Legal

Privacy Policy

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. Continued use of Neer means you agree to everything below.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide

Account Information: Name, username, email address, phone number, date of birth (used to verify you are 18+ and to display your age if enabled), gender
Profile Information: Profile photo, bio, interests, occupation, education, company
Preferences: Age range preferences, distance preferences, language, privacy settings
Communications: Messages, voice recordings, photos, and videos you send through the Service

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

Location Data: Your approximate location is collected only while the app is in use (foreground). Neer does not perform continuous background tracking. Coordinates written to our database are rounded to approximately 100 meters of precision (3 decimal places); we never store precise GPS coordinates. Only the most recent rounded location is retained; no location history is stored. Location sharing is automatically disabled when the app is backgrounded, closed, or on every sign-in. (See Section 5.1.)
Purchase and Billing Data: When you subscribe to Pro, we receive and store your subscription plan, billing cycle (monthly or yearly), subscription status, subscription start and end dates, Apple transaction IDs, and product identifiers. We also maintain a billing history that includes purchase amounts, dates, and receipt status. We do not have access to your credit card number, payment method details, or Apple ID password — all payment processing is handled exclusively by Apple.
Device Information: Device platform (iOS), app version, push notification token, and basic device context (device model and operating system version) collected through Sentry crash reporting. When a crash or error occurs, your user ID and email may be attached to that specific error report to help us identify and resolve account-specific issues. Sentry does not receive this information during normal app use.
Usage Data: Interaction metrics such as profile views received, messages sent, friend requests sent/received, and connections made. Activity status (an online indicator shown when you have been active within the last 15 minutes) and a last-active timestamp are updated automatically. You can disable activity status display in Settings. Recently viewed profiles are automatically logged when you tap on someone's profile.
Connection Data: Users you connect with, friend requests sent/received, messages exchanged (including text, voice recordings, images, and videos), saved profiles, and profile views.

1.3 Information from Third Parties

Backend Services: We use Google Firebase for authentication, real-time database, cloud storage, and server-side Cloud Functions.
SMS Verification: We use Twilio to send verification codes to your phone.
Email Services: We use Zoho SMTP for email communications, including verification codes, password resets, support messages, reports, and billing receipts.
Cloud Storage: We use Firebase Storage (powered by Google Cloud Storage) to store media files such as profile images, chat media (photos, videos, and voice recordings), and event images.
Crash Reporting: We use Sentry to collect crash reports and diagnostic data, which may include device model, operating system version, and error details.
Push Notifications: We use Expo's push notification service to deliver notifications to your device.

2. How We Use Your Information

Account Management: Email or phone number for account identification. Password authentication is handled by Firebase Auth.
Email Communications: Email address for transactional emails, password reset codes, and support communications. We use Zoho SMTP for all outbound email communications.
Nearby Discovery: Your approximate, rounded location (to ~100 m precision) and user preferences (age range, distance, and interests) to discover nearby users.
Profile Display: Name, age, gender, photos, bio, interests, occupation, education, company, location, social media links, mutual friends, Pro badge (if applicable), and activity status shown on user profiles.
Messaging: User ID, message content, timestamps, and media files (including images, videos, and voice recordings).
Smart Recommendations: We use your profile data (interests, age, last known location, and profile completeness) to calculate connection recommendation scores using a weighted matching algorithm.
Profile views (including viewer identity for Pro subscribers), gender and age demographics, peak activity times, connection success rate, average connection distance, and network growth trends. Pro subscribers can see the name, photo, and profile information of users who viewed their profile within the last 60 minutes. Viewer records are automatically deleted after 60 minutes. Pro subscribers may enable Incognito Mode to opt out of profile view tracking. This data is stored in our database and is not shared with third parties.
Customer Support: Use the in-app Report a Problem system or Contact Us, and the content of your support inquiries.
Service Improvement: Crash reports and error diagnostics collected via Sentry.

3. How We Share Your Information

3.1 With Other Users

Public Profile: May include your name, age (if enabled), gender (if enabled), photos, bio, interests, occupation (optional), education (optional), company (optional), location, social media links, Pro badge (if applicable), and AI-generated compatibility score (calculated locally for the viewer). This information may be visible to nearby users based on your privacy settings.
Location: Approximate distance range (e.g., "Under 500 ft", "Under 1.0 mi"), not exact coordinates. Users may enable Show as Nearby in Settings to display "Nearby" instead of a distance range.
Activity Status: Online/offline indicator (green dot if active within the last 15 minutes). Users can disable activity status display in settings.
Connections: Mutual connections count (displayed in approximate ranges for privacy, e.g., "10+ mutual friends").
Profile Views: When you view another user's profile, your name, profile photo, and basic profile information may be visible to that user if they are a Pro subscriber. This data is automatically deleted after 60 minutes. Pro subscribers can enable Incognito Mode to browse profiles without being recorded.

3.2 With Service Providers

Apple (In-App Purchase): All Pro subscription payments are processed exclusively through Apple's App Store. Apple handles payment processing, billing, and currency conversion. We receive transaction confirmations, product identifiers, and subscription status from Apple but do not have access to your payment method details. Apple's use of your data is governed by Apple's Privacy Policy.
Google Firebase: Authentication, real-time database, cloud storage, and server-side Cloud Functions. Servers located in the United States.
Twilio: Phone number for SMS delivery of one-time verification and password reset codes. Message logs are retained for up to 400 days (13 months).
Zoho: Email address and content of transactional emails (verification codes, support messages, reports, and billing receipts).
Sentry: Crash reports and diagnostic data. User identifiers (user ID, email, and display name) are attached only when errors occur, to help us identify and resolve issues affecting your account.
Expo: Push notification token and notification content (including text messages, friend requests, and nearby alerts) for delivery of push notifications.

3.3 For Legal Reasons

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or:

To comply with legal obligations
To protect the rights, property, or safety of Neer Social, our users, or the public
To prevent fraud, abuse, or illegal activity
In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets

3.4 With Your Consent

We may share your information with third parties when you provide explicit consent, such as sharing event details or billing receipts outside of Neer.

3.5 Account Verification & SMS Messages

Neer Social sends transactional SMS messages to users of the Neer Social mobile app via Twilio. These messages are strictly transactional, are never used for marketing or promotional purposes, and are sent only in direct response to a user-initiated action within the app.

Types of SMS Messages

Neer Social: Your verification code is {CODE}. It expires in 5 minutes. Do not share this code. Reply HELP for assistance or STOP to unsubscribe.
Neer Social: Your password reset code is {CODE}. It expires in 5 minutes. Do not share this code. Reply HELP for assistance or STOP to unsubscribe.

Verification codes expire after 5 minutes. All messages contain time-sensitive information with clear instructions. Message frequency varies based on user-initiated actions. Message and data rates may apply.

Consent

By providing your phone number within the Neer Social mobile app and tapping the button to request a code, you consent to receive transactional SMS messages from Neer Social, including verification codes and password reset codes. A clear disclosure is displayed before submission, with links to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

Opt-Out

You can opt out of SMS messages at any time by replying STOP to any message. After opting out, you will no longer receive SMS messages from Neer Social. You may also reply HELP to any message for assistance, or contact us at support@neersocial.com.

Mobile Information Sharing

Your mobile information (phone number) will not be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. We do not sell, rent, or share your phone number with marketers or advertisers.

3.6 International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in the United States, where our service providers (including Google Firebase, Twilio, Zoho, Sentry, and Expo) maintain servers. The United States may have different data protection laws than your jurisdiction. By using Neer, you consent to such transfers. For EU/EEA residents, data transferred outside the EU/EEA is protected by Standard Contractual Clauses.

4. Location Data & Privacy

Neer uses location to power nearby discovery. We designed this system to comply with Apple App Store Guideline 5.1.2(i): foreground-only collection, explicit per-session consent, rounded coordinates, and no background tracking.

4.1 Foreground-Only Collection

Neer collects location only while the app is in use (foreground). We do not perform continuous background tracking, and there is no "Always" background location mode.
When you close, background, or exit the app, your location sharing is automatically disabled and your live map pin is removed. You must explicitly re-enable location each time you reopen the app.
Signing into your account always starts with location sharing disabled, regardless of your previous session state. This ensures explicit, session-by-session consent.
On every sign-in, your live map entry (userLocations) is wiped and your locationEnabled flag is reset to false.

4.2 Precision & Obfuscation

We never store your precise GPS coordinates. All coordinates written to our database are rounded to approximately 100 meters of precision (3 decimal places).
A small, deterministic visual offset is applied at render time to further obscure exact locations on the map.
Other users see your approximate distance as a range (e.g., "Under 500 ft", "Under 1 mi") or "Nearby" — never exact coordinates.

4.3 Last-Known Location & Discovery

If you have previously shared your location, your approximate position (rounded to ~100 m) may be visible to nearby users in the Discovery list. You can remove yourself from Discovery at any time using the "Show in Discovery" toggle in Settings, which immediately and permanently removes you from all discovery features until you re-enable it.

4.4 Privacy Control & Retention

You can disable location sharing at any time via the in-app toggle in Settings, or by revoking location permission in your device settings.
Retention: only the most recent rounded location is kept; no history is stored. All userLocations entries and last-known coordinates are removed on account deletion.
Safety exclusions: banned, temporarily suspended, and deactivated accounts are excluded from the nearby list, map, and search in real time until their status is lifted. Users you block (or who blocked you) are excluded from each other's discovery in both directions.

5. Data Retention

5.1 Account Deletion

Grace period: When you request account deletion, your account is deactivated for 30 days. During this period you may reactivate by logging back in. After 30 days your account and associated data are permanently deleted, including all userLocations entries and last-known coordinates.
What is permanently deleted: Profile information, photos and media (including profile photos, additional photos, and chat media), messages and conversations, per‑user analytics, events you created, friend connections, location data, and your authentication record.
What may be retained: A minimal deletion record (timestamp) and, for Pro subscribers, billing/transaction history retained for tax or legal compliance. Support inquiries you submitted may also be retained for legal and operational purposes.
Inactive Accounts: After 25 days of inactivity you will receive an early notification. After 30 consecutive days of inactivity, your account is automatically deactivated and enters a 30‑day grace period during which you may reactivate it by logging back in. If you do not log in within that grace period, your account and all associated data will be permanently deleted (approximately 60 days after your last activity).
How to delete: You can request account deletion through Settings → Personal Details → Delete Account.

5.2 Data Retention Periods

Account information: Retained while your account is active (and during the 30‑day deletion grace period).
Messages: Retained until deleted by you or when your account is permanently deleted.
Location data: Only your most recent location is stored (overwritten on each update). Removed on permanent account deletion.
Photos & media: Retained until you delete them or your account is permanently deleted — stored media files are permanently removed upon account deletion.
Analytics (per‑user): Profile views and connection statistics are retained while your account is active and are permanently deleted when your account is deleted.
Billing and Transaction History: Subscription records, transaction IDs, purchase amounts, dates, and billing receipts are retained while your account is active. Upon account deletion, billing and transaction history is retained as required by law for tax and legal compliance purposes, even after all other personal data has been permanently deleted.
Verification codes: Expire and become invalid after 5 minutes.
Reported content: Retained for up to 1 year for safety and legal compliance, then automatically deleted.

5.3 Third-party Data Retention

Third-party service providers (for example, crash reporting, SMS, email) may retain logs or copies of certain information under their own retention policies. We cannot control deletion of logs held by third parties (e.g., Sentry, Twilio, Zoho).

6. User Rights and Controls

6.1 Account Controls

Profile Visibility: Control whether your profile appears to others using the Location Sharing toggle and Show in Discovery toggle in Settings.
Show in Discovery: Hide yourself from the nearby users list, the map, and search results at any time by disabling "Show in Discovery" in Settings. This is distinct from location sharing — disabling Show in Discovery hides you from the list, map, and search even if your last-known coordinates are stored.
Messaging Privacy: Choose who can message you — Anyone or Friends only (Settings → Messaging Privacy).
Friends Only Reply: If Messaging Privacy is set to "Friends only," non-friends cannot initiate a conversation with you. However, if you message a non-friend first, they will be able to reply to that conversation.
Show as Nearby: When enabled, your profile displays your proximity as "Nearby" to other users instead of a specific distance (e.g., "500 ft" or "3.0 mi"). Toggle this in Settings → Show as Nearby. This setting does not change how location data is collected internally.
Location Toggle: Enable or disable location sharing instantly from Settings. Location also auto-disables when the app is backgrounded, closed, or on every sign-in.
Block Users: Block specific accounts to prevent them from seeing your profile or messaging you. Blocks are enforced bidirectionally in discovery (list, map, and search) in real time.
Incognito Mode (Pro): Pro subscribers can enable Incognito Mode to browse profiles without their visit being recorded or visible to the profile owner.

6.2 Data Rights

Access: Request a copy of your personal data by contacting support@neersocial.com (subject: "Data Access Request").
Correction: Update incorrect or out‑of‑date information in Settings → Personal Details.
Deletion: Delete your account from Settings or Settings → Personal Details → Delete Account. Accounts are deactivated for a 30‑day grace period and permanently removed afterward.
Portability: To request your data in a portable (machine‑readable) format, contact support@neersocial.com.
Opt‑Out: You can withdraw certain processing by disabling feature toggles in Settings (for example: location sharing, Show in Discovery, activity status). Note: there is no separate global "consent withdrawal" control — opt‑outs are provided per feature.

6.3 Communication Preferences

Push Notifications: Manage in‑app notification preferences in Settings → Notifications (per‑category controls for Messages, Connection Requests, Nearby Alerts, etc.), or disable all notifications via your device settings.
Marketing: We do not send promotional or marketing communications.

7. Security Measures

We take data security seriously and implement:

Encryption: All data transmitted between the app and our servers is encrypted in transit via HTTPS/TLS, enforced by our cloud infrastructure (Google Firebase). Data stored on servers is encrypted at rest using AES‑256 encryption.
Password Security: Passwords are securely managed by Firebase Authentication, which hashes them using industry‑standard algorithms on Google's servers. Passwords are never stored in plaintext.
Authentication: Secure token‑based authentication using JSON Web Tokens (JWTs) managed by Firebase Authentication with local persistence on the device. Sessions persist until the user explicitly logs out. Rate limiting prevents brute‑force attacks, with temporary account locks after multiple failed attempts.
Phone & Email Verification: SMS‑based phone number verification during account registration, phone number changes, and password resets. Email‑based verification codes are also available for password resets as an alternative to SMS. Logging out securely clears all locally stored data, terminates your Firebase session, and removes your live map entry.
Account Recovery: If you forget your password, you may use our account recovery process to reset it via a verification code sent to your registered email address or phone number. By providing your phone number, you consent to receiving SMS messages from Neer Social for account verification and password recovery purposes. Standard messaging rates may apply.
Access Controls: Firebase Security Rules enforce authentication‑based access control. Users can only modify their own data; admin‑level privileges exist for moderation. Our cloud infrastructure (Google Firebase) complies with SOC 2 and ISO 27001 security standards.
Account Protection: Banned accounts are blocked from logging in and filtered from all app features. Suspended accounts receive real‑time enforcement with in‑app restrictions.

7.1 Moderation & Reported Content

To maintain a safe and respectful community, Neer Social reserves the right to access and review content when accounts or content are reported. This access is necessary to enforce our Community Guidelines and Terms of Service and to ensure user safety.

Report Review: When a user reports an account, message, or event for violations of our Community Guidelines or Terms of Service, our moderation team may access chat messages, profile information, media, and other related conversation history to investigate the report.
Safety Priority: This access is strictly limited to investigating reports of harassment, threats, spam, impersonation, explicit content, illegal activity, or other policy violations.
Limited Scope: Only authorized moderators have access to reported content. All access is logged and audited. We do not proactively monitor or read private messages for advertising, analytics, or content recommendations.
Privacy Respect: We only review content directly related to the report and related conversation history. We do not access unrelated private conversations.
Content Removal: Violating content is removed immediately upon confirmation of violation.
Data Retention: Reported content is retained for up to 1 year for safety and legal compliance, then automatically deleted (see Section 5.2).
Enforcement Actions: After investigation, appropriate action is taken including warnings, temporary suspensions, or permanent bans depending on the severity of the violation. Submitting false or malicious reports may also result in action against the reporting account (see Terms Section 9).
Appeals: If your account has been suspended or banned, you may submit an appeal by visiting our Contact page or emailing support@neersocial.com. Please include your account username and reason for appeal. Appeals are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

By using Neer, you acknowledge and consent to this access when necessary to enforce our policies and protect our community.

8. Children's Privacy

Age Restriction: Neer is only for users 18 years and older. We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 18.
Account Termination: If we discover a user is under 18, we will immediately terminate their account and delete all associated data.
Parents who discover their child has created an account must delete it immediately.
Age Verification: We verify age during signup through birthday validation and may request additional verification if needed.
COPPA Compliance: We comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and do not target or market to minors.

9. International Users & Data Transfers

Data Location: Your data is stored on servers in the United States operated by Google Firebase.
International Transfers: By using Neer, you consent to data transfer to the US, which may have different data protection laws than your jurisdiction.
EU Users: We comply with GDPR requirements for EU data subjects. Data transferred outside the EU/EEA is protected by Standard Contractual Clauses.
Legal Basis: International transfers are necessary for the performance of our contract with you and to provide the Service.
California Users: See Section 11 for CCPA rights.

10. Cookies and Tracking

Device storage (no browser cookies): the app uses on‑device storage (React Native AsyncStorage) to persist login state, UI preferences, onboarding progress and short‑lived rate‑limit counters.
Crash reporting: we use Sentry for error/crash reports; Sentry may receive error details and user context (user ID/email) to help diagnose issues.
In‑app statistics (first‑party): product metrics you see in the app (profile views, connection stats, network growth) are stored in our database (Firebase Database) and are not shared with advertising partners.
No third‑party advertising/tracking: we do not include AdMob, Meta/Facebook ads, Amplitude, Mixpanel, Segment, or tracking pixels. Firebase Analytics is not used.
Local Control: You can clear on-device data by logging out or uninstalling the app. To delete server-side data and your account completely, use Settings → Personal Details → Delete Account.

11. Apple Tracking & Privacy

App Tracking Transparency (ATT)

Neer does not track your activity across other companies' apps or websites. Because we do not perform cross-app or cross-site tracking, no App Tracking Transparency (ATT) prompt is required or shown.

No Cross-App Tracking: We do not track your activity across other apps or websites. All data collection is limited to your use of Neer.
No Advertising: We do not serve ads or use any advertising SDKs. There is no personalized or targeted advertising in Neer.
Internal Analytics Only: We collect limited, first-party analytics (such as profile views and connection counts) stored in our own database. No data is shared with advertising networks.

Third-Party SDKs

The only third-party SDK running on your device is Sentry for crash reporting. No advertising, analytics, or social media SDKs are used. Server-side services such as Firebase (authentication, database, cloud storage) and Twilio (SMS verification) operate as part of our own backend infrastructure and do not run on your device.

Crash Reporting (Sentry)

Neer uses Sentry to collect crash reports and error diagnostics to improve app stability. Sentry may receive:

Basic device context (OS version, device model) for debugging purposes
Your user ID and email address to help us identify and resolve issues affecting your account
Error stack traces and app state at the time of a crash

Sentry does not collect the Advertising Identifier (IDFA), and no device fingerprinting is performed. IP addresses are not stored with crash reports. For more information, see Sentry's Privacy Policy.

Privacy Labels

Our App Store privacy label lists all data we collect and how it is used. You can view this label on the Neer App Store page.

IDFA & Device Identifiers

We do not access or collect the Advertising Identifier (IDFA).
No device fingerprinting is performed.

12. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

California residents have the following rights:

Know — request disclosure of the categories and specific pieces of personal information we collect.
Delete — request deletion of personal information we maintain about you.
Opt‑Out of sale — you may opt out of the sale of personal information; we do not sell personal information.
Non‑Discrimination — you will not be discriminated against for exercising these rights.

How to exercise your CCPA rights:

To submit a CCPA request, please email support@neersocial.com with the subject line “CCPA Request,” or submit your request through the Contact us page on our website.
Note: third‑party processors (e.g., Sentry, Twilio, Zoho) may retain logs under their policies; we do not sell your data to third‑party advertisers.

13. Changes to Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time
We will notify you of material changes via in-app notification before they take effect
Changes take effect 30 days after notification
Continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance
Review this policy periodically for updates

14. Third-Party Services

Neer integrates with:

Apple In-App Purchase: Subscription payment processing — all Pro subscription billing, renewals, and refunds are handled by Apple (see Apple Privacy)
Twilio: SMS delivery of one-time verification and password reset codes (see Twilio Privacy)
Zoho: Email services — used to send transactional emails, password reset codes, and account recovery emails (see Zoho Privacy)
Google Cloud (Firebase): Authentication, real-time database, cloud storage, and server-side functions (see Google Privacy)
Sentry: Crash reporting and error logging (see Sentry Privacy)
Expo: Push notification delivery (see Expo Privacy)

14.1 Copyright & Intellectual Property

If we receive a valid Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown notice regarding content you have posted, we may remove or disable access to that content and notify you. In processing DMCA notices, we may share limited information (such as your username and contact details) with the complaining party as required by law.

For complete details on how we handle copyright infringement claims, takedown procedures, counter-notifications, and our repeat infringer policy, please see our DMCA Policy available in the app under Settings → Legal → DMCA Policy.

15. Contact Us & Data Requests

For privacy-related questions, data requests, or to exercise your rights:

Email: support@neersocial.com or Contact us
Subject Line: "Privacy Request" or "Data Access Request"
In‑App: Settings → Help & Support → Contact Support
Response Time: We will respond within 4-5 business days

16. Data Processing Lawful Basis (GDPR)

We process your data based on:

Consent: For optional processing such as location sharing during your session and push notifications, where you provide explicit consent through in-app toggles and device-level permission prompts.
Contract Performance: Processing necessary to provide the Service
Legitimate Interests: Improving service, preventing fraud, ensuring safety
Legal Obligation: Compliance with applicable laws and regulations

Last Updated: April 17, 2026

By using Neer, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by this Privacy Policy.