USERGROUPS PRIVACY POLICY
Last Updated: 12/09/2025
1. INTRODUCTION
UserGroups (“we,” “our,” or “us”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application and website (collectively, the “Service”).
By using our Service, you consent to the data practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the practices described here, please do not use our Service.
2. INFORMATION WE COLLECT
2.1 Information You Provide Directly
Account Information:
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Email address
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First and last name
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Profile photo/avatar
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Bio and personal description
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Professional information (LinkedIn URL, GitHub URL, website)
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Date of birth (for age verification)
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Region
User-Generated Content:
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Posts, comments, and discussions
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Images and files you upload
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Code snippets and technical content
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Event descriptions and details
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Messages and communications
UserGroup and Event Information:
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UserGroup memberships and roles
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Event attendance and ticket purchases
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Saved events and content
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Follow relationships and social connections
Payment Information:
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Payment card details (processed and stored by Stripe)
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Billing address and contact information
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Transaction history and receipts
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Stripe Customer ID for payment processing
2.2 Information Collected Automatically
Device and Technical Information:
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IP address and location data
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Device type, operating system, and browser information
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Unique device identifiers and advertising IDs
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Mobile carrier and network information
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App version and configuration settings
Usage Data:
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Pages visited and features used
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Time spent on different sections
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Search queries and filters applied
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Interaction patterns and preferences
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Error logs and performance data
Location Information:
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Approximate location based on IP address
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Precise location (only when you grant permission for event features)
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Event location data for organizing and attending events
Notification Data:
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Push notification tokens and preferences
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Notification delivery status and engagement
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Communication preferences and settings
2.3 Information from Third Parties
Authentication Providers:
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Profile information from Google, GitHub, LinkedIn, Microsoft, or other OAuth providers
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Email address and basic profile data
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Authentication tokens and verification status
Social Media Integration:
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Public profile information when you choose to connect social accounts
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Professional networking data (LinkedIn profiles)
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Developer profiles (GitHub information)
Payment Processors:
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Transaction data from Stripe
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Payment verification and fraud prevention information
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Chargeback and dispute information
3. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION
3.1 Core Platform Functions
Account Management:
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Create and maintain your user account
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Authenticate your identity and secure your account
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Provide customer support and respond to inquiries
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Send important service updates and notifications
Content and Social Features:
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Display your posts, comments, and other content
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Enable interactions with other users (follows, likes, saves)
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Facilitate UserGroup membership and participation
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Show personalized content and recommendations
Event Management:
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Process event registrations and ticket purchases
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Generate QR codes for event check-in
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Send event reminders and updates
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Facilitate communication between organizers and attendees
3.2 Communications
We use your information to send:
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In-app notifications about activity and updates
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Email notifications based on your preferences
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Push notifications for real-time updates
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Important service announcements and policy changes
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Marketing communications (with your consent)
3.3 Platform Improvement
Analytics and Research:
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Analyze usage patterns to improve our Service
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Conduct research on user behavior and preferences
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Test new features and functionality
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Monitor platform performance and reliability
Security and Safety:
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Detect and prevent fraud, spam, and abuse
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Investigate policy violations and security incidents
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Protect the safety and security of our users
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Comply with legal obligations and law enforcement requests
Personalization:
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Customize your experience based on your interests
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Recommend relevant UserGroups, events, and content
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Tailor notifications to your preferences
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Optimize the user interface for your device and usage patterns
4. HOW WE SHARE YOUR INFORMATION
4.1 Public Information
The following information is publicly visible to other users:
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Your profile name, photo, and bio
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Your posts, comments, and discussions in public UserGroups
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Your membership in public UserGroups
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Events you’re hosting (if set to public)
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Your follow relationships (if not set to private)
4.2 Within UserGroups
Information shared with UserGroup members:
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Your profile information within joined UserGroups
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Your posts and comments within those UserGroups
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Your role and participation level
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Event attendance within the UserGroup
4.3 Service Providers
We share information with trusted third parties who provide services on our behalf:
Stripe (Payment Processing):
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Payment card information and billing details
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Transaction history and payment status
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Customer identification for fraud prevention
Supabase (Data Storage and Processing):
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All user data necessary for platform functionality
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Authentication and user management data
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Real-time database synchronization
Expo (Mobile App Platform):
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Device information and app usage data
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Crash reports and performance metrics
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Push notification delivery
Analytics Providers:
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Aggregated usage statistics and trends
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Performance and error reporting data
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User behavior patterns (anonymized when possible)
4.4 Legal and Safety Requirements
We may disclose your information when required by law or to:
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Comply with legal process, subpoenas, or court orders
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Protect our rights, property, or safety
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Investigate potential violations of our Terms of Service
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Prevent fraud, security breaches, or other illegal activity
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Protect the rights and safety of our users and the public
4.5 Business Transfers
In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, user information may be transferred to the new owners as part of the transaction. We will provide notice before your information is transferred and becomes subject to different privacy practices.
5. YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS AND CHOICES
5.1 Account Settings
You can control your privacy through your account settings:
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Update your profile information and preferences
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Choose what information is publicly visible
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Control who can follow you and see your activity
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Manage your UserGroup memberships and roles
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Set notification preferences for different types of updates
5.2 Communication Preferences
You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by:
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Using the unsubscribe link in email communications
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Updating your notification preferences in your account settings
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Contacting our support team
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Disabling push notifications through your device settings
5.3 Data Access and Portability
You have the right to:
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Access your personal information
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Download a copy of your data
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Correct inaccurate information
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Update your preferences and settings
To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@UserGroups.com.
5.4 Data Deletion
You can delete your account at any time through your account settings. When you delete your account:
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Your profile and personal information will be removed
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Your posts and comments may remain but will be anonymized
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Your payment information will be deleted from our systems
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Some data may be retained for legal or legitimate business purposes
5.5 Rights Under Applicable Privacy Laws
Depending on your location, you may have additional rights under local privacy laws:
GDPR (European Union):
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Right to access your personal data
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Right to rectification of inaccurate data
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Right to erasure (“right to be forgotten”)
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Right to restrict processing
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Right to data portability
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Right to object to processing
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Right to withdraw consent
CCPA (California):
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Right to know what personal information is collected
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Right to delete personal information
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Right to opt-out of the sale of personal information
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Right to non-discrimination for exercising privacy rights
6. DATA SECURITY
6.1 Security Measures
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your information:
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Encryption of data in transit and at rest
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Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
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Access controls and authentication requirements
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Employee training on data protection and security
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Incident response procedures for security breaches
6.2 Payment Security
Payment information is processed by Stripe, a PCI DSS compliant payment processor. We do not store complete payment card information on our servers.
6.3 Data Breach Notification
In the event of a data breach that affects your personal information, we will:
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Notify affected users within 72 hours of discovery
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Provide details about the nature and scope of the breach
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Explain what information was involved
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Describe the steps we’re taking to address the issue
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Offer guidance on protecting yourself
7. DATA RETENTION
7.1 Retention Periods
We retain your information for as long as necessary to:
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Provide our Service and maintain your account
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Comply with legal obligations and resolve disputes
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Prevent fraud and ensure platform security
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Improve our Service through analytics and research
7.2 Specific Retention Policies
Account Information: Retained while your account is active
User Content: Retained until you delete it or close your account
Payment Data: Retained for 7 years for tax and accounting purposes
Analytics Data: Retained for 2 years in aggregated form
Security Logs: Retained for 1 year for security monitoring
7.3 Deletion Procedures
When data is deleted:
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It is removed from our active databases
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Backups containing the data are overwritten within 90 days
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Some information may be retained in anonymized form for analytics
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Legal holds may prevent deletion if required by law
8. INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS
8.1 Data Processing Locations
Your information may be processed in countries other than your own, including:
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United States (primary data processing)
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European Union (for EU users)
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Other countries where our service providers operate
8.2 Transfer Safeguards
When transferring data internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards:
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Adequacy decisions by relevant authorities
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Standard contractual clauses
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Binding corporate rules
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Certification schemes and codes of conduct
9. CHILDREN’S PRIVACY
9.1 Age Restrictions
Our Service is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have collected information from a child under 13, we will delete that information promptly.
9.2 Parental Rights
If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us. We will:
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Verify your relationship to the child
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Provide you with information about what data we have collected
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Delete the child’s account and information upon request
10. COOKIES AND TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES
10.1 Types of Cookies
We use the following types of cookies and similar technologies:
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Essential cookies for basic platform functionality
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Performance cookies to analyze usage and improve our Service
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Functional cookies to remember your preferences
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Marketing cookies for advertising and promotion (with consent)
10.2 Cookie Management
You can control cookies through:
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Your browser settings and preferences
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Our cookie consent banner (for web users)
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Third-party opt-out tools and services
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Device settings for mobile app tracking
11. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY
11.1 Policy Updates
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect:
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Changes in our data practices
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New features or functionality
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Legal or regulatory requirements
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User feedback and best practices
11.2 Notification of Changes
When we make significant changes:
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We will notify you through the Service or by email
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The updated policy will be posted with a new “Last Updated” date
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Continued use of the Service constitutes acceptance of the changes
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You may close your account if you disagree with the changes
12. CONTACT INFORMATION
12.1 Privacy Questions
For questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, contact us at:
Email: privacy@UserGroups.com
Address: 48 Langham Street, W1W 7AR, London, United Kingdom
Phone: +447418641004
12.2 Data Protection Officer
If required by applicable law, you can contact our Data Protection Officer at:
Email: DPO@UserGroups.com
12.3 Regulatory Authorities
You have the right to lodge a complaint with supervisory authorities if you believe we have violated your privacy rights. Contact information for relevant authorities can be found on their official websites.
By using UserGroups, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and agree to our data practices as described herein.