9. Termination of Service

This section governs the termination of your access to the DirConnect Directory platform, including user accounts, business listings, and associated services. By using DirConnect, you agree that your access may be terminated under the conditions outlined below.

9.1 User Right to Terminate

You may terminate your account and cease using DirConnect at any time. To terminate your account:

• Navigate to your Account Settings panel.
• Select the "Manage Account" tab.
• Click on "Delete Account" and confirm your action.
• Alternatively, send a written request to support@dirconnect.com with the subject line "Account Termination Request".

Upon confirmation, your account will be deactivated within 24 hours. Please review Section 9.4 regarding data retention following termination.

9.2 DirConnect Right to Terminate

DirConnect reserves the right to suspend or terminate your account and access to the services, at our sole discretion, without prior notice, if you:

• Breach any provision of these Terms of Service.
• Engage in fraudulent, illegal, or harmful activities.
• Violate applicable local, state, or federal laws and regulations.
• Infringe upon the intellectual property rights of third parties.
• Fail to make required payments for paid subscription tiers (if applicable).
• Use automated systems to scrape, manipulate, or overload the directory services.

In cases of severe violation, DirConnect may terminate access immediately. For less severe breaches, we may provide a warning and a cure period of up to 30 days to rectify the violation.

9.3 Effects of Termination

Upon termination of your account, whether by you or by DirConnect:

• Your right to access the platform and services will cease immediately.
• Your business listing may be taken offline or flagged as "Closed/Terminated".
• Any outstanding obligations or payments owed to DirConnect remain enforceable.
• DirConnect is not liable for any loss of data, revenue, or reputation resulting from termination.

9.4 Data Retention and Deletion

Following termination, DirConnect will handle your data as follows:

• Personal Data: We will delete your personal information within 30 days, unless retention is required by law or for legitimate business purposes (e.g., dispute resolution).
• Public Listings: Content contributed by you may remain in cached search results or third-party archives for a reasonable period.
• Legal Holds: If a legal dispute exists, data may be retained until the matter is resolved.

Users may request a data export or deletion via the Privacy Center within the account dashboard prior to termination.

9.5 Surviving Provisions

Certain provisions of the Terms of Service shall survive termination, including but not limited to:

• Intellectual Property Rights.
• Indemnification obligations.
• Limitation of Liability.
• Dispute Resolution and Governing Law.