Privacy Policy

Introduction

Headlines ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and other applicable privacy laws. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you use our RSS reader application.

By using Headlines, you consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy.

What Personal Information We Collect

Information You Provide to Us

Account Information (Mandatory for service provision)

• Email address (required)
• Name (optional, or obtained from Google/Apple if you sign up via those services)

RSS Feed Subscriptions (Mandatory for service provision)

• RSS feed URLs you subscribe to
• OPML or other import files you provide to import feeds

Information We Collect Automatically

Usage Data (Used to improve service quality)

• Which feeds you read and when
• Reading patterns and interaction with the app
• Feature usage statistics

Technical Information (Used for app performance and troubleshooting)

• Device type and model
• Operating system and version
• App version
• IP address
• Error logs and diagnostic information

Why We Collect This Information (Purposes)

We collect and use your personal information for the following purposes:

1. Service Provision: To create and maintain your account, fetch and display RSS feed content, and sync your subscriptions across devices
2. Service Improvement: To analyze usage patterns, optimize app performance, and develop new features
3. Communication: To send service-related notifications, respond to support requests, and provide customer service
4. Security: To detect, prevent, and address technical issues, fraud, and abuse
5. Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws and regulations

We will not use your personal information for any purpose other than those identified above without obtaining your express consent.

Consent

How We Obtain Consent

• Express Consent: When you create an account, you provide express consent by clicking "I agree" to this Privacy Policy
• Implied Consent: By using Headlines after account creation, you provide implied consent for the collection and use of usage and technical data to maintain and improve the service
• Third-Party Sign-In: When you sign up via Google or Apple, you consent to our collection of your name from those services

Withdrawing Consent

You may withdraw your consent at any time by:

• Deleting your account through the app settings
• Contacting us at brad@headlines.fm

Please note that withdrawing consent may limit or prevent your ability to use Headlines.

How We Use and Disclose Your Information

Use of Information

We use your personal information only for the purposes identified above. We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties.

Disclosure to Third Parties

We may share your personal information with:

Service Providers: Third-party vendors who assist us in operating Headlines, including:

• Cloud hosting providers (for data storage)
• Analytics services (for usage insights)
• Email service providers (for account-related communications)

These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.

RSS Feed Providers: When you subscribe to an RSS feed, the Headlines service makes requests to those feed providers on your behalf. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of external RSS feed providers.

Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or to protect our legal rights.

Cross-Border Data Transfers

Your personal information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in jurisdictions outside of Canada, including [specify jurisdictions, e.g., United States for cloud hosting]. When we transfer data internationally, we implement appropriate safeguards such as:

• Standard contractual clauses with service providers
• Ensuring service providers comply with recognized privacy frameworks
• Encryption of data in transit and at rest

Please be aware that privacy laws in other jurisdictions may differ from Canadian law.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected:

• Account Information: Retained while your account is active
• Usage and Technical Data: Retained for up to 2 years for analytics and improvement purposes
• Deleted Accounts: Upon account deletion, we will delete your personal information within 30 days, except where retention is required by law

Safeguards and Security

We implement physical, technical, and organizational safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of your personal information, including:

• Encryption of data in transit using TLS/SSL
• Encryption of data at rest
• Access controls and authentication mechanisms
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Employee training on privacy and security practices

While we take reasonable measures to protect your information, no system is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach that creates a real risk of significant harm to you, we will:

• Notify affected users as soon as feasible
• Report the breach to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
• Provide information about the breach, its potential consequences, and steps we are taking to address it

Your Rights Under PIPEDA

You have the right to:

Access

Request access to the personal information we hold about you, including how it is being used and to whom it has been disclosed.

Correction

Request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete personal information.

Withdrawal of Consent

Withdraw your consent for the collection, use, or disclosure of your personal information, subject to legal or contractual restrictions.

Data Portability

Export your feed subscriptions in a standard format (OPML).

Complaint

File a complaint with our Privacy Officer or the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada if you believe your privacy rights have been violated.

To exercise these rights, contact us at brad@headlines.fm.

Commercial Electronic Messages (CASL Compliance)

If you consent to receive commercial electronic messages from us:

• We will only send messages related to Headlines features, updates, and promotions
• Every email will include a clear and simple unsubscribe mechanism
• You may withdraw consent at any time by clicking "unsubscribe" in any email or contacting us

We will not send commercial messages without your express consent.

Children's Privacy

Headlines is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately at brad@headlines.fm.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Headlines may use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Maintain your session and preferences
• Analyze usage patterns through analytics services

You can control cookie settings through your device settings. Disabling certain cookies may limit functionality.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy and send an email to all users informing them of the new policy.

Continued use of Headlines after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated policy

Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or complaints about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:

Headlines
Email: brad@headlines.fm

We will respond to your inquiry within 30 days.

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

If you are not satisfied with our response to your privacy concern, you may file a complaint with:

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
30 Victoria Street
Gatineau, Quebec K1A 1H3
Toll-free: 1-800-282-1376
Website: www.priv.gc.ca

Accessibility

We are committed to making this Privacy Policy accessible. If you require this policy in an alternative format, please contact us at brad@headlines.fm.