Break Mates – Privacy Policy
Break Mates respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding your data.
1. Information We Collect
When you create an account or use Break Mates, we collect the following information:
- Display Name / Username – to identify you within the app.
- Gender (optional, includes "Prefer not to say") – only if you choose to provide it.
- Major and School – to help connect you with students in similar fields.
- Bio – text to describe yourself.
- Social Media (Instagram, Snapchat) – Only one is needed.
- Break Times – required to match you with users who share the same breaks.
- Profile Picture – users upload an image of themselves. This image is stored securely and displayed only within the app to help users recognize each other.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information you provide for the following purposes:
- To connect you with other users who share similar breaks.
- To display your profile (name, optional picture, bio, school, major, and social links) on the Explore page.
- To allow optional social media connections (Instagram, Snapchat).
- To personalize your app experience.
- To improve Break Mates features and functionality.
We do not use your data for advertising, facial recognition, or biometric analysis.
3. Data Sharing and Disclosure
- We do not sell, rent, or share your personal data with third parties.
- Your information is only used within the app as described above.
- Social Media Links are visible only to other users.
- Profile Pictures are never shared outside the app or with third parties.
4. Data Storage and Retention
- All personal data is stored securely on our servers and transmitted over encrypted connections (HTTPS).
- Your data is retained as long as your account is active.
- You may delete your account at any time, which permanently removes your profile and associated data from our servers.
- Profile pictures and social media links can also be removed by editing your account settings.
5. User Rights
You have the right to:
- Access the information we store about you.
- Update or correct your account details.
- Delete your account and all associated data.
- Choose not to provide optional information (gender, one of the social media).
6. Security Measures
We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information:
- All data is transmitted using secure HTTPS encryption.
- User passwords are securely hashed and cannot be viewed by our team.
- Access to user data is restricted to authorized personnel only.
- Regular security audits and updates are performed to maintain data protection.
- Profile pictures are stored on secure servers with restricted access.
7. Age Requirements
Break Mates is intended for users who are at least 13 years of age. If you are under 13, please do not use this app or provide any personal information. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will delete that information as quickly as possible.
8. Third-Party Services
Break Mates may use third-party services for:
- Cloud storage and hosting services to store and process your data securely.
- Authentication services for secure account creation and login.
These third-party providers are bound by their own privacy policies and are required to protect your data according to industry standards.
9. App Permissions
Break Mates may request the following device permissions:
- Camera/Photo Library – to allow you to upload profile pictures.
- Network Access – to connect to our servers and enable app functionality.
You can manage these permissions through your device's settings at any time.
10. Inactive Accounts
- Accounts that remain inactive for more than 2 years may be automatically deleted.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices. Updates will be posted within the app and on our website.
12. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your data is handled, please contact us at: