Welcome to Ashley Madison. Ruby Life Inc. ("we," "us," or "our") operates the Ashley Madison platform. We recognize that our members value their privacy above all else. Discretion is the cornerstone of our business, and we are deeply committed to protecting the personal information of the millions of individuals who trust us to facilitate their discreet dating experiences. This Privacy Policy comprehensively outlines how we collect, use, process, share, and safeguard your information when you access our website, use our mobile applications, or interact with our services in any capacity.
By registering for an account, accessing our platform, or utilizing any of our features, you expressly consent to the data practices detailed within this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, your choice is to not use our services. We urge you to read this document carefully to understand our approach to your privacy and the rigorous measures we employ to maintain your anonymity.
1. Information We Collect
To provide you with a tailored, secure, and highly functioning discreet dating environment, we must collect certain types of information. We categorize this information into three main types: information you provide to us directly, information we collect automatically as you navigate our platform, and information we obtain from third parties.
- Account Registration Data: When you create an account, you provide basic details such as a valid email address, date of birth (to verify you are over 18), your location (city, state, country), gender, and your dating preferences (e.g., who you are looking to meet). We highly recommend using a dedicated, private email address solely for your Ashley Madison account to enhance your anonymity.
- Profile Information: To engage with other members, you may choose to provide additional profile details. This includes physical attributes, lifestyle preferences, relationship status, and personal bios. You may also upload photographs. We provide proprietary photo-masking and blurring tools, allowing you to conceal your identity and share clear photos only with members you explicitly grant access to via a private key.
- Financial and Billing Information: If you choose to purchase credits or a premium subscription, you must provide payment information. This may include credit card numbers, billing addresses, or alternative payment method details. We utilize anonymous billing descriptors; your statement will not display the name "Ashley Madison" to ensure your financial privacy remains intact.
- Communications: We collect the content of the messages, winks, and virtual gifts you send and receive within our platform. This is strictly to facilitate the service and monitor for violations of our Terms of Service (e.g., fraud, harassment, or solicitation).
- Automated Device and Usage Data: As you interact with our platform, we automatically collect data about your device and usage patterns. This includes your IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers, mobile network information, page views, clickstream data, and time spent on the site. We use cookies, web beacons, and similar tracking technologies to gather this data, which helps us optimize site performance and detect malicious activity.
2. How We Use Your Information
The information we collect is strictly utilized to operate, maintain, and enhance the Ashley Madison platform. Our primary goal is to provide a seamless, secure, and highly discreet matchmaking experience. Specifically, we use your data to:
- Create, manage, and authenticate your account.
- Facilitate connections by matching your profile with other like-minded members based on your location and stated preferences.
- Process your financial transactions securely and provide customer support related to billing inquiries.
- Communicate with you regarding account updates, security alerts, new feature announcements, and promotional offers (you may opt-out of marketing communications at any time).
- Monitor platform usage to identify and remove fraudulent accounts, bots, scammers, and users who violate our Terms of Service.
- Conduct internal research, data analytics, and statistical modeling to improve our matchmaking algorithms and overall user experience.
- Comply with applicable legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our user agreements.
3. How We Share Your Information
We understand that confidentiality is the primary reason you chose Ashley Madison. We do not sell your personal data to data brokers or third-party marketing agencies. Your information is only shared under the following strictly controlled circumstances:
With Other Members: The profile information you choose to make public (such as your username, masked photos, location, and bio) will be visible to other members of the platform. You have complete control over who sees your unmasked photos through our private gallery feature. We strongly advise against placing personally identifiable information (like your real name, phone number, or specific workplace) in your public profile text.
With Service Providers: We engage trusted third-party service providers to perform essential business functions on our behalf. These include secure payment processors, cloud hosting providers, email delivery services, and cybersecurity firms. These entities are bound by strict confidentiality agreements and are only permitted to process your data as necessary to provide their specific services to us.
For Legal and Safety Reasons: We may disclose your information if we believe in good faith that such action is necessary to comply with a valid legal mandate, such as a subpoena, court order, or search warrant. We may also share information to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding suspected illegal activities, fraud, threats to the physical safety of any person, or violations of our Terms of Service.
Corporate Transactions: In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, bankruptcy, or sale of company assets, user data may be among the transferred assets. You will be notified via email or a prominent notice on our website of any change in ownership or uses of your personal information.
4. Data Security and Discretion
Protecting your digital footprint is our highest priority. We implement robust, industry-standard physical, technical, and administrative security measures to protect your data against unauthorized access, destruction, loss, alteration, or misuse. Our security framework includes:
- Encryption: We utilize Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption to protect data transmitted between your device and our servers. Sensitive data at rest is also encrypted using advanced cryptographic algorithms.
- Anonymous Billing: As previously mentioned, we employ discreet billing descriptors to protect your privacy on financial statements. We also offer alternative, highly secure payment methods for users seeking maximum financial anonymity.
- Access Controls: Access to user data within our organization is strictly limited to authorized personnel who require it to perform their job duties. We utilize multi-factor authentication and rigorous logging to monitor internal access.
- Ongoing Audits: We regularly undergo security audits and penetration testing conducted by independent cybersecurity firms to identify and remediate potential vulnerabilities.
While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, and you share information on our platform at your own risk.
5. Your Choices, Rights, and Account Deletion
You maintain ultimate control over the information you share on Ashley Madison. We provide comprehensive account management tools allowing you to dictate your level of privacy.
Profile Visibility: You can edit your profile information, update your dating preferences, and manage your photo visibility settings at any time through your account dashboard. You can choose to hide your profile entirely from search results if you wish to take a break from the platform without losing your account history.
Full Account Deletion: If you decide to permanently leave the platform, we offer a comprehensive account deletion option. Initiating a full deletion request will remove your profile, photos, message history, and associated personal data from our active database. Please note that we may retain certain transactional data (such as billing records) for a limited period as required by tax and accounting laws, or to comply with legal obligations and resolve disputes.
Communications Preferences: You may unsubscribe from our promotional emails by clicking the "unsubscribe" link provided at the bottom of every marketing communication, or by adjusting your notification settings within your account.
6. California Privacy Rights (CCPA/CPRA)
If you are a resident of California, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) grant you specific rights regarding your personal information. You have the right to request disclosure of the specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you over the past 12 months. You have the right to request the deletion of your personal information, subject to certain legal exceptions. You also have the right to opt-out of the "sale" or "sharing" of your personal information; however, as stated above, Ashley Madison does not sell user data. To exercise your California privacy rights, please contact our support team through the methods listed at the end of this policy. We will not discriminate against you for exercising your CCPA rights.
7. European Economic Area (GDPR) Rights
If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA) or the United Kingdom, you are protected under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We act as the Data Controller of your personal data. Our legal basis for processing your information includes the necessity to perform our contract with you (providing the dating service), our legitimate interests (improving security and site functionality), and your explicit consent (which can be withdrawn at any time). You possess the right to access, rectify, or erase your personal data. You may also restrict or object to certain processing activities and request data portability. To submit a GDPR-related request, please reach out to our designated Data Protection Officer via our support channels.
8. Children's Privacy
Ashley Madison is an adult dating platform strictly restricted to individuals who are eighteen (18) years of age or older (or the age of majority in their jurisdiction, whichever is higher). We do not knowingly collect, solicit, or maintain personal information from anyone under the age of 18. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected data from a minor, we will take immediate steps to permanently delete that information and terminate the associated account. If you believe we might have any information from or about a child under 18, please contact us immediately.
9. International Data Transfers
Ruby Life Inc. operates globally, and our servers are located in various international jurisdictions, including Canada and the United States. By using Ashley Madison, you acknowledge and consent to the transfer, storage, and processing of your personal information in countries outside of your country of residence. These countries may have data protection laws that differ from those in your jurisdiction. However, we ensure that adequate safeguards, such as Standard Contractual Clauses, are in place to protect your data during cross-border transfers.
10. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our technological practices, legal requirements, or service offerings. When we make material changes, we will notify you by revising the "Last Updated" date at the top of this document, and in some cases, we may provide additional notice via email or an in-app alert. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy regularly to stay informed about how we are protecting your discreet dating experience.
11. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback regarding this Privacy Policy, our data practices, or if you wish to exercise any of your privacy rights, our dedicated support team is available to assist you in strict confidence.
Please log in to your account and navigate to our secure Support Portal to submit a confidential ticket. Your privacy is our priority, and we are committed to resolving any inquiries promptly and professionally.