Privacy Notice & Terms of Service

2.1 Your Privacy Is Not For Sale

• We will never sell your personal data to third parties
• We do not engage in targeted advertising or psychological influence operations
• Your contact information is only used for UBCupids-related communications

2.2 Security First

• All sensitive data is encrypted using industry-standard AES-256-GCM encryption
• Passwords are hashed using bcrypt before storage
• We implement strict access controls and security measures

2.3 Transparency & Accountability

• We are clear about what data we collect and how we use it
• You have the right to access, modify, and delete your data
• We are contactable and responsive to privacy concerns

2.4 Voluntary Participation

• Your participation is completely voluntary
• You can delete your account at any time before matching begins
• After matches are released, you choose whether to accept or decline connections

3.1 Account Information

• Contact Information: First name, last name, UBC email address (@student.ubc.ca or @alumni.ubc.ca)
• Authentication: Password (hashed with bcrypt)
• Account Type: Match candidate, cupid, or both

3.2 Profile Information (Match Candidates)

• Basic Information: Display name, age, major (optional), profile picture (optional)
• Personal Information: Interests, bio, point of contact (e.g., social media handle)
• Privacy Settings: Your preferences for what information to share with matches

3.3 Questionnaire Responses (Encrypted)

• Demographics: Gender identity, sexual orientation, matching preferences
• Compatibility Questions: Values, beliefs, lifestyle preferences, relationship goals
• Importance Ratings: How important each question is to you (1-5 scale)
• Open-Ended Responses: Text responses about interests, hobbies, and personality

⚠️ All questionnaire data is encrypted at rest using AES-256-GCM encryption. Only the matching algorithm and assigned cupids can access this data.

3.4 Cupid Information

• Cupid Display Name: Name shown when making matches
• Preferred Candidate: Optional email of someone you'd like to help match
• Approval Status: Whether you've been approved as a cupid

3.5 Technical Information

• Session Data: Authentication tokens, login timestamps
• Usage Analytics: Page visits, feature usage (via Vercel Analytics)
• Device Information: Browser type, IP address (for security purposes)

4.1 Matching Algorithm

Your questionnaire responses and demographic information are used by our matching algorithm to:

• Calculate compatibility scores with other participants
• Apply hard filters (gender preferences, age ranges)
• Generate 1-3 potential matches per match candidate
• Provide match rationale based on shared values and interests

4.2 Cupid Assignments

Match candidate profiles and questionnaire responses are shared with assigned cupids to:

• Review compatibility between candidates and potential matches
• Make informed matching decisions
• Provide personalized rationale for each match

⚠️ Cupids sign confidentiality agreements and are bound to keep all information private.

4.3 Communication

We use your email address to send:

• Account notifications: Email verification, password resets, security alerts
• Project updates: Important announcements about timelines and deadlines
• Match results: Notification when your matches are ready
• Tutorial content: Guidance on using the platform

4.4 Service Improvement

• Analyze usage patterns to improve user experience
• Identify and fix technical issues
• Prevent fraud and maintain platform security

4.5 What We DON'T Do With Your Data

• ❌ Sell or rent your personal information
• ❌ Share your data with advertisers or marketers
• ❌ Use social media scraping or external data sources
• ❌ Train AI models on your questionnaire responses
• ❌ Share individually identifiable information publicly

5.1 Encryption Standards

5.2 What This Means For You

• Even if someone gains unauthorized access to the database, they cannot read your encrypted questionnaire responses without the encryption key
• Database administrators cannot view your questionnaire answers
• Your passwords are never stored in plain text
• Each piece of encrypted data is cryptographically verified to prevent tampering

5.3 Infrastructure Security

• Hosting: Secure cloud infrastructure with automated backups
• HTTPS: All data transmission is encrypted via TLS/SSL
• Access Controls: Role-based access with minimal privilege principles
• Monitoring: Automated security monitoring and alerting

5.4 Data Retention

• Active Period: Data is retained throughout the UBCupids 2026 cycle
• Post-Event: Match data and communications are deleted within 6 months after Valentine's Day
• Incomplete Responses: Draft questionnaires that are never submitted are automatically deleted
• Deleted Accounts: When you delete your account, all personal data is permanently removed from our systems

5.5 Security Incident Response

In the unlikely event of a data breach:

• We will notify affected users within 72 hours
• We will provide clear information about what data was affected
• We will take immediate steps to secure systems and prevent further breaches
• We will work with security experts to investigate and resolve the issue

6.1 Access Your Data

You can access your account information, profile, and questionnaire responses at any time by logging into your UBCupids account.

6.2 Modify Your Information

You can edit your profile information, questionnaire responses (before submission deadline), and privacy settings through your account dashboard.

6.3 Delete Your Account

You have the right to delete your account and all associated data:

• Before Matching: You can delete your account at any time before the matching algorithm runs
• After Matching: You can delete individual account types (match or cupid) or your entire account
• Complete Deletion: When deleted, your data is permanently removed from our systems

6.4 Data Portability

You can request a copy of your data in a portable format. Contact us to make this request.

6.5 Opt-Out Rights

• You can opt out of non-essential emails at any time
• You can adjust privacy settings to control what information is shared with matches
• You can decline matches without consequence

7.1 Eligibility

• You must be a current student or alumni of the University of British Columbia
• You must have a valid UBC email address (@student.ubc.ca or @alumni.ubc.ca)
• You must be at least 18 years old
• You must provide accurate information during registration

7.2 Account Responsibilities

• You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials
• You must not share your account with others
• You must notify us immediately of any unauthorized access to your account
• You may create only one account per email address

7.3 Acceptable Use

You agree NOT to:

• Provide false or misleading information
• Harass, abuse, or harm other users
• Use the service for commercial purposes or spam
• Attempt to hack, scrape, or reverse-engineer the platform
• Create multiple accounts to game the system
• Share other users' personal information without consent
• Use hate speech, discriminatory language, or explicit content

7.4 Match Candidate Obligations

• Complete the questionnaire honestly and thoughtfully
• Submit your questionnaire before the January 31, 2026 deadline
• Understand that matches are final once revealed (you can decline, but not request changes)
• Treat your matches with respect regardless of whether you accept or decline

7.5 Cupid Obligations

• Maintain strict confidentiality about all candidate information
• Make matching decisions thoughtfully and without bias
• Complete assigned matching tasks by required deadlines
• Provide helpful rationale for each match selection
• Never share candidate information outside the platform

7.6 No Guarantees

UBCupids is provided "as is" without warranties:

• We do not guarantee you will receive matches
• We do not guarantee match quality or compatibility
• We are not responsible for user interactions outside the platform
• We do not guarantee uninterrupted service or error-free operation

7.7 Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law:

• UBCupids is not liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages
• We are not responsible for the actions or conduct of users
• We are not liable for any romantic, emotional, or personal outcomes
• Our total liability is limited to the amount you paid to use the service ($0)

7.8 Account Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that:

• Violate these terms of service
• Engage in abusive or harmful behavior
• Provide false information
• Compromise platform security or integrity

7.9 Important Deadlines

7.10 Changes to Terms

We may update these terms from time to time. If we make significant changes, we will notify you via email. Continued use of the service after changes constitutes acceptance of the new terms.

7.11 Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of British Columbia, Canada. Any disputes will be resolved in the courts of British Columbia.