Privacy Policy

Last Updated: January 15, 2025

At Harbor, your privacy is our top priority. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use our app. By using Harbor, you agree to the practices described below.

1. Information We Collect

• We collect only the information necessary to provide our services, such as your name, Cornell affiliation, photos, and personality answers.
• We collect your Cornell email address for account creation and verification purposes.
• We may collect usage information to improve app functionality and user experience.
• Your data is used solely to match you with other users and improve your experience on Harbor.
• We collect anonymous usage analytics to understand overall activity, such as total users and daily/weekly active users. This information is aggregated, does not contain personal data, and cannot be used to identify you.
• We do not sell or share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes.

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 unblurred 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.
• Images shown before consent are highly blurred. It is extremely unlikely someone could identify you solely from these blurred images (see example below).

Example of a blurred image shown before consent.

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 your profile, images, matches, swipes, messages, and other account data from our systems.
• Account deletion is irreversible and cannot be undone.
• We retain limited authentication information (such as your email) solely to prevent creation of another account with the same email address after deletion.

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. Data Access for Safety & Moderation

• To maintain a safe and trustworthy platform, authorized personnel may review user content and data to detect and prevent spam profiles, inappropriate photos, harassment, and other policy violations.
• This access is strictly limited to authorized personnel only and is never accessible to other users or unauthorized individuals.
• We use both automated systems and human review to identify content that violates our community guidelines or terms of service.
• Your privacy remains our top priority, and any data access is conducted solely for safety and policy compliance purposes.
• We do not use this access for any other purposes beyond maintaining platform safety and user protection.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. Data Retention

• We retain your data only as long as your account is active.
• When you delete your account, your profile, images, matches, swipes, and other account data are permanently removed within 30 days.
• We may retain certain information for legal or regulatory purposes as required by law.
• We may retain limited authentication information (such as your email) to prevent creation of another account with the same email address after deletion.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.