Privacy Policy

Personal Information

When you create an account with RUFriends, we collect:

• Your Rutgers email address (@rutgers.edu)
• Your name and profile information from Google authentication
• Profile picture (if provided through Google)
• Academic information you choose to share (major, year, courses)
• Other information you choose to share (Instagram, Discord, Phone Number, etc)

Usage Information

We automatically collect information about how you use RUFriends:

• Pages visited and features used
• Time spent on the platform
• Device and browser information
• IP address and location data (general area only)

We use your information to:

• Create and maintain your RUFriends account
• Verify your eligibility as a Rutgers student
• Match you with compatible study partners and friends
• Improve our platform and develop new features
• Send important updates about the service
• Ensure platform safety and prevent abuse

RUFriends is built on the principle of connecting Rutgers students safely. Here's how we handle your information:

With Other Students

• Only information you make visible on your profile
• Your name and profile picture
• Academic information you've chosen to share publicly

We Never Share

• Your email address with other students
• Your personal information with advertisers
• Your data with third parties for marketing purposes
• Any information that could compromise your safety

We take your security seriously and implement multiple layers of protection:

• All data is encrypted in transit and at rest
• Secure authentication through Google OAuth
• Regular backups with encrypted storage

While we implement robust security measures, no system is 100% secure. We continuously work to improve our security practices.

You have several rights regarding your personal information:

Account Control

• Update your profile information at any time
• Control what information is visible to other students
• Delete your account and associated data

Communication Preferences

• Opt out of non-essential emails
• Control notification settings

Important: RUFriends is an independent platform created by students. We are not officially affiliated with Rutgers University, though we serve the Rutgers community exclusively.

• We verify Rutgers email addresses to ensure community membership
• We do not share student data with Rutgers University
• We operate independently of university policies (except where legally required)
• We respect the Rutgers community values and Code of Student Conduct

We retain your information for as long as:

• Your account remains active
• Required to provide you with services
• Necessary to comply with legal obligations
• Needed to resolve disputes or enforce agreements

When you delete your account, we remove your personal information within 30 days, except for information we're required to retain by law.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal compliance. When we make changes:

• We'll notify you via email if changes are significant
• We'll update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page
• We'll give you time to review changes before they take effect
• Your continued use of RUFriends means you accept the updated policy

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or want to exercise your rights, please contact us: