Welcome to SociablePlace (“we,” “us,” or “our”). We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and safeguard your information when you visit and use our social media platform.

1. Information We Collect

A. Information You Provide Directly
We collect information that you explicitly provide when you interact with our community:

• Account Details: Name, username, email address, and password when you register.
• Profile Information: Avatars, profile pictures, “About Me” descriptions, and any details you choose to share in your profile fields.
• User Content: Posts, comments, likes, photos, videos, and your activity within groups.
• Communications: Messages, private chats, and any correspondence you send directly to us or other users.

B. Automatically Collected Information
To ensure security, performance, and basic site functionality, we automatically collect certain technical data when you use the platform:

• Device & Log Data: Your IP address, browser type, operating system, and device identifiers.
• Usage Activity: Information about your interactions on the platform, including clicks, shares, likes, and pages visited.

C. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use cookies and similar technologies to keep you logged in, remember your preferences, understand user behavior, and support platform advertising. You can set your browser to refuse cookies, but essential parts of the platform (such as the login system and activity feed) may not function properly without them.

2. Data Independence & Third-Party Tracking

We prioritize site independence to protect our users. We host our scripts, styles, and essential assets directly on our own allocated server space rather than relying heavily on external Content Delivery Networks (CDNs). This helps ensure that your browsing activity on SociablePlace is not automatically shared with or tracked by external script providers.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the data we collect to maintain a vibrant, safe digital neighborhood:

• Operation: To provide, maintain, and optimize the SociablePlace network (e.g., populating your activity feed, displaying profile details).
• Notifications: To notify you about platform activity, such as mentions, friend requests, group updates, or direct messages.
• Safety & Security: To monitor for, detect, and prevent fraudulent activity, site abuse, spam, or cybersecurity threats.
• Advertising: To deliver and display relevant advertisements within the platform.

4. Sharing of Information

We do not sell your personal data. However, we may share information in the following limited circumstances:

• With Other Users: Content, profiles, and activity you post publicly or within groups are shared with the community based on your chosen privacy settings.
• Service Providers: We share data with trusted third-party vendors who perform essential functions for us (such as our web hosting provider, analytics tools, and ad networks).
• Legal Obligations: We may disclose your information to legal authorities if required by law, court order, or to protect the safety and rights of our users and the public.

5. Data Storage and Security

All data transmitted between your browser and our website is encrypted using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) technology. Our data is stored on secure servers managed by our hosting partner, Hostinger. While we implement industry-standard administrative, technical, and physical safeguards, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. External Links & Advertisers

SociablePlace may display advertisements or contain links to external third-party websites. Advertisers or external sites may use their own cookies to collect information. We are not responsible for the privacy practices, tracking mechanisms, or content of external platforms.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only as long as your account is active, as necessary to provide the platform’s features, or to comply with our legal, accounting, and security obligations.

8. Your Rights & Data Control

You maintain control over your personal data. Depending on your location (including rights established under various U.S. state laws and future framework expansions like GDPR), you have the right to:

• Access & Review: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Correction: Request updates or corrections to any inaccurate personal information.
• Deletion: Request the permanent deletion of your account and all associated personal content at any time.
• Opt-Out: Adjust your internal privacy settings to control who sees your activity, opt out of certain communications, or limit targeted advertising.

To exercise these rights, you can update your account settings directly or reach out to us using the contact information below.

9. Children’s Privacy

SociablePlace is meant for a general audience and is strictly not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we discover that a user under 13 has created an account, we will delete their data immediately.

10. International Transfers

SociablePlace is operated out of the United States. If you access our platform from outside the U.S., please note that your data may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States, where privacy regulations may differ from your home country.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect shifts in platform features or changing legal requirements. Continued use of SociablePlace after updates are posted indicates your acceptance of the revised policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your privacy or this policy, you can contact the site administrator directly via our contact form, internal messaging system, or by email at:

Email: support@sociableplace.com