Privacy Policy

This policy explains what information Hookitlingo collects when you use the site, why we collect it, and what say you have over it. We tried to write it in plain language instead of legal jargon. If anything here is unclear, just reach out and ask.

1. Information we collect

When you create an account, we collect:

• Basic account details you give us at signup, such as your name and email address.
• Your password, which we never store in plain text. It's hashed before it ever touches our database, so even we can't see what it actually is.
• Profile information you choose to add, including any social media links you attach to your shareable profile card.
• Any images you upload, such as a profile photo.
• Lesson progress, like which courses you've started, quiz results, and badges, most of which is currently saved locally in your browser rather than on our servers.

We also automatically collect some technical information, like your browser type and general usage patterns on the site, through analytics tools (see the Cookies section below).

2. How we use your information

We use the information we collect to:

• Create and maintain your account
• Let you log in securely and keep you signed in between visits
• Generate your shareable profile card
• Send you account-related emails, like password reset links
• Understand how people use Hookitlingo so we can improve it
• Keep the platform safe and prevent abuse

We don't sell your personal information to anyone, and we don't use it for advertising outside of Hookitlingo.

3. Your profile card and what's public

Part of Hookitlingo is meant to be shared. Anything you choose to put on your profile card, such as your name, a photo, and the social media links you add, may be visible to other users or to anyone you share the card's link with. Think of it the same way you'd think about any public social profile: don't put anything on it you wouldn't want a stranger to see.

You're in control of what goes on your card, and you can edit or remove those details from your account settings at any time.

4. Cookies

We use a small number of cookies to run the site:

• A session cookie that keeps you logged in. This is required for the site to work and can't be turned off without also logging you out.
• Analytics cookies (via Google Analytics) that help us understand how people move through the site, which pages get used, and where things might be confusing. This data is aggregated and isn't used to personally identify you.

You can block or delete cookies through your browser settings, though doing so may log you out or affect parts of the site that rely on staying signed in.

5. Who we share information with

We don't sell or rent your personal information. We do share it with a small number of service providers who help us run Hookitlingo, and only to the extent needed for them to do their job:

• Airtable, which stores our account and profile data
• Resend, which sends account emails like password resets on our behalf
• Cloudflare, which stores images you upload
• Google Analytics, which provides us with aggregated usage statistics

We may also share information if required by law, or to protect the safety of our users or the platform.

6. How we protect your information

Passwords are hashed, not stored as plain text. Your login session is protected with a signed cookie so it can't be tampered with. That said, no online service can guarantee perfect security, and we'd encourage you to use a password you don't reuse elsewhere.

7. How long we keep it

We keep your account information for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, we remove your personal details from our active systems, though some information may briefly remain in backups until they naturally cycle out.

8. Your choices and rights

You can:

• Edit your profile details and social links at any time
• Reset your password if you forget it
• Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Ask us to delete your account and associated data

If you're located somewhere with specific data protection laws, such as the EU or UK, you may have additional rights under regulations like the GDPR. Reach out to us and we'll do our best to help.

9. Children's privacy

Hookitlingo isn't intended for children under 13. If you believe a child has created an account or given us personal information, please contact us and we'll remove it.

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as Hookitlingo grows. If we make a significant change, we'll update the date at the top of this page. We'd encourage checking back occasionally.

11. Contact us

Questions about this policy or your data? Reach out through our contact page and we'll get back to you.