Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

StartSalam is a global community platform for kindness and connection. This Privacy Policy describes how we handle the information you share when you use the platform at startsalam.com. By using StartSalam, you agree to the practices described here.

2. Information we collect

We only collect what we need to run the platform and keep it safe.

• Account information: your email address (for sign-in), and a hashed password if you sign up with email/password. If you sign in with Google, we receive only your basic profile (name, email, avatar).
• Profile information: the username, full name, bio, avatar, and optional phone number you choose to add.
• Content you create: posts, comments, likes, follows, saved items, hashtags, drafts, and uploaded images or videos.
• Private messages: direct messages exchanged between you and other users.
• Safety data: reports you submit, blocks you create, and any moderation actions taken on your content.
• Technical data: IP address, browser/device type, and timestamps in our server logs — used to keep the service stable and prevent abuse.

3. How we use information

• To operate your account and display your profile and posts to the audience you choose.
• To deliver private messages, notifications, and follower requests.
• To detect spam, abuse, and content that violates our Community Guidelines.
• To respond to reports and to support requests you send us.
• To improve the platform through aggregated, non-identifying usage statistics.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We do not use your data to build advertising profiles, and we do not run third-party ad networks.

4. User accounts and authentication

Authentication is handled by our backend provider (Supabase Auth, via Lovable Cloud). Passwords are hashed using industry-standard one-way algorithms — they are never stored in readable form, and not even StartSalam administrators can see them. If you sign in with Google, we never receive your Google password.

5. Posts, comments, messages, and uploaded media

Public posts and comments are visible to other StartSalam users and may appear on public pages (such as individual post pages or hashtag pages) that can be indexed by search engines. If your profile is set to private, your posts are visible only to approved followers.

Private messages are visible only to you and the recipient. They are not used to train AI models and are not shared with advertisers. They may be accessed by our moderators only when reported for safety reasons.

Uploaded images and videos are stored in our secure storage. Videos are stored in a private bucket and served through short-lived signed URLs, so they are not openly downloadable from the public internet.

6. Cookies and analytics

We use a small number of essential cookies and local-storage entries to keep you signed in and remember your session. We do not use third-party advertising cookies, cross-site tracking pixels, or sell analytics data. We collect basic aggregate usage statistics (such as daily signups or posts) to understand how the platform is performing.

7. Data sharing and third-party services

We only share data with trusted service providers who help us operate the platform, under strict confidentiality:

• Supabase (via Lovable Cloud): database, authentication, and file storage.
• Cloudflare: hosting, content delivery, and protection against attacks.
• Sightengine: automated safety scanning of uploaded images and videos.
• Google Gemini (via Lovable AI Gateway): automated content classification used only to assist moderators in reviewing flagged content.
• Lovable: the platform host that operates the underlying infrastructure.

These providers process data only on our behalf to deliver the service. They do not use your content for their own advertising or training purposes.

8. Data retention

We keep your account data for as long as your account is active. When you delete a post, it is removed from public view immediately and purged from active storage. When you delete your account, your profile, posts, comments, likes, and private messages are removed from the platform. Backup copies may persist for a limited period for disaster-recovery purposes before being overwritten on the normal backup rotation. Aggregated, anonymized statistics may be retained indefinitely.

9. User rights and account deletion

You can:

• Edit your profile, privacy setting, and contact details at any time from Settings.
• Delete any of your posts or comments individually.
• Block other users to prevent any interaction with them.
• Delete your entire account from Settings → Privacy. This is permanent.
• Request a copy of your data, or ask us to delete specific information, by emailing privacy@startsalam.com.

Depending on where you live, you may also have additional rights under local laws such as the GDPR (EU/UK) or CCPA (California), including the right to access, correct, or object to processing of your data. Contact us at the address above to exercise these rights.

10. Children's privacy

StartSalam is not intended for users under 13 years old (or the minimum age of digital consent in your country, if higher). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we learn that a child has created an account, we will delete it and the associated data.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy as the platform evolves. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the bottom of this page and, where appropriate, notify you inside the app. Continued use of StartSalam after changes are posted means you accept the updated policy.

12. Contact

Questions, privacy requests, or data-deletion requests:

• Email: privacy@startsalam.com
• General support: support@startsalam.com

For security-related disclosures, please see our Security page.

13. Company information

Founder & CEO: Gholam Jelani