Source: 🛜 Follow Up Boss Privacy Notice Addendum
Source: 📥 Follow Up Boss Privacy Notice Addendum — Captured March 30, 2026
Note: 📒 Screenshots 💁🏻♀️ in this chapter were captured on March 30, 2026, except as otherwise noted.
You Lost Me at Hello
1. Introduction
Follow Up Boss (“FUB”) is a brand of Zillow, Inc. (“ZINC,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) and operates under ZINC’s control. This FUB Addendum to the Zillow Privacy Notice (“Addendum”) explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard information when Customers or Visitors (“you”) use or interact with the Follow Up Boss Services (defined below).
This Addendum is also a part of FUB’s Terms of Service and should be read in conjunction with Zillow’s Terms of Use, Privacy Notice, Acceptable Use Policy, Good Neighbor Policy, and any applicable Order. Capitalized terms not defined herein will have the meaning set forth in the FUB Terms of Service.
We may update this Addendum at any time. In the event of material changes, we will make reasonable efforts to notify you, for example, by posting the revised version on our website prior to the Effective Date. Continued use of the Services constitutes acceptance.
Source: 💁🏻♀️ Follow Up Boss Privacy Notice Addendum — 1. Introduction
I have to read five other documents and find the definition of “Order.” I do not know what Zillow’s notions of “material change” and “reasonable efforts” are. There is no indication of how far in advance of the Effective Date a revised version will be posted.
I am 149 words in and already looking for the exit.
Customer Defined
2. Definitions
“Customer” has the meaning provided in Follow Up Boss’s Terms of Service.
Source: 💁🏻♀️ Follow Up Boss Privacy Notice Addendum — 2. Customer Defined
Follow Up Boss Terms of Service
Follow Up Boss (“FUB” or “Follow Up Boss” is a brand of Zillow, Inc. (“Zillow,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) These Follow Up Boss Terms of Service, together with our Acceptable Use Policy, Privacy Policy, Good Neighbor Policy, and any Order, collectively constitute a binding agreement (collectively, the “Terms”) between Zillow and you or the legal entity you represent (“Customer,” “you” or “your”), concerning the Services (defined below).
Source: 💁🏻♀️ Follow Up Boss Terms of Service — Customer Defined — Captured March 22, 2026
Customer Data Defined
2. Definitions
“Customer Data” means any data or information about a Customer or Authorized User provided, submitted, posted, or transmitted by or on behalf of a Customer or its Authorized Users in connection with the Services, or collected through the Services from a Customer or Authorized User, as well as Personal Information of Visitors.
Source: 💁🏻♀️ Follow Up Boss Privacy Notice Addendum — 2. Customer Data Defined
End Customer and End Customer Data Defined
2. Definitions
“End Customer” means an individual: (i) to whom Customer or its Authorized Users send Customer Communications (see Section 4) to in connection with the Services (e.g., existing clients and prospects) and (ii) whose information is collected through the Services used by Customer or its Authorized Users.
“End Customer Data” means personal information about your End Customers (e.g., existing clients and prospects), such as your Contact List and the content of your communications (e.g., texts, phone calls, emails) with End Customers.
Source: 💁🏻♀️ Follow Up Boss Privacy Notice Addendum — 2. End Customer and End Customer Data Defined
The Real End Customer
Law Insider reads, “End Customer means the individual or entity that purchases Products from the Retailer.”
Every phone call, text message, and email, by its very nature, belongs to at least two people. Zillow invented its own definition of “End Customer,” which names the customer of its customer and departs from the industry meaning. I write more on this in Chapter 3.2 .
The “Mutual Customer” Concept
2. Definitions
“Mutual Customer” means an End Customer with whom Zillow has an independent customer relationship (e.g., a buyer or seller who creates a Zillow account).
“Mutual Customer Data” means End Customer Data of a Mutual Customer.
Source: 💁🏻♀️ Follow Up Boss Privacy Notice Addendum — 2. Mutual Customer Defined
Cage Match — Zillow v. Merriam-Webster
Round 1
- Zillow’s definition of a “Customer” would include a consumer who creates a Zillow.com profile. She provides a name and email address so she can look at homes, receive notifications, save her favorites, and maybe buy something. It is Pinterest for real estate.
- Merriam-Webster defines “Customer” as “one that purchases a commodity or service.”
Round 2
- Zillow’s definition of a “Mutual Customer” would include the person who paid a professional to work for her and her family for months to buy or sell their home and also gave Zillow her name and email address.
- Merriam-Webster defines “Mutual” as “shared in common” or “joint,” as in “to their mutual advantage.”
Jean Scott Homes has no mutual customer agreement with Zillow.
A Cross-Reference
3. How We Collect Information
... Mutual Customer Data is also subject to the Zillow Privacy Notice and will also be processed as described therein.
I write about the Zillow Group Website Privacy Notice coming up in Chapter 3.4 .
Source: 💁🏻♀️ Follow Up Boss Privacy Notice Addendum — 3. How We Collect Information
Electronic Communications Collected
4. Information We Collect Through the Services
Customer Communications: the content of messages and related data exchanged between Customers (or their Authorized Users) and End Customers through the Services, including emails, text messages, phone calls, and other communications sent or received via the Follow Up Boss platform.
Source: 💁🏻♀️ Follow Up Boss Privacy Notice Addendum — 4. Information We Collect
Communications “exchanged between Customers” and “sent or received” are past tense with no start date. That covers every communication ever sent or received on the platform.
Restrictions on Data Storage
4. Information We Collect Through the Services
Do not upload or share any of the following types of information through the Services.
Government-issued identifiers (e.g., Social Security Numbers or driver’s license numbers);
Personal health or financial information subject to HIPAA or GLBA, including payment information, such as bank account or payment card numbers; and
Personal Information from or about children under 18.
Source: 💁🏻♀️ Follow Up Boss Privacy Notice Addendum — 4. Restrictions on Data Storage
Follow Up Boss is Rendered Useless
In the normal course of practice, a real estate professional keeps detailed notes on a client’s family situation, reasons for moving, must-have home features, and housing budget. Those records also include financial documents, home-sale strategies, and how much the family needs to net from the sale.
Prohibiting these categories of information makes the service that the professional is paying for useless to her.
The obvious question is, “Why is Zillow prohibiting this data?” Indemnification — that is next in Chapter 3.2 .
A Blank Check
5. How We Use Information
Provide, create, operate, develop, personalize, maintain, and improve, including by using internally-developed or licensed artificial intelligence and machine learning,: (a) the Services, and (b) our other products and services (including those provided directly or indirectly), but not using Agent-Only Customer Data for the purposes described in (b).
Create aggregated or de-identified data from Personal Information. Aggregated or de-identified data is not subject to this Privacy Notice and we may use it or share it with third parties for lawful business purposes.
Facilitate communication between Customers and End Customers.
Carry out other purposes with your consent, such as posting your testimonials or endorsements.
Source: 💁🏻♀️ Follow Up Boss Privacy Notice Addendum — 5. How We Use Information
“Such as...” is a smokescreen and could be anything. “Such as in connection with a sale of assets” would be equally accurate.
Hold that quote for just a minute.
Blank Check II
6. How We Share Information
Our Service Providers, including hosting vendors, analytics partners, and payment processors. We allow Service Providers to use Customer Data and End Customer Data only as instructed to provide services to us.
ZINC affiliates for service optimization, product research and development, and internal business operations, but we will not share Agent-Only Customer Data for this purpose.
Source: 💁🏻♀️ Follow Up Boss Privacy Notice Addendum — 6. How We Share Information
The Legal Information Institute at Cornell Law School reads, “The term ‘affiliate’ means any company that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with another company.”
The terms “Service Providers” and “ZINC affiliates” could be any person or entity that provides a service to Zillow or that Zillow has an affiliated relationship with.
In Connection with a Sale of Assets
6. How We Share Information
Affiliated companies or successors as permitted by law to facilitate business transitions. In connection with a merger, acquisition, sale of assets, bankruptcy, or other corporate transaction, we may disclose or transfer some or all of your Customer Data and End Customer Data as part of the business transfer. If there is a material change in ownership or control of your Customer Data and End Customer Data, we will provide notice as set forth herein.
Third-Party integration partners when you authorize connections to external tools (e.g., lead platforms, calendar integrations). This includes your use of the [Follow Up Boss] API to transfer End Customer Data to and from third parties of your choosing.
Carriers and Communications Providers as necessary to deliver client communications such as SMS, phone, and email messages.
Source: 💁🏻♀️ Follow Up Boss Privacy Notice Addendum — 6. How We Share Information [emphasis added]
Customer Data and End Customer Data may be disclosed or transferred to affiliated companies in connection with a sale of assets.
For every sale, there is a person or entity making the sale and another making the purchase. The agreement is commonly named a Contract for Sale and Purchase.
The contract indicates the names of the buyer(s) and seller(s), the asset(s) being sold and purchased, and the consideration the seller is receiving in exchange.
If the data is disclosed or transferred in connection with a sale of assets, then it is by definition transferred in connection with a purchase of assets.
The assets referenced are undefined and could be anything of value. Gold, cryptocurrency, and real estate are assets, for example.
Sale of Assets and the SEC
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission is a ground-truth source on matters material to the operations and valuation of a publicly traded company. Under Sarbanes-Oxley Sections 302 and 906, the CEO and CFO must personally certify in writing that their company’s SEC annual and quarterly reports fairly present its financial condition.
I looked at Zillow’s most recent SEC filing for the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2026. I cannot find a line item on the income statement that recognizes revenue from the sale of assets, or a line item on the balance sheet that recognizes these assets. I do not know the reason.
Source: 🛜 United States Securities and Exchange Commission | Zillow Group, Inc. Form 10-Q — Sept. 30, 2026
The Mutual Customer Data Reveal
The numbers in this section are based on my work that I write about in Chapter 6 , Chapter 7 , and Chapter 8 .
Jean Scott Homes’ IP potentially subject to the Mutual Customer policy includes 6,858 notes and 2,203 text messages that contain information about customers’ financial, medical, legal, and family matters.
Notes are a contemporaneous record of a conversation or event. Combined, the notes and text messages include, most notably:
- 192 conversations that reference a death.
- 158 conversations that include details of a divorce.
- 78 conversations that disclose mental health conditions.
- 4 conversations that document domestic violence.
Expectations of Confidentiality
Jean Scott Homes’ customers have an accurate expectation that the communication, information, and relationship that they share with Jean and her team are kept private and secure. They are promised that. (I cannot prove it. Zillow withheld the recordings and transcripts.)
The prospect that all of it would be in the possession of Zillow and its affiliates is beyond the realm of what anyone thought possible.
It still is.
Law Enforcement Personnel
Jean Scott Homes’ IP includes consumers’ occupations that they share with the team. Those records include local, state, and federal law enforcement officers. Under Florida Statute 119.071(4)(d), their home addresses and phone numbers are exempt from public records disclosure to protect them and their families.
2.a. The home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, and photographs of active or former sworn law enforcement personnel ... the names, home addresses, telephone numbers, photographs, dates of birth, and places of employment of the spouses and children of such personnel ... are exempt from s. 119.07(1) [Florida’s Public Records Law] ...
Source: 🛜 119.071 General exemptions from inspection or copying of public records.—
Zillow has that information.
Attorney-Client Privilege
I do not know how many emails and phone calls include direct communication with attorneys representing customers of Jean Scott Homes. Jean Scott Homes’ operational policy is that those emails and phone calls are protected by attorney-client privilege. The policy does not have a provision for this contingency.
Phone Calls
The Follow Up Boss API indicates that team members are parties to 50,502 phone calls in Follow Up Boss. I have the dates and times, duration, and almost all the phone numbers. The recordings and transcripts are excluded from the download. That is covered in Chapter 7 .
Emails
I have all Jean Scott Homes’ emails in my possession. They are stored in a Microsoft data center. Zillow has copies.
I conservatively estimate that Zillow has copies of 500,000 emails in its possession (50 per day per team member x 8 team members x 3 1/2 years). I do not know how much history prior to May 2022 was downloaded during initial setup.
Emails regarding homes under contract commonly have five or more people in the thread. I do not know how many documents related to real estate transactions were attached to emails that are in Zillow’s possession. There are simply too many.
Jean Scott Makes a Cameo
The following is a verbatim quote from 1 of the 160,872 text messages that Zillow has in its possession. It is shared here with Jean Scott’s express consent.
October 11, 2024, 12:26 PM
Hey Jean! I spoke with [Mutual Best Friend] and she filled me in on everything you’ve been going through 😔 I’m so sorry to hear about your diagnosis...I know it’s not a fun process. I just wanted to reach out to you and let you know I’m thinking about you and please do not hesitate to call if you need ANYTHING! Someone to go to appts, a meal, any way I can help! 🙏🏼😍
Article text and tables licensed under CC BY 4.0. Source documents belong to their owners.
Published