BuildFolio Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide

Account Information:

• Email address
• Username
• Password (encrypted)
• Date of birth (for age verification)
• Profile information (name, bio, profile picture - optional)

Content You Create:

• Portfolio projects and descriptions
• Images and files you upload
• Comments and interactions
• Links and external references

Payment Information (if applicable):

• Billing address
• Payment method details (processed by third-party payment processors like Stripe - we do not store full credit card numbers)

Communications:

• Messages you send us
• Support requests
• Feedback and survey responses

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

Usage Data:

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Device information
• Pages visited and time spent
• Referring/exit pages
• Click patterns and navigation paths

Cookies and Similar Technologies:

• Session cookies (required for functionality)
• Analytics cookies (to understand usage patterns)
• Preference cookies (to remember your settings)

You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings, though disabling certain cookies may limit functionality.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

Provide and Improve the Service:

• Create and manage your account
• Display your portfolio and projects
• Process transactions (if applicable)
• Provide customer support
• Analyze usage to improve features
• Develop new services and features

Communications:

• Send you account-related notifications
• Respond to your inquiries
• Send marketing communications (you can opt out)
• Notify you of changes to our Terms or Privacy Policy

Safety and Security:

• Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and security incidents
• Enforce our Terms of Use
• Comply with legal obligations
• Protect our rights and the rights of our users

Analytics and Research:

• Understand how users interact with the Service
• Measure the effectiveness of our features
• Create aggregate, anonymized statistics

3. How We Share Your Information

3.1 Public Information

By default, certain information is public on BuildFolio:

• Your username and profile information
• Projects and content you choose to publish
• Your public activity on the platform

You control what you make public through your privacy settings.

3.2 Third-Party Service Providers

We share information with trusted third parties who help us operate the Service:

• Hosting providers (to store data and run the Service)
• Payment processors (to handle transactions)
• Analytics services (to understand usage - e.g., Google Analytics)
• Email service providers (to send notifications)
• Customer support tools

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

3.3 Business Transfers

If BuildFolio is acquired, merged, or sells assets, your information may be transferred to the new owner. We will notify you before your information is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

3.4 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required to:

• Comply with legal obligations (court orders, subpoenas)
• Enforce our Terms of Use
• Protect our rights, property, or safety
• Protect the rights, property, or safety of our users or the public
• Prevent fraud or security threats

3.5 With Your Consent

We may share your information for other purposes with your explicit consent.

4. Children's Privacy (COPPA Compliance)

BuildFolio is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

Age Verification:

• We require users to confirm they are at least 13 years old during registration
• Users between 13-17 must have parental/guardian consent

If We Learn a User Is Under 13:

• We will immediately terminate the account
• We will delete all associated personal information
• We will not retain any data except as required by law

Parents/Guardians: If you believe your child under 13 has created an account or provided information to BuildFolio, please contact us immediately at privacy@buildfolio.ai, and we will delete the information.

5. Data Security

We implement reasonable security measures to protect your information:

• Encryption of data in transit (SSL/TLS)
• Encryption of sensitive data at rest
• Access controls and authentication
• Regular security assessments
• Employee training on data protection

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

6. Your Rights and Choices

6.1 Access and Update

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

6.2 Delete Your Account

You can delete your account by:

• Using the account deletion feature in settings, or
• Contacting us at privacy@buildfolio.ai

Upon deletion:

• Your account will be deactivated immediately
• Your personal information will be deleted within 30 days
• Some information may persist in backups for up to 90 days
• Public content may remain in cached/archived versions

6.3 Data Portability

You can request a copy of your data by contacting privacy@buildfolio.ai. We will provide your data in a structured, commonly used format within 30 days.

6.4 Marketing Communications

You can opt out of marketing emails by:

• Clicking "unsubscribe" in any marketing email
• Adjusting preferences in your account settings
• Contacting privacy@buildfolio.ai

You cannot opt out of essential service communications (security alerts, account notifications, policy changes).

6.5 Cookie Preferences

You can control cookies through:

• Your browser settings
• Our cookie preference center (if available)

6.6 Do Not Track

We currently do not respond to "Do Not Track" browser signals, as there is no industry standard for compliance.

7. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as:

• Your account is active
• Needed to provide the Service
• Required by law or to resolve disputes
• Necessary for legitimate business purposes

After account deletion, we retain certain information for:

• Legal compliance (e.g., tax records for 7 years)
• Fraud prevention
• Enforcing our Terms

Anonymized/aggregated data may be retained indefinitely for analytics.

8. International Data Transfers

BuildFolio operates in the United States. If you access the Service from outside the U.S., your information will be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States.

By using the Service, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States, which may have different data protection laws than your jurisdiction.

9. Third-Party Links

The Service 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 before providing any information.

10. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act:

Right to Know:

• What personal information we collect
• How we use it
• Who we share it with

Right to Delete:

• Request deletion of your personal information (subject to exceptions)

Right to Opt-Out:

• Opt out of the "sale" of personal information (Note: We do not sell personal information)

Right to Non-Discrimination:

• We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights

To exercise these rights, contact privacy@buildfolio.ai with "California Privacy Request" in the subject line.

Verification: We may ask for information to verify your identity before processing requests.

Response Time: We will respond within 45 days (extendable by 45 days if needed).

11. European Privacy Rights (GDPR)

If you are in the European Economic Area, UK, or Switzerland, you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation:

Legal Basis for Processing:

• Consent (when you agree to our practices)
• Contract (to provide the Service)
• Legitimate interests (to improve and secure the Service)
• Legal obligations

Your Rights:

• Right to access 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
• Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

To exercise these rights, contact privacy@buildfolio.ai.

Data Protection Officer: For GDPR inquiries, contact dpo@buildfolio.ai (we will designate a DPO when legally required).

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by:

• Posting the updated policy on this page
• Updating the "Last Updated" date
• Sending an email notification (for significant changes)
• Displaying a prominent notice on the Service

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use after changes indicates acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices: