Effective/Updated date: February 27, 2024

If you are a California resident, please see our Notice at Collection for California Residents. If you are a job applicant and reside in California, please see the Notice at Collection and Privacy Policy for California Job Applicants. 

This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) describes how Blend Labs, Inc. (“Blend,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, and discloses the information that we collect from and about users of the Blend website (https://blend.com/) (“Website”). We also describe the rights and choices you have regarding our use of your information.  For purposes of these Terms, “you” and “your” mean the user of our Website. Your use of our Website is subject to this Policy and our Terms of Use.

PLEASE READ THIS PRIVACY POLICY CAREFULLY TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE HANDLE YOUR INFORMATION. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY, PLEASE DO NOT USE THE WEBSITE.  By using any part of the Website, you consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of the information you provide as further outlined in this Policy.

This Policy does not apply to consumer information collected, used, and disclosed through the Blend Platform. Blend’s use of data provided through the Blend Platform is governed by the Blend Platform Privacy Policy.

(1) What Information Does Blend Collect?

We collect information in multiple ways, including when you provide information directly to us; when we passively collect information from you, such as from your browser or device that you use to access our Website; and from third parties.

(A) Categories of Information

As described further below and depending on how you use the Website and interact with us, we may collect the following categories of personal information about you or your use of the Website:

  • Identifiers (such as name and email address);
  • Commercial information (such as transaction data);
  • Internet or other network or device activity (such as browsing history and log data);
  • Professional or employment-related information (such as your place of employment);
  • Inference data about you (such as communication preferences); 
  • Location information (such as general location information inferred from an IP address); and
  • Other information that identifies or can be reasonably associated with you.

Blend does not collect or process sensitive personal information through this Website for the purpose of inferring characteristics about you.    

(B) Categories of Sources of Information

(i) Information You Provide to Us

We may collect information from you during your use of or access to the Website, such as when you, request a demo of or inquire for information about a Blend product or service; enter information on the Website (e.g., providing your email address to subscribe to our blog or register with Blend Community); or communicate with us (including through our customer support services or on third-party social media sites). We will collect any information that you choose to provide to us. The information we collect generally includes your name, email address, phone number, and information about your interactions with us.

(ii) Information Collected Automatically

Device/Usage Information: We may automatically collect certain information about the computer or devices (including mobile devices or tablets) you use to access the Website.We may collect and analyze information such as (a) IP addresses, unique device identifiers, and other information about your computer or device(s), browser types, browser language, operating system, mobile device carrier information and the location from which you accessed the Platform; and (b) information related to the ways in which you interact with the Website, such as mouse movements and scrolling, referring and exit web pages and URLs, platform type, number of clicks, domain names, landing pages, pages and content viewed and the order of those pages, statistical information about the use of the Website, amount of time spent on particular pages, date and time you used the Website, frequency of your use of the Website, error logs, and other similar information. As described further below, we may use third-party analytics providers and technologies, including cookies and similar tools, to assist in collecting this information.

Cookies and Other Electronic Technologies: We may also collect data about your use of the Website through the use of internet server logs, cookies, and/or tracking pixels. An internet server log is a file where website activity is stored. A cookie is a small text file that is placed on your computer when you visit a website that enables us to: (i) recognize your computer; (ii) store your preferences and settings; (iii) understand the web pages of the Website you have visited; (iv) enable your experience on the Website; (v) perform searches and analytics; and (vi) assist with security administrative functions. Some cookies are placed in your browser cache. Tracking pixels (sometimes referred to as web beacons or clear GIFs) are tiny electronic tags with a unique identifier that are embedded in websites, online ads, and/or email and are designed to provide usage information like page clicks, measure popularity of the Website and associated content, and access user cookies. We may update this Policy from time to time as we adopt new technologies to gather additional information through other methods.

Blocking cookies through your browser settings: Please note that you can change your settings to notify you when a cookie is being set or updated, or to block cookies altogether. Please consult the “Help” section of your browser for more information (e.g., Microsoft Edge; Google Chrome; Mozilla Firefox; or Apple Safari). Please note that by blocking any or all cookies, you may not have access to certain features or offerings of the Website.

(iii) Information from Third Parties

Our Website may include social media features, such as the Facebook or Twitter button or interactive mini-programs that run on our Website. These features may collect your IP address and which page you are visiting on our Website, and may set a cookie to enable the feature to function properly. Social media features and widgets are either hosted by a third party or hosted directly on our Website. Your interactions with these features are governed by the privacy statement of the company providing it.

Blend may also obtain information about you, from third parties, such as business partners, marketers, researchers, analysts, and other parties, that we may combine with other information collected about you or attribute to you based on your assignment to certain statistical groups.

(2) How Will Blend Use My Information?

We and our service providers may use the information we collect from and about you for the following business purposes:

  • To process and respond to your inquiries or to request your feedback, including through our customer support services;
  • For marketing and advertising purposes, including to contact you with information or surveys that we believe may be of interest to you regarding our Website, our products and service offerings and the product and service offerings of third parties;
  • To conduct internal research, analytics, and reporting, including without limitation to synthesize and derive insights from your use of the Website;
  • To improve the content and features of the Website and our other products or services;
  • To develop or deliver new products or services;
  • To personalize the content that you see on the Website;
  • To administer and troubleshoot the Website;
  • To comply with laws, regulations, and other legal process and procedure;
  • To establish, exercise, or defend our legal rights; and
  • To take steps that we reasonably believe to be necessary to protect the safety, security, and rights of Blend, its employees, service providers, and others.

We may also aggregate, de-identify, and/or anonymize any information collected through the Website in such a way that we cannot reasonably link the information to you or your device. We may use such aggregated, de-identified, or anonymized information for any purpose, including without limitation for research and marketing purposes.

Online and Email Analytics
We may use third-party web analytics services on the Website, such as Google Analytics. These service providers use the sort of technology previously described in the “Cookies and Other Electronic Technologies” section to collect information (including your IP address) to help us analyze how users use the Website, including by noting the third-party website from which you arrive, provide certain features to you, improve and develop the Website, monitor and analyze use of the Website, aid our technical administration, assist in our troubleshooting and customer support efforts, and verify that users have the authorization needed for us to process their requests.To prevent Google Analytics from using your information for analytics, you may install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on. If you get a new computer, install a new browser, erase or otherwise alter your browser’s cookie file (including upgrading certain browsers), you may clear the opt-out cookies, and you will need to re-visit the relevant opt-out page.If you receive email from us, we may use certain tools, such as clear GIFs, to collect data such as when you open our message or click on any links or banners our email contains. This information helps us make our communications with you more interesting and improve our Website.

Advertising
We may partner with third parties to display advertising on our website or engage service providers to manage our advertising on other sites. These providers may use cookies or similar technologies to provide you with advertising based upon your browsing activities and interests. If you wish to opt out of interest-based advertising, you may visit Your Advertising Choices.  Please note you may continue to receive generic ads.

Notice Concerning Do Not Track Signals
Do Not Track (“DNT”) is a privacy preference that users can set in certain web browsers. We are committed to providing you with meaningful choices about the information collected through the Website for third-party purposes, and that is why we provide choices provided by Google Analytics. However, we do not currently recognize or respond to browser-initiated DNT signals, as the internet industry is currently still working toward defining exactly what “DNT” means, what it means to comply with DNT, and a common approach to responding to DNT. Learn more about DNT at All About Do Not Track.

(3) How Will Blend Disclose My Information?

We and our service providers may disclose the categories of information identified above to the following categories of third parties as described in this section.

Affiliates and Subsidiaries of Blend. We may disclose information we collect from you to current and future affiliates and subsidiaries within the Blend family of companies.

Service Providers and Other Third-Parties. We may provide access to or disclose your information to select service providers and third parties who perform services on our behalf, including without limitation marketing, market research, customer support, data storage, analysis and processing, and legal services.

Protection of Blend and Others. By using the Website, you acknowledge, consent, and agree that we may access, preserve, and disclose your information if required to do so by law or in a good faith belief that such access, preservation, or disclosure is reasonably necessary to: (a) comply with legal process; (b) enforce our Terms of Use, this Policy, or other contracts with you, including investigation of potential violations thereof; (c) respond to claims that any content violates the rights of third parties; (d) respond to your requests for customer service; and/or (e) protect the rights, property, or personal safety of Blend, its agents and affiliates, and/or its users and/or the public. This includes exchanging information with other companies and organizations for fraud protection, spam/malware prevention, and similar purposes.

Business Transfers. As we continue to develop our business, we may buy or merge with other companies. In such transactions (including in contemplation of such transactions, e.g., due diligence), your information may be among the transferred assets. If a portion or all of Blend’s assets are sold or transferred to a third party pursuant to a corporate purchase, sale, or merger, your information may be one of the transferred business assets.

Consent. With your consent, we may also disclose your information to other third parties.

Blend may also disclose aggregated, de-identified and/or anonymized information for any purpose to third parties, including without limitation advertisers and promotional partners.

(4) How Does Blend Secure My Data?

We have implemented administrative, technical, and physical security measures to protect against the loss, misuse, and/or alteration of your information. By using our Website, you acknowledge and accept that we cannot guarantee the security of your information transmitted to, through, or on our Website and that any such transmission is at your own risk.

(5) What Choices Do I Have?

(A) Accessing, Updating, and Deleting Your Information. You may be able to add, update, or edit certain information while using the Website. When you update information, however, we may maintain a copy of the unrevised information in our records to the extent necessary for legal compliance purposes and where permitted by applicable law.

(B) California Residents. This section of the Policy applies solely to those individuals who reside in the State of California (“consumers” or “you”). We are providing this policy in compliance with the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (“CCPA”), as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (“CPRA”), and other applicable California privacy laws.  Any terms used in this section that are not defined in the Policy itself have the same definition as used in the CCPA/CPRA, and its implementing regulations.

(i) Notice at Collection for California Residents

(a) What Information We Collect: We collect the categories of information disclosed above in the “Categories of Information” section of the Policy, and we collect that information from the categories of sources described above in “Categories of Sources of Information.” The exact information we collect, and the sources, about you depends on what products/services you use and how you use our Website and interact with us. We base the information in this disclosure on our data collection practices over the previous 12 months until present time.

(b) How We Use and Disclose Your Information: We collect and use your information for the business or commercial purposes described above in the “How Will Blend Use My Information” section of the Policy, and we disclose your information to the categories of third parties described above in “How Will Blend Disclose My Information.” Exactly how we use your information depends on what products/services you use and how you use our Website and interact with us. We base the information in this disclosure on our data collection and disclosure practices over the previous 12 months until present time.

(ii) Right to Know: California law provides California consumers with the right to request that covered businesses that collect your personal information provide you with the following: (i) the categories of personal information the business has collected about you; (ii) the categories of sources of such information; (iii) the business or commercial purpose for collecting, selling or sharing your personal information (as applicable); (iv) the categories of third parties to whom the business discloses  personal information; and (v) the specific pieces of personal information the business has collected about you.  To the extent applicable, a covered business must also disclose (i) the categories of your personal information that the business sold or shared (and to which categories of third parties); and (ii) the categories of your personal information that the business disclosed for a business purpose (and to which categories of persons). This “Right to Know” is subject to certain exceptions.  Please see below under “Contact us” for information on how to submit an access request.

(iii) Right to Delete: California law provides California consumers with the right to request that covered businesses delete personal information that they have collected from you. This “Right to Delete” is subject to certain exceptions. Please note, we need certain types of information so that we can provide the services to you. If you request deletion of your information and we are required to delete your information, you may no longer be able to access or use the services we provide. Please see below under “Contact us” for information on how to submit a deletion request.

(iv) Right to Correct: California law provides California consumers with the right to request that covered businesses that maintain inaccurate personal information about you correct that information. This “Right to Correct” is subject to certain exceptions. Please see below under “Contact us” for information on how to submit a correction request.

(v) Right to Limit: While California law provides California consumers with the right to request that covered businesses limit the use and disclosure of sensitive personal information that is collected or processed with the purpose of inferring characteristics about you (subject to certain exceptions), Blend does not collect or process sensitive personal information through this Website for the purpose of inferring characteristics about you, as we understand those terms to be defined by the CCPA/CPRA and its implementing regulations.  

(vi) Blend Does Not Sell or Share Your Data: While the CCPA/CPRA provides California consumers with the right to opt out of the “sale” or “sharing” of their personal information (subject to certain exceptions), Blend has not “sold” or “shared” consumer personal information in the preceding 12 months and does not “sell” or “share” your personal information as we understand those terms to be defined by the CCPA/CPRA and its implementing regulations.

(vii) Authorized Agent: When a consumer uses an authorized agent to submit a request to know, correct or delete, a business may require that the consumer do the following (this does not apply when a consumer has provided the authorized agent with power of attorney pursuant to Probate Code sections 4000 to 4465):

(a)  Provide the authorized agent signed permission to do so.

(b) Verify their own identity directly with the business.

(c) Directly confirm with the business that they provided the authorized agent permission to submit the request.

A business may deny a request from an authorized agent that does not submit proof that they have been authorized by the consumer to act on their behalf. To make an authorized request on behalf of another pursuant to consumer rights provided by California law, please use the Data Request Form or call 866-602-9022.

(viii) Additional Rights: Under California Civil Code Sections 1798.83-1798.84, California residents are entitled to ask certain covered businesses for a notice (a) identifying the categories of personal information (as defined by California law) that are disclosed to third parties for their own marketing purposes and (b) providing contact information for such third parties. However, as disclosed here in our Privacy Policy, Blend does not disclose such personal information for these purposes.

(ix) Financial Incentives: Blend does not offer financial incentives for the collection of your data. 

(x) Right of No Retaliation: You also have the right to not be discriminated against for exercising your rights under the CCPA/CPRA. If you exercise your rights under the CCPA/CPRA, we will not:

(a)  Deny you goods or services.

(b)  Charge you different prices or rates for goods or services, including through granting discounts or other benefits, or imposing penalties.

(c)  Provide you a different level or quality of goods or services.

(d)  Suggest that you may receive a different price or rate for goods or services or a different level or quality of goods or services.

(e) Retaliate against an employee, applicant for employment, or independent contractor, as those terms are defined in California Civil Code Section 1798.145.

(xi) How other data privacy laws may affect your ability to request access to, correct, limit or delete, your data: Please note that your rights and choices regarding your personal information are often subject to other laws. Personal information collected pursuant to other laws, such as information governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, and the California Financial Information Privacy Act, may be exempt from requests to access, correct, limit or delete data.

(xii) Contact us: If you would like to make a request to exercise any of these rights, please use the Data Request Form or call 866-602-9022. You will be required to verify your identity before we fulfill your request. You can also designate an authorized agent as described above.

(6) What Is Blend’s Responsibility for Third-Party Links on the Website?

The Website may contain links to, or the ability for you to access, third-party websites, applications, and other services available to support Website operations and functionality. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites and services. If you submit information to any of those websites, your information is governed by their privacy statements. We encourage our users to be aware when they access third-party websites and/or leave the Website and to read the privacy statements of each and every site they visit that collects their information.

(7) What Is Blend’s Policy on Children?

We do not knowingly collect or solicit personal information (as defined by the “Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act”) from anyone under the age of 13. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under age 13, we will take reasonable steps to delete it as quickly as possible. If you believe that a child under 13 may have provided us personal information, please contact privacy@blend.com.

(8) What is Blend’s Policy on Retaining Information?

We keep your information for no longer than necessary for the purposes for which it is processed and/or as required to comply with applicable laws. The length of time for which we retain information depends on the purposes for which we collect and use it.

(9) Employment Applications

The Website may contain careers sections that allow you to apply for employment at Blend and its subsidiaries. If you are a California job applicant, please see our Notice at Collection and Privacy Policy for California Job Applicants.

(10) Will Blend Change This Policy?

We reserve the right to change this Policy at any time to reflect changes in the law, our data collection and use practices, the features of the Website, or advances in technology. Please check this page periodically for changes. Your continued use of the Website following the posting of changes to this Policy will mean you accept those changes. 

(11) What If I Have Questions About This Privacy Policy?

If you have any questions or concerns regarding our Privacy Policy, please send us a detailed message to privacy@blend.com and we will try to resolve your concerns.