Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of information:

• Account information: name, email address, and password (stored as a secure hash) when you register.
• Journey data: results from self-help tools and assessments, saved to your personal Vault, and Training Grounds activity/XP.
• Messages: text messages, shared Vault insights, and voice recordings you send within the Expert Marketplace chat.
• Expert verification documents: if you apply to become an Expert, documents you choose to upload (e.g. certificates, ID, license) for admin review.
• Usage data: log data such as IP address, browser type, and pages visited, used for security (e.g. rate limiting) and diagnostics.
• Cookies and local storage: see our Cookie Policy for details.

2. How We Use Information

We use the information above to: provide and personalize the Service; save your progress and Vault history; deliver messages between you and an Expert you choose to contact; send transactional emails (welcome, rank-up, message alerts, security notices - each configurable in your account where applicable); maintain platform safety (rate limiting, abuse detection, content report review); and improve the Service.

3. How We Share Information

We do not sell your personal information. We share information only:

• With an Expert you choose to message, limited to the messages and any Vault insight you actively choose to share with them;
• With service providers who help us operate the Service (e.g. email/SMTP delivery, hosting), under confidentiality obligations;
• When required by law, legal process, or to protect the safety of our users;
• In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, with notice to you where required by law.

4. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, we permanently erase your journey/Vault data, messages (in both directions of any conversation), reviews, uploaded documents, and voice message recordings, as described in Section 5 below.

5. Your Rights & Choices

You can:

• Access and update your account details at any time from your dashboard;
• Control document visibility as an Expert - choose whether verification documents are shown publicly, while verification badges remain visible either way;
• Delete your account from your account settings, which triggers full erasure of the data categories described above. This action is permanent and cannot be undone;
• Request a copy of your data by contacting us at the email below.

Depending on your location, you may have additional rights under laws such as the GDPR or CCPA, including the right to object to or restrict certain processing. Contact us to exercise these rights.

6. Data Security

We use industry-standard measures to protect your information, including hashed passwords, secure session cookies, nonce-based request verification, and rate limiting on sensitive actions (login, registration, password reset, messaging) to reduce abuse. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Children's Privacy

The Service is intended for users aged 18 and over and is not directed at children. We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 18. If you believe a minor has created an account, contact us so we can remove it.

8. International Data Transfers

shymind.com serves users around the world, and your information may be processed in a country other than the one you live in, which may have different data protection laws. Wherever your information is processed, we take reasonable steps - such as the technical and access safeguards described in Section 6 - to protect it consistently with this Privacy Policy, regardless of where processing occurs.

9. Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies as described in our Cookie Policy, primarily to keep you logged in and to protect the Service against forged requests.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We'll update the "Last updated" date above, and for material changes we'll provide additional notice.

11. Contact Us

For privacy questions or requests, contact Support@Shymind.com or via our Contact page.