Privacy Policy. Your choices matter.

Information You Provide:

• Account Information: Username, email address, password hash, date of birth, gender, and preferences
• Connected sign-in: If you choose Google, Facebook or Apple, we receive a provider-specific account identifier and, when shared, a suggested email address. We store the identifier to recognize your account at login. We do not post to your social accounts or retain provider access tokens. You can manage connections in your account settings. Disconnecting removes the stored connection; deleting your CougarFlame account also removes its provider connections from our active database. Historical backups may retain copies until their retention period ends. Contact us if you need help requesting deletion.
• Profile Information: Bio, photos, location (city/state), optional dating intention, interests, profile prompts, languages and lifestyle answers. Private age, gender and distance preferences shape discovery; only answers you choose to display appear on your member profile
• Communications: Messages you send through our platform
• Payment Information: If you purchase premium features, billing information (processed securely through third-party payment processors)

Information Collected Automatically:

• Usage Data: Pages viewed, features used, time spent on site, search queries
• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers
• Location Data: Approximate location based on IP address; precise location only if you grant permission
• Cookies: We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience

• Provide Services: Create and maintain your account, facilitate connections with other members
• Matching: Use your preferences and location to suggest compatible matches
• Communication: Send service announcements, updates, and promotional messages (you can opt out)
• Safety & Security: Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and violations of our Terms of Service
• Improvement: Analyze usage patterns to improve our service and develop new features
• Legal Compliance: Comply with legal obligations and respond to legal requests

We DO NOT sell your personal information to third parties.

We may share your information with:

• Other Users: Profile information you choose to make visible is shown to other members
• Service Providers: Third-party companies that help us operate (hosting, payment processing, analytics) - they are contractually obligated to protect your data
• Legal Authorities: When required by law, court order, or to protect rights and safety
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets
• With Your Consent: Any other sharing will require your explicit permission

• Access & Update: You can view and edit your profile information at any time. The Privacy center provides a password-confirmed download of your account data and photos, profile pause and account-deletion requests. Pausing stops discovery and new contact but does not cancel billing. Unresolved billing must be closed before deletion completes.
• Delete Account: You may delete your account, which will remove your profile from public view (some data may be retained for legal/security purposes)
• Opt-Out of Marketing: Unsubscribe from promotional emails via the link in each email
• Cookie Controls: Adjust your browser settings to refuse cookies (may limit functionality)
• Location Services: Disable location access through your device settings
• Data Portability: Request a copy of your data in a portable format

California Residents: You have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to know what personal information we collect and request deletion.

EU Residents: You have rights under GDPR, including data access, rectification, erasure, and objection to processing.

• We use industry-standard encryption (HTTPS/SSL) to protect data in transit
• We protect passwords using one-way hashing and do not store them in plain text.
• We implement security measures to protect against unauthorized access, alteration, or destruction of data
• However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure - we cannot guarantee absolute security
• You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password

• We retain your information for as long as your account is active
• After account deletion, we may retain certain information for:
  • Legal compliance (e.g., tax records, fraud prevention)
  • Dispute resolution
  • Enforcement of our Terms of Service
• Anonymized data may be retained indefinitely for analytics

Our service may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to read their privacy policies.

CougarFlame is strictly for users 18 years and older. We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 18. If we discover that a user is under 18, we will immediately delete their account and all associated data.

CougarFlame operates in the United States. If you are accessing our service from outside the U.S., your information will be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States. By using our service, you consent to this transfer.

• We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time
• Material changes will be notified via email or prominent notice on our site
• Continued use of the service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy
• The "Last Updated" date at the top indicates when changes were made