Privacy Policy

Effective date: June 16, 2026. This policy applies to the NearMe web app and Android app worldwide.

NearMe is a safety and mutual-help application. We process personal data only to operate the service, deliver SOS alerts, support paid plans, and keep the app secure. We do not sell personal data.

1. Who controls the data

NearMe is operated by the project owner at people-near.me. For privacy questions or deletion requests, contact support through the app or by email at support@people-near.me.

2. Data we collect or process

• Account data: name, email address, Firebase auth identifier, and selected role/plan.
• Device and app identifiers: app-generated device ID, push token / FCM token, and related technical identifiers.
• Location: precise foreground location and, if enabled by you, background location on Android.
• Emergency contacts: names and phone numbers that you manually enter for the family/group SMS feature.
• SMS content: the emergency message template and recipient numbers you configure for the SMS feature.
• Incident and usage data: SOS events, incident IDs, comments, reactions, private room data, and support messages.
• Subscription and purchase state: plan selection and Google Play Billing status/entitlements.
• Diagnostic data: logs and technical events needed to keep the service reliable and prevent abuse.

3. Why we use the data

• Authenticate users and keep their account working across devices.
• Show nearby incidents and calculate distances on the map.
• Deliver push notifications for active SOS incidents, support replies, and critical account events.
• Send SMS alerts from the user's own Android device when the family/group feature is enabled and permission is granted.
• Store emergency contacts for the current account so they are not mixed with another user.
• Support private rooms, paid plans, and moderation / abuse prevention.

4. How data is stored

• Server-side data is stored in the NearMe backend and PostgreSQL database.
• Authentication and push delivery use Google / Firebase services.
• Emergency contacts are stored on the server per user account and may also be cached locally per account for offline use.
• We do not use your device's address book. Emergency contacts are entered manually by you.

5. Sharing and third parties

• Firebase Authentication for sign-in and account identity.
• Firebase Cloud Messaging for push notifications.
• Google Play Billing for subscriptions sold in the Android app.
• Our backend hosting and database for incidents, profiles, private rooms, and emergency contacts.
• SMS messages are sent from your own device through your mobile carrier; they are not sent by our server.

6. Permissions

• Location: needed for nearby incidents, map display, and SOS radius calculations.
• Background location: used only if you explicitly enable it on Android to keep location updates active when the app is minimized or closed. You can revoke it at any time in system settings.
• Notifications: needed for push alerts about incidents, support replies, and other service messages.
• SMS: needed only for the family/group plans so the app can send SOS messages to your stored emergency contacts from your own device.

7. Retention

• We keep account and service data while your account is active or while needed to operate the service.
• You can delete your profile from inside the app when that option is available.
• You can also revoke permissions in your device settings; some features will stop working if permissions are removed.
• Local data can be removed by uninstalling the app or clearing app storage.

8. Account deletion

NearMe provides an external account deletion page at /delete-account/. You can also request deletion by emailing support@people-near.me from the email address associated with your account.

After we verify the request, we delete the account data tied to that profile within a reasonable time, unless we must retain limited information for security, fraud prevention, or legal compliance.

9. International use

NearMe is a worldwide service. Data may be processed in countries where Google, Firebase, hosting providers, or our backend infrastructure operate. We use the same privacy rules for all regions unless local law requires more.

10. Children

NearMe is not intended for children under the age required by local law to consent to this type of service.

11. Changes

We may update this policy when the app, permissions, or legal requirements change. The current version will remain available at /privacy_policy/.