Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how [COMPANY LEGAL NAME] ("Forge," "we," "us") collects, uses, and shares information when you use the Forge mobile application (the "Service"). By using Forge, you agree to this Policy. Forge is intended only for users 18 and older; we do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 18.

1. Information We Collect

Information you provide

• Account info: email address, password (stored securely by our authentication provider), and optionally phone number.
• Profile info: first and last name, date of birth (to confirm you're 18+ and show your age), gender, current city and hometown, sports, school/education, work, and your written and photo prompt responses.
• Photos you upload for your profile.
• Training & racing info: goal races, past races, and related details you add.
• Messages and interactions with other users (Forge requests, connections, messages).
• Reports you submit about other users or content.

Contacts (optional friend-matching)

Forge offers an optional feature to help you find people you know who already use Forge. If you choose to use it and grant permission, we access the phone numbers in your device's contacts and check them against existing Forge accounts to show you mutual connections. This feature is entirely optional — you can decline the contacts permission and continue using the app normally. We do not store the contact information of people who are not Forge users, and we do not upload your contacts to build a marketing database. When you invite a non-user, the invitation is sent through your device's own messaging app; their number is not sent to our servers. You can revoke contacts access at any time in your device settings.

Information collected automatically

• Location — only if you use the "use my current location" feature, to set your city and help find nearby athletes. You can instead type your city manually.
• Device and usage data — basic technical data needed to operate the app.
• Local storage — some data is stored on your device (e.g., your login session) so the app works.

Information from third parties you connect

• Strava — if you connect Strava, we receive, with your authorization, your Strava name/username and activity summary (e.g., weekly distance, time, active days, and latest activity) for your selected sport. We request read access only and do not receive private or hidden activities. Disconnect anytime to stop the sync.
• Instagram — if you add your Instagram handle, we store the handle to link to your public profile. We do not access your Instagram account or content.
• Sign in with Apple / Google — we receive basic account identifiers to create and authenticate your account.

2. How We Use Information

To create and operate your account; build and display your profile to other users; power discovery and matching; enable Forging, connections, and messaging; find friends from your contacts (if you opt in); display your connected Strava summary and Instagram link; provide safety features (blocking, reporting, moderation); communicate with you; maintain security and prevent abuse; and comply with legal obligations.

3. How We Share Information

With other users: your profile information (name, age, location, sports, photos, prompts, training/racing info, connected Strava summary, and Instagram link) is visible to other users as part of how Forge works.

With service providers: vendors who help operate the Service (our backend/database and authentication provider, and hosting/storage), under agreements limiting their use of the data.

With third-party platforms you connect: governed by their own privacy policies (Strava, Instagram, Apple, Google).

For legal and safety reasons: if required by law, to enforce our Terms, or to protect the rights, safety, or property of Forge, our users, or others.

Business transfers: your information may be transferred as part of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets.

We do not sell your personal information.

4. Your Choices

• Edit or delete profile info anytime in the app.
• Disconnect Strava or remove your Instagram handle anytime.
• Manage or revoke location and contacts permissions in your device settings.
• Delete your account anytime in Settings — this removes your profile and associated data from the Service, subject to limited retention for legal, security, or backup purposes.
• Manage push notifications in your device settings.

5. Data Retention

We retain your information while your account is active or as needed to provide the Service. When you delete your account, we delete or de-identify your personal information within [TIMEFRAME], except where retention is required for legal, security, fraud-prevention, or backup purposes.

6. Security

We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including secured authentication and access controls (for example, third-party access tokens such as Strava's are stored server-side and never exposed to other users). No system is perfectly secure.

7. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or port your information, and to object to or restrict certain processing. This includes rights under laws such as the California CCPA/CPRA and, where applicable, the EEA/UK GDPR and Canada's PIPEDA. To exercise any right, contact us at [PRIVACY EMAIL]. [Counsel: tailor this section to your actual launch geography.]

8. Children's Privacy

Forge is for users 18 and older. We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 18. If we learn we have, we will delete it and terminate the account.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Policy and will post the updated version in the app and update the date above; material changes will be communicated as appropriate.

10. Contact

[PRIVACY EMAIL]
[COMPANY LEGAL NAME]
[MAILING ADDRESS]