Effective Date: September 27, 2026
Last Updated: September 27, 2026
Operator: Willow
Privacy 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, and create and share event content.
This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how it is used and stored, when it may be shared, and the choices available to you.
By using Willow, our website, mobile application, guest upload pages, or related services (collectively, the "Services"), you acknowledge the practices described in this Privacy Policy.
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, or highlight reel.
The information Willow collects depends on how you use the Services.
When you create a Willow account using email and password, we may collect:
Passwords are stored using secure hashing. Willow does not store your password in readable plaintext form.
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:
Willow does not receive or store your Google password.
Willow does not obtain access through Google Sign-In to your Gmail messages, Google Drive files, contacts, calendar, or other Google account content beyond the information authorized for basic authentication.
Google's processing of information is governed by Google's own privacy policies and account settings.
When a host creates or manages an event, Willow may process information including:
This information is used to provide Willow's event-sharing functionality.
Willow allows hosts and guests to upload photographs and other supported event content.
Uploaded photos may be stored together with information needed 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, and transmit the content for the purpose of operating the Services.
You should only upload photographs or other content that you have the right or appropriate permission to share.
Guests may be able to participate in Willow events without creating an account.
When a guest uploads photos, Willow may process:
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 for security 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.
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 the 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/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 after that person has legitimately viewed or downloaded it.
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 photo-library or media permissions necessary to:
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.
If you purchase a paid Willow plan, payments may be processed through Stripe.
Payment-card information is entered through Stripe's payment interface. Willow does not receive your complete card number, CVV, or bank credentials.
Willow may receive and retain transaction-related information such as:
This information may be used to activate purchases, prevent duplicate processing, maintain transaction history, and satisfy accounting or legal requirements.
We may use information collected through Willow to:
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 and prevent abuse.
Willow currently uses MongoDB for account information, event information, photo metadata, payment records, and other application data.
Photographs, event cover images, and generated highlight-reel files may be stored using Emergent Managed Object Storage.
Willow uses access controls and application-level protections designed to prevent unauthorized access to private account and moderation information.
Approved content associated with a shared event may be accessible to anyone possessing the applicable event-sharing link, depending on the event's settings.
Willow uses third-party service providers to operate portions of the Services.
These may include:
Emergent — Provides infrastructure and services that may include managed object storage, authentication-related services, and transactional email infrastructure.
Google — Provides authentication when a user chooses Google Sign-In.
Resend — May be used to deliver transactional or event-related emails.
Stripe — Processes payments for paid Willow services.
These providers may process information only 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.
Willow does not currently use uploaded photographs or personal information for targeted advertising.
According to Willow's current application configuration, Willow does not use advertising SDKs, advertising identifiers, behavioral advertising systems, or cross-site advertising tracking.
Willow may use technical information necessary to operate, secure, diagnose, and improve the Services.
If Willow's analytics, advertising, or tracking practices materially change, this Privacy Policy will be updated accordingly.
We retain information only for as long as reasonably necessary to provide the Services, satisfy legal obligations, resolve disputes, prevent abuse, and enforce agreements.
Current retention practices may include:
Account information: Retained while your Willow account remains active and removed or de-identified following account deletion, subject to legitimate legal or security retention requirements.
Events and photo metadata: Retained until deleted, the associated account is deleted, or the applicable event storage period expires.
Willow's current event storage periods may vary by plan. Current configurations may provide approximately five days of event storage for free events and approximately two months from the event date for certain paid plans.
Payment records: Certain transaction information may be retained after account deletion when necessary for accounting, tax, fraud-prevention, or other legal obligations.
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