Terms of Use & Privacy Policy

1. Purpose of HippieTrails

HippieTrails exists to uplift relationships between travelers and local community guardians. By creating an account you agree to share respectful, non-commercial information that sustains people and ecosystems.

2. Use of the Platform

Provide accurate information and use the platform for lawful, respectful purposes only. Harmful, discriminatory, exploitative, or misleading content is not allowed. HippieTrails may moderate or remove submissions and suspend accounts that threaten our mission.

3. Content You Submit

You are responsible for the accuracy and tone of pins, reviews, and messages. You retain ownership of your content but grant HippieTrails permission to display it on the platform. You may request removal at any time.

4. Data We Collect

We store only what is necessary to operate your account:

• Username
• Email
• Encrypted password
• Your contributions (pins, reviews, edits)

We do not collect sensitive personal data.

5. Messaging & Conversations

Members can send direct messages to each other to coordinate travel and care for local communities. These conversations are stored in plain text on HippieTrails servers so they remain synced across devices and can be restored if a member loses access.

Only a minimal group of authorized technical personnel may review message content, and only for legitimate reasons such as moderation reviews, platform security checks, or abuse investigations requested by the community. Messages are never sold, analyzed for marketing, or opened without a clear, lawful purpose.

6. How We Use Your Data

We use your data solely to provide core platform features, maintain your account and contributions, and improve reliability and user experience. We do not sell personal data, use it for advertising, or share it beyond essential service providers or legal requirements.

7. Cookies & Storage

Basic cookies and local storage keep you logged in and remember simple preferences.

8. Account Deletion

You may request deletion of your account and data at any time by contacting the HippieTrails team via the About page.

9. Disclaimer

Pins and reviews are user-generated and may be incomplete or inaccurate. HippieTrails is not responsible for decisions made based on shared content.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update these terms periodically and will communicate significant changes to users.