Privacy Policy

Introduction

Welcome to College Community ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring you have a positive experience on our platform. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application and website (collectively, the "Service").

Important: By using College Community, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our Service.

Information We Collect

Information You Provide Directly

Account Information: When you register, we collect your name, educational email address (for verification), password, university/college/department affiliation, academic stage, and profile information (such as profile picture, bio, and social links).
User Content: Posts, replies, messages, photos, and other content you create or share on the platform.
Communications: Messages you send to other users, feedback you provide to us, and any communication with our support team.
Survey Responses: Information you provide in surveys, polls, or feedback forms.

Information Collected Automatically

Device Information: Device type, operating system, unique device identifiers, and mobile network information.
Log Data: IP address, browser type, pages visited, time and date of visits, time spent on pages, and other diagnostic data.
Push Notification Tokens: Device tokens for delivering push notifications when enabled.
Usage Data: Information about how you interact with our Service, including features used, content viewed, and actions taken.

Information from Third Parties

University Verification: We may verify your student status through your university's systems or third-party verification services.
Social Login: If you sign up using Google or Apple, we receive basic profile information from those services.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

Purpose	Description
Provide Services	To operate, maintain, and improve our platform and features
Personalization	To customize your experience and show relevant content from your campus
Communication	To send notifications, updates, security alerts, and support messages
Safety & Security	To verify accounts, prevent fraud, and ensure platform safety
Analytics	To understand usage patterns and improve our Service
Legal Compliance	To comply with legal obligations and protect our rights

How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

With Other Users

Your profile information, posts, and content you choose to share publicly will be visible to other users in your campus community. You can control your privacy settings within the app.

With Service Providers

We work with third-party companies to help us operate our Service, including:

Cloud hosting providers (data storage and processing)
Analytics providers (to understand app usage)
Email service providers (for notifications)
Customer support tools

For Legal Reasons

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or government request, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of College Community, our users, or others.

Business Transfers

If College Community is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

Data Security

We implement security measures to protect your information:

Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit using TLS/SSL
Secure Authentication: Password hashing and secure session management via Appwrite
Access Controls: Strict access controls limit who can access user data
Email Verification: OTP verification required before account activation
User Controls: Block users, report content, and control your privacy settings

While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. We encourage you to use strong passwords and be cautious about sharing sensitive information.

Your Rights and Choices

You have several rights regarding your personal information:

Access and Portability

You can request a copy of your data at any time through the app settings or by contacting us.

Correction

You can update your profile information directly in the app, or contact us to correct any inaccuracies.

Deletion

You can delete your account at any time. Upon deletion:

Your profile and posts will be removed from the platform
Some information may be retained for legal or legitimate business purposes
Content you shared with others (like messages) may remain visible to them

Privacy Settings

Within the app, you can control:

Who can see your social links (everyone, followers, or no one)
Mute specific chats and conversations
Push notification preferences (likes, replies, mentions, chats)
Block users from interacting with you

Opt-Out

You can opt out of:

Push notifications (via app settings or device settings)
Specific notification types (likes, replies, mentions, chats)
Quiet hours to pause notifications during specific times

Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services. After account deletion:

Most personal data is deleted within 30 days
Backup copies may be retained for up to 90 days
Some data may be retained longer for legal compliance, fraud prevention, or legitimate business purposes
Anonymized and aggregated data may be retained indefinitely for analytics

Children's Privacy

College Community is intended for college and university students who are 17 years of age or older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn we have collected information from a child under 13, we will delete it promptly. If you believe we have information about a child under 13, please contact us immediately.

International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including:

Standard contractual clauses approved by relevant authorities
Data processing agreements with all service providers
Compliance with applicable data protection laws

California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

Right to Know: Request details about the categories and specific pieces of personal information we collect
Right to Delete: Request deletion of your personal information
Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights
Shine the Light: Request information about disclosures to third parties for marketing purposes

To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@collegecommunity.app.

European Privacy Rights

If you are in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

Right to access your personal data
Right to rectification of inaccurate data
Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten")
Right to restrict processing
Right to data portability
Right to object to processing
Right to withdraw consent at any time

To exercise these rights or file a complaint, contact us or your local data protection authority.

Third-Party Links

Our Service may contain links to third-party websites, apps, or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any information.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make changes:

We will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page
For significant changes, we will notify you via email or in-app notification
Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy