Privacy Policy

Introduction

LGBTQ-Dating.com ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy and personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and protect your information when you use our platform at lgbtq-dating.com.

We are fully compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and applicable European privacy laws. By using our platform, you agree to the collection and use of your information as described in this policy.

Our platform is operated by LGBTQ-Dating.com, serving users across Europe.

Data Protection Officer contact:
Email: contact@lgbtq-dating.com
Phone: +31 50 783 69 69

1. Data We Collect

1.1 Information you provide directly:

• Account information: your email address and password
• Profile information: display name, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, pronouns, location (city and country), biography, headline and relationship preferences
• Photos: profile photos and additional photos you upload to your profile
• Communications: messages you send to other users through our platform
• Verification data: selfie photos submitted for identity verification
• Payment information: subscription details (processed securely by Stripe — we never store your full card details)
• Referral information: if you invite others or join via an invite link

1.2 Information we collect automatically:

• Device information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device type
• Usage data: pages visited, features used, time spent on the platform, click patterns and interactions
• Location data: approximate location based on IP address. If you grant permission, we also collect GPS coordinates to show distance to other users
• Log data: error logs, performance data and technical diagnostics
• Cookies and similar technologies: see our Cookie Policy for details

1.3 Information from third parties:

• If you connect via social login (if available), we receive basic profile information from that provider
• Payment processors may share transaction status information with us

2. How We Use Your Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

2.1 Providing our services:

• Creating and managing your account
• Showing your profile to other users
• Matching you with compatible users based on your preferences
• Enabling messaging, video calling and other communication features
• Processing your subscription and payments
• Sending you notifications about matches, messages and activity

2.2 Improving our platform:

• Analysing how users interact with our platform
• Identifying and fixing bugs and technical issues
• Developing new features and improving existing ones
• Conducting internal research and analytics

2.3 Safety and security:

• Verifying user identities through our verification system
• Detecting and preventing fraud, abuse and policy violations
• Reviewing reported profiles and content
• Enforcing our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines
• Complying with legal obligations

2.4 Communications:

• Sending transactional emails (account confirmation, password reset)
• Sending notifications about your account activity
• Sending platform updates and announcements (you can opt out at any time)

2.5 Legal basis for processing (GDPR):

• Contract performance: processing necessary to provide our services
• Legitimate interests: platform safety, fraud prevention, service improvement
• Consent: location data, marketing communications, optional features
• Legal obligation: compliance with applicable laws and regulations

3. Special Category Data

Our platform collects special category data under GDPR Article 9, including information about your sexual orientation and gender identity. This data is provided voluntarily by you to enable our core matchmaking service.

We process this sensitive data only with your explicit consent, which you give when you create your profile. You can update or remove this information at any time through your account settings.

We apply the highest level of security and access controls to this category of data.

4. How We Share Your Data

4.1 With other users:

• Your profile information (as you set it) is visible to other registered users
• Your approximate location (distance) may be shown — your exact GPS coordinates are never shared
• Private photos are only shared with users you explicitly approve
• Your messages are only visible to you and the recipient

4.2 With service providers:

We share data with trusted third-party providers who help us operate our platform:

• Supabase: database hosting and authentication (EU-based servers)
• Stripe: payment processing (PCI DSS compliant)
• Cloudflare: content delivery and security

These providers are bound by data processing agreements and may only use your data to provide services to us.

4.3 Legal requirements:

We may disclose your data if required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety or the safety of others.

4.4 Business transfers:

In the event of a merger, acquisition or sale of assets, your data may be transferred to the acquiring entity, subject to the same privacy protections.

4.5 We never:

• Sell your personal data to third parties
• Share your data with advertisers
• Use your data for automated decision-making that significantly affects you without human review

5. Data Storage and Security

5.1 Storage location:

Your data is stored on servers located within the European Union, in compliance with GDPR data transfer requirements.

5.2 Security measures:

We implement comprehensive security measures including:

• Encryption of data in transit (TLS/HTTPS)
• Encryption of sensitive data at rest
• Row-level security on our database
• Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
• Access controls limiting who can access your data
• Two-factor authentication for administrative access

5.3 Data breaches:

In the unlikely event of a data breach that poses a risk to your rights, we will notify the relevant supervisory authority within 72 hours and affected users without undue delay, as required by GDPR.

6. Your Rights Under GDPR

As a user based in the European Union (or where GDPR applies), you have the following rights:

6.1 Right of access:

You can request a copy of all personal data we hold about you.

6.2 Right to rectification:

You can correct inaccurate or incomplete personal data through your account settings or by contacting us.

6.3 Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten"):

You can request deletion of your personal data. You can also delete your account directly in Settings → Account → Delete Account.

6.4 Right to data portability:

You can request your personal data in a structured, machine-readable format to transfer to another service.

6.5 Right to object:

You can object to processing of your personal data for direct marketing or legitimate interest purposes.

6.6 Right to restrict processing:

You can request that we limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.

6.7 Right to withdraw consent:

Where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.

6.8 Right to lodge a complaint:

You have the right to lodge a complaint with your national data protection authority. In the Netherlands: Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (autoriteitpersoonsgegevens.nl).

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at:
Email: contact@lgbtq-dating.com
Phone: +31 50 783 69 69

We will respond to all legitimate requests within 30 days.

7. Data Retention

7.1 Active accounts:

We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active and for a reasonable period thereafter to comply with our legal obligations.

7.2 Account deletion:

When you delete your account:

• Your profile is immediately hidden from other users
• Your personal data is permanently deleted within 30 days
• Your messages may be retained in anonymised form for safety purposes
• Backup copies are deleted within 90 days

7.3 Legal retention:

Certain data may be retained longer where required by law, such as financial records (7 years under EU tax law) or safety-related data where we have a legitimate interest.

7.4 Inactive accounts:

If your account has been inactive for 24 months, we will notify you before deleting your data.

8. Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies to operate and improve our platform. For full details, please see our Cookie Policy.

Essential cookies are always active as they are necessary for the platform to function. You can manage optional cookies through our cookie consent settings.

9. Children's Privacy

Our platform is strictly for users aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 18. If we become aware that a user is under 18, we will immediately delete their account and data.

If you believe a minor is using our platform, please report it to contact@lgbtq-dating.com immediately.

10. International Users

Our platform is designed for users in Europe. If you access our platform from outside the European Economic Area (EEA), please be aware that your data will be transferred to and processed in the EEA, which provides strong data protection standards under GDPR.

11. Changes to This Policy

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

• Sending an email to your registered address
• Displaying a prominent notice on our platform
• Updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this policy

Your continued use of the platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact Us

For any privacy-related questions, requests or concerns: