WILLOW Privacy Policy
Effective Date: September 28, 2026 Last Updated: September 28, 2026
Operator: Willow Contact: privacy@thewillowevent.com Website: www.thewillowevent.com Location: New Jersey, United States
Willow ("Willow," "we," "us," or "our") provides an event photo-sharing platform that allows hosts to create events, share event access through QR codes or links, collect photos from guests, manage event galleries, create and share event content, and purchase access to Willow services. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how we use and store it, when it may be shared, and the choices available to you. This Privacy Policy applies to the Willow website, mobile application, guest upload pages, payment-related functionality, and related services (collectively, the "Services").
By using the Services, you acknowledge the practices described in this Privacy Policy.
1. Who This Privacy Policy Applies To
Willow may be used by three primary types of users:
- Hosts — People who create a Willow account and create or manage events.
- Guests — People who access an event through a shared link or QR code and may upload or view photos. Guests may use certain Willow features without creating an account.
- Viewers — People who access a shared event album, gallery, highlight reel, or other shared event content.
2. Information We Collect
The information Willow collects depends on how you use the Services.
2.1 Account Information
When you create a Willow account using email and password, we may collect:
- Email address
- Display name
- Password information in hashed form
- Internal account identifier
Passwords are stored using secure hashing. Willow does not store your password in readable plaintext form.
2.2 Google Sign-In
Willow may allow you to sign in using Google. If you choose "Continue with Google," we may receive information authorized through Google's authentication process, such as:
- Email address
- Display name
- Profile picture URL
- Account or authentication identifier
- Session information necessary to keep you signed in
Willow does not receive or store your Google password. Willow does not obtain access through basic Google Sign-In to your Gmail messages, Google Drive files, contacts, calendar, or other Google account content beyond information authorized for authentication. Google's processing of information is governed by Google's own privacy policies and account settings.
3. Event Information
When a host creates or manages an event, Willow may process information including:
- Event name
- Event date
- Event settings
- Event purchase or access level
- Event cover image
- Uploaded photographs
- Photo approval and moderation settings
- Event QR codes and links
- Highlight reels
- Information necessary to organize and operate the event
Willow may offer paid access options including a Single Event purchase, Two-Event Package, Unlimited Events option, or other purchase options displayed at the time of checkout. These purchases may be associated with the applicable Willow account or event so that we can provide the services purchased.
4. Photos and User Content
Willow allows hosts and guests to upload photographs and other supported event content. Uploaded photos may be stored together with information necessary to associate them with the appropriate event.
You retain any ownership rights you have in content you upload to Willow. Uploading content does not transfer ownership of that content to Willow. By uploading content, you provide Willow with the limited permission necessary to host, store, process, reproduce, display, transmit, and otherwise handle the content for purposes of operating and providing the Services.
You should only upload photographs or other content that you have the right or appropriate permission to share.
5. Guest Uploads
Guests may be able to participate in Willow events without creating an account. When a guest uploads photos or interacts with an event, Willow may process:
- Photos selected by the guest
- An optional display name entered by the guest
- A randomly generated browser or device identifier used for abuse prevention and moderation
- Limited technical information necessary for security, rate limiting, troubleshooting, and reporting inappropriate content
The random identifier used for guest moderation is not intended to be a hardware identifier such as an IMEI, MAC address, or advertising ID. Willow may temporarily process an IP address or related technical information for security, fraud prevention, abuse prevention, and rate-limiting purposes. If a guest reports inappropriate content and another identifier is unavailable, limited IP-derived information may be used to prevent duplicate or abusive reports.
Some guest preferences, such as a remembered display name or previously reported-photo list, may be stored locally in the guest's browser rather than in Willow's database. Guests are not required to provide an email address simply to access supported guest-upload functionality unless a particular feature clearly requires one.
6. Shared Events, QR Codes, and Links
Willow is designed to make sharing event photographs simple. Event hosts may distribute QR codes or links that provide access to an event. Depending on an event's settings, anyone who obtains the event link or QR code may potentially be able to access approved event content. Users should therefore treat event links and QR codes as sharing credentials and distribute them only to appropriate people.
Pending photographs awaiting host approval are intended to be accessible only through authorized host or moderation functionality. Once photographs are approved for a shared event gallery, they may be visible to people who have access to that event.
Willow cannot control what another person does with a photograph or other content after that person has legitimately viewed, saved, shared, or downloaded it.
7. Photo and Media Permissions
Willow may request access to photos or media on your device when you choose to upload content or save Willow-generated content. Depending on your device and operating system, Willow may request access necessary to:
- Select photographs for upload
- Upload selected photographs
- Save generated QR posters
- Save highlight reels
- Save other event-related media
Where supported, Willow may use operating-system photo selection tools that allow you to choose specific photos. Willow does not require location, contacts, calendar, SMS, call-history, health, biometric, or microphone access for its current core functionality unless a future feature clearly requires such access and appropriate notice or permission is provided.
8. Payments and Stripe
Willow uses Stripe as a third-party payment processor for paid Willow services. Paid options may include:
- Single Event access
- Two-Event Packages
- Unlimited Events access
- Other one-time purchase options that may be offered in the future
The price, features, and applicable limitations of a purchase will be displayed at or before checkout.
Information Processed During Payment
When you make a purchase, payment and transaction information may be provided directly to Stripe. Depending on the payment method and Stripe services used, Stripe may process information including:
- Name
- Email address
- Billing information
- Payment method information
- Transaction amount
- Currency
- Date and time of purchase
- Information about the service purchased
- IP address
- Browser or device information
- Cookies or similar technologies
- Information used for authentication, security, fraud detection, and fraud prevention
Willow does not directly receive or store your complete credit or debit card number, CVV, or complete bank-account credentials when those details are entered directly through Stripe's payment interface.
Information Willow May Receive
Willow may receive and retain limited information relating to your transaction, including:
- Stripe payment or session identifier
- Customer or transaction identifier
- Amount paid
- Currency
- Payment status
- Purchase date and time
- Willow product or event associated with the purchase
- Refund or dispute status
- Limited information necessary to identify and support the transaction
We may use this information to:
- Confirm and activate purchases
- Associate purchases with Willow accounts or events
- Provide purchased services
- Maintain transaction history
- Process refunds
- Respond to payment disputes or chargebacks
- Prevent duplicate or fraudulent transactions
- Provide customer support
- Maintain accounting and tax records
- Comply with applicable legal requirements
Stripe may process personal information for its own permitted purposes, including payment processing, authentication, security, fraud detection and prevention, loss prevention, regulatory compliance, analytics, and operation and improvement of its services. Stripe's collection and processing of personal information is also governed by Stripe's own privacy practices. For additional information about Stripe's privacy practices, please review the Stripe Privacy Policy and Privacy Center.
9. How We Use Information
We may use information collected through Willow to:
- Create and maintain accounts
- Authenticate users
- Create and manage events
- Process guest uploads
- Store and display photographs
- Operate shared galleries
- Generate event links and QR codes
- Create and provide highlight reels
- Process and verify purchases
- Activate paid event access
- Process refunds and address payment disputes
- Send functional account, transaction, or event communications
- Moderate event content
- Respond to reports of inappropriate content
- Prevent abuse, spam, fraud, and unauthorized activity
- Troubleshoot technical problems
- Maintain the security and reliability of Willow
- Provide customer support
- Improve the operation and performance of the Services
- Enforce our Terms of Use and other policies
- Comply with applicable laws and legal obligations
10. Moderation, Reporting, and Abuse Prevention
Willow may provide hosts with tools to review, approve, reject, hide, or remove photographs submitted to their events. Users may also be provided with mechanisms to report content or activity they believe is inappropriate, unlawful, abusive, or otherwise violates Willow's rules. Willow may investigate reports and take appropriate action, including restricting or removing content or access.
Information associated with reports and blocked guest identifiers may be retained for as long as reasonably necessary to operate the applicable event, investigate reports, enforce Willow's rules, and prevent abuse.
11. How Information Is Stored and Protected
Willow currently uses MongoDB for account information, event information, photo metadata, payment-related records, and other application data. Photographs, event cover images, generated highlight-reel files, and other event media may be stored using Emergent Managed Object Storage or other service providers used to operate Willow.
Willow uses reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, loss, or destruction. These safeguards may include encryption, access controls, authentication protections, and other security practices appropriate to the Services.
However, no internet transmission, storage system, application, or security measure can guarantee absolute security. Users are responsible for protecting their account credentials, devices, event links, and QR codes from unauthorized use.
Approved content associated with a shared event may be accessible to anyone possessing the applicable event-sharing link or QR code, depending on the event's settings.
12. Service Providers
Willow uses third-party service providers to operate portions of the Services.
- Emergent — Provides infrastructure and services that may include managed object storage, authentication-related services, hosting, and transactional infrastructure.
- Google — Provides authentication when a user chooses Google Sign-In.
- Resend — May be used to deliver transactional, account-related, or event-related emails.
- Stripe — Provides payment processing and related payment, fraud-prevention, security, authentication, and business services.
These providers may process information as necessary to provide their respective services, subject to their own contractual obligations and privacy practices. Some service providers may process information in countries other than the country where you live, including the United States.
Willow does not sell or rent your personal information to third parties for advertising purposes.
13. Advertising, Analytics, Cookies, and Tracking
Willow does not currently use uploaded photographs or personal information for targeted advertising. According to Willow's current application configuration, Willow does not currently use advertising SDKs, advertising identifiers, behavioral advertising systems, or cross-site advertising tracking for Willow's own advertising purposes.
Willow and its service providers may use cookies, local storage, session technologies, or similar technologies that are necessary to:
- Keep users signed in
- Maintain sessions
- Remember supported preferences
- Secure the Services
- Prevent fraud and abuse
- Process payments
- Diagnose technical problems
- Maintain functionality
Third-party services, including Stripe, may use cookies or similar technologies in connection with their services. If Willow's analytics, advertising, cookie, or tracking practices materially change, this Privacy Policy will be updated as appropriate.
14. Data Retention
We retain information only for as long as reasonably necessary to provide the Services, satisfy legal obligations, maintain business records, resolve disputes, prevent fraud and abuse, and enforce agreements.
- Account information — Retained while your Willow account remains active and removed or de-identified following account deletion, subject to legitimate legal, fraud-prevention, security, accounting, or compliance requirements.
- Events and photo metadata — Retained until deleted, the associated account is deleted, or the applicable event storage period expires. Event storage periods may vary depending on the applicable Willow offering and will be communicated through the Services where appropriate.
- Uploaded photographs and event media — May be removed when an event expires, is deleted, or the associated account is deleted, subject to operational backup cycles, legal obligations, and legitimate security requirements.
- Payment records — Certain transaction information may be retained after an account or event is deleted when necessary for accounting, tax, refund, dispute, chargeback, fraud-prevention, or other legal and business-record requirements.
- Moderation and security information — Information associated with abuse prevention, reports, blocked identifiers, security incidents, and rate limiting may be retained for as long as reasonably necessary to protect Willow, its users, and the Services.
Stripe and other service providers may maintain information according to their own legal obligations and retention policies.
15. Your Choices and Privacy Rights
Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have rights regarding personal information Willow maintains about you. These may include:
- Access — Request access to personal information we hold about you.
- Correction — Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
- Deletion — Request deletion of personal information, subject to applicable exceptions.
- Objection or Restriction — Object to or request restriction of certain processing where applicable.
- Data Portability — Request certain personal information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format where applicable.
- Withdrawal of Consent — Where processing relies on consent, withdraw that consent where applicable.
To exercise applicable privacy rights, contact us at privacy@thewillowevent.com. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling certain requests.
Account Deletion
Willow provides account deletion functionality through the application. Users may also use Willow's external account-deletion method made available through the Willow website. Deleting an account initiates deletion or de-identification of applicable account information and associated data, subject to the retention practices and legal exceptions described in this Privacy Policy. Certain information may need to be retained after deletion for purposes such as payment records, tax and accounting obligations, fraud prevention, security, dispute resolution, and compliance with law.
16. Children's Privacy
Willow's Services are not intended for individuals under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 in a manner prohibited by applicable law.
Events may include photographs depicting children when those photographs are uploaded by hosts or guests. The person uploading such content is responsible for having the appropriate right or permission to share it. If we learn that personal information has been collected directly from a child under 13 in violation of applicable requirements, we will take appropriate steps to delete it.
If you are a parent or guardian and believe a child has provided personal information to Willow improperly, contact us at privacy@thewillowevent.com.
17. International Data Transfers
Information collected through Willow may be stored, processed, or transferred to countries other than the country in which you live, including the United States. Our service providers may also process information in multiple jurisdictions. Where required by applicable law, appropriate measures may be used to protect personal information transferred internationally.
18. Legal Requirements and Protection of Willow
Willow may preserve, use, or disclose information when reasonably necessary to:
- Comply with applicable laws, regulations, legal processes, or enforceable governmental requests
- Protect the rights, property, security, or safety of Willow, our users, or others
- Investigate fraud, abuse, security incidents, or violations of our policies
- Enforce our Terms of Use and other agreements
- Establish, exercise, or defend legal claims
- Respond to emergencies involving potential threats to safety where permitted by law
We will disclose information in response to legal requests only when we reasonably believe disclosure is required or permitted by applicable law.
19. Business Transfers
If Willow is involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, bankruptcy, sale of assets, or transfer of all or part of the business, information associated with the Services may be transferred as part of that transaction where permitted by law. Any successor responsible for personal information covered by this Privacy Policy will be expected to handle that information in accordance with applicable privacy requirements.
20. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to Willow's Services, technology, payment systems, service providers, business practices, or applicable laws. When we make changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy. If a change materially affects how we handle personal information, we may provide additional notice when appropriate or required by law. We encourage users to periodically review this Privacy Policy.
21. Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or Willow's privacy practices, contact us at:
Email — privacy@thewillowevent.com Operator — Willow Website — www.thewillowevent.com Location — New Jersey, United States