MySila Privacy Policy

Privacy Highlights

Before diving into the details, here are the key things you should know about how MySila handles your information:

• One Profile, Many Communities: You create a single Global Profile that syncs across all private directories ("Directories") you join.
• You Control Access: You decide which Directories to join. Each Directory is invitation-only and requires Admin approval.
• Directory Visibility: Once you join a Directory, all members of that Directory can see and search your complete Global Profile (name, photo, bio, skills, company info, etc.). There is no option to hide parts of your profile from other members of a Directory you've joined.
• Smart & Searchable: Your profile becomes part of a searchable database within each Directory. Other members can find you using filters like skills, sector, company, and location.
• Admin Controls: Directory Administrators ("Admins") can manage members, define custom questions, and export directory data (including your profile). Once exported, that data is outside MySila's control.
• Privacy-First: We collect only what's necessary for community connection. We do not sell your personal data to third-party data brokers.

I. The MySila Data Model

MySila operates on a centralized identity model. This is fundamental to understanding how your information is shared.

• Your Global Profile: You create one master profile ("Global Profile"). This is your single source of truth on MySila and includes the professional details you choose to share.
• Private Directories ("Circles/Networks"): You may be invited to join exclusive, member-only Directories (communities like WhatsApp groups, investment clubs, professional networks).
• The Sync: When you join a Directory, your Global Profile is automatically and dynamically presented to every other member of that Directory. There is no separate copy; the Directory displays a live, searchable view of your Global Profile data.
• Core Consent: The primary function of MySila is to share your professional profile with other members of the communities (Directories) you choose to join. By joining a Directory, you expressly consent to this sharing.

II. Information We Collect

A. Information You Provide to Us

1. Account and Profile Information:

• Global Profile Data: Full name, profile picture, professional headline/bio, user-provided location (city, country as a text field), professional sector/industry, primary skills/tags, LinkedIn profile URL, personal/portfolio website URL.
• Company Affiliations: You may add multiple companies, including company name, your role/title, company website, and whether it is a current or past affiliation.
• Contact Information: Email address and/or phone number used for authentication and communication.

2. Directory-Specific Information (Minimal & Non-Redundant):

• Custom Field Responses: To live up to our "no redundant forms" promise, your Global Profile is pre-filled. However, a Directory Admin may request minimal additional information unique to that community (e.g., "Cohort Year," "Specific Offerings to this Group"). You only provide this information once per Directory that requests it.
• Membership Requests and Communications: Information provided when requesting to join a Directory, and any communications with Directory Admins or other members through the Services.

3. Communications:

Contents of messages you send to us (e.g., support inquiries, feedback).

4. Payment Information:

If you subscribe to a paid Admin plan, our third-party payment processor (e.g., Stripe) collects payment card information. We receive only a token and confirmation; we do not store full card details.

B. Information Collected Automatically

• Log and Usage Data: IP address, browser type and version, device identifiers, operating system, pages or screens viewed, time spent on pages, clickstream data, search queries within Directories, access times, and features used.
• Inferred General Location: We may infer general location (city/country) from your IP address for analytics and security. We do not collect precise GPS/location data from your device unless you explicitly enable it for a specific feature.
• Cookies and Similar Technologies: We and our partners use cookies, pixels, local storage, and other tracking technologies. See our Cookie Policy (Section XII) for details.
• Information from Other Sources: We may receive information about you from other users (e.g., when an Admin provides your email to send an invite) or from third-party services you connect to MySila (e.g., LinkedIn for profile import, subject to your permissions with that service).

III. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following business and commercial purposes:

• To Provide and Maintain the Core Service: We use your Account and Profile Information, Directory-Specific Information, and Log & Usage Data to operate the platform, create your account, sync your Global Profile across Directories, enable smart search and discovery functionality (allowing members to find you by skill, company, sector, or location), and facilitate connections between members. This use is necessary to perform our contract with you and for our legitimate interest in providing the Services.
• To Manage Directory Memberships: We use your Account and Profile Information, Directory-Specific Information, and Communications to process join requests, administer approval workflows, enforce Directory-specific rules, and notify you of membership status changes. This use is necessary to perform our contract, for our legitimate interest in community management, and, for Custom Field responses, based on your consent.
• To Communicate With You: We use your Contact Information, Account & Profile Info, and Communications to send you service-related announcements (such as new Directory invitations, notifications of profile views, or messages from Admins), security alerts, and responses to your support inquiries. This use is necessary to perform our contract, for our legitimate interest in user support and engagement, and to comply with legal obligations.
• For Research, Development, and Improvement: We use Log & Usage Data and aggregated, de-identified Account & Profile Information to analyze usage trends, conduct surveys, test new features, and improve the security, functionality, and user experience of our Services. This use is based on our legitimate interest in improving and developing our Services.
• For Marketing and Advertising: We may use your Contact Information, Log & Usage Data, and information from Cookies to send you promotional communications about MySila (from which you may opt-out) and to measure the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns. Where required by law, this use is based on your consent; otherwise, it is based on our legitimate interest in promoting our Services.
• For Safety, Security, and Legal Compliance: We may use any of the information we collect as necessary to detect, prevent, and address fraud, abuse, security risks, or technical issues; to enforce our Terms of Service; and to comply with applicable laws, regulations, or legal processes. This use is based on our legitimate interests, legal obligations, and the need to protect vital interests.

IV. How We Disclose Your Information

A. Disclosures to Other Users (The Essential Service Function)

• Visibility & Searchability to All Members: Your Global Profile information is fully visible and searchable by every confirmed member of every Directory you join. This "Smart Search" functionality allows members to find you using filters like skills, sector, company, and location.
• Directory-Specific Sharing: Your responses to a Directory's Custom Fields are visible only to members of that specific Directory.
• No Granular Controls: You cannot selectively hide parts of your Global Profile from members of a Directory you have joined. Membership implies full Global Profile visibility within that community's searchable directory.

B. Disclosures to Directory Administrators

Admins have elevated access and control within their Directory, which includes the ability to export data:

• They can view, search, filter, and export the profiles of all members (e.g., to a spreadsheet or CSV file).
• They manage Custom Field definitions and see all members' responses.
• They control the membership roster (approve, remove, invite).

We are not responsible for how an Admin uses, stores, or secures exported data. Admins are independent data controllers for their Directory's data. Once data is exported, it is outside of MySila's technical and administrative control.

C. Disclosures to Service Providers

We engage vendors to perform services on our behalf ("Processors"), such as:

• Cloud Hosting & Infrastructure: Railway (AWS)
• Authentication & Security: Email OTP Based Authentication (JWT)
• Database: Postgres (Supabase)
• Asset Management: Cloudflare
• Payment Processing: Stripe

These providers are contractually bound to protect your information and use it only for the services they provide to us.

D. Legal and Safety Disclosures

We may disclose information if we believe it is necessary to:

• Comply with a valid legal process (subpoena, court order, search warrant).
• Protect the rights, property, or safety of MySila, our users, or the public.
• Enforce our Terms of Service, including investigation of potential violations.
• Detect, prevent, or address fraud, security, or technical issues.

E. Business Transfers

In connection with a merger, sale of company assets, financing, or acquisition, your information may be transferred to a successor or affiliate as part of that transaction.

F. With Your Consent

We will share information with third parties when we have your explicit consent to do so.

V. Your Rights and Choices

A. Access and Control Your Profile

• View and Update: You can access and edit your Global Profile at any time. Changes sync to all your Directories.
• Leave a Directory: You can leave any Directory. This will hide your profile from that Directory's members and remove you from its search index, but your Global Profile and membership in other Directories remain.
• Delete Your Account: You may request deletion of your MySila account. This will initiate removal of your Global Profile and all Directory memberships. See Section VII for retention details.

B. Communications Preferences

You can opt-out of promotional emails by using the unsubscribe link in those emails. You cannot opt-out of service-related communications (e.g., membership approvals, important policy updates).

C. Cookies and Tracking

Manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings or our Cookie Preferences banner. Blocking essential cookies may impair Service functionality.

D. Data Subject Rights (EEA, UK, Switzerland, California, and other jurisdictions)

Depending on your residency, you may have the right to:

• Access/Know what personal information we have about you.
• Correct inaccurate information.
• Delete your personal information.
• Data Portability — receive a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Opt-Out of the "sale" or "sharing" of personal information (as defined under laws like the CCPA).
• Object to or Restrict certain processing activities.
• Withdraw Consent where processing is based on consent.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at hello@mysila.network. We will verify your identity before processing your request, which may require you to provide additional information. You may designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf.

VI. Information for Directory Administrators

If you create or manage a Directory, you act as an independent data controller for the personal information of your members within your Directory.

• You determine the purpose (managing your community) and means of processing within your Directory.
• You are responsible for complying with applicable privacy laws concerning your members' data.
• You must not use member data for purposes unrelated to your Directory's stated community purpose (e.g., selling lists, unauthorized marketing).
• Export Functionality: You have the technical ability to export member data. You are solely responsible for the security and lawful use of any data you export from the MySila platform.
• We recommend you provide your own community guidelines to your members.
• You are responsible for responding to data subject requests from your members regarding the data you control.

VII. Data Retention

We retain personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

• Active Account: We retain your Global Profile and membership data while your account is active.
• Account Deletion: Upon deletion request, we initiate a process to delete your Global Profile from our primary systems within 30 days. Residual data may remain in encrypted backups for up to 90 days before final deletion. Note: Data previously exported by a Directory Admin is outside our retention control.
• Directory-Specific Data: When you leave a Directory, your association with it is removed from our active systems, but Admins may retain exported data as per their own policies.
• Log Data: We retain aggregated, anonymized logs for analytics, but personal identifiers in logs are typically deleted within 12 months.

VIII. Data Security & Privacy by Design

We implement administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect your information. These include encryption in transit (TLS) and at rest, access controls, and regular security assessments.

Privacy-First Commitment:

• Limit data collection to the minimum necessary to facilitate authentic community connection.
• Do not sell your personal data to third-party data brokers or advertisers.
• Build features with privacy considerations from the ground up.

However, no system is 100% secure. You are also responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login method (email/phone).

IX. International Data Transfers

MySila is operated globally. Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own, including the United States, where data protection laws may differ. We rely on approved transfer mechanisms, such as Standard Contractual Clauses, to ensure your data receives adequate protection.

X. Children's Privacy

Our Services are not intended for individuals under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we learn we have collected such information, we will delete it. Contact us if you believe a child has provided us with data.

XI. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this policy periodically. The "Last Updated" date at the top will reflect changes. If we make material changes, we will notify you via email or through a prominent notice on the Services before the change becomes effective. Your continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

XII. Cookie Policy

We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:

• Essential: Necessary for core functionality (e.g., authentication, security).
• Performance/Analytics: Help us understand how users interact with our Services (e.g., Google Analytics).
• Functionality: Remember your preferences (e.g., language, region).
• Advertising/Targeting: (If used) To deliver relevant ads on and off our platform.

XIII. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our practices, please contact us at hello@mysila.network.