Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

UniCentral ("we", "our", "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our platform.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

• Account Information: Name, email address (educational), phone number, university, program, class year.
• Profile Information: Profile picture, bio, and other optional details.
• Listing Information: Property details, photos, pricing, availability, and contact preferences.
• Communications: Messages sent through our chat system.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Usage Data: Pages visited, features used, time spent on platform.
• Device Information: Browser type, operating system, IP address.
• Cookies: We use cookies for authentication and preferences.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use collected information to:

• Provide and maintain our services.
• Verify your educational affiliation.
• Enable communication between users.
• Send service-related notifications (e.g., new messages, listing updates).
• Improve our platform and user experience.
• Detect and prevent fraud or abuse.
• Comply with legal obligations.

4. Information Sharing

We may share your information with:

• Other Users: Your profile information and listings are visible to other authenticated users. Contact information is shown only when you choose to share it.
• Service Providers: Third-party services that help us operate (e.g., Supabase for database, Resend for emails).
• Legal Requirements: When required by law or to protect our rights.

We do NOT sell your personal information to third parties.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate security measures to protect your information, including:

• Encrypted data transmission (HTTPS/SSL).
• Secure password hashing (bcrypt).
• JWT-based authentication.
• Regular security assessments.

However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your data.

6. Data Retention

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

7. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of your personal data.
• Correction: Update or correct inaccurate information via your profile.
• Deletion: Delete your account and associated data.
• Portability: Request your data in a portable format.
• Opt-out: Unsubscribe from non-essential communications.

To exercise these rights, contact us at support@unicentral.org.

8. Cookies

We use essential cookies to:

• Keep you logged in (session management).
• Remember your preferences.

You can disable cookies in your browser settings, but this may affect platform functionality.

9. Third-Party Services

Our platform uses the following third-party services:

• Supabase: Database and file storage (PostgreSQL).
• Resend: Email delivery service.
• Google Maps API: Address autocomplete and mapping.

These services have their own privacy policies governing their use of your data.

10. Children's Privacy

UniCentral is not intended for users under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

11. International Users

Our services are primarily intended for users in the United States. If you access the platform from outside the US, you consent to the transfer of your information to the US, where data protection laws may differ from your jurisdiction.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. We will notify you of significant changes via email or platform notification. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance.

13. Contact Us

For privacy-related questions or concerns:
Email: support@unicentral.org