Privacy Policy

Our privacy philosophy

We collect as little as we can to make Hangout work, and we do not sell your personal information. We don’t require your full legal name, we only store contacts you choose to invite, and your location is used only when you opt in. Trust is the product.

Summary of key points

What we collect: phone number, profile details, the content you post, and, with permission, approximate location, invited contacts, and push tokens. Why: to run the Service, keep it safe, communicate with you, and improve it. Sharing: with service providers under contract, for legal/safety reasons, or in a business transfer, never sold. Your control: access, correct, export, or delete your data and manage visibility in Settings.

1. Information we collect

You provide: phone number (sign-in), profile details (name, username, photo, bio, links), the hangouts, messages, comments, groups, and images you create, and an optional newsletter email.

From others: if someone invites you, includes you in a hangout or group, or zaps you, we may receive limited information (such as a name or phone number) to deliver it.

With your permission: approximate location, contacts (only those you choose to invite), photos you upload, and push-notification tokens.

Automatically: device and usage data needed to run and secure the Service (app version, device type, IP address, general location derived from IP, diagnostics, and crash logs). On the web, we and our providers use cookies and similar technologies, see our Cookie Policy.

2. Apple, app stores, and app tracking

On iOS, the app follows Apple’s App Tracking Transparency framework. We do not track you across other companies’ apps or websites and do not use the device advertising identifier for tracking. Permissions (location, notifications, contacts, photos) are requested in context and can be changed any time in your device Settings. Our App Store and Google Play data disclosures reflect the practices in this policy.

3. Location and check-ins

Location is opt-in. We use approximate location to surface relevant nearby hangouts and to prompt a check-in when you arrive. Check-ins are confirmed and discrete: you tap to check in, and it is shown only to the people allowed by that hangout’s openness. We never share a live location and never track you continuously.

4. How we use information

To operate and personalize the Service (show relevant hangouts, deliver notifications you turn on, enable messaging and groups), to keep the community safe and prevent fraud and abuse, to communicate with you, to measure and improve the product, and to comply with legal obligations. We use aggregate, de-identified data for analytics and research.

5. Legal bases (EEA/UK)

Where the GDPR or UK GDPR applies, we process personal data on these bases: performance of our contract with you (to provide the Service), our legitimate interests (to secure and improve the Service and keep the community safe), your consent (for example, location, contacts, and marketing, which you can withdraw), and compliance with legal obligations.

6. How we share information

Content you post is visible according to the openness you choose. We share data with vendors and service providers who help us operate (cloud hosting, SMS delivery, push, analytics) under contracts limiting their use of it, with professional advisors, and in connection with a merger, acquisition, or asset sale. We may disclose information to comply with law or to protect the rights, property, or safety of people. We do not sell your personal information.

7. How your information is displayed

Your profile is visible to other users to the extent you choose. You control what appears (bio, interests, social links) and who can see your hangouts and activity through visibility settings.

8. Retention

We retain information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Service. When you delete your account, we remove your hangouts, check-ins, and social graph, except limited data we must keep for legal, security, or fraud-prevention reasons or to resolve disputes.

9. Security and incidents

We use technical and organizational measures designed to protect your information, including encryption in transit and access controls. No method of transmission or storage is perfectly secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security. If a breach affects your information, we will notify you and the appropriate authorities where required by law.

10. Children

Hangout is not directed to children under 13 (or the minimum age in your jurisdiction), and we do not knowingly collect their personal information. If you believe a child has provided us data, contact us and we will delete it.

11. Your rights and choices

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, port, restrict, or object to the processing of your personal data, and to withdraw consent. You can review and update your profile, control notifications and visibility, and delete your account in Settings, or contact us to exercise any right. We will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights.

12. U.S. state privacy rights (including California)

We do not sell or share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising as those terms are defined under California law (CPRA), and we do not use sensitive personal information for purposes requiring a right to limit. California, and residents of other states with comparable laws, may request to know the categories and specific pieces of personal information collected, and to delete or correct it. Categories we collect include identifiers (phone, email), profile and user-generated content, approximate location, and device and usage data. You may exercise these rights, or authorize an agent to do so, by emailing us.

13. International data transfers

We may process and store information in the United States and other countries with different data-protection laws. Where required, we use appropriate safeguards, such as standard contractual clauses, for cross-border transfers.

14. Marketing and Do Not Track

You can opt out of marketing emails using the unsubscribe link or in Settings; we will still send essential service messages. Because there is no industry standard for Do Not Track signals, the Service does not currently respond to them.

15. Third-party providers and SDKs

We use trusted providers to operate the Service, including cloud hosting and database, SMS delivery, push notifications (Apple APNs and Google FCM), product analytics, and transactional email. These providers process data only to provide their services to us, under contracts that restrict their use of it. We do not permit them to use your data for their own purposes.

16. Aggregated and de-identified data

We may create aggregated or de-identified information that cannot reasonably be used to identify you, and use it for any purpose, including operating, improving, and promoting the Service. We maintain and use such information in de-identified form and do not attempt to re-identify it.

17. Links to other services

The Service may link to third-party websites or apps we do not control. Their privacy practices, not this policy, govern your use of them. We encourage you to review their policies.

18. Other U.S. state privacy notices

Residents of states including Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, Texas, and Oregon may have rights to access, delete, correct, and obtain a copy of their personal data, and to opt out of targeted advertising, sales, or certain profiling, none of which we conduct. Nevada residents may submit a verified request regarding the sale of covered information. Submit requests by emailing us; we will verify and respond as required by law.

19. Changes and contact

We may update this policy and will note the date above and, where appropriate, notify you of material changes. Privacy questions, requests, or to reach our data protection contact, email legal@myhangout.xyz.