Privacy Policy

1. Overview

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and share information when you use Hark (the “Site”). By accessing or using the Site, you agree to this Policy. We operate from New York, NY, and our primary audience is in the United States. If you access the Site from outside the U.S., you understand your information may be processed in the U.S. and other countries.

2. Information We Collect

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Operate, maintain, and improve the Site
• Display your User Content and profile information as part of the public discussion and criticism platform
• Communicate with you about your account, updates, and changes to our terms and policies
• Moderate content, protect the security and integrity of the Site, and prevent fraud, abuse, and misuse
• Analyze usage and trends to improve our services
• Comply with legal obligations

We generally rely on our legitimate interests in operating, improving, and protecting the Site, and on your consent where required by law (for example, certain cookie uses or email marketing, if we offer it).

4. How We Share Information

We may share your information:

• With service providers: third parties that help us operate the Site (e.g., hosting, analytics, email delivery, customer support). They are allowed to use your information only to provide services to us.
• Publicly: User Content you post (such as criticism, reviews, and comments) may be publicly viewable on the Site and may be indexed by search engines.
• For legal reasons: if required by law, legal process, or to respond to lawful requests from authorities; to protect our rights, safety, users, or the public; or to enforce our Terms.
• In a business transfer: if we are involved in a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

We do not sell your personal information for money. If we engage in any data-sharing practices that may be considered a “sale” or “sharing” under certain privacy laws, we will provide any required notices and choices.

5. Your Choices

• Account information: You may update or correct your account information through your account settings, if available.
• User Content: You may edit or delete your own posts and comments where the Site allows, but copies may remain in backups or archives and may have been cached or copied by others.
• Cookies: You can modify your browser settings to refuse cookies or alert you when cookies are being sent.
• Email communications: If we send you marketing emails, you can opt out by following the unsubscribe instructions in those emails.

Depending on your location, you may have additional rights regarding your personal information (such as access, deletion, or objection). You can exercise these by contacting us at admin@harkart.org. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling your request and may deny requests where permitted by law.

6. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law (for example, to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, or enforce our agreements).

7. Security

We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to help protect your information. However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Children’s Privacy

The Site is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, we will take steps to delete it.

9. International Users

If you access the Site from outside the United States, you understand that your information may be processed in the U.S., where data protection laws may be different from those in your jurisdiction.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the “Last updated” date above. Your continued use of the Site after the updated Policy is posted means you accept the changes.

11. Contact Us

For questions or privacy requests, contact us at: Email: admin@harkart.org