Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Nearby Folk ("we", "us", "our") collects, uses, stores and protects your personal information when you use the Nearby Folk mobile application (the "App") and related services (collectively, the "Service"). By using the Service, you agree to this Policy.

1. Who we are

Nearby Folk is a nearby social discovery application made for users in India. For any privacy-related questions, contact us at support@nearbyfolk.app.

2. Information we collect

2.1 Account & profile information

• Mobile phone number (used for OTP-based authentication via Firebase Authentication)
• Display name, username, age, gender, bio, interests
• Profile photo and any other media you choose to upload

2.2 Location information

• Approximate device location, used solely to power the Nearby radar and discovery features.
• We never display your exact GPS coordinates to other users. Other users only see approximate distance buckets such as "within 300 m", "within 1 km", and "within 2 km".
• You may disable location access or enable Ghost Mode (Premium) to stop appearing on the radar.

2.3 User-generated content

• Chat messages, friend requests, voice room participation, community posts, Spaces / Stories, comments, reactions and any media you upload.

2.4 Device & technical data

• Device model, operating system version, app version, language, time zone
• App analytics events (e.g. screens viewed, features used)
• Crash logs and diagnostic information
• Push notification tokens (Firebase Cloud Messaging)

2.5 Safety data

• Reports you submit, blocks you make, and moderation actions taken on your account.

3. How we use your information

• To provide core features: authentication, discovery, chat, voice rooms, communities, Spaces, friend requests.
• To compute approximate proximity for the Nearby radar.
• To send service-related and safety-related notifications.
• To detect, prevent and respond to abuse, harassment and security incidents.
• To improve the App through analytics and crash diagnostics.
• To comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms.

4. Third-party services

We rely on the following service providers to operate the App:

• Firebase (by Google) — Authentication, Firestore database, Cloud Functions, Cloud Messaging, Crashlytics, Analytics, Storage.
• Google Play Services / Maps geocoding — for location functionality on Android.
• Other infrastructure or moderation providers required to keep the platform safe.

Each provider has its own privacy practices, and your data is processed under their applicable terms.

5. Sharing of information

We do not sell your personal information. We share data only:

• With other users to the extent you choose (e.g. profile, posts, presence in voice rooms).
• With service providers strictly to operate the Service.
• To comply with applicable law, court order, or to protect rights, safety and integrity of the Service or its users.

6. Data retention

We retain your account data while your account is active. If you delete your account, we delete or anonymize personal data within a reasonable period, except where retention is required by law or to enforce safety measures (e.g. records of abuse and bans).

7. Your rights and controls

• Edit your profile, photos and bio at any time.
• Toggle location, push notifications, and Ghost Mode (Premium) from Settings.
• Block or report any user, message or post.
• Request account deletion from in-app Settings or by emailing support@nearbyfolk.app.

8. Security

We use industry-standard security measures including encrypted transport (HTTPS/TLS), Firebase security rules, role-based access controls, and audit logging. No system is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Children

Nearby Folk is intended only for users aged 18 and above. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If we learn that a user is below 18, we will terminate the account and delete associated data.

10. Distribution of the App

The Nearby Folk Android application is currently distributed as a direct APK download from our official website. We are not currently distributing through the Google Play Store. Users should only download the APK from official Nearby Folk channels.

11. International users

The Service is operated primarily for users in India. By using the Service, you consent to the processing of your information in India and other jurisdictions where our service providers operate.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this Policy from time to time. Material changes will be communicated in-app or via the website. Continued use of the Service after such changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Policy.

13. Contact

Questions, concerns, or data deletion requests: support@nearbyfolk.app.