Effective Date: September 24, 2025
Introduction
This Privacy Policy governs how SideXSide, a platform connecting women 18 and older for shared journeys, collects, uses, and protects your data. By using SideXSide, you agree to this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the platform.
Data Collection
We collect minimal data to facilitate safe connections:
- Account Info: Email or phone number for sign-up (encrypted, stored securely via Firebase Auth).
- Profile Data: Name, vibe/awareness/energy preferences (via quiz sliders), optional selfie/ID for verification (processed and deleted instantly via Firebase ML Kit/Stripe Identity).
- Journey Data: Exact start/destination inputs (private map, on-device processing via Google Maps API), intent toggles, all ephemeral and deleted post-journey.
- User Settings: Preference quiz results (Sociability, Alertness, Energy) and match notification preferences (opt-in toggle), stored securely and editable in your settings.
- Badge Data: Anonymized trip completion data (feedback submissions) to assign badges (e.g., Supporter Badge for 3+ trips), deleted post-processing.
Data Use
Data is used solely to:
- Match you with women for shared journeys (e.g., fuzzy outputs like “near Flatiron” via Firebase Cloud Functions).
- Improve matching accuracy (95%) using anonymized, aggregated feedback (e.g., “Did this feel safe?”) and quiz preferences, deleted after processing.
- Assign badges (Basic, Verified, Supporter, Trusted) based on verification (selfie/ID) or activity (trip completions, matches).
- Send automatic match notifications (if opted in, user-controlled).
No GPS trails, location history, or public profiles are stored.
Data Sharing
- No personal data is shared with third parties, sold, or used for advertising.
- Anonymized, aggregated analytics (e.g., feedback, quiz data) may improve matching, with no personal identifiers.
- Badge Visibility: Your highest-level badge (e.g., Trusted, Verified, Supporter, or Basic) is displayed as an icon to potential matches during the opt-in phase (“Yes/No”) and in Ephemeral Chat to build trust. All earned badges are viewable in your match’s profile post-matching. No personal data (e.g., name, email) is revealed with badges.
Data Deletion
- Journey and communication data (e.g., chats, location inputs) are deleted after each trip or within 24 hours.
- Verification data (selfie/ID) is deleted instantly post-processing.
- Badge data (e.g., trip completions for Supporter Badge) is anonymized and deleted after processing.
- User settings (quiz preferences, notification toggle) are deleted upon account deletion.
- You can delete your account anytime, removing all associated data (GDPR/CCPA compliant).
Security
- We use industry-standard encryption (e.g., AES-256) for account data, user settings, and Premium chats.
- No live tracking or persistent location data is stored.
- Premium users receive priority privacy support.
Contact Us
For questions, contact us at [Your Email Address] or via the app’s support (community email for Free, 24/7 chat/email for Premium).