Privacy Policy

a) Information you provide

• Phone number — used for OTP authentication via Firebase
• Display name — used to identify you to other players
• Game data — games you create, join requests, ratings you submit
• Feedback — messages you send via our feedback form

b) Information collected automatically

• Location data — your approximate GPS coordinates, used to show nearby games (stored as a GeoPoint)
• Device token (FCM) — for push notifications (join requests, approvals, reminders)
• Usage data — pages viewed, actions taken, crash reports (not linked to identity)

• To authenticate you and secure your account
• To show you sports games within your chosen radius (10 km default)
• To connect game hosts with nearby players
• To send push notifications about join requests and approvals
• To calculate and display per-player cost splits
• To build and display your reputation rating
• To improve the Service through aggregated analytics

We do not sell your personal data to third parties. We do not run targeted advertising.

Location access is optional but required to see nearby games. When you grant permission:

• Your approximate GPS coordinates are stored in Firestore as a GeoPoint
• Other users can see that a game is "X km away" — they cannot see your exact coordinates
• You can revoke location permission in your device settings at any time
• Location data is updated only when you open the app or explicitly refresh

We share limited data with the following third-party services, solely to operate the Service:

• Firebase / Google — Authentication, Firestore database, and Cloud Messaging. Subject to Firebase Terms of Service.

We may disclose information if required by law or to protect our rights and the rights of our users.

We retain your data for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, we will delete your personal information within 30 days, except where retention is required by law.

Game records may be retained in anonymised form for analytics.

You have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Correct inaccurate data (update your name in-app)
• Delete your account and associated data
• Withdraw location permission at any time via device settings
• Opt out of push notifications via device settings

To exercise your rights, email us at privacy@playnearby.app. We will respond within 30 days.

Our Service is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us data, contact us immediately.

We use industry-standard security measures including Firebase's security rules, OTP-based authentication, and SSL/TLS encryption. However, no transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

We use browser localStorage and session storage to maintain your authentication session. We do not use tracking cookies for advertising. We use anonymous analytics cookies to understand how the app is used.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Significant changes will be communicated via the app or email. The updated policy will always be available at this URL with a revised effective date.

For privacy-related questions or to exercise your rights, contact us at: privacy@playnearby.app