Privacy Policy

Effective Date: August 1, 2025
Last Updated: October 22, 2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to Spirit Collective (“we,” “our,” or “us”), a platform operated by Internect LLC. We provide a unique combination of social networking, marketplace, and educational services through:

• Our website at thespiritcollective.net (the “Website”)
• Our mobile application “Spirit Collective” (the “Main App”)
• Our messaging application “Collective Chat” (the “Chat App”)
• (Collectively, the “Platform”)

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our Platform across all services and applications. By using Spirit Collective, Collective Chat, or our website, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

Age Requirement: Our Platform is only available to users who are 13 years of age or older. If you are under 13, you may not use Spirit Collective, Collective Chat, or any of our services.

2. Information We Collect

Information You Provide to Us

Account Registration

• Name and username
• Email address
• Date of birth (to verify age)
• Profile information (bio, photo, interests)
• Location (optional)
• Phone number (optional, for app notifications)
• Device identifiers (when using mobile apps)

Donations

• Name and email address
• Payment information (processed by Stripe or PayPal)
• Donation amount and date
• Billing address (if required)

Vendor/Instructor Applications

• Business information
• Tax identification numbers
• Bank account details (for payouts via Stripe Connect or PayPal Marketplace)
• Professional qualifications (for instructors)
• Product/course descriptions

User-Generated Content

• Posts, comments, and messages
• Photos and videos
• Course materials and assignments
• Product listings and descriptions
• Group discussions
• Stories and polls
• Voice messages and audio content (when applicable)
• File attachments and documents

Important Privacy Notice for Images: If you upload images to the Platform, you should avoid uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS) included. Other users can download and extract any location data from images on the Platform.

Communications

• Support requests
• Feedback and suggestions
• Email correspondence
• In-app messages and chat conversations

Information Collected Automatically

Usage Data

• Pages and screens visited
• Features used and actions taken
• Time spent on the Platform
• Click paths and search queries
• App crashes and performance data
• Device information (type, operating system, browser, app version)
• IP address and approximate location
• Browser user agent string (for security and spam detection)
• App installation and uninstall events

Mobile App Specific Data

• Device ID and advertising ID (can be reset in device settings)
• Push notification tokens
• Network connection type
• App foreground/background status
• Deep link interactions
• Firebase Analytics data
• Crash reports and diagnostics

Cookies and Tracking (Website)

• Session cookies (for login)
• Analytics cookies (Google Analytics)
• Performance cookies (LiteSpeed Cache)
• Preference cookies

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

Provide and Improve Our Services

• Create and manage your account across all platforms
• Synchronize your data between website and apps
• Process donations and transactions
• Facilitate marketplace purchases
• Deliver educational content
• Enable social features and messaging
• Send push notifications (with your consent)
• Provide real-time messaging through Collective Chat
• Enable app-specific features (offline access, file sharing)

Process Payments

• Execute transactions between buyers and vendors
• Calculate and distribute platform fees (5% + $0.25 per transaction)
• Generate tax documents
• Prevent fraud
• Handle in-app purchases (where applicable)

Communicate With You

• Send transaction confirmations
• Provide customer support
• Share platform updates (with your consent)
• Send important notices about your account
• Deliver push notifications for messages and activities
• Send app update notifications

Ensure Safety and Security

• Verify user identities
• Detect and prevent fraud
• Investigate violations of our terms
• Protect users from harmful content
• Monitor app performance and crashes
• Prevent spam and abuse

Enhance User Experience

• Personalize content and recommendations
• Remember your preferences across devices
• Provide seamless login between apps
• Enable quick app switching between Spirit Collective and Collective Chat
• Optimize app performance based on usage patterns

Legal Compliance

• Comply with legal obligations
• Respond to legal requests
• Enforce our agreements
• Protect our rights and those of our users
• Comply with app store requirements

4. How We Share Your Information

With Other Users

• Your public profile information
• Content you post publicly
• Vendor information on product listings
• Instructor information on course pages
• Online/offline status in messaging (controllable in settings)

With Vendors and Instructors

• Buyer information necessary to fulfill orders
• Student information for course enrollment
• Messages sent through our Platform

With Service Providers

• Stripe and PayPal (payment processing)
• Amazon S3 and CloudFront (media storage and delivery)
• Firebase (app analytics, push notifications, crash reporting)
• Google Analytics (usage analytics)
• Apple Push Notification Service (iOS notifications)
• Firebase Cloud Messaging (Android notifications)
• Brevo/SendInBlue (email delivery)
• Wordfence (security monitoring and threat detection)
• Automated spam detection services (for posts and messages)
• App store operators (Google Play Store, Apple App Store)

For Legal Reasons

We may disclose information when required by law or to:

• Comply with legal process
• Protect our rights and safety
• Investigate fraud or security issues
• Respond to government requests
• Comply with app store policies

Business Transfers

If we merge with or are acquired by another company, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

5. Your Privacy Rights

For All Users

Access and Download

You can access your personal information through your account settings in any of our applications and request a copy of your data by contacting us.

Correction

You can update your account information at any time through your profile settings on the website or in either app.

Deletion

You can delete your account through the Platform settings. Deleting your account will remove your data from all our services including both mobile apps. To request complete data deletion, please visit our Data Deletion Instructions page.

Communication Preferences

You can:

• Opt out of promotional emails through the unsubscribe link
• Manage push notifications in app settings
• Control message notifications in Collective Chat
• Adjust privacy settings for online status and read receipts

Device Permissions

You can manage app permissions through your device settings:

• Camera (for photo uploads)
• Photo library (for sharing images)
• Microphone (for voice messages)
• Notifications (for push alerts)
• Location (optional, for local vendor discovery)

Additional Rights for EU Residents

If you are located in the European Union, you have additional rights under GDPR:

• Right to data portability
• Right to object to processing
• Right to restrict processing
• Right to lodge a complaint with supervisory authorities

Additional Rights for California Residents

California residents have additional rights under CCPA:

• Right to know what information we collect
• Right to delete personal information
• Right to opt-out of sale (we do not sell personal information)
• Right to non-discrimination

6. Special Provisions

Minors (Ages 13-17)

Users between 13 and 17 years old:

• May create standard accounts with basic features
• Must obtain parental consent to become vendors or instructors
• Have additional privacy protections for educational activities
• Cannot access certain financial features
• Have restricted messaging capabilities by default

Vendor and Instructor Data

Vendors and instructors acknowledge that:

• Transaction data is shared with buyers/students as necessary
• Public business information will be displayed on the Platform
• They are responsible for their own privacy practices with customer data
• They must comply with applicable privacy laws

Educational Records

Course completion records and certificates are maintained in accordance with educational standards and may be retained indefinitely for verification purposes.

Mobile App Analytics

We use Firebase Analytics to understand app usage patterns. You can opt out of Firebase Analytics by:

• iOS: Enable “Limit Ad Tracking” in Settings
• Android: Opt out of ads personalization in Google Settings
• Both: Use the opt-out features within our apps

7. Data Security and Retention

Security Measures

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including:

• Encryption of sensitive data in transit and at rest
• End-to-end encryption option for private messages
• Secure authentication including biometric login options
• Regular security assessments
• Access controls and authentication
• Secure payment processing through PCI-compliant providers
• App certificate pinning for enhanced security
• Secure data storage on devices

Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide our services and comply with legal obligations:

• Active account data: Maintained while account is active
• Inactive accounts: Deleted after 7 years of inactivity
• Transaction records: 7 years (tax and legal requirements)
• Educational records: Indefinitely (certificates and completions)
• User content: Until you delete it or request removal
• Message history: Until deleted by users or account closure
• App analytics data: 14 months
• Crash reports: 90 days

Data Breach Notification

If a data breach occurs that may compromise your personal information, we will notify affected users within 72 hours of discovery through email and push notifications, and provide information about steps to protect yourself.

8. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in the United States where our servers are located. By using our Platform, you consent to these transfers. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for international transfers.

9. Third-Party Links and Services

Our Platform and apps may contain links to third-party websites and services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies. This includes:

• External payment processors
• Social media platforms (for sharing features)
• Third-party vendor websites
• External educational resources

10. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Website Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies on our website to:

• Keep you logged in
• Remember your preferences
• Analyze platform usage
• Improve performance

Cookie Durations:

• Session cookies: Deleted when you close your browser
• Login cookies: 2 days (or 2 weeks if you select “Remember Me”)
• Preference cookies: 1 year
• Analytics cookies: Varies by service

Mobile App Tracking

Our mobile apps use:

• Firebase Analytics for usage patterns
• Crash reporting tools for app stability
• Performance monitoring for app optimization
• Local storage for offline functionality

You can manage tracking preferences through:

• Browser settings (for website)
• App settings (for mobile apps)
• Device privacy settings

Embedded Content

Posts and content on our Platform may include embedded content from other websites. These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, and monitor your interaction with the embedded content.

11. Push Notifications

Our mobile apps use push notifications to alert you about:

• New messages in Collective Chat
• Activity on your posts
• Order updates for vendors
• Course announcements for students
• Platform updates and news

You can manage push notifications:

• During initial app setup
• In your device’s notification settings
• In each app’s settings menu
• Selectively by notification type

12. Do Not Track Signals

Our Platform does not currently respond to Do Not Track browser signals. However, you can manage tracking through cookie settings and opting out of analytics where available.

13. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by:

• Posting the new policy on this page
• Updating the “Last Updated” date
• Sending an email notification (for significant changes)
• Push notification through our apps (for app-specific changes)
• In-app announcement upon next login

14. Platform-Specific Information

Spirit Collective App

This app accesses:

• All website features in mobile format
• Camera for photo/video uploads
• Photo library for content sharing
• Push notifications for platform activity
• Biometric authentication (if enabled)

Collective Chat App

This messaging-focused app accesses:

• Messages and chat history
• Contacts (only to find friends, with permission)
• Camera for photo sharing
• Photo library for media sharing
• Microphone for voice messages
• Push notifications for new messages
• Background refresh for message syncing

15. Contact Information

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:

Email: team@thespiritcollective.net
Website: https://thespiritcollective.net
Company: Internect LLC d/b/a Spirit Collective
Location: North Carolina, USA
In-App: Use the “Contact Support” feature in either app

For privacy-specific inquiries, please include “Privacy Request” in your subject line.

For app-specific issues:

• Spirit Collective App: Include “SC App” in subject
• Collective Chat App: Include “Chat App” in subject

By using Spirit Collective, Collective Chat, or our website, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.