Privacy Policy

1. Overview

This Privacy Policy explains how YAPP: For Yappers, By Yappers (“YAPP,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) collects, uses, shares, and safeguards information in connection with our mobile application and related services (collectively, the “Service”).

2. Data We Collect

• Account & Profile: name, phone number, age, and profile details you choose to provide.
• Contacts (with consent): limited contact information from your device’s address book (e.g., names and phone numbers or their hashed values) to suggest friends already on YAPP and help your friends find you.
• Location (with consent): approximate or precise location depending on your device settings, used to power proximity-based features (we do not share your exact location with friends; see Location & Proximity).
• User Content: text you create and images you upload.
• Usage & Device Data: app interactions, device type, OS version, settings, crash logs, and diagnostics (used to maintain and improve the Service).

3. How We Use Your Data

• Provide, operate, maintain, and improve the Service.
• Personalize features and content, including location-based features (if enabled).
• Suggest friends from your contacts (with your consent), allow friends to discover you by your phone number, and display only your approximate proximity to friends (not your exact location).
• Moderate content, maintain safety, detect/prevent spam, fraud, and abuse.
• Communicate with you about updates, security alerts, and support.
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms.

4. Contacts & Friend Suggestions

With your explicit consent, YAPP may access your phone’s contact list to help you find friends who already use the app and to let your friends find you. When you agree, limited contact information (such as names and phone numbers or their hashed values) may be uploaded securely to our servers solely for friend-matching. This data is never made public or sold, and is used only to suggest connections. You can withdraw permission at any time in your device settings, and you may request deletion of uploaded contact data by emailing support@yappculture.com.

5. Your Phone Number as Identifier

Your phone number serves as your account identifier so your friends can discover and reach you on YAPP, similar to other messaging and social apps. It is not publicly visible to non-contacts. We do not sell your phone number. You may request deletion of your account and associated phone number at any time by contacting support@yappculture.com.

6. Location & Proximity

With your permission, YAPP uses your location to show your friends when you are nearby—never your exact GPS coordinates. We display only approximate proximity (e.g., “nearby”) and do not show a precise map pin to others. Location data may be processed on our servers to power proximity features and is not made publicly available. You can disable location access at any time in your device settings.

7. How We Share Your Data

• Service Providers: We may share data with vendors who help operate the Service (e.g., hosting, analytics, content moderation). They are bound by confidentiality and use restrictions.
• Legal & Safety: We may disclose information if required by law or to protect rights, safety, and integrity of the Service and users.
• Business Transfers: If we undergo a reorganization or transfer of ownership, information may be transferred as part of that process.
• With Your Consent: We may share information for other purposes with your consent or at your direction.

We do not sell your personal information.

8. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to provide the Service, comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Retention periods may vary based on the type of data and our legal/operational needs.

9. Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures designed to protect personal information. However, no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location (including California), you may have rights to:

• Access the personal information we maintain about you.
• Correct inaccurate personal information.
• Delete personal information, subject to legal exceptions.
• Opt-out of certain data uses where applicable (e.g., targeted advertising or sharing — not currently used by YAPP).
• Non-discrimination for exercising your rights.

To exercise rights, email support@yappculture.com. We may verify your request to protect your account and privacy.

11. Children’s Privacy

The Service is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided personal information, contact us and we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

12. International Transfers

We are based in the United States. If you access the Service from outside the U.S., you understand that your information may be processed in the U.S., which may have different data protection laws than your country.

13. Changes to this Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The latest version will be posted here, and the “Last Updated” date will reflect the effective date. Your continued use of the Service constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.

14. Contact

Questions or requests? Email support@yappculture.com.