Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Neighbours Only ("we", "our", or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our hyper-local social networking service.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information

When you create an account, we collect:

• Name and email address (via Google OAuth)
• Profile picture
• Physical address (required for neighbourhood verification)
• Account preferences and settings

2.2 Location Data

We collect and process your address to:

• Verify your neighbourhood membership
• Display your approximate location on the neighbourhood map
• Connect you with other verified neighbours in your area

2.3 Content and Activity

We collect information about your activity on the platform, including:

• Posts, comments, and replies you create
• Photos and images you upload
• Search queries and interactions
• Time and date of your activities

2.4 Technical Information

We automatically collect certain technical information:

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Device information
• Operating system
• Usage statistics and analytics

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Provide and maintain our service
• Verify your neighbourhood membership
• Connect you with nearby neighbours
• Display content relevant to your location
• Moderate content using AI to maintain community standards
• Improve and personalize your experience
• Send important service notifications
• Prevent fraud and abuse
• Comply with legal obligations

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

4.1 With Other Users

Within your neighbourhood network, we share:

• Your name and profile picture
• Your street name (not exact address)
• Your posts, comments, and activity
• Your approximate location on the map

4.2 With Service Providers

We share information with trusted service providers who assist us:

• Google (for authentication and maps)
• Cloudinary (for image hosting)
• MongoDB Atlas (for database services)
• AI moderation services

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or in response to valid legal requests.

5. Data Security

We implement reasonable security measures to protect your information, including:

• Encrypted data transmission (HTTPS)
• Secure database storage
• Access controls and authentication
• Regular security assessments

However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Your Privacy Rights

You have the right to:

• Access your personal information
• Correct inaccurate information
• Delete your account and data
• Opt out of certain data collection
• Export your data
• Object to processing of your data

To exercise these rights, please contact us through the platform.

7. Children's Privacy

Neighbours Only is not intended for users under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect information from children. If we discover that we have inadvertently collected data from a child, we will delete it immediately.

8. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to:

• Maintain your login session
• Remember your preferences
• Analyze usage patterns
• Improve our service

You can control cookies through your browser settings, but this may limit your ability to use certain features.

9. Third-Party Links

Our service may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies.

10. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide our services. When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within 30 days, except where we are required to retain it for legal purposes.

11. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us through the platform.