At Challenges, protecting your personal data is a priority. This policy explains what data we collect, why, how we use it and what your rights are.
1. Who is responsible for your data?
The data controller is Mathieu Yernaux, founder of Challenges. For any question about your data: info@challengesbelgium.com
2. What data do we collect?
We only collect the data needed for the app to work:
- Account: email address, username, password (encrypted, never readable by us). If you sign in with Google: your name, your email address and, where applicable, your Google profile picture.
- Profile: profile picture and bio (if you add them).
- Activity in the app: favourites, entries, challenges, friends, invitations, notifications and event suggestions.
- Location: if you enable geolocation or choose a city, we store a reference position (coordinates, city and province) in order to calculate the distance between you and the events.
- Notifications (only if you enable them): a technical subscription identifier, needed to send you reminders.
We collect no “sensitive” data within the meaning of the GDPR (health, political opinions, etc.).
3. Why do we collect this data, and on what basis?
- Providing the service (account, profile, favourites, entries, challenges, friends, invitations): these processes are necessary to use the app.
- Location and notifications: based on your consent, which you can withdraw at any time in the settings of the app or of your phone.
- Security and service emails (account confirmation, forgotten password): our legitimate interest in ensuring the proper working and security of the app.
None of your data is sold or shared for commercial or advertising purposes.
4. Who can see your information?
- All users: your username, your picture, your bio and your mutual friends.
- Your friends only: your entries.
Your email address and your location are never visible to other users.
5. Where is your data stored?
Your data (database, accounts and pictures) is stored with Supabase, on servers located in the European Union.
Access to the data is protected by security rules that limit what each user can see.
6. Third-party services
The app relies on a few technical providers:
- Supabase: data hosting and sending of service emails;
- Google: Google sign-in and fonts;
- CARTO, OpenStreetMap and Nominatim: maps and location;
- Apple and Google: delivery of push notifications;
- Umami: anonymous audience measurement of the challengesbelgium.com website, hosted in the European Union, without cookies or personal data.
These providers only receive the data needed for their service (for example your IP address when a map is displayed). Some may process data outside the European Union, within the safeguards provided by the GDPR.
7. How long do we keep your data?
Your data is kept for as long as your account is active.
To delete your account, use the “Delete my account” button in the Settings, or write to us at info@challengesbelgium.com. Your account and all associated data (profile, location, favourites, entries, friends, invitations, notifications) are then permanently erased within 30 days. Events you suggested may remain published, with no link to your account.
8. What are your rights?
Under the GDPR, you have a right of access, rectification, erasure, portability, restriction and objection regarding the processing of your data, as well as the right to withdraw your consent at any time.
To exercise these rights, write to us at info@challengesbelgium.com, stating the purpose of your request. We will reply within one month.
If you believe your rights are not respected, you may lodge a complaint with the Belgian Data Protection Authority (www.autoriteprotectiondonnees.be).
9. Cookies and local storage
The app uses no advertising cookies and no tracking tools (no Google Analytics, no Facebook pixel, no audience measurement).
It only uses the local storage of your phone, for technical purposes: keeping your session open, remembering some display preferences (welcome tutorial, last page viewed) and receiving notifications. This storage is essential to the working of the app and requires no consent.
The challengesbelgium.com website uses Umami, a privacy-friendly audience measurement tool: it works without cookies, stores nothing on your device and cannot identify you or follow you from site to site. It only counts anonymous, aggregated statistics (pages viewed, where visits come from, clicks to the app). No consent banner is therefore needed.
10. Minimum age
The app is intended for people aged 16 or over.
11. Updates to this policy
This policy may be changed to remain compliant with the law or with changes to the app. You will be informed of any significant change through the app.
Questions?
For any other question about privacy, you can write to us at the address mentioned above.