Privacy Policy

We collect information you provide directly, information generated through your use of Cotup, and limited technical information needed to operate the service.

• Account information: such as username, display name, email address, password, and phone number.
• Profile and professional information: such as work history, credentials, affiliations, and other details you choose to add to your profile.
• Verification information: documents, responses, and metadata needed to verify credentials and affiliations, including communications with third-party authorities during verification.
• Content and activity: posts, messages, circle memberships, preferences, and interactions within the network.
• Device and usage information: such as browser type, IP address, log data, and security signals used to protect the platform.

We use the information we collect to:

• create and maintain your account;
• verify credentials and determine circle eligibility;
• provide messaging, forums, matching, and other network features;
• send account, security, and verification-related communications;
• detect abuse, fraud, and unauthorized access; and
• improve, secure, and operate Cotup.

If you opt in to SMS, we also use your mobile number as described in Text messaging (SMS) below.

We do not share, sell, or provide your mobile phone number or messaging consent data to third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes.

We do not sell your personal information. We may share information with service providers that help us operate Cotup (for example, hosting, email delivery, SMS delivery, analytics, and security providers), when required by law, to protect rights and safety, or in connection with a business transaction such as a merger or acquisition. Our SMS delivery provider (currently Twilio) receives your number only to send the messages you opted into and may not use it for its own marketing.

Information you choose to make visible in Cotup — such as profile details, posts, or circle participation — may be visible to other users according to your settings and circle visibility rules.

Cotup Account Notifications is an informational SMS program. When you opt in with an unchecked web checkbox, we collect your mobile phone number and SMS consent to send verification codes and opted-in account notifications (such as direct messages, connection requests, mentions, and verification status updates). This program is not used for advertising or promotional marketing.

Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help, or START to re-subscribe. After a STOP request we will stop sending SMS to that number, except a single confirmation if required by the carrier. You can also turn SMS off in Account Settings. We retain your number and SMS consent record for as long as needed to provide the service, honor opt-out requests, and meet legal obligations.

We do not share, sell, or provide your mobile phone number or messaging consent data to third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Program details are also on our SMS program page and in our Terms of Service.

Credential verification may require contacting third parties such as employers, schools, licensing authorities, or event organizers. We share only the information needed to confirm a specific claim. Verified credentials may be represented as portable credentials within Cotup.

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, export, or restrict certain processing of your personal information. You can update much of your profile information in account settings. To stop SMS, reply STOP or change notification preferences in Account Settings. To make a privacy request, contact us using the information below.

We retain information for as long as needed to provide the service, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. We use administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect personal information, but no method of transmission or storage is completely secure.

Cotup may process and store information in the United States and other countries where we or our service providers operate. Those locations may have data protection laws that differ from the laws where you live.

Cotup is not directed to children under 16, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you believe a child has provided us personal information, contact us so we can take appropriate action.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the effective date at the top of this page. Your continued use of Cotup after an update means you accept the revised policy.

Questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices can be sent to hello@cotup.ai.

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