Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

TheBottomTick ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our financial analysis platform.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information

• Account Information: Email address, username, profile picture
• Authentication Data: Login credentials and session information
• Profile Data: Custom display names and preferences

2.2 Usage Information

• Platform Activity: Predictions, comments, votes, and watchlists
• Analytics Data: Page views, feature usage, and engagement metrics
• Technical Data: IP address, browser type, device information

2.3 Cookies and Tracking

• Essential Cookies: Required for platform functionality
• Analytics Cookies: Help us improve the platform (optional)
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and choices

3. How We Use Your Information

• Provide and maintain the platform service
• Authenticate users and manage accounts
• Display community predictions and rankings
• Analyze platform usage to improve features
• Communicate important updates and changes
• Comply with legal obligations

4. Information Sharing

4.1 Public Information

The following information is publicly visible:

• Your username and profile picture
• Predictions and comments you post
• Community rankings and activity metrics

4.2 We Do Not Sell Your Data

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties.

4.3 Service Providers

We may share data with trusted service providers who help us operate the platform:

• Firebase (Google) for authentication and database services
• Analytics providers for platform improvement
• Security services for fraud prevention

5. Data Security

• We use industry-standard encryption and security measures
• All data is stored in secure, encrypted databases
• Access to personal data is restricted to authorized personnel only
• We regularly update security practices and protocols

6. Your Rights and Choices

6.1 Account Control

• Update your profile information at any time
• Change privacy settings and preferences
• Delete your account and associated data

6.2 Data Portability

• Export your data in a machine-readable format
• Download your predictions, comments, and activity history

6.3 Marketing Communications

• Opt out of promotional emails at any time
• Control notification preferences in your account settings

7. EU/UK Data Protection Rights (GDPR)

If you are located in the EU or UK, you have additional rights:

• Right to Access: Request information about your data
• Right to Rectification: Correct inaccurate personal data
• Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your data
• Right to Portability: Receive your data in a portable format
• Right to Object: Object to certain data processing activities
• Right to Restrict: Limit how we process your data

8. Children's Privacy

Our platform is not intended for users under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we discover we have collected such information, we will delete it immediately.

9. International Data Transfers

Your data may be processed in countries other than your own. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data when it is transferred internationally.

10. Data Retention

• Account data is retained while your account is active
• Public contributions (predictions, comments) may remain visible after account deletion
• Analytics data is retained for platform improvement purposes
• You can request complete data deletion at any time

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. We will notify users of significant changes through the platform or via email. Continued use constitutes acceptance of updates.

12. Contact Information

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data rights, please contact us through your account settings or our support channels.