Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to FindYourTeam. Your privacy is critically important to us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you use our Platform.

By using FindYourTeam, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our policies, please do not use our Platform.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide to Us

When you create an account or use our services, we collect:

• Account Information: Email address, username (public handle), optional full name, and password (hashed and encrypted).
• Review Content: Ratings, written reviews, comments, and any tags or labels you apply.
• Proof Documents: Uploaded images or documents (receipts, rosters, camp confirmations) to verify your experiences.
• Camp Notifications: Email addresses submitted for "Notify Me for Next Season" features.
• Profile Claims: Name, email, phone number (for club/coach representatives claiming profiles).
• Contact Submissions: Name, email, phone, and message content when you contact us through our contact form.

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

We automatically collect certain information when you use our Platform:

• Usage Data: Pages viewed, search queries, clicks, time spent on pages, and browsing behavior.
• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers.
• Location Data: Approximate location based on IP address (not precise GPS).
• Cookies: Session cookies for authentication and functional cookies for site operation.

2.3 Third-Party Data

We use Google Analytics to understand site usage. Google may collect and process data as described in their Privacy Policy.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

3.1 Platform Operation

• To create and manage your account.
• To authenticate your login sessions.
• To display your username on reviews and community contributions.
• To process and moderate user-submitted reviews.

3.2 Review Verification

• To verify the authenticity of your reviews using uploaded proof documents.
• To prevent fraudulent or fake reviews.
• To display a "Verified" badge on your reviews if applicable.

3.3 Email Communications

• To send you notifications about camp registrations (only for camps you subscribed to).
• To respond to your contact form submissions.
• To send important account or Platform updates (security alerts, Terms changes).

3.4 Analytics & Improvement

• To understand how users interact with our Platform.
• To improve search functionality, user experience, and content relevance.
• To track zero-result searches and optimize our directory.

3.5 AI Scout Recommendations

• To provide personalized club, coach, and camp recommendations based on your preferences and location.
• To improve the accuracy of AI-generated suggestions over time.

4. Username Privacy & Rotation System

4.1 Public Username vs. Real Name

Your real name (if provided) is never displayed publicly. Only your chosen username is visible to other users. This protects your identity while allowing you to contribute authentic reviews.

4.2 Username Rotation Limits

You may change your public username up to 3 times per calendar year. This limit resets every January 1st. We track:

• username_rotation_count: The number of times you've changed your username in the current year.
• username_rotation_year: The year your rotation count was last updated.

4.3 Frozen Usernames on Reviews

When you submit a review, your current username is permanently "frozen" with that review. This means:

• Past reviews will always display the username you had at the time of submission.
• Changing your username does NOT update your username on previously submitted reviews.
• This protects your privacy while maintaining the authenticity and traceability of your review history.

4.4 Why We Do This

This system prevents clubs or coaches from pressuring parents to delete or modify reviews. Even if you change your username, your past feedback remains visible under your old username, ensuring accountability and transparency.

5. Proof Document Handling

5.1 Document Storage

Uploaded proof documents (receipts, rosters, camp confirmations) are:

• Stored securely on Amazon Web Services (AWS) S3 with encryption.
• Visible to administrators only — never displayed publicly or shared with third parties.
• Retained for 24 months after review submission for dispute resolution and fraud prevention.
• Permanently deleted after 24 months unless required for active legal proceedings.

5.2 Document Purpose

We use these documents solely to:

• Verify that you have a genuine connection to the club, coach, or camp you're reviewing.
• Display a "Verified" badge on your review to signal authenticity to other parents.
• Resolve disputes if a club challenges the legitimacy of a review.

5.3 Document Security

Documents are accessed via signed URLs with expiration times. Only authenticated administrators can view them, and all access is logged for security auditing.

6. Email Communications

6.1 Camp Notification Emails

If you subscribe to notifications for an expired camp ("Notify Me for Next Season"), we will:

• Store your email address in our subscribers table.
• Email you only about the specific camp you subscribed to when registration reopens.
• Never sell, share, or use your email for unrelated marketing.
• Allow you to unsubscribe anytime via a link in the notification email.

6.2 Transactional Emails

We may send essential emails related to:

• Account security alerts (password changes, suspicious login attempts).
• Important Platform updates (Terms of Service changes, new features).
• Responses to your contact form submissions.

6.3 No Spam Policy

We never send promotional emails, newsletters, or marketing campaigns unless you explicitly opt in. We respect your inbox.

7. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

7.1 What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on your device to help websites remember your preferences and activity.

7.2 Cookies We Use

• Session Cookies: Used for authentication and keeping you logged in. These are essential for the Platform to function.
• Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences (e.g., selected region, comparison bar items).
• Analytics Cookies: Google Analytics tracks page views, searches, and user behavior to help us improve the site.

7.3 Third-Party Tracking

We use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to understand site usage. Google may collect:

• IP address (anonymized).
• Browser type and device information.
• Pages visited and time spent on the Platform.

For details on how Google processes this data, see Google's Privacy Policy.

7.4 Managing Cookies

You can disable cookies in your browser settings. However, doing so may limit your ability to use certain features of the Platform (e.g., staying logged in).

8. Third-Party Services & Data Processors

8.1 Amazon Web Services (AWS)

We use AWS S3 to store:

• Club, coach, and camp logos.
• Uploaded proof documents (receipts, rosters).

AWS processes this data on our behalf. For details, see AWS Privacy Notice.

8.2 Google Maps API

We use Google Maps to:

• Display club locations on interactive maps.
• Calculate driving distances and travel times for AI Scout recommendations.

Location data is processed according to Google's Privacy Policy.

8.3 Abacus.AI (LLM APIs)

Our AI Scout feature uses Abacus.AI's language models to generate personalized recommendations. User queries and preferences are processed by Abacus.AI but not stored or used for training their models.

9. Data Retention

9.1 Account Data

• Active Accounts: Retained indefinitely as long as your account is active.
• Deleted Accounts: Personal information (email, name) is deleted within 30 days of account deletion.

9.2 Review Content

Reviews remain published indefinitely, even after account deletion, to preserve community data integrity. Your frozen username will continue to display on past reviews.

9.3 Proof Documents

Uploaded proof documents are retained for 24 months after review submission, then permanently deleted.

9.4 Subscriber Emails

Email addresses for camp notifications are retained until:

• You unsubscribe from notifications.
• The camp is no longer active on our Platform.
• 3 years of inactivity (no new camp seasons).

9.5 Analytics Data

Google Analytics data is retained for 26 months according to GA4 default settings.

10. Data Sharing & Sale

10.1 We Never Sell Your Data

We never sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes. Your privacy is not for sale.

10.2 Limited Data Sharing

We may share your information only in these limited circumstances:

• Service Providers: AWS (storage), Google (analytics, maps), Abacus.AI (AI recommendations) process data on our behalf under strict confidentiality agreements.
• Legal Requirements: If required by law, court order, or government request.
• Safety & Fraud Prevention: To protect the rights, property, or safety of our users or the public.

10.3 Publicly Visible Information

The following information is publicly visible by design:

• Your username (public handle) on reviews.
• Review content, ratings, and tags you submit.
• Your "Verified" status badge (if applicable).

11. Your Privacy Rights

11.1 Access & Correction

You can view and edit your account information (email, username, name) at any time via your Profile Dashboard.

11.2 Account Deletion

You may request account deletion by contacting [email protected]. Upon deletion:

• Your personal information (email, name, password) is permanently deleted.
• Your reviews remain published with your frozen username to preserve community data.
• Proof documents are deleted within 24 months (or immediately upon request if no active disputes).

11.3 Unsubscribe from Emails

You can unsubscribe from camp notification emails at any time by clicking the "Unsubscribe" link in the email or contacting us.

11.4 Opt-Out of Analytics

You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

12. Children's Privacy (COPPA Compliance)

Our Platform is designed for use by parents and guardians (18+), not children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 years of age.

If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately at [email protected], and we will promptly delete the information.

Parents are responsible for supervising their children's use of the internet and ensuring compliance with age restrictions.

13. International Users & GDPR

13.1 U.S. Jurisdiction

This Platform is intended for users in the United States, specifically the DMV area (District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia). By using this site, you consent to the transfer and processing of your data in the United States.

13.2 GDPR (European Users)

If you are accessing our Platform from the European Union (EU), you have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including:

• Right to access your personal data.
• Right to rectification (correction) of inaccurate data.
• Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten").
• Right to data portability.
• Right to object to processing.

If we expand our services to Europe in the future, we will update this Privacy Policy to reflect full GDPR compliance.

14. Data Security

We take data security seriously and implement industry-standard measures to protect your information:

• Password Hashing: Passwords are hashed using bcrypt (cost factor 10) and never stored in plain text.
• HTTPS Encryption: All data transmitted between your browser and our servers is encrypted using SSL/TLS.
• Secure Storage: Proof documents and images are stored on AWS S3 with encryption at rest.
• Access Controls: Only authenticated administrators can access sensitive data (proof documents, contact submissions).
• Regular Audits: We monitor for suspicious activity and perform security reviews.

However, no system is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, and you use the Platform at your own risk.

15. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or Platform features. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date.

For significant changes that materially affect your privacy rights, we will notify you via email or a prominent notice on the Platform.

16. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us: