Information We Collect

Personal Information:

• Name and University of Melbourne email address
• Study preferences, year level, and declared major
• Optional bio and profile information
• Group participation and messaging activity

Usage Information:

• Platform usage patterns and preferences
• Session attendance and study group interactions
• Files uploaded and flashcards created

How We Use Your Information

• To match you with relevant study groups and study partners
• To provide personalized recommendations for groups and sessions
• To facilitate communication between group members
• To improve our platform and user experience
• To ensure platform safety and enforce our Terms of Service

Information Sharing

We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

• Within the Platform: Your name and study preferences are visible to other verified University of Melbourne students
• Service Providers: We use trusted third-party services (Vercel, Railway) to host our platform
• Legal Requirements: If required by law or to protect the rights and safety of our users

Data Security

We implement appropriate security measures to protect your information:

• Encrypted data transmission and storage
• Secure authentication using JWT tokens
• Regular security reviews and updates
• University email verification for account creation

Your Rights and Choices

You have the right to:

• Access and update your personal information through your profile
• Delete your account and associated data at any time
• Control what information is shared in your profile
• Request information about how your data is used

Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide our services. If you delete your account, we will remove your personal information within 30 days, except where we are required to retain certain information for legal purposes.

Cookies and Tracking

We use minimal tracking technologies, primarily for authentication and user session management. We do not use advertising cookies or share data with advertising networks.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new policy on our platform and updating the effective date.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your information, please contact us at: melbminds@gmail.com