Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide

Account Information: Name, email address or phone number, date of birth, and gender. Your password is securely hashed using industry-standard methods (bcrypt) and we store only the hash—your plain text password is never stored or visible to us.

Profile Information: Photos, bio, preferences, and any other information you choose to share on your profile.

Communications: Messages you send to other users through the App.

Waitlist Information: If you attempt to register from outside our current launch area, we collect and retain only your contact channel (email address or phone number), the precise GPS coordinates you provided at the time of the attempt, the city, state, and country resolved from those coordinates, the calculated distance from our launch anchor point, and timestamps of your registration attempts. We do not collect your name, password, date of birth, gender, photos, or any other profile information from waitlist users, because the registration flow does not advance to those steps for users outside the launch area. Waitlist information is used solely to notify you if and when Skyniss becomes available in your area and to assist us in evaluating where to expand.

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

Device Information: Device type, operating system version, unique device identifiers, and app version.

Network Information: IP address at the time of account registration, for security, fraud prevention, and legal compliance purposes.

Location Data: With your permission, we collect location data for two purposes. First, at the time you attempt to register for an account, we collect your precise GPS coordinates to determine whether you are within our current launch area. If you are outside that area, your coordinates are retained as part of your waitlist record (see Section 1.1) so we can notify you when Skyniss expands to your area. Second, after you successfully create an account, we use ongoing location data to enable nearby discovery features. Your precise location is not displayed publicly to other users at any time; only an approximate distance is shown.

Usage Data: Information about how you use the App, including features accessed, time spent, and interactions with other users.

1.3 Consent Records

When you create an account, we record your acceptance of our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Community Guidelines. This record includes the date and time of acceptance, the version of each document you accepted, your IP address, and device information. This information is collected to establish a legal record of your consent and is retained for compliance purposes.

1.4 Information from Third Parties

We use third-party services to operate and improve the App. These service providers may process your data according to their own privacy policies:

• Firebase (Google): Analytics, cloud messaging, and push notifications. Privacy Policy
• Twilio: Phone number and email verification services. Privacy Policy
• MongoDB Atlas: Cloud database services for secure data storage. Privacy Policy
• Render: Cloud hosting and infrastructure services. Privacy Policy
• Cloudflare: Photo storage (Cloudflare R2), content delivery network (CDN), and DNS services. Privacy Policy
• Apple: Sign in with Apple authentication (if used). Privacy Policy
• GoDaddy: Email and domain services. Privacy Policy
• OpenStreetMap Foundation (Nominatim): Reverse geocoding service used to resolve coordinates to a city, state, and country for waitlist records. Privacy Policy

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve our services
• Enable you to create a profile and connect with other users
• Facilitate communication between users
• Provide location-based discovery features
• Determine geographic eligibility at registration and maintain a waitlist of users in areas where Skyniss is not yet available
• Send service-related notifications and updates
• Send a one-time launch notification to waitlist users via email or SMS when Skyniss becomes available in their area; you may opt out of this notification at any time as described in Section 6.5
• Detect, prevent, and address fraud, abuse, and security issues
• Enforce our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines
• Comply with legal obligations
• Maintain records of user consent for legal compliance

3. How We Share Your Information

3.1 With Other Users

Your profile information, including photos and bio, is visible to other users. Your location is used to show approximate distance but your precise location is not shared.

3.2 With Service Providers

We share information with third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf, including those listed in Section 1.4. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.

3.3 For Legal Reasons

We may disclose information if required by law, legal process, or government request, or to protect our rights, privacy, safety, or property.

3.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity.

4. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including AES-256-GCM encryption for messages and secure data storage. However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

5. Data Retention

5.1 Active Accounts

We retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services.

5.2 Deleted Accounts

When you delete your account:

Personal Information Removed: Your name, email, phone number, photos, bio, messages, and other personally identifiable information will be deleted or anonymized within thirty (30) days of your deletion request. Backup systems are purged on their regular cycle, typically within 90 days.

Exceptions to Deletion: We may retain certain information beyond these timeframes where required for: (a) legal compliance or legal proceedings; (b) fraud prevention and safety; (c) ongoing investigations; (d) enforcement of our Terms of Service.

Consent Records Retained: We retain a record of your agreement to our Terms, Privacy Policy, and Community Guidelines, along with the timestamp and technical identifiers (such as IP address and device information) from when you created your account. This information is retained for up to seven (7) years for legal compliance, fraud prevention, and dispute resolution purposes.

Why We Retain This: This limited data retention is necessary to: (a) demonstrate that you agreed to our terms; (b) comply with legal obligations; (c) protect against fraud and abuse; (d) resolve disputes. These records do not contain your name, email, phone number, or profile content after deletion.

5.3 Legal Requirements

We may retain certain information for longer periods if required by law or legal proceedings.

5.4 Waitlist Records

If you were added to a waitlist because you attempted to register from outside our current launch area, your waitlist record is retained until one of the following occurs: (a) you successfully register for an account from within an eligible area, in which case the waitlist record may be deleted upon successful registration; (b) you request deletion of your waitlist record by contacting us at [email protected]; (c) we close the waitlist for your area or otherwise determine that the record is no longer needed for the purpose described in Section 1.1, after which records are deleted on a periodic basis. Waitlist records are limited to the information described in Section 1.1 and do not include profile content, because the registration flow does not advance to those steps for users outside the launch area.

6. Your Rights and Choices

6.1 Access and Correction

You can access and update your profile information through the App.

6.2 Location Data

You can enable or disable location services through your device settings.

6.3 Account Deletion

You can delete your account through the App settings. Upon deletion, your personal information will be removed as described in Section 5.2.

6.4 Push Notifications

You can manage notification preferences in your device settings.

6.5 Marketing and Waitlist Notifications

If you are on a waitlist, you may opt out of the launch notification at any time by replying STOP to any SMS we send (for phone-based waitlist entries), by using the unsubscribe link in any email we send (for email-based waitlist entries), or by emailing [email protected] with a request to be removed from the waitlist. Honoring opt-out requests will result in deletion of your waitlist record.

7. Children's Privacy

The App is not intended for users under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 18. If we learn we have collected such information, we will delete it promptly.

8. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own, including the United States. We take appropriate safeguards to protect your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

9. California Privacy Rights

California residents have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to know what personal information is collected, request deletion, and opt out of the sale of personal information. We do not sell personal information.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes through the App or by other means. Your continued use of the App after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact Us

For questions about this Privacy Policy or to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us through the App's Contact Us feature or by email at [email protected].