Last updated: August 20, 2026
HoldAHug (“we,” “us,” “our,” or “HoldAHug”) respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, and how it is used when you visit or use holdahug.com (the “Service”). By using the Service, you agree to the practices described in this policy.
1. Our Core Privacy Principle
HoldAHug is built to be used without an account, without a login, and without providing any personal profile information. You do not need to register, and we do not require your email address, name, or any identifying details to receive a hug. Where a name is used (for example, when sending a hug to someone else), it is entirely optional and provided voluntarily by you.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Information You Provide
- Your name (optional) — only if you choose to send a hug to someone else and want them to know who sent it.
- Category and preference selections — such as why you need a hug, and who you’d prefer it from, used only to select an appropriate video.
2.2 Information Collected Automatically
- IP address — used temporarily for security purposes, including rate limiting and preventing abuse of the link-generation system. IP addresses are not linked to any personal profile.
- Technical data — such as browser type, device type, and general usage data, collected through standard web server logs and, where enabled, analytics tools.
- Hug link tokens — unique, randomly generated tokens used to create one-time hug links. These tokens are not tied to your identity.
2.3 Cookies and Similar Technologies
We may use cookies or similar technologies for essential site functionality, security, and — where applicable and with your consent — analytics purposes. You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings; note that some features of the Service may not function properly if cookies are disabled.
3. How We Use Your Information
- To generate and deliver hug videos and one-time links
- To detect and prevent abuse, spam, or fraudulent use of the Service
- To maintain and improve the security, performance, and reliability of the Service
- To understand aggregate usage patterns (where analytics tools are used) so we can improve the Service
We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use your data for targeted advertising.
4. Third-Party Services
The Service may rely on third-party providers for hosting, security, performance, and site functionality, which may process limited technical data (such as IP addresses) as part of delivering their services. These may include our hosting provider and website performance/security tools. Where analytics or SEO tools are enabled on the Service, they may collect anonymized or aggregated usage data in accordance with their own privacy policies.
5. Data Retention
Hug link tokens are marked as “used” once viewed and are not intended for long-term storage or reuse. We retain technical/security data (such as IP logs used for rate limiting) only for as long as necessary for security purposes, after which it is automatically deleted or anonymized.
6. Your Rights (EU/EEA Users – GDPR)
If you are located in the European Union or European Economic Area, you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including the right to:
- Request access to any personal data we may hold about you
- Request correction or deletion of your personal data
- Object to or restrict certain processing of your data
- Lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority
Because HoldAHug is designed to operate without accounts or persistent personal profiles, in most cases we hold minimal to no personally identifiable information tied to your usage of the Service.
7. Children’s Privacy
The Service is not directed at children under the age of 16, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can address it.
8. Data Security
We apply reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect information processed through the Service, including security headers, rate limiting, and restricted access to sensitive systems. However, no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
9. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Last updated” date. Continued use of the Service after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
10. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how your information is handled, please contact us through the contact details provided on our website.