FindMe Nearby – Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

FindMe Nearby is a mobile application that helps users discover nearby people in real time, view profile information they choose to share, access linked social profiles, and communicate directly through the app.

This Privacy Policy primarily applies to the FindMe Nearby mobile application and, where applicable, to privacy-related interactions with our official website.

FindMe Nearby is operated by an independent developer based in Switzerland, who is responsible for the processing of personal data described in this Privacy Policy.

2. What data we collect

2.1 Account Data

• Email address (where provided directly or made available through the selected authentication method)
• Username
• Authentication identifiers and related authentication data processed through Firebase Authentication
• Authentication provider information, such as Email/Password, Sign in with Apple or Google Sign-In

Your email address may be used for authentication, account verification, account-related functions and password reset, depending on the authentication method you choose. It is not displayed to other users inside the app.

If you use Sign in with Apple and choose Apple's Hide My Email option, Apple may provide FindMe Nearby with a private relay email address instead of your personal email address.

Your username is visible to other users and may appear in nearby user lists, profile views and conversations. You can change your username from the Settings screen, subject to availability and reasonable naming rules designed to reduce impersonation or abusive use.

Authentication is handled through Firebase Authentication and may use supported authentication providers such as Email/Password, Sign in with Apple and Google Sign-In.

Depending on the authentication method you choose, we may process authentication identifiers and an email address made available by the relevant authentication provider.

We do not receive or store your Apple, Google or email account password. Password-based authentication is processed through Firebase Authentication, and we do not have access to your actual password.

2.2 Profile Data (Optional)

• Profile photo
• Profile rows and information you choose to display
• Job or profession information
• Hobbies or interests
• Information you choose to share about where you are going
• Comment or bio text
• Social media usernames (for example Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, X and similar services)

Profile information is voluntarily provided by you and may be visible to other users through FindMe Nearby's discovery and profile features.

If you choose to upload a profile photo, the app may request permission to access your device's photo library solely so that you can select an image. We only access the photo that you explicitly choose.

The selected photo is uploaded to our infrastructure and used as your profile image. We do not access, scan or collect unrelated photos from your photo library.

Your uploaded profile photo may be visible to other users when your profile is displayed inside the app.

If you deny photo library access, you may not be able to upload or change your profile photo. You may update this permission later through your device settings.

When you add social media usernames, FindMe Nearby may generate links so that other users can open the public profiles you choose to share.

We do not collect your social media passwords, private messages or other private content from those third-party services.

You may edit, reorder or remove profile information and linked social media accounts through the app's profile settings.

2.3 Location Data

With your explicit permission, we collect and process location-related data including:

• GPS coordinates used to determine nearby users
• Approximate distance between users
• Derived GeoHash values
• Location and activity timestamps such as lastUpdated and lastAppclose

Location data is used to provide proximity-based discovery. FindMe Nearby does not display a public map or another user's exact coordinates.

Location data may be used for a limited operational period after you leave the app in order to support nearby discovery and proximity-based notifications.

We may use your last known location to determine whether other active users are nearby and to send proximity-related notifications based on your recent activity, visibility status and permissions.

If location services are disabled or permission is denied, proximity-based discovery may not function correctly.

2.4 Messaging & Conversation Data

FindMe Nearby allows users to send messages directly to other users. When you use messaging features, we may process:

• Message content that you send
• Sender and recipient identifiers
• Conversation participants
• Message and conversation timestamps
• Conversation status
• Last-message and sender information used to display conversation lists
• Unread-message counts and similar delivery or interface state

Message content is processed so that FindMe Nearby can deliver and display conversations between users.

FindMe Nearby uses a reply-gated first-contact system. A user may send an initial message to another user, but additional messaging may remain unavailable until the recipient replies.

This messaging limitation is designed to reduce unwanted repeated contact and improve user safety.

2.5 Blocking & Safety Data

If you block another user, we store information necessary to enforce the block relationship between the relevant accounts.

Blocking may prevent the affected users from appearing to each other in nearby discovery and may prevent further messaging between them.

Block information is used only to provide safety, privacy and abuse- prevention functionality within the app.

You may manage or remove blocks through the Settings area of FindMe Nearby.

2.6 Usage & Device Data

• Push notification token
• Device language
• App version and platform information
• Crash logs and technical diagnostics

Push notification tokens are used to deliver app-related notifications, including proximity and messaging notifications where applicable.

Notifications may be delayed, grouped or limited in order to improve the user experience and prevent excessive alerts.

Push notifications are sent only if you have granted notification permission on your device. You may disable or withdraw this permission at any time through your device settings.

3. How we use your data

We use personal data to:

• Create, authenticate and manage your account
• Support account authentication through Email/Password, Sign in with Apple and Google Sign-In
• Display your profile and the information you choose to share
• Provide real-time proximity-based discovery
• Calculate approximate distances between nearby users
• Provide in-app messaging and conversation functionality
• Apply reply-gated messaging controls
• Enforce user blocks and other safety controls
• Send proximity-related and messaging-related push notifications
• Maintain security and prevent misuse or abuse
• Diagnose technical issues and maintain service reliability

We do not use your personal data for third-party advertising or cross-app tracking.

4. Legal basis (EU/EEA users)

If you are located in the European Union or European Economic Area, we process personal data under applicable legal bases including:

• Contract necessity – to provide core app functions, including account services, authentication, discovery and messaging
• Legitimate interests – to maintain security, prevent abuse, enforce blocking and safety controls, maintain system integrity and improve service reliability
• Consent – where required for location services, photo access and notifications

5. How we share your data

We do not sell, rent or trade your personal data to third parties.

Data may be shared or made available in the following circumstances:

• Service providers: Firebase and Google Cloud services used for functions such as hosting, authentication, storage, synchronization and notifications
• Authentication providers: Apple or Google may process authentication-related information when you choose to use Sign in with Apple or Google Sign-In. Their processing is also subject to their own privacy policies
• Nearby users: Profile information that you choose to make visible may be displayed to eligible nearby users
• Messaging participants: Messages you send are made available to the intended recipient and conversation participants

In-app web content and external links

When you access the Privacy Policy or other web content from within the app, the content may be displayed using an in-app browser interface provided by your operating system, such as Safari View Controller on iOS.

We do not collect additional personal data through this browser beyond what is described in this Privacy Policy.

External websites and third-party applications may process information according to their own privacy policies.

When another user taps a social media link on your profile, FindMe Nearby may open the corresponding third-party service using a URL or deep link.

Any information processed by Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, X or other third-party services is subject to those services' own terms and privacy policies.

6. Data storage & retention

Account and profile information is generally stored while your account remains active or as needed to provide FindMe Nearby's services.

Authentication-related information may also be processed by Firebase Authentication and, where applicable, the authentication provider you choose, such as Apple or Google.

Location and presence information is retained for a limited operational period as needed to provide nearby discovery and proximity-based notifications.

During this limited period, your last known location may be processed to detect nearby users and determine notification eligibility.

After location or presence data becomes too old for nearby discovery, it is no longer used to make you visible to nearby users.

Messages and conversation metadata may be stored for as long as needed to provide messaging functionality, conversation history, unread state, safety controls and related operational functions.

Removing or hiding a conversation from your own conversation list does not necessarily remove content already delivered to another conversation participant.

Block relationships may be retained while the block remains active so that discovery and messaging restrictions can be enforced.

Certain security logs, diagnostics or encrypted backups may be retained temporarily for security, fraud prevention, troubleshooting and system integrity purposes.

Such technical information is not used for third-party advertising or cross-app profiling.

7. Account deletion

You may permanently delete your account from within the app using the "Delete Account" option in Settings.

Account deletion removes data associated with your active account, including:

• Your Firebase Authentication account
• Your profile information, including username, profile photo and profile rows
• Your location and active-presence information
• Profile images associated with your account in Firebase Storage

Where technically supported by the authentication provider, account deletion may also revoke or terminate authentication credentials or authorization associated with FindMe Nearby.

Deleting your FindMe Nearby account does not delete your separate Apple ID, Google Account or other third-party account.

Some information may remain temporarily in technical backups, security records or systems where retention is reasonably necessary for security, legal compliance, fraud prevention or service integrity.

Messages previously delivered to another user may remain visible to that recipient where necessary to preserve their conversation history, unless those records are otherwise removed by the service.

8. Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures designed to protect personal data against unauthorized access, loss, misuse or alteration.

Access to messaging, profile and account information is restricted according to application authorization rules.

Authentication is handled using established authentication services and supported identity providers.

User blocking and reply-gated first-contact messaging are also used as product-level safety measures.

However, no method of electronic transmission or data storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

9. International data transfers

FindMe Nearby uses Firebase and Google Cloud infrastructure and may also use authentication services provided by Apple and Google.

Your information may therefore be processed or stored in countries outside your country of residence, including the United States and other regions where our service providers or authentication providers operate.

Appropriate safeguards are applied in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

10. Your data protection rights (EU/EEA)

If you are located in the European Union or European Economic Area, you may have rights including:

• Right of access
• Right to rectification
• Right to erasure
• Right to restriction of processing
• Right to data portability
• Right to object
• Right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
• Right to lodge a complaint with a competent supervisory authority

You may exercise applicable rights by contacting us using the contact information below.

11. Visibility & active status

You control whether you participate in nearby discovery.

If you log out or set your visibility status to inactive, your profile will not appear in nearby discovery results and you will not be able to view nearby users while inactive.

When you log out or become inactive, your location and presence information is no longer used to make your profile visible through nearby discovery.

Becoming inactive or logging out does not itself delete your account, profile information or existing conversations.

Permanent account deletion is handled through the "Delete Account" option described in section 7.

12. Messaging & blocking controls

FindMe Nearby is designed to allow a controlled first contact between users.

When a user starts a new conversation, the sender may be limited to one initial message until the recipient chooses to reply.

If the recipient replies, messaging between those users may continue even if they are no longer physically near each other.

Users may block another user from that user's profile.

When a block is active, FindMe Nearby may prevent the affected users from seeing one another in nearby discovery and may prevent messaging between those accounts.

Blocks may be reviewed or removed through the Settings section of the app.

13. Children's privacy

FindMe Nearby is not intended for users under the age of 16.

We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 16.

If we become aware that personal data from a child under 16 has been collected, we will take appropriate steps to remove such information.

14. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the app, our services, applicable law or our data-processing practices.

When this Privacy Policy is updated, the effective date shown at the top of this page will be updated accordingly.