Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

RU My Valentine ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and share your personal information when you use our dating application service.

2. Information We Collect

When you use RU My Valentine, we collect the following information:

• Account Information: Email address, full name, username (derived from email)
• Profile Information: Profile picture, Instagram handle (optional), year in school, pronouns
• Questionnaire Responses: Your answers to compatibility questions, including scale questions and multiple-choice questions
• Gender and Preferences: Your gender identity and sexual orientation preferences for matching purposes
• Personal Message: Optional message you provide for your profile
• Google Account Data: Basic profile information (name, email) obtained through Google OAuth authentication

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information for the following purposes:

• Matching Algorithm: Your questionnaire responses are converted into a compatibility vector and compared with other users to generate matches
• Profile Display: Your name, photo, year, Instagram handle, and personal message are displayed to users who are matched with you
• Authentication: Your email and Google account information are used to authenticate your account and prevent unauthorized access
• Service Operation: We use your information to operate, maintain, and improve our matching service

4. Who Can See Your Information

Your information is visible to:

• Matched Users: Users who are matched with you through our algorithm can see your name, profile picture, year, Instagram handle, personal message, and compatibility percentage
• Administrators: Authorized administrators can access all user data for service operation and support purposes
• Yourself: You can view your own profile information and matches through your account

Important: Your email address is never displayed to other users. Only your display name, photo, and profile information are visible to matches.

5. Data Storage and Security

We store your information:

• In a secure PostgreSQL database hosted on DigitalOcean
• With industry-standard security measures including encrypted connections (HTTPS)
• Your profile pictures are stored as base64-encoded images in the database
• Questionnaire responses are stored as JSON data and converted to vector embeddings for matching

We implement security measures to protect your data, but no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Google OAuth Data

We use Google OAuth 2.0 for authentication. When you log in with Google, we receive:

• Your email address (used for account identification)
• Your full name (used as your display name)
• Your Google account ID (used for authentication)

We only request the minimum scopes necessary: openid, userinfo.email, and userinfo.profile. We do not access your Google Calendar, Drive, or any other Google services.

7. Your Rights and Choices

You have the right to:

• Access Your Data: View your profile information and matches through your account
• Update Your Information: Modify your profile, photo, and questionnaire responses at any time
• Delete Your Account: Request account deletion by contacting us at the email address below
• Opt-Out: You can stop using the service at any time by not logging in

Note: If you delete your account, your profile information and matches will be removed from our database. However, information that has already been shared with matched users may remain visible to them until they refresh their view.

8. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you services. If you wish to delete your account, please contact us and we will delete your personal information within 30 days of your request, except where we are required to retain it by law.

9. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services:

• Google OAuth: For user authentication (see Google's Privacy Policy)
• DigitalOcean: For hosting our database and application servers
• PostgreSQL: For data storage

These services have their own privacy policies. We encourage you to review them.

10. Children's Privacy

RU My Valentine is intended for use by Rutgers University students who are 18 years or older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your rights regarding your personal information, please contact us at: