Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Alumhub ("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 and services.

By using Alumhub, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our services.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

We collect information that you voluntarily provide to us, including:

• Account Information: Name, email address, username, password, school affiliation, graduation year, and profile picture
• Profile Information: Bio, location, career information, interests, and other details you choose to share
• Content: Posts, comments, messages, photos, and other content you create or upload
• Communications: Messages you send to us or other users through our platform
• Payment and Billing Information: When you subscribe to Pro features or purchase services, we collect payment information through our payment processor (Stripe), including billing address and payment method details. We do not store full credit card numbers on our servers; payment processing is handled securely by Stripe
• Subscription Information: Details about your Pro subscription, including subscription status, billing cycle, and payment history
• Service Listings and Transactions: If you are an alumni offering services, we collect information about your service listings, pricing, and transaction history. We also collect information about service purchases made by students
• AI Matching Data: Information used for our AI-powered matching features, including preferences, interests, goals, and interaction history used to match you with mentors or students
• Pro Features Usage: Data related to your use of Pro features, including access to applicant databases, extracurriculars databases, and other premium tools

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you use our platform, we automatically collect certain information:

• Usage Data: Pages visited, features used, time spent on the platform, and interaction with content
• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers, and mobile network information
• Location Data: General location information based on IP address
• Cookies and Similar Technologies: We use cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to enhance your experience

2.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from third parties, such as:

• Social media platforms if you choose to link your account
• Educational institutions to verify your alumni status
• Payment processors (Stripe) for transaction and subscription management
• Service providers that assist us in operating our platform

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve our services
• Create and manage your account
• Connect you with alumni from your school and other users
• Enable communication between users
• Personalize your experience and provide relevant content
• Process payments, subscriptions, and manage billing for Pro features
• Facilitate transactions in our services marketplace, including processing payments, calculating platform fees, and managing payouts
• Power our AI-powered matching system to connect you with relevant mentors or students based on your profile, interests, and goals
• Provide access to Pro features such as applicant databases, extracurriculars databases, and other premium tools
• Send you notifications, updates, and promotional materials (with your consent)
• Respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
• Detect, prevent, and address technical issues, fraud, and security concerns
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service
• Analyze usage patterns and improve our platform

4. How We Share Your Information

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

4.1 With Other Users

Information in your profile, posts, and comments may be visible to other users based on your privacy settings. Messages you send to other users will be shared with those recipients.

4.2 With Service Providers

We may share your information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, such as:

• Payment processors (Stripe) for processing subscriptions and marketplace transactions
• Hosting and cloud storage providers
• Analytics and monitoring services
• Customer support tools
• Email delivery services

These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.

4.3 For Legal Reasons

We may disclose your information if required by law or if we believe such action is necessary to:

• Comply with legal obligations, court orders, or government requests
• Protect and defend our rights or property
• Prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing
• Protect the safety of users or the public

4.4 Business Transfers

If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

4.5 With Your Consent

We may share your information for any other purpose with your consent.

5. Your Privacy Choices and Rights

5.1 Account Settings

You can update your account information and privacy settings at any time through your profile settings.

5.2 Communication Preferences

You can opt out of receiving promotional emails by following the unsubscribe instructions in those emails or adjusting your notification settings.

5.3 Data Access and Deletion

You have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal information. You can do this through your account settings or by contacting us at privacy@thealumhub.com.

5.4 Cookie Management

Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. However, disabling cookies may limit your ability to use certain features.

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information, except where we are required to retain it by law.

8. Children's Privacy

Our services are designed for high school students (typically ages 14-18) and college alumni. While our Terms of Service permit users 13 and older, users under 18 must have parental or guardian permission to use the Services. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without proper consent, we will take steps to delete such information promptly.

Parents and guardians of users under 18 should be aware that our platform facilitates communication between students and alumni mentors. We encourage parental oversight of their children's use of our Services and recommend that parents review their child's account activity and privacy settings.

9. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have different data protection laws. By using our services, you consent to such transfers.

10. Third-Party Links

Our platform may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to read their privacy policies.

11. 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 our services after such changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at info@thealumhub.com.

13. California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you have specific rights regarding your personal information under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right to know what personal information we collect, use, and disclose
• Right to request deletion of your personal information
• Right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information (we do not sell your personal information)
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights

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

14. European Privacy Rights

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA) or United Kingdom, you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including:

• Right of access to your personal data
• Right to rectification of inaccurate data
• Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten")
• Right to restrict processing
• Right to data portability
• Right to object to processing
• Right to withdraw consent

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