Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Mulaqat ("we," "us," or "our") is a dating app designed to connect members of the Ismaili community. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application (the "App"). By using our App, you agree to our Terms of Service and this Privacy Policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

When you create an account and use our App, we collect the following information:

User Profile Data

• Basic Information: Name, age, date of birth, gender, phone number
• Optional Account Info: Email address (only present if your Firebase account already has an email linked; the app does not ask for or collect emails via forms)
• Location Data: City, state/province, country, ZIP code, latitude, and longitude coordinates
• Profile Content: Bio/description, interests, profile photos, additional photos
• Community-Specific Information: Jamati title, religious observance level
• Professional Information: Education level, profession, height
• Relationship Preferences: Gender preference, marriage intentions, marriage timeline, smoking/drinking preferences
• Q&A Responses: Answers to personality and compatibility questions

Communication Data

• Messages sent between matched users
• Chat room metadata (participants, timestamps)

User Interaction Data

• Likes and passes on other profiles
• Match history
• Blocked and unmatched users lists
• User reports and moderation data

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

Device and Usage Information

• Device information (model, operating system, app version)
• App usage patterns and preferences
• Crash reports and error logs (via Firebase Crashlytics)
• Shared preferences and local storage data

Location Information

• GPS coordinates (with permission)
• Geocoded location data (city, state, country)

Crash Reporting and Feature Usage

• Crash diagnostics and error logs via Firebase Crashlytics
• AI feature usage counts stored per-user in Firestore to enforce daily limits

2.3 Information from Third Parties

Firebase Services

• Authentication data from Firebase Auth
• Cloud storage data from Firebase Storage
• Real-time database data from Firestore

Push Notification Services

• Device tokens for push notifications
• Notification delivery and interaction data

3. How We Use Your Information

3.1 Core App Functionality

• Profile Creation and Management: Store and display your profile information
• Matching System: Analyze compatibility based on preferences, interests, and Q&A responses
• Communication: Enable messaging between matched users
• Location Services: Provide location-based matching and filtering

3.2 AI-Powered Features

We use Google's Gemini AI model (gemini-2.5-flash-lite) to power several features:

AI Opener Suggestions Service

• Data Sent to AI: User's interests, profession, education, age, state-level location; relationship preferences and lifestyle choices; sanitized Q&A responses and bio summaries; shared compatibility data with matched user
• Purpose: Generate personalized conversation topic suggestions for first messages to matches
• Privacy Measures: Names replaced with [NAME] placeholders; only state-level location data (no cities or specific addresses); personal identifiers removed from bio content
• Usage Limits: 5 conversation opener suggestions per day per user

Commonality Analysis Service

• Data Sent to AI: User's interests, profession, education, age, state-level location; relationship preferences and lifestyle choices; sanitized Q&A responses and bio summaries; target user's similar data for compatibility analysis
• Purpose: Generate quick compatibility summaries
• Privacy Measures: Names replaced with [MATCH] placeholders locally; only state-level location data; personal identifiers removed from bio content
• Usage Limits: 5 commonality analyses per day per user

3.3 Safety and Security

• User Safety: Process reports and maintain blocked users lists
• Content Moderation: Monitor for inappropriate content
• Fraud Prevention: Detect and prevent abusive behavior
• Account Security: Verify user identities and prevent unauthorized access

3.4 App Performance and Analytics

• Crash Reporting: Collect crash data to improve app stability (Crashlytics)
• Feature Usage Counts: Record AI feature usage totals in Firestore to enforce limits
• Performance Monitoring: Basic in-app diagnostics and usage analytics

3.5 Communication

• Push Notifications: Send match notifications, messages, and app updates; we store your device's FCM token with platform/app state to deliver notifications
• Customer Support: Respond to user inquiries and support requests

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

4.1 With Other Users

• Profile Information: Your profile is visible to other authenticated users
• Matching Data: Basic compatibility information shared during matching
• Communication: Messages are shared between matched users

4.2 With Service Providers

• Firebase/Google: App data stored on Firebase infrastructure
• Google AI Services: Limited, sanitized data sent to Gemini AI for feature processing
• Push Notification Services: Device tokens shared with FCM for notifications

4.3 Legal Requirements

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

• Comply with legal obligations
• Protect our rights and safety
• Prevent fraud or security issues
• Respond to government requests

4.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the new entity.

5. Data Storage and Security

5.1 Data Storage Locations

• Primary Storage: Firebase/Firestore (Google Cloud Platform)
• File Storage: Firebase Storage for profile images
• Local Storage: Limited data stored on device via SharedPreferences

5.2 Data Retention

• Active Accounts: Data retained while account is active
• Inactive Accounts: Data retained for 2 years after last activity
• Deleted Accounts: Data deleted within 30 days of account deletion
• AI Cache: Temporary cache data expires daily
• Chat Data: Retained until account deletion or chat room deletion

5.3 Security Measures

• Encryption: Data encrypted in transit and at rest
• Access Controls: Strict access controls on Firebase data
• Authentication: Firebase Authentication for user verification
• Regular Audits: Security audits and monitoring

6. Your Rights and Choices

6.1 Account Data

• Access: View your profile data within the app
• Update: Edit your profile information
• Delete: Delete your account and associated data
• Export: Request data export (contact support)

6.2 Location Data

• Permission: Control location permissions in device settings
• Manual Entry: Enter location manually instead of using GPS

6.3 Communication Preferences

• Push Notifications: Control notification settings in device settings
• Marketing: We do not send marketing communications at this time. If this changes, we will provide clear opt-out controls.

6.4 AI Features

• Usage Limits: Daily limits on AI feature usage
• Choice: AI features are optional and gated with an in-app privacy notice before use; simply don't invoke them if you prefer not to use AI

7. Children's Privacy

Our App is intended for users 18 years of age and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 18, we will take steps to delete such information.

8. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data during international transfers.

9. Third-Party Services

9.1 Google/Firebase Services

• Firebase Auth: User authentication and account management
• Firestore: Primary database for user data
• Firebase Storage: Profile image storage
• Firebase Cloud Messaging: Push notifications
• Firebase Crashlytics: Crash reporting and analytics
• Google AI (Gemini): AI-powered features with data sanitization

9.2 Other Third Parties

• Device Manufacturers: For push notification delivery

10. Cookies and Tracking

Our App may use local storage and device identifiers for:

• Session management
• User preferences
• Feature caching
• Crash diagnostics; no third-party analytics SDK is used

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by:

• Posting the new Privacy Policy within the App
• Sending a push notification
• Email notification (if provided)

Your continued use of the App after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

• Email: info@thebitbridge.com
• App Support: Through the app's support section
• Address: 123 Example Street, Suite 100, San Francisco, CA 94105, USA

Additional Information

Data Minimization

We collect only the minimum data necessary to provide our services and comply with legal requirements.

Data Anonymization

Where possible, we anonymize data for analytics and AI processing to protect user privacy.

AI Data Processing

All AI processing includes comprehensive data sanitization to remove personal identifiers before sending data to Google's AI services.

User Consent

By using our App, you consent to the collection and use of your information as described in this Privacy Policy.

Right to Withdraw Consent

You may withdraw your consent at any time by deleting your account or contacting us.

This Privacy Policy is designed to be comprehensive and user-friendly while ensuring compliance with applicable privacy laws including GDPR, CCPA, and other relevant regulations.