Effective Date: March 30, 2026
TribeLink is built on trust. We handle some of the most personal data a person can share — their cultural identity, tribal affiliation, photos, and romantic intentions. We do not take that lightly. This policy explains exactly what we collect, why we collect it, how we protect it, and what rights you have over it.
1. Who We Are
TribeLink ("we," "us," or "our") is a dating platform dedicated to Native American communities. Our service connects individuals across 574 federally recognized tribes and other Native nations. We are the data controller responsible for your personal information on this platform.
Contact: privacy@tribelink.app
2. Information We Collect
Account Information
- Full name
- Email address
- Date of birth (to verify age)
- Password (stored as a one-way cryptographic hash — we cannot read it)
Profile Information
- Tribal affiliation — the nation(s) you identify with. This is the core feature of TribeLink and is displayed on your profile.
- Gender identity and pronouns
- Location (city/region — not precise GPS)
- Profile biography and personal description
- Relationship preferences
- Clan, language spoken, cultural traditions (optional)
- Education and occupation (optional)
Photos and Media
Photo Storage Disclosure: Photos you upload to TribeLink are stored on our secure servers and are visible to other registered users of the app. Your profile photos are not publicly indexed by search engines. You can delete your photos at any time from your account settings.
- Profile photos you upload
- Additional photos in your gallery
- Photos shared in private messages (with your explicit consent)
Usage Data
- Pages visited within the app
- Profiles viewed and search queries (to improve recommendations)
- Messages sent and received (encrypted — not read by us unless reported)
- Device type, browser, and operating system
- IP address (for security and fraud prevention)
Sensitive Data — Tribal Identity
Special Category Data: Tribal affiliation and Indigenous identity are considered sensitive personal data. We collect this solely for the purpose of operating the tribe-search feature that is core to TribeLink's mission. We will never use your tribal identity for advertising targeting, sell it to third parties, or share it outside the platform without your explicit consent.
3. How We Use Your Information
- To operate TribeLink — provide matching, messaging, and search features
- To verify identity — prevent fake accounts and protect the community
- To enforce safety — detect and remove abusive, harassing, or disrespectful behavior
- To improve the platform — analyze usage patterns to build better features
- To communicate with you — send account notifications, security alerts, and (with consent) product updates
- To comply with law — respond to valid legal requests
We do not sell your personal data. We do not use your tribal affiliation for advertising targeting. We do not share your data with third parties except as described in Section 5.
4. Legal Basis for Processing
We process your data based on:
- Contract performance — to provide the service you signed up for
- Legitimate interests — to prevent fraud, improve security, and maintain platform integrity
- Your consent — for sensitive data (tribal identity, photos) and marketing communications. You can withdraw consent at any time.
- Legal obligation — to comply with applicable law
5. Who Has Access to Your Data
Other TribeLink Users
Your public profile (name, tribe, photos, bio) is visible to other registered and verified TribeLink users. Private messages are only visible to you and the recipient.
TribeLink Staff
A small number of staff have access to user data strictly for safety reviews, bug resolution, and legal compliance. Access is logged and audited. Staff cannot access private messages except in response to a safety report.
Service Providers
We work with carefully selected vendors who process data on our behalf under strict data processing agreements:
- Cloud hosting — encrypted storage of your data
- Email delivery — transactional notifications only
- Payment processing — for premium subscriptions (we never store payment card numbers)
- Analytics — aggregated, anonymized usage metrics only
Law Enforcement
We will disclose data if required by valid legal process (court order, subpoena). We will notify you of such requests unless legally prohibited from doing so.
We never sell, rent, or trade your personal data to data brokers, advertisers, or any other commercial third party.
6. Photo Permissions and Storage
By uploading a photo to TribeLink, you acknowledge and agree that:
- Your photos will be stored on TribeLink's secure servers
- Your profile photos are visible to other registered TribeLink users
- TribeLink does not make your photos publicly accessible via the open web or searchable by search engines
- TribeLink will not use your photos in advertising without your separate, explicit consent
- You can delete your photos at any time — they will be removed from our servers within 30 days
- You retain ownership of all photos you upload
7. Data Security
We take security seriously because the data you share with us is deeply personal:
- All data is transmitted over encrypted HTTPS connections
- Passwords are hashed using industry-standard algorithms (bcrypt) — we cannot read them
- Database access is restricted and audited
- Photos are stored in access-controlled cloud storage, not publicly accessible
- We conduct regular security reviews
- In the event of a data breach, we will notify affected users within 72 hours as required by applicable law
8. Data Retention
- Active accounts — we retain your data as long as your account is active
- Deleted accounts — most personal data is deleted within 30 days of account deletion. Some data (e.g., safety reports, legal holds) may be retained longer as required by law.
- Photos — deleted from our servers within 30 days of removal or account deletion
- Logs — security and access logs retained for 90 days
9. Your Rights
You have the following rights over your personal data:
- Access — request a copy of all data we hold about you
- Correction — update or correct inaccurate information
- Deletion — request deletion of your account and all associated personal data ("right to be forgotten")
- Portability — receive your data in a machine-readable format
- Objection — object to processing based on legitimate interests
- Withdraw Consent — withdraw consent for sensitive data processing at any time (this may affect your ability to use certain features)
To exercise any of these rights, email us at privacy@tribelink.app. We will respond within 30 days.
10. Cookies and Tracking
TribeLink uses the following types of cookies and tracking technologies:
- Essential cookies — required for login, security, and basic app functionality. Cannot be disabled.
- Analytics — anonymized, aggregated data to understand how the platform is used. We use privacy-respecting analytics that do not track you across other websites.
- Preference cookies — remember your settings and preferences
You can manage cookie preferences in your browser settings. Disabling essential cookies will prevent you from logging in.
11. Children's Privacy
TribeLink is not intended for anyone under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from minors. If we discover that a user is under 18, their account will be terminated and their data deleted. If you believe a minor has created an account, contact us at privacy@tribelink.app.
12. Tribal Sovereignty and Cultural Sensitivity
TribeLink recognizes and respects tribal sovereignty. Your tribal affiliation is your identity — not a data point to be monetized. We will never share individual tribal affiliation data with any tribal government, federal agency, or other entity without your explicit written consent, except as required by valid legal process.
13. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will notify you by email and display a notice within the app at least 14 days before changes take effect. Continued use of TribeLink after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
14. Contact Us
For privacy questions, data requests, or to report a concern: