Privacy Policy

Introduction

Welcome to Connection Road ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information when you use our photo album service, including our website and iOS companion app. We believe in transparency and want you to feel confident about how your data is handled.

Information We Collect

Personal Information You Provide

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide when you register, use our services, or contact us:

• Name and contact data (first and last name, email address)
• Account credentials (usernames and passwords, stored securely)
• Photos and videos you choose to share through connected cloud storage
• Metadata associated with your media files (date taken, camera information)

Information Automatically Collected

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain technical information to help us provide and improve the service:

• Log and usage data (browser type, access times, pages viewed)
• Device information (device type, operating system)
• General location (inferred from IP address, not precise location)

Cookies and Local Storage

We use a small number of cookies and similar technologies to keep the service running smoothly. Here is exactly what we store and why:

Website Cookies

• Session cookies (next-auth.session-token, next-auth.callback-url, next-auth.csrf-token) — These keep you securely signed in and protect against cross-site request forgery. They expire after 30 days and are essential for the service to function.
• Cookie consent (gdpr-consent-accepted) — Remembers that you have acknowledged this cookie notice so we do not show it again. Expires after 1 year.
• Google Analytics (_ga, _ga_*) — Helps us understand how visitors use the site so we can improve it. These cookies collect anonymous usage data and do not identify you personally. You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, some features of the service may not function properly without session cookies.

iOS Companion App

Our native iOS companion app is designed to be anonymous by default. It does not require an account, login, or any personal information to use. You simply open an unlisted gallery link shared with you by the gallery owner and browse photos in a native viewing experience.

No Account Required

The iOS app does not collect your name, email address, or any personal identifiers. There is no sign-up, no login, and no user profile. Gallery access is granted through shared links — no credentials are stored on your device.

No Device Permissions

The app requests zero iOS permissions. It does not access your camera, photo library, location, microphone, contacts, or notifications. It is purely a viewer for shared gallery content.

No Tracking

The app does not use advertising identifiers, device fingerprinting, or any form of cross-app or cross-site tracking. We do not build user profiles or share data with advertisers.

Minimal Data Collection

The only data collected by the iOS app is anonymous crash reports to help us improve stability. These reports contain device type, operating system version, and crash stack traces. They are not linked to any individual user and cannot be used to identify you.

On-Device Storage

The app stores a small amount of data locally on your device to provide a smooth experience. This data never leaves your device and is not sent to our servers:

• Recent galleries — A list of galleries you have recently viewed, so you can quickly return to them. Limited to your 20 most recent visits.
• UI preferences — Small settings like whether you have seen the pinch-to-zoom tutorial hint, so we only show helpful tips once.
• Cached thumbnails — Thumbnail images cached on-device for faster loading. These are temporary and managed automatically by the operating system.

Removing App Data

You can clear all on-device data at any time by deleting the app or using the reset option in the app's About screen. For removal of server-cached data (such as thumbnails), contact us at privacy@connectionroad.com.

How We Use Your Information

• To provide, operate, and maintain the photo album service
• To facilitate account creation and secure authentication
• To organize and display your photos according to your preferences
• To cache thumbnails for faster gallery loading
• To monitor and improve site performance and stability
• To send administrative communications when necessary
• To protect our services and users from fraud and abuse
• To comply with legal obligations

Sharing Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information only in these situations:

• With your consent: When you explicitly choose to share a gallery or connect a service
• Service providers: Third-party services that help us operate (cloud storage providers such as Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive; hosting infrastructure; crash reporting)
• Legal obligations: When required by law or to protect rights and safety
• Business transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets

Cloud Storage Providers

Gallery owners connect their cloud storage (Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive) through the Connection Road web app. The iOS companion app only displays photos from shared galleries — it does not directly access any cloud storage account. Your original files remain in the gallery owner's cloud storage. Our servers temporarily cache and process copies (thumbnails, display-size images) to deliver a fast viewing experience. These cached copies are not permanent.

Data Storage and Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information. Your photos and data may be processed using:

• Cloud storage providers (Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive) for photo storage
• Server-side caching for thumbnail delivery and performance
• Secure hosting infrastructure

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to provide the service, unless a longer retention period is required by law.

Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: Request a copy of your personal information
• Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate information
• Erasure: Request deletion of your personal information
• Data portability: Request transfer of your data to another service
• Objection: Object to our processing of your information
• Restriction: Request that we limit how we use your information
• Withdraw consent: Withdraw your consent at any time

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at the email below. We will respond within 30 days.

European Data Protection (GDPR)

If you are a resident of the European Economic Area (EEA), our legal basis for processing your personal information depends on the context:

• To fulfill our contract with you (providing the photo album service)
• With your consent (analytics cookies, optional features)
• For our legitimate interests (security, service improvement), where not overridden by your rights
• To comply with legal obligations

California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have the right to:

• Know what personal information is collected and how it is used
• Request deletion of your personal information
• Opt out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information)
• Non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights

Children's Privacy

Our service is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will take steps to remove that information.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of changes by updating the effective date at the top. Continued use of the service constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact Us

For privacy questions, data requests, or concerns: