Privacy Policy - July 12, 2024 – OkCupid

Do you live in California? Check out our California Privacy Statement, which supplements this Privacy Policy.

Residents of Washington and Nevada, please see our Consumer Health Data Privacy Policy, which supplements this Privacy Policy.

Hey there! Welcome to OkCupid’s Privacy Policy.

We know reading a privacy policy might not be everyone’s idea of a good time, but hear us out. We put a lot of effort into making this policy as clear and engaging as possible because we actually want you to read it! Think of us as your digital wingmate, here to guide you through the ins and outs of what data we collect, and why and how we use it. So get cozy, grab your beverage of choice, and let’s dive into the world of personal data together.

This Privacy Policy applies from July 12th, 2024. The previous version, available here, applies until then.

1. Who We Are

If you live in the European Economic Area (“EEA”), the United Kingdom or Switzerland, the company responsible for your data (the “data controller”) is:

MTCH Technology Services Limited

OkCupid

1 Hatch Street Upper

Dublin 2

D02 PY28

Ireland

If you live outside the EEA, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland, the company responsible for your data is:

Humor Rainbow, Inc.

809 Washington Street, Third Floor

New York, NY 10014

2. Where This Privacy Policy Applies

This Privacy Policy applies to websites, apps, events, and other services we operate under the OkCupid brand. Whether you're searching for your soulmate, joining us at one of our events, or using any of our other awesome services, this Policy has got you covered. For simplicity, we just refer to all of these as our “service” in this Privacy Policy.

If for some reason, one of our services requires its own separate privacy policy, then that policy will be made available to you and that policy -- not this Privacy Policy -- will apply.

3. Data We Collect

It goes without saying, that we can’t help you develop meaningful connections without you providing some information about yourself, like basic profile details and the types of people you’d like to meet. Using our service also generates some information, such as when you logged in and how you used the service. We may also collect data from third parties, like when you access the service through an account you have on another platform (e.g., Facebook, Google, or Apple) or when you upload information from your account on another platform to complete your profile. If you're interested in all the details, be sure to check out the table below.

Data you give us

Categories	Description
Account Data	When you create an account, you give us basic information for your account to be set up such as your phone number, email address, date of birth, and password.
Profile Data	When you complete your profile, you share additional details about yourself, such as your gender, interests, preferences, approximate location, etc. Some of this data may be considered sensitive or special in certain countries, such as details about sexual orientation, sexual life, racial or ethnic origins, or political affiliations. If you choose to provide this data, you consent to us using it as laid out in this Privacy Policy.
Content	When you use our service, you may post photos, videos, audio, text, and other types of content, such as your chats with other members.
Purchase Data	When you make a purchase, we keep the details of the transaction (e.g., what you purchased, the date of the transaction, and the price). The exact data depends on the payment method you choose. When you pay directly with us (rather than through a platform such as iOS or Android), you provide your debit or credit card number or other financial info.
Marketing, Survey, and Research Data	We sometimes run (i) surveys, focus groups, or market studies for research purposes and (ii) promotions, events, or contests for marketing purposes. When you choose to participate, you give us information to process your entry and participation, as well as your responses to our questions and your feedback.
Third-Party Data	When you choose to share with us information about other people (for example, if you use the contact details of someone you know for a given feature or if you submit a query or report involving a member), we process this data on your behalf to complete your request.
Customer Support Data	When you contact us, you provide us with information that may be necessary to help address your inquiry. Other people may also submit queries or reports involving you. Finally, our moderation tools and teams can collect additional data as part of their investigations. Further, we are part of the Match Group family of businesses. Match Group considers the safety and security of members a top priority. If you were banned from another Match Group service, your data may be shared with us to allow us to take necessary actions, including closing your account or preventing you from creating an account on our service. Where legally allowed, we can also receive information about suspected or convicted bad actors from third parties as part of our efforts to ensure our members’ safety and security.
Social Media Data	You may decide to share data with us through your accounts on other platforms (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, Google), for instance, if you decide to create and log into your account via these platforms or if you decide to upload data such as photos onto our service from these platforms.

Data generated or automatically collected

Categories	Description
Usage Data	Using the service generates data about your activity, including how you use it (e.g., when you logged in, features you’ve been using, actions taken, the information shown to you, referring webpages, ads you interacted with) and how you interact with others (e.g., searching, matching, communicating). We may also receive data related to interactions you had with our ads on third-party’s websites or apps.
Technical Data	Using the service involves the collection of data from and about the device(s) you use to access our service, including hardware and software information such as IP address, device ID and type, app settings and characteristics, app crashes, advertising IDs, and identifiers associated with cookies or other technologies that may uniquely identify a device or browser. For more information about cookies, see our Cookie Policy.

Other data we collect with your permission/consent

Categories	Description
Geolocation Data	If you give us permission, we can collect your geolocation (latitude and longitude) from your device. If you decline permission, features that rely on precise geolocation may not be available to you.
Face Geometry Data	You may choose to participate in certain of our features like Photo Verification, that involve the collection of face geometry data, which may be considered biometric data in some jurisdictions. Learn more about our verification feature and how we process your face geometry data.
ID Data	You may provide us with a copy of your government-issued ID to help us check that you’re who you say you are.

4. Why and How We Use Your Data

The main reason we process your data is to provide our service to you and improve it over time. That includes connecting you with members who might make your heart skip a beat, personalizing your experience, and just helping you make the most of our service. We also process your data to keep you and all of our members safe and secure while using our service. We take this responsibility very seriously and we’re always working to improve our systems and processes to help protect you. And yes, we process your data to show relevant ads – you can control this in your settings. Read on for a more detailed explanation.

For information on how we process personal data through “profiling” and “automated decision-making”, please see our FAQ.

Purposes for processing your data	Grounds for processing your data	Categories of data processed (Those are described in Section 3 of this Policy)
To enable you to use our service, including: Creating and maintaining your account and profile on our service Operating and maintaining the various features of our service Recommending other members to you and recommending you to them Organizing sweepstakes and contests Responding to your requests and questions Monitoring the well functioning of our service and troubleshooting and fixing issues as needed	Performance of our contract with you Your consent (where sensitive data or other type of data that requires consent is processed)	Account Data Profile Data Content Purchase Data Marketing, Survey, and Research Data Third-Party Data Customer Support Data Social Media Data Usage Data Technical Data Geolocation Data
To enable your purchases on our service, including: Processing payments Offering discounts and promotions, customizing prices	Performance of our contract with you	Account Data Profile Data Technical Data Purchase Data Usage Data
To operate advertising and marketing campaigns, including: Performing and measuring the effectiveness of advertising campaigns run on our service Performing and measuring the effectiveness of marketing campaigns promoting our service on third-party platforms Communicating with you about products and services we believe may interest you	Consent (where required under applicable law) and otherwise our legitimate interest. It is in our legitimate interest to promote our service and to show ads to our members that are tailored to their interests, as a way to improve their experience and help fund the parts of our service that are free	Account Data Profile Data Usage Data Marketing, Survey, and Research Data Technical Data
To improve our service and create new features and services, including: Running focus groups, market studies, and surveys Analyzing how our service is used Reviewing interactions with customer care teams to improve service quality Developing and improving new features and services, including through machine learning and other technologies, and testing them out Conducting research and publishing research papers	Performance of our contract with you Our legitimate interest: It is in our legitimate interest to improve our service over time Consent where required under applicable law (e.g., we may process data deemed sensitive or special in certain countries to help make sure that the various communities using our service are being treated fairly and equitably and that our service remains diverse and inclusive)	Account Data Profile Data Content Purchase Data Marketing, Survey, and Research Data Third-Party Data Customer Support Data Social Media Data Usage Data Technical Data
To keep you and other members safe on our service and across Match Group, including: Preventing, detecting, and fighting against violations of our Terms of fraud and other illegal or unauthorized activities Developing and improving tools to prevent, detect, and fight against violations of our Terms, fraud, and other illegal or unauthorized activities Preventing recurrences, notably by preventing individuals who violate our Terms from creating a new account Letting individuals who submit a report know what we’ve done about it Verifying your identity Securing payments and fighting against financial fraud For more information on safety, integrity, and security generally, visit our Safety Tips and Community Guidelines.	Performance of our contract with you Our legitimate interest: It is in our legitimate interest and that of our members to keep them safe Protection of your vital interests and that of other members Compliance with legal obligations that apply to us such as taking down illicit content Your consent (where sensitive data or other type of data that requires consent is processed)	Account Data Profile Data Content Purchase Data Third-Party Data Customer Support Data Usage Data Technical Data Face Geometry Data ID Data
To comply with applicable law, establish, exercise, and defend legal claims & rights, including: Preserving data to comply – and evidence compliance – with applicable law Supporting investigations and defending potential or ongoing litigation, regulatory action, or dispute Responding to lawful requests from law enforcement, courts, regulators, and other third parties Reporting illegal or infringing content to law enforcement, government, or other authorities Establishing, exercising, or defending ongoing or threatened claims Sharing data with law enforcement or partners to combat abusive or illegal behavior	Our legitimate interest: It is in our legitimate interest to comply with applicable law and protect ourselves, our members, and others, including as part of investigations, legal proceedings, and other disputes Protection of your vital interests and that of other members Compliance with legal obligations applying to us such as responding to law enforcement requests for information	The categories of data shared will vary based on the specific circumstances surrounding each obligation, compelling interest, or dispute

5. How We Share Data

Since our goal is to help you make meaningful connections, some of your information is of course visible to other members on the service. We also share data with service providers and partners who assist us in operating the service, with other Match Group companies for the reasons laid out below and, in some cases, for legal and related reasons. Read on for more details.

Recipients	Reasons for sharing	Categories of Personal Data
Other members	You share data with other members when you voluntarily disclose information on the service for others to see (e.g., your public profile). If someone submits a report involving you (such as a claim you violated our Terms of Use), we may let the reporter know what actions we took, if any, as a result of their report. The same applies if you submit a report involving another member.	Profile Data Content Social Media Data Third-Party Data Customer Support Data
Service providers/partners	We share data with vendors and partners who help us operate, promote, and improve our service. They provide us with services such as data hosting and maintenance, analytics, customer care, marketing, advertising, payment processing, legal support, and security operations.	Depending on the service provided by the vendor or partner, it may include: Account Data Profile Data Content Purchase Data Marketing, Survey, and Research Data Third-Party Data Customer Support Data Social Media Data Usage Data Technical Data Geolocation Data Face Geometry Data ID Data
Advertising Partners	We may publish ads about third-party advertisers’ products and services on our service, and publish ads promoting our own service on third-party sites and apps. To help improve the relevance of these ads, we provide certain info about you to third parties, including advertising partners, or allow them to collect such data from our services (such as via cookies, SDKs, or similar technologies). Some of our advertising partners enable us to transform your email address, advertising identifiers, or phone number into an identifier that can’t be used to identify you personally and then use that unique identifier to either exclude you from our marketing campaigns or to target our ads at an audience that is similar to you in terms of background, interests or app usage.	Account Data Profile Data Usage Data Technical Data
Affiliates	We may share data with affiliates or receive data from them for the purposes laid out in Section 6 of this policy.	The categories of data will vary based on the reason for sharing, but it may include: Account Data Profile Data Content Purchase Data Marketing, Survey, and Research Data Third-Party Data Customer Support Data Social Media Data Usage Data Technical Data Geolocation Data Face Geometry Data ID Data
Law enforcement authorities	We may disclose your data to: (i) comply with a legal process, such as a court order, subpoena or search warrant, government/law enforcement investigation, or other legal requirements; (ii) assist in the prevention or detection of crime; (iii) protect the safety of any person; and (iv) establish, exercise or defend legal claims.	The categories of data shared will vary depending on the specific circumstances surrounding the request, but it often can include: Account data Profile Data Content Purchase Data Customer Support Data Third-Party Data Social Media Data Usage Data Technical Data Geolocation Data ID Data
In the context of merger and acquisition, with our Affiliates or new owner(s)	We may transfer your data if we are involved, whether in whole or in part, in a merger, sale, acquisition, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution, bankruptcy, or other change of ownership or control.	The categories of data shared will vary based on the type of corporate transaction. It may include the entire organization's data or only a specific subset such as Purchase Data.

6. How Match Group Companies Work Together

OkCupid is part of the Match Group family of businesses.

We may share data about you with our Affiliates and they may share data about you with us, for the reasons laid out below:

To make all Match Group platforms safer, for instance by making sure that when a bad actor is found on one Match Group platform (for instance ours), they can be banned from all.
To assist each other in data processing operations, as service providers. This assistance may include processing operations, such as data hosting and maintenance, customer care, marketing, targeted advertising, analytics, finance and accounting, legal support, payment processing, service improvement, data security, and fighting against spam, abuse, fraud, and other wrongdoings.
To improve your chances of building significant connections with others, we may make you visible on other Match Group services or allow you to benefit from cross-platform functionalities. We will of course comply with applicable law and, where relevant, notify you of any such opportunity and allow you to agree or to refuse.
Where and as allowed under applicable law, to better understand how people use Match Group services overall, to personalize your experience across Match Group services, and to enhance marketing and advertising campaigns.
For other legitimate business purposes including corporate/consolidated audit, analysis, and reporting.

Learn more about how Match Group companies work together.

7. Cross-Border Data Transfers

Because we operate a global service, the sharing of your data laid out in Section 5 involves cross-border data transfers to the United States of America and other countries that may have different laws about data processing. When we transfer personal data outside of the EEA, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, or other countries whose data protection laws have been deemed adequate by the European Commission or other competent governmental bodies, we typically rely on what is called standard

contract clauses. These standard contractual clauses are commitments between companies transferring personal data, binding them to protect the privacy and security of your data. Contact us for a copy.

8. Your Rights

We want you to be in control of your data, so we want to remind you of the following rights, options, and tools available to you. Depending on where you live, you may not have the same rights or they may be named differently. If you have any questions about your rights and how to exercise them, please contact us here.

Your Rights	How to exercise it
Access, Portability or To Know Right to be informed of the personal data we process about you and/or ask for a copy of it	You can access and review some data directly by logging into your account. You can also retrieve a copy of your data by following the process explained here.
Rectification or Correction Right to amend or update your personal data where it’s inaccurate or incomplete	You can update your data directly within the service by simply updating your profile. If you wish to rectify other data, please contact us here.
Deletion or Erasure Right to delete personal data	You can delete some of the data you provided us directly within the service. You can also close your account as explained here and we’ll delete your data as laid out in this Privacy Policy. In any event, you can always contact us here.
Objection (Opt-out) or Restriction Right to object to us processing personal data or to request that we temporarily or permanently stop processing personal data	You can directly opt out from certain of your personal data processing in your account settings. Otherwise, you can contact us here should you wish to object to or restrict a data processing we’ve listed throughout this Privacy Policy.
Consent Withdrawal Right to withdraw consent you’ve given us to process your personal data for a specific purpose	You can directly withdraw consent you’ve given us either by updating your account settings or removing Device Permissions you’ve agreed to in your device settings (e.g., access to specific types of device data such as phone contacts, pictures, advertising identifiers, and location services or consent to receive push notifications). When you withdraw consent, certain services may lose functionality. You can always contact us here for more information.

For your protection and the protection of all of our members, we may ask you for information to verify your identity or authority to act on behalf of a member before we can answer the above requests. We wouldn’t want someone else to get in control of your data!

Keep in mind that we may reject requests, including if we are unable to authenticate you, if the request is unlawful or invalid, or if it may infringe on trade secrets or intellectual property or the privacy or other rights of someone else. If you wish to receive information relating to another member, such as a copy of any messages you received from them, the other member will have to make a request themselves.

If you are a resident of Texas, Oregon, Montana, Virginia, Colorado, or Connecticut, USA, if we deny your privacy request, you may be able to appeal by contacting us, and explicitly referencing “Privacy Request Appeal.” If you have concerns about the result of your appeal, you may contact the attorney general for your state.]

In certain countries, including in the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom, you have a right to lodge a complaint with the appropriate data protection authority if you have concerns about how we process your personal data. You can find information about your data protection regulator in the European Economic Area here and in the United Kingdom here. The data protection authority you can lodge a complaint with may be that of your habitual residence, where you work, or where an alleged infringement took place.

9. How Long We Retain Your Data

We want the connections you make through our service to last forever, but we keep your personal data only as long as necessary for legitimate business reasons (as laid out in Section 4) and as permitted by applicable law.

If you decide to stop using our service, you can close your account and your profile will no longer be visible to other members. Note that we will close your account automatically if you are inactive for two years.

Following account closure, we delete your data as laid out below:

To protect the safety and security of our members, we implement a safety retention window of three months following account closure or one year following an account ban. During this period, we keep your data to investigate unlawful or harmful conduct. The retention of data during this safety retention window is based on our legitimate interest as well as that of potential third-party victims.

We maintain limited data to comply with legal data retention obligations: in particular, we keep transaction data for 10 years to comply with tax and accounting legal requirements, credit card information for the duration the user may challenge the transaction, and “traffic data” / logs for one year to comply with legal data retention obligations. We also keep records of consent members give us for five years to comply and evidence our compliance with applicable law.
We maintain limited data based on our legitimate interest: we kept customer care records and supporting data as well as the imprecise location of download/purchase for five years in support of our safety efforts, to support our customer care decisions, enforce our rights and enable us to defend ourselves in the event of a claim, profile data for one year in anticipation of potential litigation, for the establishment, exercise or defense of legal claims, and data necessary to prevent members who were banned from opening a new account for as long as necessary to ensure the safety and vital interests of our members.
Finally, we maintain data on the basis of our legitimate interest where there is an outstanding or potential issue, claim or dispute requiring us to keep data in particular if we receive a valid legal subpoena or request asking us to preserve data (in which case we would need to keep the data to comply with our legal obligations) or if data would otherwise be necessary as part of legal proceedings.

Where and as legally permitted, we may maintain and use data that, by itself, cannot identify or be attributed specifically to you for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, including to improve our service, create new features, technologies, and services, and keep Match Group services safe.

10. Children's Privacy

Our service is restricted to individuals who are 18 years of age or older. We do not permit individuals under the age of 18 on our platform. If you suspect that a member is under the age of 18, please use the reporting mechanism available on the service.

11. Privacy Policy Changes

This policy may change over time. We’re always looking for new and innovative ways to help you build meaningful connections and strive to make sure explanations of our data practices remain up-to-date. We will notify you before material changes take effect so that you have time to review the changes.

12. How to Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, you have different options below:

If you live in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom or Switzerland:

Online: here

By post:

Data Protection Officer