU/UK user rights. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Legal teams should audit the specific third-party pixels and tracking technologies deployed on Public's web properties to confirm that data transmitted to those vendors is disclosed in the privacy policy and covered by appropriate data processing agreements. Pixel-based data sharing with advertising platforms may constitute 'sharing' under CCPA/CPRA regardless of whether Public receives direct payment. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: A cookie audit is recommended to inventory all tracking technologies deployed, confirm the categories of data transmitted to third parties, and verify that opt-out mechanisms (including Global Privacy Control signal recognition, which CPPA has indicated is required in California) are operational.

Full compliance analysis

Regulatory citations, enforcement risk, and due diligence action items.

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Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    The FTC has authority over deceptive tracking practices and enforces against undisclosed data sharing with advertising platforms under the FTC Act
    File a complaint →
  • State AG
    California's Privacy Protection Agency and Attorney General enforce CPRA opt-out requirements for cross-context behavioral advertising via tracking technologies
    File a complaint →

Applicable regulations

CCPA/CPRA
California, USA
Connecticut Data Privacy Act Amendments
US-CT
CAN-SPAM
United States Federal
FCRA
United States Federal
FTC Act Section 5
United States Federal
GLBA
United States Federal
Indiana Consumer Data Protection Act
US-IN
Kentucky Consumer Data Protection Act
US-KY
Universal Opt-Out Mechanism Expansion 2026
US

Provision details

Document information
Document
Public.com Privacy Policy
Entity
Public.com
Document last updated
May 5, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
May 10, 2026
Last verified
May 10, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-008307
Document ID
CA-D-00059
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Content hash (SHA-256)
a07b52ddfafc2a838aea9b789299061ff0a84d7fee90d9b754e1fbb76cf982de
Analysis generated
May 10, 2026 05:02 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Hash verified
Citation Record
Entity: Public.com
Document: Public.com Privacy Policy
Record ID: CA-P-008307
Captured: 2026-05-10 05:02:53 UTC
SHA-256: a07b52ddfafc2a83…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/publiccom/publiccom-privacy-policy/automatic-data-collection-via-tracking-technologies/
Accessed: May 13, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
Medium
Categories

Other risks in this policy

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Public.com's Automatic Data Collection via Tracking Technologies clause do?

This automatic collection occurs whether or not you actively provide information, and the data gathered may be shared with advertising and analytics vendors, some of whom may use it for cross-site tracking purposes.

How does this clause affect you?

Simply browsing the Public website or app results in collection of your IP address, browsing behavior, and device identifiers through cookies and tracking pixels. This data may be shared with third-party analytics and advertising partners.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with Public.com?

No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Public.com.