2. Data Collection and Usage

We collect and use your data in the following ways:

• Email Address: Your email address is collected during registration for the purpose of sign-in, account verification, and communication during elections. You may also opt into receiving newsletters. We may use your email address to facilitate paid features through our third-party payment provider, Stripe.
• Anonymous Usage Statistics: We collect anonymous usage statistics to monitor the performance of our application. This includes information about the browser and device you're using to access our service.
• Metrics During Elections: During elections, we collect detailed metrics about your interactions on the voting page. This data helps us detect and prevent attempts to manipulate the election process. This data will be securely stored and destroyed one month after the election is completed.

3. Types of Data Collected

Currently, we only require your email address for registration. In the future, we may allow users to create online profiles with non-personal usernames. We discourage the use of personal information in usernames.

4. Non-Personal Data Collection

We gather anonymous usage statistics and basic device information to monitor and improve our service's performance. This information does not identify individual users.

5. Data Collection Methods

Your email address is collected during registration to facilitate logging in, account verification, and communication purposes. Our third-party payment provider, Stripe, may collect additional payment-related information for secure transactions.

6. Tracking Technologies

We use cookies or tokens to maintain your logged-in session with our servers. Additionally, we use cookies, browser storage, or backend servers to store your preferences, such as Dark Mode.

7. Data Usage

We use your collected data for the following purposes:

• Providing Services: Your data is used to provide services such as Dark Mode preferences, sending newsletters (if opted in), and facilitating elections.
• Performance Monitoring: We use anonymous usage statistics to ensure our service is reliable and responsive.
• Elections: Metrics collected during elections help prevent manipulation of the election process.

We do not use your data for analytics or advertising purposes.

8. Data Sharing with Third Parties

Your email address may be shared with our third-party payment provider, Stripe, for secure payment processing. Additionally, your email address may be made available to our third-party provider, SendGrid, for sending newsletters if you opt into this service.

9. User Data Control

You have the ability to delete your account at any time. When you delete your account, all associated data, including your email address and preferences, will be permanently removed from our system.

10. Opting Out

We do not engage in targeted advertising. The data we collect is necessary for providing our service. If you no longer wish to use our Platform, you can delete your account.

11. Security Measures

We take your data security seriously:

• Encryption: Your data is encrypted in transit and at rest.
• Periodic Review: We review and update our security practices to align with industry best practices.

12. Children's Privacy

Our Platform is intended for users aged 18 and above. Any accounts created by minors under false pretenses will be promptly removed.

13. Third Parties

For information about how our third-party payment provider, Stripe, handles data, please refer to their privacy policy.

For information about how our third-party email provider, SendGrid, handles data, please refer to their privacy policy.

14. Updates and Changes

We will notify you of policy updates via email, usually up to one week prior to changes. Significant changes will be communicated at least one month in advance. If you do not agree with the new practices, you are free to delete your account.

15. Contact Information

For any account-related queries, concerns, or questions about our privacy and data practices, please contact us at [email protected].

16. Compliance with Data Protection Laws

While we strive to align with data protection laws like GDPR and CCPA, we recommend consulting legal professionals for precise compliance assessments.

17. User Data Requests and Complaints

You can request your data or account deletion by contacting us at [email protected]. In the case of account deletion, we will guide you through the self-service process.