Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Whimzi. This Privacy Policy ("Policy") describes how Whimzi LLC ("Whimzi," "Company," "we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, discloses, and protects information in connection with our mobile application, website, and related services (collectively, the "Services").

By accessing or using the Services, you agree to the collection, use, and disclosure of your information as described in this Policy. If you do not agree with this Policy, please do not access or use the Services.

This Policy is incorporated into and subject to our Terms of Service. Capitalized terms not defined in this Policy have the meanings assigned to them in our Terms of Service.

2. Scope and Applicability

2.1 Geographic Scope

The Services are intended for users located in the United States of America. This Policy is designed to comply with United States federal and state privacy laws, including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), and similar state privacy laws.

2.2 Age Restriction

The Services are intended solely for users who are eighteen (18) years of age or older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under the age of eighteen (18). If we learn that we have collected personal information from a person under eighteen (18), we will delete that information promptly.

Parents and Guardians: If you believe that a minor under the age of eighteen (18) has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at [email protected] so that we can take appropriate action.

3. Information We Collect

We collect information in the following categories:

3.1 Information You Provide Directly

Account Information

• Email address
• Username/handle
• Display name
• Password (stored in hashed form)
• Profile photograph
• Biography/profile description

Profile and Preference Information

• Hobbies and interests
• Personality quiz responses and results
• Hobby quiz responses and results
• Notification preferences
• Privacy settings

User-Generated Content

• Posts and comments
• Group posts and discussions
• Messages sent to other users
• Hobby discussion contributions
• Quiz result shares

Location Information (Voluntary)

• City or region information you choose to provide
• Location visibility preferences

Communications

• Support requests and correspondence
• Feedback and survey responses
• Reports of other users or content

Verification Information

• Email verification status
• Password reset requests

3.2 Information Collected Automatically

Device and Technical Information

• Device type and model
• Operating system and version
• Unique device identifiers
• Mobile network information
• IP address
• Browser type (for web access)

Usage Information

• Features accessed and actions taken
• Date and time of access
• Session duration
• Pages or screens viewed
• Links clicked
• Search queries within the Services

Log Data

• Server logs
• Error reports
• Performance data

3.3 Information from Third Parties

Authentication Providers

• If you register or log in using a third-party service, we may receive profile information from that service as permitted by your settings.

Analytics Providers

• Aggregated analytics data from third-party analytics services.

Other Users

• Information about you that other users provide (e.g., mentioning you in a post, sending you a message).

4. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

4.1 Providing and Operating the Services

• Creating and managing your account
• Authenticating your identity
• Enabling social features (posts, comments, messaging, groups)
• Processing and displaying quiz results
• Matching users based on shared hobbies and interests
• Displaying nearby users (based on location you provide)
• Delivering notifications and communications

4.2 Personalizing Your Experience

• Recommending hobbies based on your quiz results
• Suggesting users to follow based on shared interests
• Customizing content displayed in your feed
• Remembering your preferences and settings

4.3 Improving and Developing the Services

• Analyzing usage patterns and trends
• Identifying and fixing bugs and errors
• Developing new features and functionality
• Conducting research and analytics

4.4 Safety and Security

• Detecting, preventing, and addressing fraud, abuse, and security issues
• Enforcing our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines
• Protecting the rights, property, and safety of Whimzi, our users, and the public
• Responding to user reports and moderating content

4.5 Communications

• Sending service-related notices (e.g., security alerts, account notifications)
• Responding to your inquiries and support requests
• Sending promotional communications (with your consent or as permitted by law)
• Delivering platform announcements

4.6 Legal Compliance

• Complying with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes
• Responding to lawful requests from government authorities
• Protecting against legal liability

5. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

5.1 With Other Users

Depending on your privacy settings, certain information may be visible to other users of the Services, including:

• Profile information (display name, username, profile photo, bio)
• Posts, comments, and other User Content you share publicly
• Group memberships and hobby interests
• Quiz results (if you choose to share them)
• Location information (city/region, if you enable location sharing)
• Online status and activity indicators

You control the visibility of much of this information through your privacy settings.

5.2 With Service Providers

We share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, including:

• Cloud hosting and data storage providers
• Email delivery services
• Push notification services
• Analytics providers
• Customer support tools
• Security and fraud prevention services

These service providers are contractually obligated to use your information only for the purposes of providing services to us and in accordance with this Policy.

5.3 For Legal Reasons

We may disclose your information if we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to:

• Comply with applicable law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request;
• Enforce our Terms of Service or other agreements;
• Protect the rights, property, or safety of Whimzi, our users, or the public;
• Detect, prevent, or address fraud, security, or technical issues; or
• Respond to an emergency involving danger of death or serious physical injury.

5.4 Business Transfers

If Whimzi is involved in a merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, dissolution, reorganization, or similar transaction, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will provide notice before your personal information is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

5.5 With Your Consent

We may share your information with third parties when you give us explicit consent to do so.

5.6 Aggregated or De-Identified Information

We may share aggregated or de-identified information that cannot reasonably be used to identify you for any purpose, including research, analytics, and marketing.

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

6.1 Technologies We Use

We and our service providers use the following technologies to collect information:

Cookies: Small text files stored on your device that help us recognize you and remember your preferences.

Local Storage: Browser-based storage that allows us to store data locally on your device.

Device Identifiers: Unique identifiers assigned to your mobile device.

Analytics Tools: Third-party analytics services that help us understand how users interact with the Services.

6.2 Types of Cookies

• Strictly Necessary: Required for the Services to function properly (authentication, security).
• Functional: Remember your preferences and settings.
• Analytics/Performance: Help us understand usage patterns and improve the Services.

6.3 Your Choices

You can manage cookies through your browser or device settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the Services.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

7.1 Retention Periods

• Account Information: Retained while your account is active and for a reasonable period thereafter for backup, archival, and audit purposes.
• User Content: Retained while your account is active. Deleted content may persist in backups for a limited period.
• Usage Data: Generally retained for up to twenty-four (24) months for analytics purposes.
• Security Logs: Retained as necessary for security and fraud prevention.

7.2 Account Deletion

When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within a reasonable timeframe, subject to:

• Legal retention requirements
• Backup and disaster recovery systems
• Fraud prevention and security purposes
• Content shared with or by other users

8. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures designed to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

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

No method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

9. Your Privacy Rights and Choices

9.1 Account Settings

You can access and update much of your information through your account settings, including:

• Profile information
• Privacy settings
• Notification preferences
• Location sharing preferences

9.2 Communication Preferences

• Push Notifications: You can manage push notification settings through your device settings or within the app.
• Email Communications: You can opt out of promotional emails by clicking the "unsubscribe" link in any promotional email or by contacting us at [email protected]. Note that you cannot opt out of transactional or service-related communications.

9.3 Account Deletion

You can delete your account through the Settings menu in the app or by contacting us at [email protected].

9.4 California Privacy Rights (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you have the following rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA):

Right to Know: You have the right to request information about the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you, the sources of that information, our purposes for collecting it, and the categories of third parties with whom we share it.

Right to Delete: You have the right to request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions.

Right to Correct: You have the right to request correction of inaccurate personal information.

Right to Opt-Out of Sale/Sharing: We do not sell your personal information for monetary consideration. Some sharing of data for targeted advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" under California law. You may opt out of such sharing.

Right to Limit Use of Sensitive Personal Information: You have the right to limit the use and disclosure of sensitive personal information.

Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your privacy rights.

Authorized Agents: You may designate an authorized agent to make requests on your behalf. We may require verification of your identity and authorization.

To exercise these rights, please contact us at [email protected] or use the privacy controls within the app.

9.5 Other State Privacy Rights

Residents of other states with comprehensive privacy laws (such as Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, and others) may have similar rights. Please contact us at [email protected] to exercise any applicable rights.

9.6 Verification

When you submit a privacy rights request, we may need to verify your identity before processing your request. We may ask you to provide information that matches information we have on file.

10. International Users

The Services are intended for use in the United States and are operated from the United States. If you access the Services from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States.

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

We do not specifically target users outside the United States and make no representation that the Services are appropriate or available for use in other locations.

11. Third-Party Links and Services

The Services may contain links to third-party websites, applications, or services. This Policy does not apply to those third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you access.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third parties.

12. Children's Privacy

The Services are not intended for individuals under the age of eighteen (18). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under eighteen (18).

If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under eighteen (18), we will take steps to delete such information promptly. If you believe that we have collected information from a child under eighteen (18), please contact us immediately at [email protected].

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will:

• Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this Policy
• Provide notice through the Services (e.g., in-app notification, email)
• Where required by law, obtain your consent

Your continued use of the Services after any changes to this Policy constitutes your acceptance of the revised Policy. We encourage you to review this Policy periodically.

14. Contact Us

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

Whimzi LLC
5473 Blair Rd Ste 100 No 250421
Dallas, TX 75231
United States

Email: [email protected]

For Privacy-Related Requests: [email protected]

15. Additional Disclosures

15.1 Categories of Personal Information Collected

In the preceding twelve (12) months, we have collected the following categories of personal information:

15.2 Sources of Personal Information

• Directly from you (registration, profile, content)
• Automatically from your device (usage data, device info)
• From other users (messages, mentions, reports)
• From service providers (analytics data)

15.3 Business Purposes for Collection

• Providing and operating the Services
• Personalization
• Safety and security
• Analytics and improvement
• Communications
• Legal compliance

15.4 Disclosure of Personal Information

We may disclose personal information to:

• Service providers (hosting, analytics, email, security)
• Other users (based on your privacy settings)
• Legal authorities (when required by law)
• Business transaction parties (in case of merger/acquisition)

16. Website-Specific Provisions

16.1 Scope

In addition to the Whimzi mobile application, we operate a website (whimzi.io) that provides information about our Services and hosts our legal documentation. This Section 16 describes data practices specific to our website.

16.2 Waitlist and Email Signup

If you sign up for our waitlist or email list through our website, we collect:

• Email address
• Date and time of signup
• Referral source (how you found us)

How We Use Waitlist Information:

• To notify you when the Services launch or become available
• To send updates about Whimzi
• To send promotional communications related to our Services

Your Choices:

You may unsubscribe from our email list at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link in any email or by contacting us at [email protected]. Unsubscribing from marketing emails will not affect any account-related communications if you later create an account.

16.3 Website Cookies and Analytics

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to:

• Analyze website traffic and usage patterns
• Understand how visitors find and interact with our website
• Improve website performance and user experience
• Remember your preferences

Types of Cookies We Use:

Third-Party Analytics:

We may use third-party analytics services such as Google Analytics to collect and analyze usage data. These services may use cookies and similar technologies to collect information about your use of our website. For more information about Google Analytics and how to opt out, visit: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout

Managing Cookies:

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:

• View what cookies are stored and delete them individually
• Block third-party cookies
• Block all cookies from all sites
• Delete all cookies when you close your browser

Please note that blocking or deleting cookies may affect website functionality.

16.4 Do Not Track Signals

Some browsers offer a "Do Not Track" (DNT) setting. There is no industry consensus on how to respond to DNT signals. Currently, our website does not respond to DNT signals, but we honor Global Privacy Control (GPC) signals where required by law.

16.5 Relationship to App Privacy Practices

If you sign up for our waitlist and later create an account in the Whimzi app, we may link your waitlist information with your app account to provide a seamless experience. The app's data practices are governed by the other sections of this Privacy Policy.

17. Affiliate Disclosure

The Services may include affiliate links. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Affiliate programs may use cookies to track referrals. This does not affect your price or our editorial recommendations.

For information about managing cookies, see Section 6.

BY USING THE SERVICES OR OUR WEBSITE, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ AND UNDERSTOOD THIS PRIVACY POLICY.