Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to SettleWise ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our website and services.

By accessing or using SettleWise, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our services.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information

When you register for an account, we collect:

• Username: Your chosen unique identifier
• Email Address: For account verification and communication
• Password: Stored in encrypted form using industry-standard hashing
• Profile Information: Display name, bio, and location (optional)

2.2 User-Generated Content

We collect content you create or submit, including:

• Blog post comments
• Profile updates and modifications
• Any feedback or contact form submissions

2.3 Automatically Collected Information

When you access our website, we automatically collect:

• Log Data: IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, and timestamps
• Cookies: Session data for authentication and user preferences
• Usage Data: How you interact with our content and features

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

3.1 Service Provision

• Create and manage your user account
• Authenticate your identity when you log in
• Enable you to comment on blog posts
• Display your profile information to other users
• Provide personalized content recommendations

3.2 Communication

• Send account-related notifications (password resets, security alerts)
• Respond to your inquiries and support requests
• Send updates about new resources and features (with your consent)

3.3 Improvement and Analytics

• Analyze usage patterns to improve our services
• Monitor and prevent security threats
• Debug technical issues
• Understand which resources are most helpful to our community

4. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:

4.1 Public Information

• Username and Display Name: Visible on your profile and comments
• Comments: Publicly visible on blog posts
• Profile Bio: Visible to other registered users

4.2 Service Providers

We may share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in:

• Web hosting and infrastructure (Railway, AWS, etc.)
• Database management
• Email delivery services
• Analytics and monitoring tools

These providers are bound by confidentiality agreements and can only use your information to provide services to us.

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or in response to:

• Valid legal processes (subpoenas, court orders)
• Government or regulatory requests
• Protection of our rights, property, or safety
• Prevention of fraud or abuse

5. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information:

• Encryption: All data transmitted between your browser and our servers is encrypted using HTTPS/SSL
• Password Security: Passwords are hashed using Django's PBKDF2 algorithm with SHA256
• Database Security: PostgreSQL with encrypted connections and regular backups
• Access Controls: Limited employee/admin access to user data
• CSRF Protection: All forms include CSRF tokens to prevent cross-site request forgery
• Session Security: Secure session cookies with HTTP-only flags

6. Your Rights and Choices

6.1 Account Management

You have the right to:

• Access: View your personal information at any time through your profile
• Update: Modify your profile information, including display name, bio, and location
• Delete Comments: Request deletion of your comments (contact us)
• Account Deletion: Request complete account deletion (contact us)

6.2 Communication Preferences

• Opt out of promotional emails (when implemented)
• Manage notification settings
• Update your email address

6.3 Data Portability

You can request a copy of your personal data in a machine-readable format by contacting us at privacy@SettleWise.com.

7. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Essential Cookies: Required for authentication and session management (cannot be disabled)
• Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how users interact with our site (if implemented)

You can control cookie settings through your browser, but disabling essential cookies will prevent you from logging in.

8. Third-Party Links

SettleWise contains links to external websites and resources, including:

• Government immigration websites (USCIS, State Department)
• Community organizations and nonprofits
• Educational and financial institutions
• Tools and calculators hosted elsewhere

9. Children's Privacy

SettleWise is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately.

10. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services. Specifically:

• Active Accounts: Data retained indefinitely while account is active
• Deleted Accounts: Personal data deleted within 90 days of account deletion request
• Comments: May be retained for content integrity, but anonymized after account deletion
• Log Data: Retained for 6-12 months for security and debugging purposes
• Backup Data: May persist in backups for up to 30 days after deletion

11. International Users

SettleWise is hosted in the United States. If you access our services from outside the United States, your information will be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States. By using our services, you consent to this transfer.

The United States may have different data protection laws than your country of residence. We take steps to ensure your information receives adequate protection.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. When we make changes:

• We will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page
• For significant changes, we will notify you via email or prominent notice on our website
• Continued use of our services after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

13. Contact Us

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

14. Your California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right to Know: Request disclosure of personal information collected, used, and shared
• Right to Delete: Request deletion of your personal information
• Right to Opt-Out: Opt out of sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information)
• Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights

To exercise these rights, email us at privacy@SettleWise.com with "CCPA Request" in the subject line.