Privacy Policy

Introduction

At BuildFest Kashmir (“we”, “our”, or “us”), we are committed to safeguarding the privacy of our student developers, mentors, partners, and community members. This Privacy Policy outlines what information we collect when you register for hackathons, attend workshops, browse our website, or interact with our community channels, and how we handle that data.

By using our website (https://buildfestkashmir.org) or participating in BuildFest events, you consent to the practices described in this policy.

1. Information We Collect

We collect information you provide directly to us when interacting with the platform:

• Account & Profile Information: Full name, email address, password, profile avatar, college/university, and professional links (such as GitHub and LinkedIn profiles).
• Event & Hackathon Registrations: Information required for event logistics, team pairing, and badge printing, including college name, degree/branch, experience level (beginner, intermediate, advanced), team name, and Discord handle.
• Team & Volunteer Applications: Information submitted when applying for core team or volunteer roles, including your background, technical interests, and application statement.
• Contact Inquiries: Name, email address, message subject, and notes sent through our contact forms or partnership inquiries.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the data we collect solely to support our community and host safe, efficient events:

• To verify student credentials and coordinate entry, check-in, and badges at physical hackathons and meetups.
• To facilitate hackathon team formation, project tracking, and prize distributions.
• To communicate vital event updates, schedules, guidelines, and venue directions.
• To issue digital certificates of participation and achievement.
• To review community feedback and continuously improve future iterations of BuildFest Kashmir.

3. Data Sharing & Disclosure

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to third parties. Data is shared only under specific, transparent circumstances:

• Hackathon Mentors & Judges: Evaluators will review team submissions, project descriptions, and GitHub repositories during project judging.
• Hiring Sponsors (With Consent): If a partner company offers hiring bounties, your resume or portfolio is shared only if you opt in during registration or submission.
• Infrastructure Providers: We use trusted cloud infrastructure (Supabase for authentication and database management, Cloudflare/Vercel for hosting) operating under strict security protocols.

4. Photography & Media at Events

As an active student community, we document our hackathons, stage presentations, workshops, and ceremonies through photography and video recordings. By attending an offline BuildFest event, you acknowledge that photos or footage featuring participants may be published on our website, social media, or event recap galleries.

If you wish to have a specific photo featuring you removed from our online media galleries, please reach out to our team at contact@buildfestkashmir.org and we will promptly address your request.

5. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security safeguards. Passwords are cryptographically hashed, and user data is protected via PostgreSQL Row Level Security (RLS). Access to participant databases is strictly restricted to verified organizers and administrators with multi-factor authentication.

6. Your Rights & Data Retention

You have the right to access, update, or request deletion of your account and personal information at any time. You can edit your profile details directly from your profile settings or request permanent removal of your data by emailing contact@buildfestkashmir.org.