Privacy Policy

1. About This Privacy Policy

Friend Cult (“The Cult”, “we”) respects the privacy of our users (“user” or “you”). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website www.friendcult.co (“Website”) or engage with applications (“Apps”) e.g. party apps, social forum apps, schedulers, text/email apps, payment processors, or survey tools, that we use as part of our services (“Services”) e.g. interviewing applicants, administrating memberships, running events, etc. 

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. If you have any questions, concerns or complaints regarding this Privacy Policy or how we use your personal information please contact us via e-mail at hello@friendcult.co.

We reserve the right to make changes to this Privacy Policy at any time and for any reason. Any changes or modifications will be effective immediately upon posting the updated Privacy Policy on the Site, and you waive the right to receive specific notice of each such change or modification. You are encouraged to periodically review our policy for the latest information on our privacy practices.

2. Information That We Collect

We collect some personal information that you provide directly to us as part of our service:

  • Contact Information. If you apply or join our cult, in order to reach you, we will collect your name, email address, phone number, and any other information needed to contact you, set up an interview, and notify you as part of our regular services. 

  • Payment Information. We collect and store payment information such as credit card details to process membership fees and any other transactions related to the Cult’s services (primarily collected and stored in third-party apps). 

  • Survey Information. You may provide us with other personal information when you fill in a form, respond to our surveys or questionnaires, provide us with feedback, participate in promotions, or otherwise participate in our Services.

  • Anonymized Interview Information. If you apply and interview, we use a standardized procedure to document these interactions for posterity. We encode this information to anonymize it. 

  • User Content on Third-Party Platforms: Comments, opinions, recommendations and photos voluntarily and publically shared to our Apps or Website (“User Content”) may be used in our social media - either aggregated, anonymized, or if that’s not possible, only with express permission. 

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the personal information we collect for the following types of reasons:

  • Contacting Applicants: We use your contact information to communicate and schedule meetings with you during the application and interview process.

  • Membership Communication: We send event invitations that members have opted into, as well as other important updates, alerts, and notifications via text and email.

  • Customer Support: May contact you to provide responses to questions and inquiries. 

  • Payment Processing: Your payment information is used to process membership fees or purchases and is saved to ensure the smooth operation of financial transactions.

  • Internal User Research: Data collected from interviews, surveys, analytics, may be used to help us better serve and understand members and applicants

  • Member Enrichment and/or Social Media: Content (e.g. photos, recommendations, opinions) that members opt provide in 3rd party apps affiliated with the Cult (e.g. Google Forms, Partiful, Discord) may be shared at our events for its social value e.g. to create discussion or provide valuable recommendations. 

  • Social Media: Content (e.g. photos, recommendations, opinions) that members and event attendees opt to provide publically in 3rd party apps affiliated with the Cult may be shown on social media in an aggregated and anonymized form (e.g. as a list), or else with explicit member permission (e.g. for a photo). 

  • Applicant Interviews: We document and store applicant interviews in an anonymized form

4. How We Share Your Information

Your personal personal information will never be sold, rented, released or traded without prior consent or legal obligation. It will never be shared with third parties for the purpose of marketing to you.

We may share your personal information in the following ways:

  • With vendors, consultants, and other service providers who process your personal information on our behalf when they provide services to us, for example data analytics, research, marketing, communication, and payment processing.

  • In connection with, or during negotiations of, any merger, sale of company assets, financing or acquisition of all or a portion of our business by another company.

  • We may be legally required to disclose or share your personal information without your consent in some circumstances, for example to comply with a court order or law enforcement. In such circumstances, we will only disclose your personal data if we have a good-faith belief that such sharing is required under applicable legal obligations

  • User content (see Section 2) shared publicly to our Apps or Website may be shared on our social media or events. If we use this information, it will either be anonymized, aggregated, or we will obtain express permission to share. 

5. How we secure your information

We take reasonable measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, or loss. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. Therefore, we cannot guarantee absolute security if you choose to provide personal information. 

6. Your Rights and Choices

You have certain rights regarding your personal information, including:

  • Opt-Out: You may opt-out of receiving certain communications from us (such as weekly texts or email updates) by following the unsubscribe instructions provided in those messages, by texting our official number, or by email at hello@friendcult.co 

  • Access and Correction: You have the right to request access to, correct, or update your personal information at any time.

  • Deletion: You may request the deletion of your personal information, though this may limit your ability to participate in Cult activities partially or entirely.

7. Third-Party Services

Our Cult uses third-party services (e.g. Discord, Partiful, Calendly) to enhance the member experience. These services are governed by their own privacy policies, and we encourage you to review their terms before participating.

8. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about the information in this Privacy Policy, our handling of your personal information, or your choices and rights regarding such use, please do not hesitate to contact us at hello@friendcult.co