1. Who We Are
Stoagora ("we", "us", "our") is an independent platform based in Brussels, Belgium. Stoagora is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any EU institution.
Data controller: Stoagora, Brussels, Belgium. Privacy contact: info@stoagora.eu.
2. What Data We Collect
Account data
- Your personal email address, used to log in.
- Your password, handled by Firebase Authentication as a password hash. Stoagora never sees your password.
- Your EU institution email, used temporarily to confirm eligibility and then deleted. It is never stored in your member profile or shown to other users.
Profile data
- First name.
- Age range.
- EU institution name and role or job title.
- City.
- Languages spoken.
- Profile photos.
- Biography and interests.
Usage and safety data
- Profiles you view, like, pass, or connect with.
- Requests you send or receive.
- Messages you send and receive.
- Events you create, join, or leave.
- Reports and blocks you submit.
- App activity timestamps needed to operate and secure the app.
3. How We Use Your Data
We use your data to:
- Verify eligibility as an EU institution staff member.
- Show your profile to other verified members.
- Help members discover shared interests and community events.
- Enable requests, connections, and private messaging.
- Maintain app safety, prevent misuse, and process reports.
- Improve the app experience and reliability.
4. What Makes Stoagora Different
Unlike many platforms, Stoagora is built with privacy as a core principle, not an afterthought.
Stoagora does not:
- Sell your data to advertisers.
- Share your data with third-party marketing companies.
- Use your data to train AI models.
- Track your precise location.
- Share data across corporate affiliates.
- Retain your account data after deletion beyond the periods listed below, unless legally required.
5. Legal Basis for Processing
- Contract performance, GDPR Article 6(1)(b): processing needed to provide the service you signed up for.
- Legitimate interests, GDPR Article 6(1)(f): safety, fraud prevention, moderation, and platform integrity.
- Legal obligation, GDPR Article 6(1)(c): where we must comply with applicable law.
6. Data Storage and Security
Stoagora uses Google Firebase and Google Cloud infrastructure. The main app data is configured to remain in the European Union.
| Service | Data handled | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud Firestore | Profiles, verification status, requests, messages, events, reports. | eur3, EU multi-region: Belgium and Netherlands. |
| Cloud Storage | Profile and event images. | europe-west1, Belgium. |
| Cloud Functions | Server-side verification, safety, matching, and event logic. | europe-west1, Belgium. |
| Firebase Authentication | Personal login email and password hash. | Google-managed authentication infrastructure, protected under Google's data processing terms and applicable transfer safeguards. |
- The EU institution email used for verification is processed only transiently and is deleted after verification. It is not stored in the member profile or shown to other users.
- Data is encrypted in transit using HTTPS/TLS and encrypted at rest by Google Cloud/Firebase infrastructure.
- Access to member data is protected by Firebase Authentication, Firestore Security Rules, Storage Security Rules, and server-side checks for sensitive operations.
- Stoagora does not use advertising SDKs, third-party ad tracking, or precise GPS location tracking.
Private messages are only visible in the app to the people in that conversation and to Stoagora only where needed for safety, support, legal compliance, or abuse investigation. They are encrypted in transit and at rest by Firebase infrastructure, but they are not end-to-end encrypted, so please do not share any personal or sensitive information in chats.
7. Data Retention
We retain your data only for as long as necessary.
| Data type | Retention period |
|---|---|
| Active account data | While your account remains active. |
| Deleted account data | Permanently deleted within 30 days. |
| Messages | Deleted immediately on account deletion where technically possible. |
| Report records | Up to 2 years for platform safety. |
| Backup copies | Purged within 90 days. |
8. Your GDPR Rights
As an EU resident, you have the right to:
- Access a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Delete your account and associated personal data.
- Request restriction of processing.
- Request data portability.
- Object to processing based on legitimate interests.
- Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
To exercise your rights, email info@stoagora.eu with the subject line "GDPR Request" and your registered email address. We will respond within 30 days.
9. Data Sharing
We share data only where needed to operate and protect Stoagora:
- Google Firebase, our infrastructure provider, under Google's data processing terms.
- Law enforcement or public authorities only where required by applicable law.
We do not share data with your employer, EU institutions, advertisers, or third-party marketing companies.
10. Cookies and Tracking
Stoagora is a mobile app and does not use web cookies in the app. We do not use third-party advertising trackers.
11. Children
Stoagora is strictly for adults aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect data from anyone under 18. Any account found to belong to a minor will be deleted.
12. Data Protection Officer
Stoagora is currently not required to appoint a mandatory Data Protection Officer under GDPR Article 37. For all privacy matters, contact info@stoagora.eu.
13. Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify users through the app or another appropriate channel.
14. Right to Lodge a Complaint
If you believe your data protection rights have been violated, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your national data protection authority. In Belgium, this is the Autorite de protection des donnees / Gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit: dataprotectionauthority.be.
15. Contact
For privacy-related questions or requests, contact info@stoagora.eu.