Last Updated: July 30, 2026
MyKinships.com (“the Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy of biometric data processed on our platform. This Biometric Information Privacy Policy (“Biometric Policy”) explains how we collect, use, store, disclose, and destroy “biometric identifiers” and “biometric information” (collectively, “Biometric Data”) in connection with our private genealogy and family archive platform.
1. Definition of Biometric Data
● Biometric Identifier: Refers to a retina or iris scan, fingerprint, voiceprint, or scan of hand or face geometry.
● Biometric Information: Refers to any information, regardless of how it is captured, converted, stored, or shared, based on an individual’s biometric identifier used to identify an individual.
2. Purpose of Collection and Use
We collect, generate, and process Biometric Data (specifically facial geometry templates derived from photographs uploaded to the platform) strictly for the following operational purposes:
(a) Identification and Tagging: To analyze facial features across uploaded photographs, suggest potential matches, and enable account holders to tag individuals within their private family archives.
(b) Kinship Mapping: To facilitate the creation and organization of automated kinship records, ancestral timelines, and family trees.
We do not use Biometric Data for advertising, targeted marketing, behavioral profiling, or commercial data monetization. Non-biometric communications (such as newsletters, sharing notifications, or platform updates) are governed exclusively by our general Privacy Policy.
3. Uploader Affirmations and Authority Over Depicted Individuals
Our platform relies on collaborative family archiving. Prior to uploading photos containing faces to MyKinships.com, the uploading account holder represents and warrants that:
(a) Authority & Consent: The uploader has obtained all necessary permissions, authorizations, or legal authority from the individuals depicted in the photographs (or from their legal parent or guardian) to permit MyKinships.com to process facial geometry for identification and family tree building.
(b) Minor Children: Where an uploaded photograph depicts a minor child under the age of 18 (or the applicable age of majority), the uploader affirms that they are the child’s parent or legal guardian or have obtained explicit authorization from the child’s parent or legal guardian, to permit biometric processing on behalf of the minor.
4. Suppression Index for Opted-Out Individuals
To honor opt-out requests and prevent the re-scanning or re-identification of non-consenting individuals on future uploads:
(a) Suppression Database: When an individual (or parent/guardian on behalf of a minor) opts out of biometric processing, MyKinships.com creates and retains a minimal, hashed reference faceprint stored within a secure, isolated Suppression Index.
(b) Sole Purpose: Biometric Data stored in the Suppression Index is used exclusively to screen incoming photo uploads and suppress automated facial recognition scans for that specific individual across future user uploads.
(c) Retention of Suppression Data: Data within the Suppression Index is bound by our strict retention schedules and security standards and will be permanently deleted upon request or when no longer required for exclusion screening.
5. Disclosure and Transfer of Biometric Data
The Company does not sell, lease, trade, or otherwise profit from your Biometric Data. We disclose Biometric Data only to:
(a) Service Providers: Cloud storage and automated image-processing vendors (such as cloud hosting and computer vision service providers) acting strictly on our behalf under confidentiality and data protection agreements consistent with applicable biometric privacy statutes.
(b) Legal Requirements: Government entities or law enforcement agencies when strictly required by a valid warrant, subpoena, or court order.
6. Retention and Destruction Schedule
In compliance with applicable state and federal laws, including the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (740 ILCS 14/):
(a) Standard Retention Period: We retain Biometric Data only until the initial purpose for collecting such data has been satisfied (e.g., maintaining user-created family trees and facial tagging within active archives).
(b) Destruction Triggers: We will permanently destroy an individual’s Biometric Data upon the earliest of:
1. Receipt of a verified deletion request or consent revocation from the individual (or legal representative),
2. Deactivation or deletion of the associated user account, or
3. Three (3) years from the user’s last interaction with the MyKinships.com platform.
(c) System and Archive Propagation: When a destruction trigger occurs, deletion commands propagate across all platform database layers, including merged family trees, backup copies, and active service provider instances, ensuring data is permanently and irreversibly unrecoverable.
7. Data Security
We store, transmit, and protect Biometric Data using a reasonable standard of care consistent with our industry, and in a manner that is equal to or more protective than the standard used for other confidential and sensitive personal information. All biometric transfers and storage vectors utilize encryption at rest and in transit.
8. Revocation of Consent and Contact Information
If you wish to revoke your consent, request the deletion of your Biometric Data, or request inclusion in our Suppression Index, please contact our Privacy Team at:
● Email: support@mykinships.com
● Mail: MyKinships Privacy Team, 8788 Greenback Ln Suite 105, Orangevale, CA 95662