Privacy Policy

Information We Collect

When you use MateCode, we may collect the following information:

• Referral codes and descriptions you submit
• Account details when you sign in — your email address, display name and profile photo (provided by Google or email sign-in), and your marketing-email preference
• Subscription and billing status if you purchase Pro (we do not store your card details — see Payment Processing below)
• Usage analytics (pages visited, codes clicked)
• Technical information (IP address, browser type, device info)

How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information to:

• Display referral codes on our platform
• Improve our services and user experience
• Prevent spam and abuse
• Communicate with you if you contact us
• Comply with legal obligations

Information Sharing

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share information in the following circumstances:

• When you explicitly choose to make information public (referral codes)
• To comply with legal requirements
• To protect our rights and safety
• With service providers who help us operate the platform

Cookies and Analytics

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Remember your preferences
• Analyse site usage with Google Analytics
• Show relevant advertisements
• Improve site performance

You can control cookies through your browser settings.

Advertising

We use Google AdSense to display advertisements on this website. Google AdSense uses cookies, including the DoubleClick cookie, to serve ads based on your prior visits to this website or other websites on the internet.

Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to our website or other websites. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to our users based on their visit to our site and/or other sites on the Internet.

You may opt out of personalised advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings. You can also opt out of a third-party vendor's use of cookies for personalised advertising by visiting www.aboutads.info. For more information on how Google uses data when you use our site, visit google.com/policies/privacy/partners.

Payment Processing

If you subscribe to MateCode Pro, payments are processed by Stripe. Your card details are entered directly with Stripe and are never stored on our servers. We receive and store only your subscription status and Stripe customer/subscription identifiers so we can manage your membership. Stripe handles your payment information under its Privacy Policy.

Email Communications

We use email to send sign-in links, account and transactional messages, and — only if you opt in — occasional marketing emails about tips, features and offers. You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time. Sign-in and account emails are sent via Firebase (Google) and our email provider, Resend.

Service Providers We Use

We share limited data with trusted providers who help us operate MateCode:

• Google / Firebase — sign-in, database and hosting of app data
• Stripe — payment processing for Pro subscriptions
• Resend — sending transactional and (opt-in) marketing email
• Cloudinary — image hosting
• Vercel — website hosting
• Google AdSense — advertising (see Advertising above)

Some of these providers may store or process data outside Australia (including in the United States). We share only what is necessary for them to provide their service and do not sell your personal information.

Data Retention and Account Deletion

We keep your account information for as long as your account is active. You can request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal information by emailing support@matecode.com.au. Referral codes you have publicly shared may remain on the platform after account closure (see our Terms), and we may retain limited records where required for legal, tax or fraud-prevention purposes.

Data Security

We implement appropriate security measures to protect your information, including:

• Encrypted data transmission (HTTPS)
• Secure database storage
• Regular security updates
• Access controls and monitoring

Your Rights

Under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles, you have the right to:

• Access your personal information
• Request corrections to your data
• Request deletion of your information
• Object to processing of your data
• Lodge a complaint with the Privacy Commissioner

Children's Privacy

MateCode is not intended for users under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18 years of age. Most referral programs featured on our platform require users to be 18 or older to participate.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. The most current version can always be found on this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically for any changes.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this privacy policy, please contact us at:

• Email: support@matecode.com.au
• Address: Sydney, NSW, Australia

If you believe we have mishandled your personal information, contact us first and we will respond within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you can complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at oaic.gov.au.