Privacy Policy

Welcome to SpeakState ("we", "our", "us"). We operate a civic engagement platform available as a mobile application and at SpeakState.com (collectively, the "Platform"). The Platform provides profiles of elected representatives (MLAs and MPs), civic issue reporting, location-based issue mapping, user-generated reviews, posts, and community discussion features.

Your privacy is important to us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your information when you use the SpeakState mobile application and website.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide

• Name, email address, and password when you register
• State/region you select during registration
• Posts, reviews, comments, and other content you submit
• Profile information and profile pictures you upload
• Reports and feedback you submit about other users or content

1.2 Location Data

With your explicit permission, we collect your device location (GPS coordinates) to:

• Show you civic issues reported near your location on our interactive map
• Display elected representatives relevant to your area
• Accurately place issues you report on the map
• Provide location tags on posts you create

You can deny or revoke location permission at any time through your device settings. The app will continue to function with reduced location-based features.

1.3 Automatically Collected Information

• Device type, operating system, and app version
• IP address and general region
• Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) device tokens for push notifications
• App usage patterns and interaction data
• Crash reports and performance diagnostics

1.4 Cookies & Tracking (Website Only)

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience and analyze traffic. You can control cookies through your browser settings.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Operate, maintain, and improve the SpeakState Platform
• Display relevant civic information, elected representative profiles, and community content
• Send push notifications about activity on your posts (likes, comments) and important updates
• Enforce our community guidelines and moderate user-generated content
• Process user reports and take action against policy violations
• Monitor and prevent abuse, spam, and security threats
• Analyze usage patterns to improve the Platform

3. User-Generated Content

When you post content on SpeakState, you understand that it may be visible to other users of the Platform. All posts are displayed with anonymous handles by default to protect user identity. You agree not to post sensitive personal data, illegal content, hate speech, or defamation.

Other users may report your content if they believe it violates our guidelines. We review reports and may remove content or suspend accounts that violate our policies.

4. Data Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. We may share data only in the following circumstances:

• Service Providers: We use Firebase (Google) for push notifications and analytics. Their use of your data is governed by Google's Privacy Policy.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or government request.
• Safety: To protect the rights, safety, or property of SpeakState, our users, or the public.

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services. When you delete your account, we permanently remove your profile, posts, reviews, likes, and associated data from our servers. Some anonymized, aggregated data may be retained for analytics purposes.

6. Account Deletion

You can delete your account at any time from the Profile screen in the SpeakState app. Account deletion is permanent and will remove all your data including:

• Your user profile and login credentials
• All posts and reviews you have created
• All likes and comments associated with your account
• Your FCM push notification tokens

This action cannot be undone.

7. Data Protection & Security

We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including:

• HTTPS encryption for all data in transit
• Helmet security headers and rate limiting
• NoSQL injection protection
• JWT-based authentication

However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
• Delete your account and personal data (see Section 6)
• Withdraw consent for location data collection
• Opt out of push notifications through device settings

To exercise any of these rights, you can use the in-app settings or contact us at: contact@speakstate.com.

9. Children's Privacy

SpeakState is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will take appropriate steps to remove it.

10. Third-Party Links

The Platform may contain links to external websites (e.g., government portals, news articles). We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those websites.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The updated version will always be posted on this page with a revised "Last updated" date. Continued use of the Platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

12. Contact Us

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

📧 contact@speakstate.com