Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Herdish ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our platform.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

• Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, username, and password
• Profile Information: Profile pictures, questionnaire responses, and preferences
• Communication Data: Messages, feedback, and support requests

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

• Usage Data: How you interact with our platform, features used, and time spent
• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, and device identifiers
• Cookies and Tracking: We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience

2.3 Third-Party Authentication

When you sign in with Google, we receive basic profile information including your name, email address, and profile picture as permitted by your Google account settings.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve our matching services
• Create and manage your account
• Match you with compatible users using our AI algorithm
• Send you notifications, updates, and promotional materials (with your consent)
• Respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
• Detect, prevent, and address technical issues and fraudulent activity
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service
• Analyze usage patterns to improve our platform

4. AI and Matching Algorithm

Our AI-powered matching algorithm analyzes your questionnaire responses to find compatible matches. We use machine learning models to process your data and generate compatibility scores. Your questionnaire responses are stored securely and used solely for matching purposes.

5. Information Sharing and Disclosure

5.1 With Your Matches

When you unlock a match, we share your profile information (name, profile picture, email, and phone number if provided) with your matched user, and vice versa.

5.2 Service Providers

We may share your information with third-party service providers who assist us in operating our platform, including:

• Cloud hosting providers (Google Cloud Platform)
• Database services (MongoDB Atlas)
• Analytics services
• Email and communication services

5.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or governmental request, or to protect our rights, property, or safety.

5.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity.

6. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information, including:

• Encryption of data in transit and at rest
• Secure password hashing (bcrypt)
• Regular security audits and updates
• Access controls and authentication mechanisms
• Secure cookie handling with HttpOnly and Secure flags

However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Your Rights and Choices

You have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of your personal information
• Correction: Update or correct inaccurate information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your account and personal data
• Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications
• Data Portability: Request your data in a portable format
• Object: Object to certain processing of your information

To exercise these rights, please contact us at privacy@herdish.com.

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Maintain your login session
• Remember your preferences
• Analyze platform usage and performance
• Provide personalized content

You can control cookies through your browser settings, but disabling cookies may affect platform functionality.

9. Children's Privacy

Herdish is not intended for users under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child under 18, we will take steps to delete such information promptly.

10. 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 information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

11. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services and fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy. When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your information within 30 days, except where we are required to retain it for legal purposes.

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 Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. Your continued use of Herdish after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at: