Privacy Policy

Last updated: January 1, 2026 · Effective: January 1, 2026

      The short version: We collect only what we need to make the app work. We never sell your data. We never store your raw phone number. Your location is only used to show nearby events — we don't track where you go.
    

1. Who we are

Friends App ("Friends", "we", "us", or "our") operates the Friends mobile application available on iOS and Android. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding that information.

If you have questions, contact us at support@friendsapp.net.

2. Information we collect

Information you provide directly

Data	Why we collect it	Stored?
Display name	Shown on your profile and events	Yes, in your profile
Username	Lets friends find you by handle	Yes, in your profile
Profile photo	Shown on your profile and events	Yes, in secure cloud storage
Bio	Optional — shown on your profile	Yes, if you add one
Interests / categories	Personalises event recommendations	Yes, in your profile
Phone number	Find friends from your contacts	No — hashed with SHA-256 before leaving your device; raw number never stored

Information collected automatically

Data	Why we collect it	Stored?
Firebase User ID	Identifies your account across sessions	Yes
Precise location	Shows events on the map near you	No — used in-session only, not stored
Push notification token	Sends you event invites and RSVPs	Yes, attached to your account
App usage events	Anonymous analytics (e.g. "event created") via Amplitude	Yes, anonymised

Contact list access

If you choose to find friends from your contacts, we access your contact list on-device, hash each phone number with SHA-256, and query our database for matches. We never upload, store, or transmit your raw contact list. We only store the SHA-256 hashes of numbers you explicitly share with us.

3. How we use your information

App functionality — creating your account, showing your profile, letting friends find you, displaying events on the map
Notifications — alerting you to event invites, RSVPs, friend requests, and event updates
Friend discovery — matching your contacts' hashed phone numbers to existing accounts
Safety — detecting abuse, enforcing our Terms of Service, and investigating reports
Analytics — understanding how the app is used in aggregate to improve it (no personal data in analytics)

4. What we never do

We never sell your personal data to third parties
We never use your data for advertising targeting
We never store your raw phone number or raw contact list
We never track your location history — location is used only in-session to show the map
We never store your email address in your public profile

5. How we share your information

We share information only in these limited cases:

With other users — your name, username, profile photo, and events are visible to friends (and friends-of-friends or public, depending on your privacy settings)
Service providers — we use Firebase (Google) for authentication, database, storage, and cloud functions; and Amplitude for anonymous analytics. Both are bound by their own privacy policies and data processing agreements
Legal requirements — if required by law or to protect the rights and safety of our users

6. Data retention

Your data is retained for as long as your account is active. When you delete your account, your profile, events, and personal data are permanently deleted within 30 days. Anonymous analytics data may be retained longer in aggregate form.

7. Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights including:

Access — request a copy of the data we hold about you
Deletion — request deletion of your account and associated data
Correction — update incorrect information via the app's Edit Profile screen
Portability — request your data in a portable format

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at support@friendsapp.net.

8. Children's privacy

Friends is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has created an account, please contact us immediately and we will delete the account.

9. Security

We use industry-standard security measures including encrypted connections (TLS), Firebase security rules that enforce server-side access control, and hashed storage for sensitive identifiers. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Third-party services

The app integrates with:

Firebase (Google) — authentication, database, storage, and cloud functions
Google Maps / Places — venue and location search
Ticketmaster — local event discovery (queries proxied through our server; your location is not sent to Ticketmaster)
Amplitude — anonymous usage analytics
Expo — push notification delivery

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes via an in-app notification or email. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision.

12. Contact

Questions about this Privacy Policy? Contact us:

Email: support@friendsapp.net
Website: friendsapp.net