Privacy & Ethics

Encryption

All data is encrypted in transit and at rest. We use industry-standard TLS 1.3.

Anonymity

We do not store IP addresses linked to reports. Your identity is mathematically explicitly decoupled.

Data Minimization

We only collect what is necessary to verify the issue. No intrusive tracking.

1. Anonymity Explained

TenantWatch is built on the principle that accurate housing data can only emerge when reporters feel safe from retaliation. To ensure this:

We do not require email or phone verification for browsing.
Reporting only requires a specialized browser token that cannot be traced back to your real identity.
We automatically blur faces and license plates in uploaded evidence images using client-side AI before they ever reach our servers.

2. Content Moderation

With anonymity comes responsibility. To prevent abuse, we use a hybrid moderation system:

Level 1 (AI): Automated scanning for hate speech, PII (Personally Identifiable Information), and spam.
Level 2 (Community): Reports must be corroborated by other users in the same geolocation area.
Level 3 (Human): Trusted volunteer moderators review flagged content and disputes.

3. Data Usage

The aggregated data we collect is used to power the "City Insights" dashboard. We may share stripped, aggregated statistical data with housing advocacy groups and policy makers to push for better tenancy laws. We will never sell granular data to advertisers or landlord background check services.