Intrst is built on trust. We verify your identity to protect civic integrity, then safeguard your data like it's our own. We never sell your information, and we never will.
1. Introduction
Intrst ("we," "our," or "us") operates the Intrst platform and website (intrst.app). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our service. We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring transparency in how we handle your data.
2. Information We Collect
Information You Provide
- Account information: Name, email address, phone number, date of birth, and ZIP code when you create an account
- Verification data: Information used to match your voter registration record (name, address, date of birth)
- Participation data: Your votes in community polls and any comments you post on civic issues
Information Collected Automatically
- Device information: Device type, operating system, and browser type
- Usage data: Pages visited, features used, and interaction patterns
- Log data: IP address, access times, and referring URLs
3. How We Use Your Information
We use your information solely to operate and improve the Intrst platform:
- Identity verification: To confirm you are a real, registered voter in your community
- Platform operation: To enable participation in polls, display community results, and deliver civic updates
- Communication: To send important notifications about civic issues in your area and platform updates
- Improvement: To analyze aggregate usage patterns and improve the platform experience
We do not use your data for advertising. We do not sell your data to third parties. We do not use algorithmic manipulation to increase engagement. Ever.
4. Voter Verification Process
Intrst uses a two-step verification process to ensure every participant is a real, registered resident:
- Soft verification: We match the information you provide against publicly available voter registration records
- Hard verification: We mail a QR code postcard to your registered address. Scanning this code locks your voter record to your account, preventing duplicate or fraudulent accounts
Voter registration data is accessed through authorized public records channels. We store only the minimum information necessary to verify your identity and do not retain full voter file data.
5. Data Sharing
We share your information only in these limited circumstances:
- Aggregated civic data: We may share anonymized, aggregate polling results with municipalities, media, and research institutions. This data never identifies individual users
- Service providers: We use trusted third-party services for hosting, email delivery, and analytics. These providers are contractually bound to protect your data
- Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or governmental regulation
6. Data Security
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information, including:
- Encryption of data in transit (TLS) and at rest (AES-256)
- Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
- Access controls limiting employee access to personal data
- Secure infrastructure with redundant backups
7. Your Rights
You have the right to:
- Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
- Correction: Request correction of inaccurate personal data
- Deletion: Request deletion of your account and associated data
- Portability: Request your data in a machine-readable format
- Opt-out: Unsubscribe from non-essential communications at any time
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@intrst.app.
8. Data Retention
We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, we will remove your personal data within 30 days, except where retention is required by law. Anonymized, aggregate data may be retained indefinitely for civic research purposes.
9. Children's Privacy
Intrst is not intended for use by anyone under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we learn that we have collected data from a minor, we will delete it promptly.
10. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy on our website and, where appropriate, by email notification. Your continued use of Intrst after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
11. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:
- Email: privacy@intrst.app
- General inquiries: hello@intrst.app