Schema - In Code We Trust.

This Privacy Protocol ("Protocol") outlines the principles and practices governing the collection, use, storage, and protection of personal data and information within the SCHEMA Network ("SCHEMA," "the Network," "we," "us," "our"). Our commitment is to foster a transparent, secure, and empowering digital environment where individual Nodes ("Nodes," "you," "your") can participate with confidence, knowing their digital sovereignty is paramount.

1. Foundational Principles of Privacy

SCHEMA's approach to privacy is built upon the following core principles, which guide all aspects of our data handling and system design:

Node Sovereignty and Control: We believe individuals should have meaningful control over their personal data. SCHEMA aims to provide Nodes with tools and clear choices regarding the collection, visibility, and use of their information.
Data Minimization: We are committed to collecting only the personal data that is strictly necessary for the provision and improvement of SCHEMA's functionalities, services, and the overall health of the network.
Purpose Limitation: Personal data collected for a specified, explicit, and legitimate purpose will not be further processed in a manner incompatible with those purposes, except where required by law or with informed Node consent.
Transparency and Lawfulness: We will be transparent about our data practices. Data processing will be lawful, fair, and based on legitimate grounds as outlined in this Protocol or specific service notices.
Security by Design and Default: Privacy and data protection are integral to the design and operation of SCHEMA's systems and Modules from their inception.
Accountability and Integrity: SCHEMA, through its designated governance bodies and operational teams, is accountable for complying with this Protocol and demonstrating that compliance.
Confidentiality: We will implement appropriate measures to ensure the confidentiality of personal data, protecting it from unauthorized access or disclosure.

2. Information We Collect and Process

SCHEMA may collect and process the following categories of information, always striving for minimization:

2.1. Node-Provided Information:

Account Registration Data: Information required to create and maintain your SCHEMA Node account, such as your chosen Node ID (which may be pseudonymous), authentication credentials (e.g., hashed passwords, cryptographic keys), and contact information (e.g., an email address for recovery or notifications, which may be optional or verifiable).
Profile Information: Data you voluntarily add to your Node profile, which may include skills, interests, project affiliations, avatar, and other descriptive details. You will have controls over the visibility of this information.
Contributions & Content: Information, data, code, or content you create, submit, or share within SCHEMA, such as contributions to Knowledge Archives, "Seed" project materials, forum posts, or Module code. Attribution for public contributions will typically be via your Node ID.
Communication Data: Metadata related to your communications within SCHEMA (e.g., participants and timestamps for Matrix messages if using a SCHEMA-operated homeserver). The content of end-to-end encrypted communications is not accessible to SCHEMA core operators.

2.2. Automatically Collected Information:

Network Interaction Data: Information about your interactions with the SCHEMA network and its Modules, such as IP addresses (potentially anonymized or minimized), device information, browser type, access times, pages viewed, and features used. This data is primarily used for security, system administration, analytics to improve SCHEMA, and to ensure protocol integrity.
Pulse Transaction Data: Transactions involving Pulse tokens are recorded on SCHEMA's underlying distributed ledger. This data includes wallet addresses, transaction amounts, and timestamps, and is inherently pseudonymous and publicly verifiable (if on a public ledger).
Cookies and Similar Technologies: We may use cookies or similar technologies to enhance your experience, remember preferences, and for security purposes. Our Cookie Policy will provide detailed information.

3. How We Use Your Information

SCHEMA processes your information for the following primary purposes:

To Operate and Maintain the SCHEMA Network: Including Node authentication, facilitating communication, enabling project collaboration, processing Pulse transactions, and ensuring the security and integrity of the system.
To Provide and Improve Services & Modules: To deliver the functionalities you request, personalize your experience, and to understand how Modules are used to inform future development.
To Foster The Collective and Enable Collaboration: To connect Nodes with relevant "Seeds," Missions, or other Nodes based on shared interests or skills (with appropriate visibility controls).
For Network Governance and Development: To facilitate voting, proposal submissions, and other governance activities, and to analyze aggregated, anonymized data to understand network growth and inform strategic decisions.
For Communication: To send you important network updates, security alerts, notifications related to your activity (e.g., project updates, replies), or information about governance processes. You will have control over your notification preferences.
To Ensure Security and Compliance: To protect against fraud, abuse, security threats, and to comply with applicable legal obligations or valid legal requests.

4. Data Sharing and Disclosure

SCHEMA is founded on principles of decentralization and Node sovereignty. We are committed to minimizing unnecessary data sharing.

Within The Collective: Information you designate as public on your Node profile or contributions you make to public "Seeds" or Knowledge Archives will be visible to other Nodes. Private or group interactions are subject to the visibility settings of those specific channels or tools.
Service Providers: We may engage trusted third-party service providers for essential infrastructure services (e.g., hosting, data storage, analytics – always with a focus on privacy-conscious providers). These providers are contractually obligated to protect your data and use it only for the services they provide to SCHEMA.
Module Developers: If you install or interact with third-party or community-developed Modules, those Modules may have their own data handling practices. We encourage developers to adhere to SCHEMA's privacy principles, but you should review any Module-specific privacy notices.
Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required by law, subpoena, or other legal process, or if we have a good faith belief that disclosure is reasonably necessary to (a) investigate, prevent, or take action regarding suspected or actual illegal activities or to assist government enforcement agencies; (b) enforce our agreements with you; (c) investigate and defend ourselves against any third-party claims or allegations; (d) protect the security or integrity of our Service; or (e) exercise or protect the rights and safety of SCHEMA, our Nodes, personnel, or others. We will attempt to notify Nodes about legal demands for their personal data when appropriate in our judgment, unless prohibited by law or court order or when the request is an emergency.
Decentralized Ledger Data: Information recorded on SCHEMA's distributed ledger (e.g., Pulse transactions) is, by its nature, distributed and potentially publicly auditable, though pseudonymous.

SCHEMA does not sell your personal data to third parties.

5. Data Security

We implement robust technical and organizational measures designed to protect your information from unauthorized access, use, alteration, or destruction. These include encryption, access controls, regular security assessments, and other best practices as detailed on our Security & Trust page. However, no system is perfectly secure, and we cannot guarantee the absolute security of your information.

6. Data Retention

We retain personal data for as long as your Node account is active or as needed to provide you with SCHEMA services and operate the network. We may also retain personal data for a longer period if necessary to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, prevent fraud and abuse, or enforce our agreements. Data on distributed ledgers may be immutable and persist indefinitely.

7. Your Rights and Choices

Consistent with applicable law, you may have the right to:

Access and Portability: Request access to the personal data we hold about you and, in some cases, receive it in a portable format.
Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data. Much of this can be managed directly via your Node profile settings.
Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data, subject to technical limitations of decentralized systems and our need to retain certain information for legal or operational integrity purposes.
Restrict or Object to Processing: Object to or request restrictions on certain processing of your personal data.
Control Visibility: Manage the visibility settings of your Node profile and contributions.

To exercise these rights, please access your Node settings or contact privacy@schema.network. We will respond to requests in accordance with applicable laws.

8. International Data Transfers

SCHEMA is a global network. Your information may be processed in and transferred to countries outside of your country of residence, which may have different data protection laws. We will take appropriate safeguards to ensure that your personal data remains protected in accordance with this Protocol and applicable law.

9. Children's Privacy

SCHEMA is not intended for use by individuals under the age of 16 (or a higher age threshold as required by applicable law in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected such data, we will take steps to delete it.

10. Changes to This Privacy Protocol

We may update this Privacy Protocol from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or through the SCHEMA governance process. We will notify The Collective of significant changes by posting the new Protocol on this page and indicating the "Last Updated" date. Your continued participation in SCHEMA after such changes constitutes your acceptance of the new Protocol.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or complaints regarding this Privacy Protocol or SCHEMA's data practices, please contact our dedicated privacy team at: privacy@schema.network.

You may also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory data protection authority in your jurisdiction.

Your trust is integral to the success of SCHEMA. We are committed to upholding these principles and continuously working to ensure a secure and privacy-respecting environment for all Nodes.