Privacy Policy - Third Peak Studio

Our Commitment to Your Privacy

At Third Peak Studio, we take your privacy seriously. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect through our products and services, how we use it, and your rights regarding your data.

We've written this policy in plain language because we believe you deserve to understand how your information is handled. Where legal terms are necessary, we explain what they mean.

Information We Collect

Information You Provide Directly

When you use our services, you share information with us:

Account Information: Your name, email address, and profile photo. We need this to create and manage your account.
Messages: Communications between you and your contacts within the app. These help you use the service.
Preferences: Your notification settings and app preferences.
Support Communications: Messages you send to our support team.

Information Collected Automatically

We collect some information automatically to help our services work properly and to improve them:

Device Information: Type of device, operating system version, and unique device identifiers. This helps us ensure the app works correctly on your device.
Usage Data: How you interact with the app, such as features used and time spent. This helps us understand what's working well and what needs improvement.
Log Data: Error reports and performance information. This helps us identify and fix problems.
IP Address: Your general geographic region for security purposes and to comply with regional laws.

Information We Do NOT Collect

We want to be explicit about what we don't collect:

Biometric Data: We do not collect fingerprints, face scans, or other biometric identifiers.
Health Data: Our services are not health services. We do not collect or process protected health information under HIPAA or similar regulations.
Financial Information: Payment processing is handled by our app store partners (Apple/Google) and payment processors. We do not store your credit card numbers.
Contacts or Location: We do not access your contacts list or track your precise location.

How We Use Your Information

We use your information for the following purposes:

Providing Our Services: To deliver the features you signed up for.
Communications: To enable secure communication between you and the people you connect with through our services.
Notifications: To send you reminders, service updates, and alerts based on your settings.
Service Improvement: To understand how people use our app and make it better. We analyze usage patterns in aggregate, not individually.
Security: To protect against fraud, abuse, and unauthorized access.
Support: To respond when you reach out for help.
Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws and regulations.

What We Don't Do With Your Data

We want to be absolutely clear about what we will never do:

We Never Sell Your Data: Your personal information is never sold to advertisers, data brokers, or any third parties.
We Never Share Your On-Platform Communications: Your messages within the app are private. We don't share them with anyone except the recipients you choose.
We Never Use Your Data for Targeted Advertising: We don't use your personal information to serve you ads.
We Never Share Data for Marketing: We don't share your information with other companies for their marketing purposes.

Who Can Access Your Information

Your information is only accessible to:

You: You have full access to your own data through the app.
Those You Share It With: People you choose to connect with can see information you share with them through the app.
Our Support Team: Team members may access your account on a need-to-know basis to provide support or resolve issues.
Service Providers: We use trusted third-party services to help run our app. These include:
- Clerk: Secure authentication and account management
- Render: Cloud hosting and infrastructure
All service providers are bound by strict data processing agreements and only process data as we instruct.
Legal Requirements: We may share information if required by law, court order, or to protect the safety of our users or the public.

Data Security

We protect your data with industry-standard security measures:

Encryption: Your data is encrypted both when it's being transmitted (in transit) and when it's stored (at rest).
Secure Authentication: We use Clerk, a trusted authentication provider, for secure sign-in including social login options.
Access Controls: Employee access to user data is limited to those who need it to do their jobs, and all access is logged.
Regular Security Reviews: We conduct regular security audits and keep our systems updated.

While we work hard to protect your information, no system is 100% secure. We encourage you to use a strong, unique password and keep your login credentials private. If you use social sign-in (Google or LinkedIn), your account security also depends on those services.

Data Breach Notification

In the unlikely event of a data breach that affects your personal information, we commit to:

Notifying affected users within 72 hours of confirming the breach
Providing clear information about what data was affected
Explaining what steps we're taking to address the breach
Offering guidance on how you can protect yourself

Data Retention

We keep your data only as long as necessary:

Active Accounts: We retain your data while your account is active to provide our services.
Account Deletion: When you delete your account, we remove your personal information within 30 days.
Legal Requirements: We may retain certain information longer if required by law (for example, financial records for tax purposes).
Anonymized Data: We may retain anonymized, aggregated data indefinitely to improve our services. This data cannot be linked back to you.

International Data Transfers

Third Peak Studio is based in the United States, and your data is stored and processed in the United States.

If you're using our services from outside the United States, please be aware that your information will be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States where our servers are located. By using our services, you consent to this transfer.

For users in the European Economic Area (EEA) or UK, we rely on Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission for any necessary data transfers. These provide appropriate safeguards for your data.

Your Rights and Choices

You have control over your information. Here's what you can do:

All Users

Access: View your data within the app at any time.
Correction: Update your profile information and preferences in settings.
Export: Request a copy of your data by emailing support@thirdpeakstudio.com.
Deletion: Delete your account in app settings. This permanently removes your data within 30 days.
Notification Control: Manage which notifications you receive in settings.

California Residents (CCPA/CPRA Rights)

If you're a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA):

Right to Know: You can request information about what personal data we've collected, used, disclosed, or sold in the past 12 months.
Right to Delete: You can request deletion of your personal information, with some exceptions.
Right to Opt-Out of Sale: We do not sell your personal information, so there's nothing to opt out of here.
Right to Non-Discrimination: We won't treat you differently for exercising your privacy rights.
Right to Correct: You can request correction of inaccurate personal information.
Right to Limit Use of Sensitive Information: We only use sensitive personal information as necessary to provide our services.

To exercise these rights, email us at support@thirdpeakstudio.com with "California Privacy Request" in the subject line. We'll respond within 45 days.

Categories of Information We Collect: As described above, we collect identifiers (name, email), commercial information (subscription status), and internet/app usage data. We do not sell any categories of personal information.

European Users (GDPR Rights)

If you're in the European Economic Area (EEA) or UK, you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

Legal Basis: We process your data based on:
- Contract: Processing necessary to provide the services you've requested
- Legitimate Interest: Processing necessary for our legitimate business purposes (like security and service improvement), where this doesn't override your rights
- Consent: Where you've given us specific permission (like for optional notifications)
Right of Access: Request a copy of your personal data.
Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate data.
Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your data ("right to be forgotten").
Right to Restrict Processing: Request that we limit how we use your data.
Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a machine-readable format.
Right to Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests.
Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

To exercise these rights, email us at support@thirdpeakstudio.com with "GDPR Request" in the subject line. We'll respond within 30 days.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority if you believe we've violated your privacy rights.

Do Not Track Signals

Some web browsers have a "Do Not Track" (DNT) feature that sends a signal to websites requesting that they not track you. Our services do not currently respond to DNT signals because there is no industry-standard approach to DNT. However, as described above, we don't track you for advertising purposes or sell your data.

Analytics and Cookies

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to understand how visitors use our site. These are small text files stored on your device. You can control cookies through your browser settings.

Our mobile app uses minimal analytics to understand app usage and improve our services. We do not use advertising SDKs or cross-app tracking technologies.

Third-Party Links

Our app or website may contain links to third-party websites or services. This Privacy Policy doesn't apply to those external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you visit.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements.

When we make significant changes, we will:

Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy
Notify you through the app or by email
For material changes, give you an opportunity to review the changes before they take effect

Your continued use of our services after changes take effect means you accept the updated policy.

Contact Us

Have questions about your privacy? We're happy to help.

Email: support@thirdpeakstudio.com

For formal privacy requests (data access, deletion, or correction), please email us with "Privacy Request" in the subject line and include:

Your name and email address associated with your account
A description of your request
Any relevant details to help us process your request

We'll respond to most requests within 30 days. Some requests may take longer if they're complex or if we need to verify your identity.

Third Peak Studio is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy is designed to be transparent and easy to understand. If anything is unclear, please don't hesitate to ask us.