Privacy Policy

Last Updated: March 30, 2026

Sefere ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting the privacy of our users. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide

• Account Information: Phone number, first name, last name, and profile details you choose to share.
• Profile Content: Photos, biography, interests, location, and other information you add to your profile.
• Communications: Messages, voice recordings, and media you send through our chat feature.
• Verification Data: Facial images captured during our liveness verification process to ensure authentic profiles.

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Device Information: Device type, operating system version, and unique device identifiers.
• Location Data: Precise location (with your permission) to show nearby community members and services.
• Usage Data: App interactions, features used, and time spent in the app.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

• Account Creation & Authentication: To verify your identity and manage your account via phone number authentication.
• Profile Display: To show your profile to other community members within the Sefere network.
• Community Features: To enable connections, messaging, and discovery of other diaspora members.
• Location Services: To filter and display nearby members and diaspora services based on your location.
• Identity Verification: To verify the authenticity of user profiles through liveness detection.
• Notifications: To send you push notifications about messages, connection requests, and community events.
• Safety & Moderation: To enforce community guidelines and respond to reports of abuse or inappropriate content.

3. Data Sharing & Disclosure

We may share information in the following circumstances:

• With Other Users: Your profile information, photos, and location (city level) are visible to other Sefere members.
• Service Providers: We use Firebase (Google) for authentication, data storage, file storage, and push notifications. See Firebase Privacy Policy.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or governmental regulation.
• Safety: To protect the safety and rights of our users and the public.

4. Data Storage & Security

Your data is stored securely using Google Firebase services with industry-standard encryption. We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

5. Your Rights & Choices

• Access & Edit: You can view and update your profile information at any time through the app's Edit Profile screen.
• Location: You can enable or disable location sharing through your device settings.
• Notifications: You can manage push notification preferences in your device settings.
• Block Users: You can block any user to prevent them from contacting you or viewing your profile.
• Report Content: You can report users or content that violates our community guidelines.
• Account Deletion: You can permanently delete your account and all associated data from the Settings menu within the app. This action is irreversible and removes all your data from our servers.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active. When you delete your account, we permanently remove:

• Your profile information and photos
• Your chat messages and media
• Your connections and connection requests
• Your authentication credentials

Some anonymized, aggregated data may be retained for analytics purposes.

7. Children's Privacy

Sefere is intended for users aged 18 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of 18. If we learn that we have collected data from a minor, we will delete that information promptly.

8. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence, specifically the United States where our Firebase servers are located. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for such transfers.

9. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we collect about you.
• Request deletion of your personal data.
• Opt out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal data).

10. European Privacy Rights (GDPR)

If you are in the European Economic Area, you have the right to access, rectify, port, and erase your data, as well as the right to restrict and object to certain processing. You may exercise these rights by contacting us or by using the account management features within the app.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new policy within the app and updating the "Last Updated" date.

12. Contact Us

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