Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

At Sekaijin, we place great importance on the protection of your personal data. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use and protect your personal information.

2. Data controller

The data controller is Sekaijin, the global expat community.

3. Data collected

3.1 Data provided directly

During your registration and use of our services, we collect:

• Identification information: username, email, password (encrypted)
• Profile information: name, surname, date of birth, phone (optional)
• Location information: country of residence, city, destination country
• Social media: links to your profiles (YouTube, Instagram, etc.) if provided
• Profile photo: avatar if uploaded
• Biography: personal description if provided
• Content: publications, comments, messages

3.2 Geolocation data

With your explicit consent only, we may collect:

• Approximate GPS coordinates for display on the community map
• This data is blurred (precision reduced to ~10km)
• You can refuse or withdraw this consent at any time

3.3 Technical data

• IP address (for security)
• Browser type and device
• Pages visited and browsing time
• Login logs and last activity

4. Processing purposes

We use your data to:

• Provide our services: account creation and management, access to features
• Community: connecting with other expatriates
• Personalized content: displaying relevant information based on your country
• Communication: important notifications, service updates
• Security: fraud prevention, account protection
• Improvement: usage analysis to improve our services
• Legal compliance: meeting legal obligations

5. Legal basis for processing

Our processing is based on:

• Consent: geolocation, marketing communications
• Contract performance: providing Sekaijin services
• Legitimate interest: security, fraud prevention, service improvement
• Legal obligation: data retention, cooperation with authorities

6. Data sharing

6.1 Community visibility

Certain information is visible to other members:

• Username, profile photo, biography
• Country and city of residence (if provided)
• Approximate location (if consent given)
• Social media links (if provided)
• Community role (member, premium, ambassador, admin)

6.2 No sale of data

We never sell your personal data to third parties.

6.3 Technical service providers

We share certain data with our providers for:

• Hosting and storage (secure)
• Geolocation services (OpenStreetMap, Mapbox)
• Analytics (Google Analytics in anonymized mode)
• Security and monitoring

7. Data retention

• Active account: as long as your account exists
• After deletion: 30 days for recovery, then permanent deletion
• Security logs: 12 months maximum
• Legal data: according to legal obligations (billing, etc.)

8. Data security

We implement appropriate security measures:

• Password encryption (bcrypt)
• Secure communications (HTTPS)
• Restricted data access (principle of least privilege)
• Security surveillance and monitoring
• Regular and secure backups
• Team security training

9. Your rights (GDPR)

You have the following rights:

• Access: obtain a copy of your data
• Rectification: correct inaccurate data
• Erasure: delete your data ("right to be forgotten")
• Restriction: restrict certain processing
• Portability: retrieve your data in a standard format
• Objection: object to certain processing
• Withdrawal of consent: for consent-based processing

To exercise these rights, contact us via our contact page.

10. Cookies and similar technologies

We use cookies for:

• Functionality: user session, authentication
• Preferences: language, display settings
• Analytics: usage statistics (anonymized)
• Security: CSRF protection, fraud detection

You can manage cookies through your browser settings.

11. International transfers

Your data is primarily processed in Europe. In case of transfer to third countries, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place (standard contractual clauses, adequacy decisions).

12. Minors

Our services are not intended for persons under 16 years of age. If we learn that a minor has provided us with personal data, we will promptly delete it.

13. Changes

This policy may be updated. Important changes will be notified by email or via the platform. The date of last modification is indicated at the top of this page.

14. Contact and complaints

For any questions about this policy or to exercise your rights:

• To exercise these rights, contact us via our contact page.
• Data Protection Officer: [email protected]

You also have the right to file a complaint with the CNIL (Commission Nationale de l'Informatique et des Libertés) if you believe your rights are not being respected.