# Privacy Policy — TrimLynk

**Last updated: August 28, 2026**  
**Applies to:** https://trimlynk.com

This Privacy Policy explains how TrimLynk ("we", "us", "our") collects, uses, and protects your information when you use our URL shortening service, QR code generator, link-in-bio builder, and analytics platform.

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## 1. Information We Collect

### Information you provide directly
- **Account information:** Email address, name, and password (hashed) when you register.
- **OAuth sign-in:** If you sign in via Google or GitHub, we receive your public profile (name, email, avatar). We do not receive your password.
- **Contact form:** Name, email, phone (optional), and message content when you contact us.
- **Links & content:** URLs you shorten, QR codes you create, and link-in-bio pages you build.

### Information collected automatically
- **Click analytics:** When someone clicks a shortened link, we record: timestamp, IP address (used to derive approximate geographic location and then discarded), country, city, device type, browser, operating system, and HTTP referrer.
- **Usage data:** Pages visited on trimlynk.com, features used, and session duration (via Google Analytics).

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## 2. How We Use Your Information

- To provide and operate the TrimLynk service (shortening, redirecting, analytics).
- To authenticate your account and keep it secure.
- To send transactional emails (password reset, email verification, link expiry notifications).
- To improve the product through aggregated, anonymised usage analytics.
- To respond to support requests submitted through our contact form.

We **do not** sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party.

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## 3. Cookies & Tracking

We use the following cookies:
- **Session cookie** (`trimlynk_session`): Keeps you logged in. Expires when the session ends.
- **Google Analytics (GA4):** Anonymised page-view tracking. You can opt out via the [Google Analytics Opt-Out browser add-on](https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout).

We do not use cross-site tracking cookies or sell advertising data.

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## 4. Third-Party Services

| Service | Purpose | Privacy Policy |
|---------|---------|----------------|
| Google Analytics | Page-view analytics | [google.com/policies/privacy](https://policies.google.com/privacy) |
| Google AdSense | Advertising | [google.com/policies/privacy](https://policies.google.com/privacy) |
| Google OAuth | Sign-in | [google.com/policies/privacy](https://policies.google.com/privacy) |
| GitHub OAuth | Sign-in | [docs.github.com/privacy](https://docs.github.com/en/site-policy/privacy-policies/github-general-privacy-statement) |
| Cloudinary | Image hosting (QR logos, avatars) | [cloudinary.com/privacy](https://cloudinary.com/privacy) |
| Render.com | Backend hosting | [render.com/privacy](https://render.com/privacy) |
| Netlify | Frontend hosting | [netlify.com/gdpr-ccpa](https://www.netlify.com/gdpr-ccpa) |

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## 5. Data Retention

- **Account data:** Retained until you delete your account.
- **Click analytics:** Retained for 24 months, then automatically deleted.
- **Contact form messages:** Retained for 12 months.
- **IP addresses:** Used only to determine country/city at the moment of click, then discarded immediately. We do not store raw IP addresses.

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## 6. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the right to:
- **Access** the personal data we hold about you.
- **Correct** inaccurate data.
- **Delete** your account and associated data (via Settings → Delete Account, or by emailing us).
- **Export** your link data as CSV from the dashboard.
- **Opt out** of Google Analytics tracking.

To exercise any of these rights, email [ankygaur9972@gmail.com](mailto:ankygaur9972@gmail.com).

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## 7. Security

We use industry-standard security measures including:
- HTTPS/TLS for all data in transit (enforced via HSTS)
- Bcrypt password hashing
- HTTP security headers (CSP, X-Frame-Options, X-Content-Type-Options)
- JWT tokens with short expiry windows

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## 8. Children's Privacy

TrimLynk is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us to have it removed.

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## 9. Changes to This Policy

We will update this page when the policy changes and update the "Last updated" date at the top. Continued use of the service after a policy change constitutes acceptance of the new terms.

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## 10. Contact

For privacy-related questions or data deletion requests:

**Email:** [ankygaur9972@gmail.com](mailto:ankygaur9972@gmail.com)  
**Contact page:** [https://trimlynk.com/contact](https://trimlynk.com/contact)

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*TrimLynk © 2026 | [Home](https://trimlynk.com) | [Terms](https://trimlynk.com/terms) | [Contact](https://trimlynk.com/contact)*