Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

LinkEmber ("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 URL shortening service ("Service"). Please read this privacy policy carefully. If you do not agree with the terms of this privacy policy, please do not access the Service.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide when you:

• Register for an account (name, email address, profile picture via Google OAuth)
• Subscribe to a paid plan (payment information processed through Stripe)
• Create shortened links and landing pages
• Contact us for support or feedback

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you use our Service, we automatically collect certain information, including:

• Device information (browser type, operating system, device identifiers)
• Usage data (pages viewed, time spent on pages, links clicked)
• IP addresses and general location information
• Referral sources and exit pages
• Click tracking and analytics data for shortened links
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies

2.3 Email Signup Data

When visitors submit their email addresses through landing pages created using our Service, we collect and store this information on behalf of the link creator. This data is associated with the specific link and made available to the user who created the link.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, operate, and maintain the Service
• Process your transactions and manage subscriptions
• Create and manage your account
• Send you technical notices, updates, security alerts, and support messages
• Respond to your comments, questions, and customer service requests
• Provide analytics and insights about link performance
• Monitor and analyze usage patterns and trends to improve the Service
• Detect, prevent, and address technical issues and fraudulent activity
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service
• Send marketing communications (with your consent, where required)

4. How We Share Your Information

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

• Service Providers: We share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, including payment processing (Stripe), authentication (Google OAuth), hosting, analytics, and customer support.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., court orders, subpoenas).
• Business Transfers: If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.
• With Your Consent: We may share your information with third parties when you give us explicit consent to do so.
• Aggregated Data: We may share aggregated or anonymized information that cannot be used to identify you.

We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to track activity on our Service and store certain information. Cookies are files with a small amount of data that are sent to your browser from a website and stored on your device.

You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, if you do not accept cookies, you may not be able to use some portions of our Service.

6. Third-Party Services

Our Service uses the following third-party services, each with their own privacy policies:

• Google OAuth: For authentication and account creation
• Stripe: For payment processing and subscription management
• Vercel/Hosting Provider: For hosting and infrastructure

We encourage you to review the privacy policies of these third-party services to understand how they collect and use your information.

7. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of data in transit using SSL/TLS
• Secure database storage with access controls
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Limited employee access to personal information

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide the Service and fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within 30 days, except where we are required to retain it for legal or regulatory purposes.

9. Your Data Rights

Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information
• Portability: Request transfer of your data to another service
• Objection: Object to our processing of your personal information
• Restriction: Request restriction of processing in certain circumstances
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent where we rely on consent to process your information

To exercise these rights, please contact us through the contact information provided below. We may ask you to verify your identity before responding to such requests.

10. Children's Privacy

Our Service is not intended for children under the age of 13 (or the minimum age required in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us, and we will take steps to delete such information.

11. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have data protection laws that are different from the laws of your country. We take steps to ensure that your information receives an adequate level of protection in the jurisdictions in which we process it.

12. California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you have specific rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right to know what personal information is collected, used, shared, or sold
• Right to delete personal information held by businesses
• Right to opt-out of sale of personal information (we do not sell your information)
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising your CCPA rights

13. GDPR Compliance (European Users)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have certain data protection rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We process your personal information based on the following legal grounds:

• Performance of a contract with you (providing the Service)
• Compliance with legal obligations
• Your consent (where applicable)
• Our legitimate interests (improving the Service, preventing fraud)

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.

15. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us through our website or support channels. We will respond to your inquiry within a reasonable timeframe.