Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

A. Information You Provide

• Phone number: Used for account creation and authentication via SMS OTP (one-time passcode). Required to use the Service.
• Profile information: Name, age (optional), gender (optional), interests, and profile photo that you choose to provide.
• Location / zip code: Used to assign you to a neighborhood community. You may enter a zip code manually or grant GPS access.
• User content: Messages, posts, photos, and other content you submit to the Service, including in public community spaces and direct messages.

B. Information Collected Automatically

• Device information: Device type, operating system, unique device identifiers, and app version.
• Usage data: Features used, screens visited, interactions within the app, and session timing.
• Push notification tokens: Generated by your device when you enable push notifications (via Expo, Apple APNs, or Google FCM).
• Log data: IP address, crash reports, and error logs for service stability.

C. Location Data

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Create and manage your account
• Assign you to a neighborhood community based on your location
• Deliver real-time messages, notifications, and community updates
• Operate AI-powered moderation to keep communities safe
• Provide the AI Neighbor feature and personalized community suggestions
• Authenticate your identity via phone number (Twilio Verify)
• Send push notifications you have opted into
• Analyze usage to improve the Service
• Investigate and respond to reports of Terms violations
• Comply with legal obligations

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We do not use your information for behavioral advertising.

3. User Content and Public Spaces

Direct messages are private between the participants. However, message content may be accessed by Chirp when required by law, in response to valid legal process, or to investigate reported violations of our Terms of Service.

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

Service Providers

We share information with third-party vendors who assist us in operating the Service, under confidentiality agreements, including:

Building Operators

If your building is managed through a Chirp operator account, the operator may have access to anonymized or aggregate engagement metrics (e.g., number of active users, group activity levels). Operators do not have access to your private messages or individual user data beyond what is publicly visible in their building community.

Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court order or subpoena). We may also disclose information to protect the safety of any person, to prevent fraud or illegal activity, or to protect Chirp's legal rights.

Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or substantially all assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you via email or prominent notice in the app before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

5. Data Retention

• Account data: Retained for as long as your account is active. When you delete your account, your profile and personal data are deleted within 30 days, except where retention is required by law.
• Messages: Community messages may be retained to provide continuity of community conversations. Deleted messages are removed from display but may remain in backups for up to 90 days.
• Location data: Your current neighborhood assignment is retained as long as your account is active. Historical location data is not retained beyond what is necessary for the current community assignment.
• Log data: Retained for up to 12 months for security and debugging purposes.

6. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information:

• Access and portability: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction: Update inaccurate information through your account settings.
• Deletion: Delete your account and associated personal data through app settings or by contacting us at support@chirpnow.co.
• Location: Revoke location permissions at any time in your device settings.
• Notifications: Disable push notifications at any time in your device or app settings.

California residents may have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). Florida residents may have rights under the Florida Digital Bill of Rights. To exercise any of these rights, contact us at support@chirpnow.co.

7. Children's Privacy

The Service is not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, we will take steps to delete that information promptly. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, contact us at support@chirpnow.co.

8. Security

We implement commercially reasonable security measures, including encryption in transit (TLS) and at rest, access controls, and secure authentication, to protect your personal information. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security and are not responsible for circumvention of any privacy settings or security measures by unauthorized third parties.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy in the app and updating the "Last Updated" date at the top. Your continued use of the Service after changes become effective constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data: