Legal

Privacy Policy

Last updated: March 28, 2026 Victoria, BC, Canada
On this page
Introduction Who We Are What We Collect Why We Collect It How We Use It Who We Share It With How We Protect It How Long We Keep It Your Rights Cookies Children's Privacy Changes to This Policy Contact Us

Plain-English Summary: BrightSocial collects only the information needed to help you find and sign up for local activities. We never sell your personal information. You can ask us to show you, correct, or delete your information at any time.

Introduction
Section 1

BrightSocial ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, and how we keep it safe.

This policy applies to everyone who uses BrightSocial — including seniors who browse and register for activities, event organizers who list programs, and administrators who manage the platform.

By using BrightSocial, you agree to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use our service.

This policy is written in plain English because we believe you have a right to understand how your information is handled — without needing a lawyer to explain it.

Who We Are
Section 2

BrightSocial is a senior activity platform operated in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Our service connects seniors in Greater Victoria with local programs, events, and activities.

Contact for privacy matters:
Email: support@brightsocial.ca
Location: Victoria, BC, Canada

We are subject to the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), Canada's federal private-sector privacy law.

What Personal Information We Collect
Section 3

We collect only the information that is necessary to provide our service. Here is exactly what we may collect:

When you create an account
  • Your full name
  • Your email address
  • Your password (stored in encrypted form — we cannot read it)
  • Your neighbourhood or region within Greater Victoria
When you use the app
  • Activity preferences and categories you are interested in (e.g., fitness, arts, meals)
  • Events you RSVP for or save to your calendar
  • Your accessibility needs or preferences, if you choose to provide them
  • Events you have saved to your plan
If you are an event organizer
  • Your organization's name and type
  • Your contact name and email
  • Your website and phone number (optional)
  • Details about the events you post
Automatically collected information
  • Basic usage data (which pages you visit, so we can improve the service)
  • Your device type and browser (to ensure the site works properly for you)
  • General location (city level only, not your exact address)

We do not collect your health information, financial details, government ID, or Social Insurance Number.

Why We Collect This Information
Section 4

Under PIPEDA, we must have a specific reason for collecting your personal information. Here are our reasons:

  • To provide the service — your name and email are needed to create an account and send you confirmations
  • To personalize your experience — your activity preferences help us show you events you will enjoy
  • To save your preferences — so your saved events and settings persist across sessions
  • To communicate with you — to respond to questions or send important service notices
  • To improve BrightSocial — usage data helps us understand what works well and what can be better
  • To verify organizer accounts — to keep the platform trustworthy for seniors and families

We will only use your information for the reasons listed above, or with your permission for any new purpose.

How We Use Your Information
Section 5

Your information is used to operate BrightSocial and make it useful for you. Specifically:

  • Showing you activities that match your interests and neighbourhood
  • Saving events to your personal plan
  • Allowing organizers to see how many people have registered for their events
  • Sending you occasional service updates (you can unsubscribe at any time)
  • Investigating and resolving any issues or complaints

We do not use your information for automated decision-making or profiling that could negatively affect you.

Who We Share Your Information With
Section 6

We never sell your personal information. We do not share it with advertisers or marketing companies.

We share your information only in the following limited situations:

Supabase (our technology provider)

We use Supabase to securely store your account information and authenticate your sign-ins. Supabase acts as a "data processor" on our behalf, meaning they only handle your data according to our instructions. They are contractually required to protect it.

Event organizers

When you RSVP for an event, the organizer of that event will see your name on their attendee list. They will not receive your email address or any other personal detail — only your name and that you have registered.

Legal requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or to protect the safety of our users or the public.

Business transfer

If BrightSocial is ever sold or merged with another company, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We would notify you before that happens.

In all cases, we share only the minimum information necessary.

How We Protect Your Information
Section 7

We take reasonable technical and organizational steps to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, loss, or misuse. These measures include:

  • All data is encrypted in transit using HTTPS
  • Passwords are stored using industry-standard encryption (bcrypt hashing) — even we cannot read your password
  • Authentication is handled by Supabase, which follows SOC 2 security standards
  • Access to personal data is limited to staff who need it to operate the service
  • We regularly review our security practices

No system is 100% secure. While we do our best to protect your information, we cannot guarantee that security breaches will never occur. If a breach affects your personal information, we will notify you as required by Canadian law.

How Long We Keep Your Information
Section 8

We keep your personal information only as long as it is needed for the purpose it was collected, or as required by law.

  • Active accounts — your information is kept for as long as your account is active
  • Closed accounts — we delete or anonymize your personal information within 90 days of account closure, unless we are required by law to keep it longer
  • RSVP records — kept for up to 12 months after the event date for operational purposes, then deleted
  • Email inquiries — kept for 24 months, then deleted

When we no longer need your information, we securely delete or anonymize it.

Your Rights Under PIPEDA
Section 9

As a resident of Canada, PIPEDA gives you important rights over your personal information. Here is what you can do:

Access your information

You can ask us to tell you what personal information we hold about you. We will respond within 30 days.

Correct your information

If any of your information is wrong or out of date, you can ask us to correct it. You can also update your name and email yourself in the app settings.

Withdraw your consent

You can withdraw your consent for us to use your information at any time. Please be aware that withdrawing consent may mean we can no longer provide the service to you.

Delete your account

You can ask us to delete your account and personal information. We will do this within 90 days of your request, subject to any legal obligations to retain certain records.

File a complaint

If you believe we have not handled your personal information properly, you have the right to complain to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada at www.priv.gc.ca or by calling 1-800-282-1376.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at support@brightsocial.ca. We will verify your identity before acting on any request.

Cookies and Similar Technologies
Section 10

BrightSocial uses a small number of cookies — small text files saved on your device — to keep you signed in and remember your preferences between visits.

We use:

  • Essential cookies — these are required for the app to work (for example, keeping you logged in). You cannot opt out of these without stopping use of the service.
  • Preference cookies — these remember settings you choose, like your preferred neighbourhood or activity filters.

We do not use advertising cookies or share cookie data with third-party advertisers.

You can delete cookies through your browser settings at any time, though this will sign you out of the app.

Children's Privacy
Section 11

BrightSocial is designed for adults, primarily seniors. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of 13. If we discover we have collected information from a child under 13, we will delete it promptly.

If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at support@brightsocial.ca.

Changes to This Policy
Section 12

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make changes, we will:

  • Update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page
  • Send a notification to your email address if the changes are significant
  • Post a notice in the app

We encourage you to check this page occasionally. Continued use of BrightSocial after changes are posted means you accept the updated policy.

Contact Us About Privacy
Section 13

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests about your privacy or this policy, please reach out. We are here to help.

Email: support@brightsocial.ca
Location: Victoria, BC, Canada
Response time: We will respond to all privacy requests within 30 days.

You can also reach the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada if you feel your concerns have not been addressed: