Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Pinged ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our platform at trypinged.com ("the Service"). By using the Service, you consent to the data practices described in this policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Account Information

When you create an account, we collect information provided through our OAuth authentication provider, which may include your display name and a unique identifier. We do not collect or store passwords directly.

2.2 Phone Number Data

We collect phone numbers in two contexts: (a) your verified phone number during account registration, used to prevent duplicate accounts and ensure platform integrity; and (b) phone numbers you search for or submit reports about. Searched phone numbers are stored as anonymized 10-digit strings without associated personal identifying information about the number's owner.

2.3 Email Address

If you subscribe to email notifications, we collect and store the email address you provide in your notification settings. This email is used solely for sending notification alerts about activity on phone numbers you are monitoring.

2.4 User-Submitted Content

We collect reports, flags, pings, and other content you submit through the Service. This includes report types (e.g., ghosting, burner, catfish), optional notes, dating app flags, and ping labels. All submissions are associated with your account but displayed anonymously to other users.

2.5 Usage Data

We automatically collect certain information when you access the Service, including your IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, and timestamps. This data is used for analytics, security, and improving the Service.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve the Service.
• Verify your identity and prevent duplicate or fraudulent accounts.
• Display aggregated, anonymized activity data for phone numbers.
• Calculate health status indicators and apply badges based on community reports.
• Send email notifications about activity on your monitored numbers (if subscribed).
• Send SMS verification codes during account registration.
• Enforce our Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy.
• Respond to support requests and legal obligations.
• Analyze usage patterns to improve the platform.

4. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services to operate the platform:

5. Data Retention

We retain your account information for as long as your account is active. Pings expire automatically after their set duration (up to 14 days). Badges expire after 30 days. Reports and flags are retained to maintain the integrity of the health status system. SMS verification codes expire after 10 minutes and are marked as used. If you delete your account, your personal information will be removed, but anonymized aggregate data (ping counts, report counts) may be retained.

6. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information, including encrypted database connections (SSL/TLS), secure session management, and hashed authentication tokens. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate personal data.
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data and account.
• Opt-out: Disable email notifications at any time through your account settings.
• Data Removal: Request removal of data associated with your phone number by contacting us.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected].

8. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have the right to know what personal information we collect, request deletion of your data, and opt out of the sale of your personal information. We do not sell personal information to third parties. To make a request, contact us at [email protected].

9. Children's Privacy

The Service is not intended for use by individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected data from a child under 18, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

10. Cookies & Tracking

We use essential cookies to maintain your session and authentication state. We may also use analytics cookies to understand how the Service is used. We do not use advertising cookies or share cookie data with third-party advertisers. You can disable cookies in your browser settings, but this may affect your ability to use the Service.

11. Electronic Communications

By creating an account or using the Service, you consent to receive electronic communications from us, including: (a) SMS messages for phone number verification; (b) email notifications about activity on phone numbers you are monitoring (if subscribed); and (c) service-related announcements and updates. Standard message and data rates may apply for SMS. You may opt out of email notifications at any time through your account settings, but SMS verification messages are required for use of the Service.

12. 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 updated policy on this page with a revised "Last updated" date. Your continued use of the Service after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at [email protected].