Última atualização: September 10, 2026
The website "Rankely" (hereinafter "Platform") is operated by Rankely.
Rankely is the data controller responsible for processing Users' personal data in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR — Regulation (EU) 2016/679) and Law No. 58/2019 of August 8.
The Platform collects and processes the following personal data:
2.1 — Registration data: email address, account creation date, and authentication history.
2.2 — Geolocation data: GPS coordinates (latitude and longitude) when the user authorizes location access through the browser. Geolocation is used only to detect the user's city and is never permanently stored.
2.3 — Navigation data: IP address, browser type, operating system, pages visited, and access date/time. This data is automatically collected for security and service improvement purposes.
2.4 — Voting data: records of votes cast, including the voted Business, category, city, vote date/time, and email used.
2.5 — Usage data: browsing patterns, visit frequency, time spent on the Platform, and interactions with Business profiles.
Personal data is processed for the following purposes:
3.1 — Authentication and account management: the email address is used to authenticate the user via codes sent by email, eliminating the need for passwords.
3.2 — Voting system: voting data is processed to calculate monthly rankings and ensure each user votes only once per category and city.
3.3 — Fraud detection: navigation data, geolocation, and usage patterns are analyzed by artificial intelligence systems to detect and prevent voting fraud. See Section 7 for details.
3.4 — Platform functionality: geolocation is used to suggest the nearest city to the user and personalize the experience.
3.5 — Communications: the email address may be used to send account-related notifications, vote confirmations, and important Platform updates.
3.6 — Service improvement: usage data is analyzed in aggregate and anonymous form to improve user experience and Platform operation.
3.7 — Legal compliance: data may be processed to comply with legal obligations, respond to judicial requests, and protect Rankely's rights.
Personal data processing is based on the following legal grounds:
4.1 — Contract performance (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR): processing is necessary for the performance of these Terms of Use, including account registration, vote processing, and ranking management.
4.2 — Legitimate interest (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR): processing of navigation and geolocation data is necessary for fraud detection and ranking integrity protection.
4.3 — Consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR): geolocation is collected only with the user's explicit consent, which may be refused or revoked at any time.
4.4 — Legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR): processing may be necessary to comply with applicable legal obligations.
Rankely does not sell, rent, or share Users' personal data with third parties for marketing purposes.
Data may be shared with:
5.1 — Technical service providers: companies providing hosting, cloud storage, and technical infrastructure services, located in the European Union and contractually bound to ensure data confidentiality.
5.2 — Email providers: email sending services used for user authentication and notifications.
5.3 — Competent authorities: when required by law, court order, or request from public authorities.
5.4 — Payment processors: for future paid services, payment data is processed by PCI-DSS certified intermediaries and is not stored by Rankely
Personal data is stored on secure servers located in the European Union, in ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II certified data centers.
Security measures implemented:
6.1 — Transit encryption: all communications between the user and the Platform are protected by TLS 1.3 (HTTPS).
6.2 — Encryption at rest: stored data is encrypted using AES-256.
6.3 — Access control: access to personal data is limited to authorized Rankely employees, subject to confidentiality obligations.
6.4 — Monitoring: systems are continuously monitored to detect vulnerabilities and unauthorized access.
6.5 — Backups: regular encrypted backups are performed and stored in a separate location.
Voting and navigation data is retained for 24 months after the last account activity. After this period, data is anonymized or deleted.
Geolocation data is not permanently stored — it is processed in real-time and immediately discarded after city detection.
The Platform uses artificial intelligence systems to protect ranking integrity. These systems process personal data as follows:
7.1 — Behavioral analysis: AI algorithms analyze usage patterns (schedules, frequency, geolocation, device) to identify suspicious activity. Processed data includes IP address, navigation data, and voting history.
7.2 — Fraudulent account detection: the AI system analyzes account metadata to identify patterns consistent with bots, multiple accounts, or accounts created to manipulate votes.
7.3 — Vote validation: each vote receives a trust score calculated by AI based on multiple factors (geolocation, timestamp, voting pattern, user profile). Votes scoring below the threshold are automatically rejected.
7.4 — Human review: votes flagged as potentially fraudulent are forwarded for manual review before a final decision.
AI algorithms do not make automated decisions with significant legal effects on users. The final decision on account suspension is always made by a human.
Data used by AI systems is processed exclusively within the European Union and is not transferred to third countries.
In compliance with the GDPR and Law No. 58/2019, users have the following rights:
8.1 — Right of access (Art. 15): request information about personal data processed by Rankely
8.2 — Right to rectification (Art. 16): request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
8.3 — Right to erasure (Art. 17): request deletion of personal data ("right to be forgotten"), subject to legal retention obligations.
8.4 — Right to restriction (Art. 18): request restriction of personal data processing in certain circumstances.
8.5 — Right to data portability (Art. 20): request export of personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.
8.6 — Right to object (Art. 21): object to personal data processing based on legitimate interest.
8.7 — Right to revoke consent: revoke consent for geolocation processing at any time, without affecting the legality of prior processing.
8.8 — Right to lodge a complaint: file a complaint with the national data protection authority.
To exercise any of these rights, contact: [email protected]. Rankely responds to all requests within a maximum of 30 days.
The Platform uses the following tracking technologies:
9.1 — Essential cookies: strictly necessary cookies for Platform operation, including session management and authentication. These cookies do not require consent.
9.2 — Functional cookies: cookies that allow personalizing the user experience, such as city preference and display settings.
9.3 — Analytics cookies: cookies used to collect aggregate and anonymous data about Platform usage to improve the service.
Users can manage cookie preferences through their browser settings. Refusing essential cookies may affect Platform functionality.
The Platform does not use advertising or cross-site tracking cookies.
Users' personal data is processed and stored exclusively within the European Union.
There are no data transfers to countries outside the EU/EEA, except when strictly necessary and with adequate safeguards provided by the GDPR (standard contractual clauses, adequacy decisions, etc.).
Technical service providers used by Rankely are certified under the EU-US Data Privacy Framework or have standard contractual clauses approved by the European Commission.
The Platform is not directed at children under 16 years of age. Rankely does not intentionally collect personal data from children under 16.
If it is discovered that data from a child under 16 was collected without the consent of the parental responsibility holder, the data will be immediately deleted.
If you believe a child under 16 provided personal data to the Platform, contact: [email protected].
Rankely reserves the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time.
Changes are communicated through the Platform and, when significant, by email to registered users.
The updated version takes effect upon publication. The date of the last update is indicated at the top of this document.
Users are encouraged to review this Policy regularly.