Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of information:

• Account information: name, email address, phone number, password (stored as a salted PBKDF2-SHA256 hash, never in plain text), preferred language, role (e.g., buyer, seller, broker), and notification preferences.
• Listing & property data: property details, addresses, prices, descriptions, and photos you upload (uploads are verified by file content, not just file name, and SVG/HTML files are rejected).
• Communications: messages you send to other users through our messaging feature, and inquiries you send through contact forms or WhatsApp links.
• Subscription & billing information: your selected plan, trial and renewal dates, and billing status. Payment card details are handled directly by our payment processor (Stripe) — we do not receive or store full card numbers.
• Usage & device information: pages visited, search filters used, approximate location derived from IP address, browser type, and similar technical data, collected automatically to operate and secure the Service.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Create and manage your account, and authenticate you when you sign in
• Display and manage your property listings, favorites, and saved searches
• Enable messaging between buyers, renters, investors, and listing owners
• Process subscription sign-ups, trials, renewals, and payments
• Show property locations using mapping services
• Send service-related notifications (e.g., new messages, matching listings), where you have enabled them
• Detect, prevent, and respond to fraud, abuse, and security incidents (including rate limiting and request monitoring)
• Improve and maintain the Service

3. Cookies & Local Storage

We use your browser's local storage to keep you signed in (a session token valid for 24 hours) and to remember your display preferences, such as language (English/Spanish) and light/dark theme. These are essential to how the Service works and are not used for third-party advertising.

4. How We Share Information

We do not sell your personal information. We share information only in the following circumstances:

• With other users, as necessary for the Service to function — for example, your name and listing details are visible to users who view your listing, and your messages are visible to the recipient.
• With service providers who help us operate the Service, such as Cloudflare (hosting, database, and file storage), Stripe (payment processing), and Google Maps (location display). These providers only receive the information needed to perform their function and are bound by their own privacy and security obligations.
• To comply with law, respond to lawful requests from public authorities, or protect the rights, property, or safety of Meridian, our users, or others.
• In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, subject to confidentiality obligations.

5. Data Security

We use industry-standard safeguards to protect your information, including encrypted connections (HTTPS), salted PBKDF2-SHA256 password hashing, parameterized database queries to prevent injection attacks, magic-byte verification of uploaded files, and rate limiting on sensitive endpoints such as login and registration.

No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, but we work to continually review and improve our security practices.

6. Data Retention

We retain your account information for as long as your account is active. If you close your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within a reasonable period, except where we are required to retain certain records (e.g., billing records) for legal, tax, or accounting purposes.

7. Your Rights & Choices

Depending on your location, you may have the right to access, correct, export, or delete your personal information, and to object to or restrict certain processing. You can update most account information directly from your profile settings.

To request deletion of your account or other privacy-related requests, email us at info@investwithmeridian.com. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe and may need to verify your identity before completing certain requests.

8. Children's Privacy

The Service is not directed to individuals under 18, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can delete it.

9. International Data Transfers

Meridian operates on a global cloud infrastructure (Cloudflare). As a result, your information may be processed and stored in countries other than your own, which may have different data protection laws. We take steps to ensure your information remains protected wherever it is processed, consistent with this Policy.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date above and, where appropriate, notify you through the Service or by email. Continued use of the Service after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised Policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information, contact us at info@investwithmeridian.com.