Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Circa Events (“we”, “us”, or “our”) operates the Circa platform (“the App”). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application and web platform. Please read this policy carefully. By using the App, you consent to the practices described in this policy.

2. Information We Collect

a) Information You Provide

• Account information: name, email address, username, and password when you register
• Profile information: bio, profile photos, and interests you choose to share
• Event content: events you create, including titles, descriptions, images, and widget configurations
• User-generated content: comments, messages, gallery uploads, poll responses, and other interactions

b) Information Collected Automatically

• Device information: device type, operating system, and platform
• Location data: precise location when you opt in to location-sharing features
• Usage data: pages viewed, features used, and interactions with the App
• Push notification tokens: device tokens for delivering notifications

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, operate, and maintain the App
• Create and manage your account
• Enable event discovery, creation, and management
• Facilitate social features such as friend connections, messaging, and event sharing
• Deliver push notifications and event reminders you have opted into
• Enable location-sharing features between you and your friends (when you opt in)
• Improve, personalize, and expand our services
• Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and security incidents
• Communicate with you about updates, support, and service-related notices

4. Sharing Your Information

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

• With other users: your profile information, event activity, and content you choose to share are visible to other users as part of the App's social features
• Location data: shared only with friends you have explicitly granted location-sharing permissions to
• Service providers: we use third-party services for cloud hosting (Microsoft Azure), image storage (Azure Blob Storage), maps (Google Maps), and push notifications (Expo)
• Legal requirements: we may disclose information if required by law or in response to valid legal process
• Business transfers: in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets

We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

5. Data Storage and Security

Your data is stored on secure servers hosted by Microsoft Azure in Canada. We implement industry-standard security measures, including encrypted connections (HTTPS), hashed passwords (bcrypt), and token-based authentication (JWT). While we strive to protect your information, no method of electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Your Rights and Choices

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Access and update: you can view and edit your profile information at any time through the App
• Delete your account: you can permanently delete your account and all associated data from the Settings screen
• Disable location sharing: you can turn off location sharing at any time in the App settings or your device settings
• Manage notifications: you can enable or disable push notifications from the App settings or your device settings
• Profile visibility: you can control who sees your profile by adjusting your visibility setting to public, friends-only, or private

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with our services. When you delete your account, we permanently delete your profile information, events you organized, and associated data. Some information may be retained in anonymized form for analytics purposes.

8. Third-Party Services

The App integrates with the following third-party services, each governed by their own privacy policies:

• Google Maps Platform: for map display and location search
• Microsoft Azure: for cloud hosting and data storage
• Expo: for mobile push notifications
• Spotify: for event anthem features (optional)

9. Children's Privacy

The App is not intended for users under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by updating the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at privacy@circaevents.ca.