Privacy Policy for Car Hangout

Effective Date: September 4, 2025

Car Hangout ("we," "our," or "us") values your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your information when you use the Car Hangout mobile application and related services ("App").

1. Information We Collect

We may collect the following information when you use Car Hangout:

• Account Information: Name, username, email, phone number, profile photo, and other details you provide when creating an account.
• Content You Share: Photos, videos, posts, event details, and comments you upload or share on the App.
• Device & Usage Information: IP address, device type, operating system, app activity, and log data to improve performance and security.
• Location Information: If you enable location services, we may collect your approximate or precise location to help you find events, vendors, and nearby users.
• Payment Information: If you make purchases (such as premium features or vendor services), payment details are processed securely by third-party payment providers. We do not store your credit card information.
• Cookies & Tracking Technologies: We may use cookies, local storage, and similar technologies for authentication, personalization, analytics, and advertising.
• Permissions & Notifications: If enabled, we may access your device's camera, photo library, microphone, and push notifications to provide app features. You can manage these settings through your device.
• Biometric Login Data (if applicable): If you use device features such as Face ID or Touch ID, authentication happens on your device. Car Hangout does not collect or store biometric data.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Provide and improve the App's features and services.
• Display and share content you choose to post.
• Help you discover events, vendors, and other users.
• Communicate with you about updates, events, offers, and safety notices.
• Personalize your experience, including showing relevant ads and recommendations.
• Protect against fraud, abuse, or misuse of the platform.
• Comply with legal obligations.
• Notify you in the unlikely event of a data breach, as required by law.
• Generate anonymized or aggregated data for analytics and research.

3. User-Generated Content

Any content (photos, videos, comments, event details) you post may be visible to other users of the App. Please avoid sharing sensitive personal information. While we provide tools to control your privacy settings, Car Hangout cannot control how other users may use or share the content you make public.

You are solely responsible for the content you upload. Car Hangout does not endorse and is not liable for user-generated content.

We may use automated tools and moderation systems (including AI-based filters) to detect and manage harmful, illegal, or inappropriate content.

4. How We Share Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share limited information in the following cases:

• With Your Consent: When you choose to share or connect with others on the App.
• With Service Providers: With trusted partners that help us operate the App (hosting, analytics, payment processing, advertising, etc.).
• With Advertising Partners: We may work with third-party ad networks (such as Google AdMob or similar services) that use cookies or device identifiers to deliver personalized ads.
• With Third-Party Links & Vendors: The App may contain links to external websites or vendor services. If you engage with a vendor through Vendor Lane or other features, that vendor may collect and retain your information under their own privacy policy. We are not responsible for their practices.
• Cross-Device Tracking: If you log in on multiple devices, we may link your activity across devices to provide a consistent experience.
• For Legal Reasons: If required by law, legal process, or to comply with law enforcement or government requests.
• Business Transfers: If Car Hangout is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

5. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

• Access the personal information we hold about you.
• Request correction or deletion of your information.
• Request a copy of your data (data portability).
• Object to or restrict certain processing, including targeted advertising.
• Opt out of marketing emails or notifications.

To exercise your rights, please contact us at help@car-hangout.com.

6. California Residents (CCPA Notice)

If you are a California resident, you have the right to:

• Request details on the categories and specific pieces of personal information we collect.
• Request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal exceptions.
• Opt out of the "sale" or "sharing" of your information (we do not sell data).
• Non-Discrimination: We will not deny you services, charge different prices, or provide a different level of service because you exercised your privacy rights.
• Financial Incentives: If we offer discounts, promotions, or referral bonuses tied to data, participation will always be optional and clearly explained at the time of the offer.

7. European Union Users (GDPR Notice)

If you are located in the European Union, you may have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including:

• The right to withdraw consent at any time.
• The right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

8. Community Safety & Reporting

We strive to keep Car Hangout safe and enjoyable. Content may be reviewed if reported for abuse, harassment, illegal activity, or violations of our Terms & Conditions or Community Guidelines. We may remove or restrict access to content that violates our policies.

9. Data Minimization

We only collect the information necessary to provide our services and improve your experience. We do not request or store sensitive personal data unless strictly required.

10. Data Security & Backups

We take reasonable measures to protect your personal information using encryption, secure servers, and limited access controls.

We also maintain data backups and disaster recovery systems to ensure the availability of services in the event of an outage.

No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute protection.

11. Data Retention & Account Deletion

We keep your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services.

You may delete your account at any time through your profile settings or by contacting support. Once deleted, we will remove or anonymize your data, unless required by law to retain it.

12. Do Not Track Signals

Some browsers and mobile devices send "Do Not Track" signals. Our services do not currently respond to these signals.

13. Children's Privacy

Car Hangout is intended for users age 16 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If we learn that we have collected such data, we will delete it immediately.

14. International Users & Data Transfers

If you access Car Hangout from outside the United States, please note that your information may be processed and stored in the U.S. or other countries where our servers or service providers are located.

Where legally required, we use safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses for international data transfers.

15. Governing Law

This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of the State of Florida, United States, without regard to conflict of law principles, and is subject to the Car Hangout Terms & Conditions.

16. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by posting the updated version in the App and updating the "Effective Date."

17. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:

Car Hangout Support
📧 Email: help@car-hangout.com
📍 Mailing Address: 2369 West 78 St, Hialeah, FL 33016
📱 In-App Support: Available under "Help & Support" in your profile settings