Privacy Policy

Last Updated: January 15, 2025

At Harbor, we believe that meaningful connections start with trust and privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information to help you build genuine connection. By using Harbor, you agree to the practices described below.

1. Information We Collect

• We collect only the information necessary to help you connect meaningfully, such as your name, Cornell affiliation, photos, and personality responses.
• We collect your Cornell email address for account creation and verification purposes.
• We may collect usage information to improve your connection experience and make the app more helpful for building connection.
• Your data is used solely to help you find meaningful connections and enhance your connection-building experience on Harbor.
• We do not sell or share your personal information with third parties. Your data stays with us to support your connection journey.

2. Image Privacy & Consent

• Your images are blurred by default to protect your privacy until you give consent.
• Your unblurred images and identifying information are only revealed to another user after you explicitly give consent by clicking "Continue" when prompted in the chat.
• We are not responsible for anyone seeing your images after you have given consent (i.e., after you click "Continue").
• Images are stored securely with appropriate access controls.
• We use a progressive blur system that gradually reveals images based on mutual consent and conversation length.

3. Account Deletion & Data Removal

• You can delete your account and all associated data at any time using the "Delete Account" button in the app settings.
• When you delete your account, we permanently erase all your personal data, images, connections, conversations, and swipes from our servers.
• We also remove your data from all messaging and storage systems we use.
• Account deletion is irreversible and cannot be undone.
• We will also delete your authentication account and all associated authentication data.

4. Data Security

• We use industry-standard security measures to protect your data from unauthorized access, disclosure, or destruction.
• All data is encrypted in transit and at rest using secure infrastructure.
• Despite our efforts, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.
• We regularly review and update our security practices to protect your information.
• Access to user data is restricted to authorized personnel only.

5. Third-Party Services

• We use trusted third-party services for authentication, database, storage, and cloud functions.
• We use a messaging service for chat functionality.
• We use an email service for verification codes.
• These services have their own privacy policies and security measures.
• We do not share your personal information with these services beyond what is necessary for app functionality.

6. Children's Privacy

• Harbor is intended for users aged 18 and older.
• We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18.
• If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 18, we will take steps to delete such information.

7. Data Retention

• We retain your data only as long as your account is active.
• When you delete your account, all data is permanently removed within 30 days.
• We may retain certain information for legal or regulatory purposes as required by law.
• Backup data is automatically deleted according to our retention schedule.

8. Your Rights

• You have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal information.
• You can update your profile information at any time through the app.
• You can delete your account and all associated data at any time.
• You can disable push notifications in the app settings.
• You can report users or content that violates our policies.

9. Changes to This Policy

• We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements.
• We will notify you of major changes via email or app notification.
• The updated policy will be effective immediately upon posting.
• Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the new policy.

10. International Users

• Harbor is operated from the United States.
• If you are accessing the app from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States.
• By using our app, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States.

Contact

For questions or concerns about your privacy, contact us at: tryharborapp@gmail.com

We will respond to your inquiry within 30 days.