Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

We collect information in several ways to provide and improve our Service:

Information You Provide

• Account Information: When you create an account, we collect your name, email address, password (encrypted), and account type (student, landlord, or general user).
• Profile Information: You may choose to provide additional information such as your college or university, profile photo, bio, and contact preferences.
• Listing Information: When you post listings, we collect the content you provide, including descriptions, photos, prices, and location information.
• Messages: We store messages you send and receive through our messaging system.
• Verification Information: If you choose to verify your account, we may collect your .edu email address or other verification credentials.

Information Collected Automatically

• Usage Data: We collect information about how you use the Service, including pages visited, features used, and actions taken.
• Device Information: We collect information about your device, including IP address, browser type, operating system, and device identifiers.
• Location Data: With your permission, we may collect approximate location data to show relevant listings and improve our services.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• To provide, maintain, and improve our Service
• To create and manage your account
• To process and display your listings
• To facilitate communication between users
• To verify user identities and maintain trust in the community
• To send you service-related notifications and updates
• To respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
• To detect, prevent, and address fraud, abuse, and security issues
• To enforce our Terms of Service and other policies
• To analyze usage patterns and improve user experience
• To comply with legal obligations

3. Messaging Privacy and Moderation

Message Storage: Messages sent through our platform are stored securely and are accessible only to the parties involved in the conversation, as well as authorized Scholar Commons staff for moderation purposes.

Moderation: We may review messages to ensure compliance with our Terms of Service, investigate reports of abuse, and maintain platform safety. We use both automated systems and human review for moderation. Messages flagged as potentially violating our policies may be reviewed by our moderation team.

No Message Selling: We do not sell, rent, or share the content of your messages with third parties for marketing purposes.

4. Information Sharing

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

• With Other Users: Certain information, such as your name, profile photo, listings, and public profile information, is visible to other users of the Service.
• Service Providers: We may share information with third-party vendors who help us operate and improve the Service, such as hosting providers, analytics services, and customer support tools. These providers are bound by confidentiality obligations.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, regulation, legal process, or government request, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect rights, safety, or property.
• Business Transfers: If Scholar Commons is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.
• With Your Consent: We may share information for other purposes with your explicit consent.

5. Data Storage and Security

Storage: Your data is stored on secure servers provided by our hosting partners. We use industry-standard encryption for data transmission (TLS/SSL) and encrypt sensitive data at rest.

Security Measures: We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information, including:

• Encryption of passwords using industry-standard hashing algorithms
• Secure HTTPS connections for all data transmission
• Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
• Access controls limiting employee access to personal data
• Row-level security policies to protect database records

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

6. We Do Not Sell Your Personal Data

Scholar Commons does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes. We do not share your contact information with advertisers. We do not use your data to build marketing profiles for sale to other companies.

7. Cookies and Analytics

Cookies: We use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Keep you signed in to your account
• Remember your preferences and settings
• Understand how you use our Service
• Improve our Service based on usage patterns

Analytics: We use analytics services to understand how users interact with our platform. These services may collect information about your device, browser, and usage patterns. We use this data to improve our Service and user experience.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling certain cookies may limit your ability to use some features of the Service.

8. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: You can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction: You can update or correct inaccurate information through your account settings or by contacting us.
• Deletion: You can request deletion of your account and associated data. Note that some information may be retained as required by law or for legitimate business purposes.
• Portability: You can request a copy of your data in a commonly used format.
• Opt-Out: You can opt out of non-essential communications by adjusting your notification settings or clicking the unsubscribe link in marketing emails.

To exercise these rights, please contact us at privacy@scholarcommons.com. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

9. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with the Service. We may also retain and use your information as necessary to:

• Comply with legal obligations
• Resolve disputes
• Enforce our agreements
• Prevent fraud and abuse

Listings are automatically archived after expiration. Deleted accounts are removed from our active systems, though some information may be retained in backups for a limited period.

10. Children's Privacy

Scholar Commons is not intended for users under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 18, we will take steps to delete that information promptly. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 18, please contact us immediately.

11. International Users

Scholar Commons is operated from the United States. If you are accessing the Service from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States, where data protection laws may differ from those in your country. By using the Service, you consent to this transfer.

12. 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 and, at our discretion, notify you through the Service or by email. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

13. Contact Us

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