Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

1.1. Information You Provide to Us

• Account Information: Your real name and phone number
• Profile Photo: Your profile photo that you upload to the Service
• Content: Text posts and photos you share on the Service
• Contacts: Your phone contacts, only if you grant permission, to help you connect with friends on Elsewhere
• Communications: Messages you send to us for support or feedback

1.2. Information We Collect Automatically

• Device Information: Device identifiers for push notification purposes
• Usage Information: How you interact with the Service, features you use, and time spent on the app
• Log Information: Technical information such as access times, app crashes, and performance data

1.3. Information We Do Not Collect

We do not use cookies or similar tracking technologies. We do not use analytics tools to track your behavior. We do not collect location data.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Provide and operate the Elsewhere Service
• Create and maintain your account
• Send verification codes via SMS through our service provider, Twilio
• Connect you with friends from your contacts (only if you grant permission)
• Display content and facilitate interactions (likes and replies)
• Send you push notifications about activity on your account
• Improve and develop new features for the Service
• Ensure the safety and security of our platform
• Respond to your questions and provide customer support
• Comply with legal obligations

3. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information for advertising or marketing purposes. We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:

3.1. With Other Users

• Your profile information (name and photo) is visible to people in your contacts who also use Elsewhere
• Content you post is visible to the contacts you select
• No public metrics (like counts or reply counts) are displayed to anyone

3.2. Service Providers

We share information with the following trusted third-party service providers who help us operate the Service:

• Akamai Linode: Cloud hosting and server infrastructure (US LAX region)
• Amazon S3: Secure storage for photos and content
• Twilio: SMS delivery for verification codes (backend only)

These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.

3.3. Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or to:

• Comply with legal process or government requests
• Protect the rights, property, or safety of Elsewhere, our users, or others
• Enforce our Terms of Service
• Investigate potential violations, fraud, or safety concerns

3.4. Business Transfers

If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change and any choices you may have.

4. Data Security

We take the security of your information seriously:

• The Service is fully encrypted to protect your data in transit and at rest
• Your data is stored securely on Akamai Linode servers in the US LAX region
• Photos and content are stored securely using Amazon S3
• We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures
• We regularly review and update our security practices
• Access to user data is restricted to authorized personnel only
• However, no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security

5. Your Rights and Choices

5.1. Access and Updates

You can view and update your profile information at any time through the Service.

5.2. Account Deletion

• You can delete your account at any time through the Service settings
• When you delete your account, we permanently delete all personal data associated with it, including your profile information, posts, and photos
• Deletion is immediate and cannot be undone

5.3. Contact Access

• You have complete control over whether to share your contacts with us
• You can grant or revoke contact access through your device settings at any time
• If you revoke access, we will no longer be able to suggest connections from your contacts

5.4. Push Notifications

You can control push notification settings through your device settings.

5.5. Data Portability

If you would like a copy of your data, please contact us at support@elswhr.app.

6. Data Retention

• We retain your information only as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you the Service
• Accounts that are inactive for 6 months are automatically deleted, along with all associated personal data
• When you update information (such as your profile photo or name), we replace the old information with the new information
• When you delete content, it is permanently removed from our servers
• We may retain some information for a limited time if required for legal compliance, dispute resolution, or safety purposes

7. Children's Privacy

The Service is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete such information promptly. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately at support@elswhr.app.

8. International Users

The Service is currently available in the United States. Your information is stored and processed in the United States (specifically in the LAX region). By using the Service, you consent to the transfer and processing of your information in the United States, which may have different data protection laws than your country of residence.

9. California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you have the right to request information about the categories of personal information we collect and how we use it. You also have the right to request deletion of your personal information, which you can do directly through the Service settings. We do not sell personal information.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. We will notify you of any material changes by:

• Posting the updated policy in the app
• Sending you a notification through the Service
• Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy

Your continued use of the Service after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

11. Third-Party Services

The Service may contain links to third-party websites or services that are not operated by us. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you access through the Service.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at:

Email: support@elswhr.app

We will respond to your inquiry as promptly as possible.