Privacy Policy
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Effective Date: April 1, 2026
Last Updated: May 18, 2026
1. Introduction
Gaydar ("Gaydar," "we," "us," or "our") is an LGBTQ+ dating and social networking mobile application operated by Gaydar Inc., a Delaware corporation with its principal place of business at 421 8th Avenue, #9227, New York, NY 10116, United States.
Contact Information:
- Privacy inquiries: privacy@gaydarapp.com
- Trust & Safety: trust@gaydarapp.com
- Legal / law enforcement: legal@gaydarapp.com
- Mailing address: Gaydar Inc., 421 8th Avenue, #9227, New York, NY 10116, United States
This Privacy Policy explains what personal data we collect when you use Gaydar, how we use and share it, the choices you have, and the rights you may exercise under applicable law. It applies to the Gaydar iOS app and any related websites or services that link to it.
Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. If you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, do not use or visit the Service. By using or visiting the Service, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Information You Provide to Us
When you create an account and use Gaydar, you voluntarily provide us with:
Account & Identity Information:
- Phone number (used for account verification via SMS)
- Email address (optional)
- Date of birth (to verify you are 18 or older)
- Display name and profile information
Profile Data:
- Photos and videos
- Bio/description
- Physical characteristics (height, body type)
- Relationship status and what you're looking for
- Languages spoken
- Pronouns
Sensitive Personal Information:
- Sexual orientation (inherent to the product)
- Gender identity and trans status
- HIV status and last-tested date (optional field)
- Relationship style (polyamorous, open, monogamous, etc.)
- PrEP use (optional)
Location & Communication Data:
- GPS coordinates (foreground only, via your device) used to calculate distance and populate radar/discover features
- Virtual location ("Travel" / "Explore"): You may set a different city or pin-drop location to view and be viewed by users in that area. When Travel is active, Gaydar shows other users your chosen location (not your real GPS). Your real GPS is not transmitted while Travel is active.
- Location-in-chat: You may voluntarily share a point-in-time location with another user inside a chat (for example, a meetup pin). The recipient sees the coordinates you chose to send, and the shared location is stored with the chat message until deleted.
- Chat messages, voice notes, reactions, and shared media
Payment Information:
- Subscription tier and status
- Purchase receipts
- Important: We do not receive or store your credit card, bank account, or other payment card information. All payments are processed by Apple via the App Store.
2.2 Information We Collect Automatically
When you use Gaydar, we automatically collect:
Device and Technical Data:
- Device model and manufacturer
- Operating system version
- App version
- IP address
- Push notification tokens
- Device identifiers (Expo install ID)
- Locale and language settings
Usage and Behavioral Data:
- Screens viewed and features used
- Likes, passes, matches, blocks, and reports
- Session timing and duration
- Feature usage patterns
- Search queries and filters used
Diagnostic Data:
- Crash reports and error logs
- Performance data
- Breadcrumbs (steps leading to errors)
2.3 Information From Third Parties
We may receive information from:
- Apple App Store: Purchase receipts, subscription status, and refund information
- AppsFlyer (mobile measurement and attribution): When you tap a Gaydar marketing link in another app or on the web, AppsFlyer may share attribution data (the campaign that referred you, your IDFA if you grant App Tracking Transparency permission, and the install or open timestamp) with our backend so we can credit the correct marketing channel.
- Google AdMob (including DoubleClick): When an advertisement is shown to you in the Free tier, AdMob may share advertising-related identifiers and ad-delivery telemetry with our backend.
The App Tracking Transparency (ATT) consent flow described in Section 5.3 controls whether AppsFlyer and AdMob can access your Apple Advertising Identifier (IDFA).
3. How We Use Your Information
We use your information for the following purposes:
| Purpose | Legal Basis |
|---|---|
| Provide and maintain the Service — create and manage your account, authenticate you, enable matching and messaging, process subscriptions | Performance of contract |
| Personalize your experience — show you relevant profiles, improve recommendations, remember your preferences | Legitimate interest |
| Safety and security — verify accounts, detect and prevent fraud, enforce our Terms of Service, moderate content, investigate reports | Legitimate interest / Legal obligation |
| Communicate with you — send service notifications, subscription updates, security alerts, respond to support requests | Performance of contract / Legitimate interest |
| Advertising — show you relevant ads on the free tier (with your consent where required) | Consent / Legitimate interest |
| Analytics and improvement — understand how users interact with Gaydar, fix bugs, develop new features | Legitimate interest |
| Legal compliance — respond to legal requests, comply with applicable laws, protect our rights | Legal obligation |
4. How We Share Your Information
4.1 Other Users
Your profile information is visible to other Gaydar users based on your privacy settings:
- Public profile: Your photos, display name, age, bio, and other profile fields you choose to share
- Distance: By default, other users can see your approximate distance. You can hide or obfuscate this in settings.
- Online status: Other users may see when you were last active
- Travel location: When using Travel/Explore mode, other users see your chosen location
Important: Do not include information in your profile that you want to keep private.
4.2 Service Providers and Partners
We share information with third-party service providers who perform functions on our behalf:
| Category | Function | Data Shared |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud infrastructure providers | Host our databases, storage, and application servers | All user data (encrypted at rest and in transit) |
| Authentication provider | SMS verification and secure login | Phone number, authentication tokens, device ID |
| SMS delivery provider | Deliver one-time passcodes via text message | Phone number |
| Content delivery network | Store and serve profile photos, chat media, voice notes | Photos, videos, voice notes |
| Push notification service | Deliver push notifications to your device | Push tokens, notification payloads |
| Payment processor | Handle in-app subscription purchases | User ID, subscription status, purchase receipts |
| Email service provider | Send transactional emails (deletion confirmations, legal notices) | Email address, message content |
| Error monitoring service | Track crashes and errors to improve stability | Pseudonymous user ID, error logs, device metadata |
| Content moderation service | Automated scanning of uploaded images and videos for inappropriate content, CSAM, and nudity | Photos and videos |
| Speech-to-text service | Transcribe voice notes for accessibility and moderation | Voice note audio |
| Translation service | On-demand translation of chat messages | Message text |
| Mobile app build service | Build and distribute app updates | Build artifacts, update bundles |
| Mobile measurement & attribution (AppsFlyer) | Measure install attribution, deep-link routing, and uninstall events for the Free tier; never tied to your gender identity, sexual orientation, HIV status, or chat content | Device identifier (IDFA, only if you grant App Tracking Transparency permission), install timestamp, attribution events, app open events |
| Advertising network (Google AdMob, including DoubleClick) | Serve advertisements in the Free tier of Gaydar | Device identifier (IDFA, only if you grant App Tracking Transparency permission), advertising-related identifiers, coarse location for ad delivery |
4.3 Advertising and Cross-App Tracking
Gaydar's iOS build includes two third-party SDKs that relate to advertising and attribution:
- Google AdMob (operated by Google LLC, including the DoubleClick ad-serving network) — used to serve advertisements within the Free tier of the app.
- AppsFlyer — used to measure install attribution, deep-link routing, and uninstall events so we can understand which marketing channels deliver new users.
App Tracking Transparency (ATT). Because these SDKs can access cross-app and cross-website identifiers (the Apple Advertising Identifier, IDFA), the iOS build sets NSPrivacyTracking: true and presents Apple's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) prompt before any tracking call is made. You can decline the ATT prompt at any time, and you can change your decision later under iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking → Gaydar. If you decline, the SDKs are still loaded inside the app but they cannot access your IDFA and cannot perform cross-app tracking.
What we never share with advertising or attribution partners. Regardless of your ATT choice, Gaydar does not share with advertising or attribution partners: your sexual orientation, gender identity, trans status, HIV status, the contents of your messages, your voice notes, your profile photos, or your precise GPS coordinates.
v1.0 launch behavior. At the time of the v1.0 launch, both SDKs are loaded but the events they emit are gated behind a server-controlled feature flag that is disabled at launch. We will update this Privacy Policy and the "Last Updated" date when that flag is enabled in production.
Declared tracking domains. The following domains are declared in the iOS privacy manifest as tracking domains: app.appsflyer.com, appsflyer.com, googleads.g.doubleclick.net, googlesyndication.com, pagead2.googlesyndication.com.
Privacy controls. You can manage advertising and tracking-related controls under Settings → Privacy in the app and under iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking → Gaydar. EU/UK users can request a re-presentation of consent prompts; Global Privacy Control (GPC) signals are honored on any Gaydar web property; California residents have an in-app "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" toggle.
4.4 Legal and Safety Disclosures
We may disclose your information:
- To comply with legal obligations, court orders, or government requests
- To protect the safety of our users or the public
- To enforce our Terms of Service
- To detect and prevent fraud, abuse, or illegal activity
- To report CSAM to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) as required by law
4.5 Business Transfers
If Gaydar is involved in a merger, acquisition, sale of assets, or bankruptcy, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.
5. Your Privacy Choices
5.1 In-App Controls
You can control your privacy through Gaydar settings:
- Profile visibility: Control what information appears on your profile
- Distance visibility: Hide or obfuscate your distance from other users
- Travel/Explore mode: Turn on/off and change your virtual location
- Location permissions: Grant or revoke GPS access in your device settings
- Push notifications: Enable or disable in your device settings
- Account deletion: Request permanent deletion of your account and data
5.2 Device Permissions
You can manage permissions in your device settings:
- Location: iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services → Gaydar
- Photos: iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Photos → Gaydar
- Notifications: iOS Settings → Notifications → Gaydar
- Tracking: iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking → Gaydar
5.3 Advertising and Tracking Controls
Gaydar's iOS build includes Google AdMob (advertising) and AppsFlyer (mobile measurement and attribution) SDKs. Both can access the Apple Advertising Identifier (IDFA) only with your explicit consent through Apple's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework.
Your options today:
- App Tracking Transparency (ATT) opt-out: When the app launches, iOS presents the ATT prompt asking whether you allow Gaydar to use the IDFA. You can decline, and you can change your decision later under iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking → Gaydar. Declining prevents cross-app tracking.
- CCPA/CPRA opt-out: Settings → Privacy → "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" in the app, for California residents
- Global Privacy Control (GPC): We honor GPC signals on any Gaydar web property
- Marketing email: Use the unsubscribe link in any marketing email or toggle off marketing-email consent under Account → Marketing preferences
- EU/UK consent: Users in the EEA / UK are presented with a re-openable consent banner before any tracking event is sent
What we will not share with advertising or attribution partners, regardless of your ATT choice: your sexual orientation, gender identity, trans status, HIV status, the contents of your messages, your voice notes, your profile photos, or your precise GPS coordinates.
5.4 Communication Preferences
- Email: You can opt out of promotional emails by following the unsubscribe link. We will still send service-related emails.
- Push notifications: Disable in your device settings
6. Data Retention
We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide the Service and fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy:
| Data Type | Retention Period |
|---|---|
| Active account data | Until you delete your account |
| Account data after deletion request | Deleted from live systems within 30 days |
| Chat messages | Until you or the recipient delete them, you unsend them, or the account is deleted |
| Photos and videos | Deleted with the associated message/profile, or within 30 days of account deletion |
| Selfie verification images | Retained while verification is active; re-verification required after 365 days; deleted within 30 days of account deletion |
| Crash/error logs | 30–90 days per service provider retention |
| Moderation records (reports, bans, appeals) | Retained after account deletion where necessary for safety, fraud prevention, or legal obligations |
| Transaction/tax records | Per applicable tax and accounting law (typically up to 7 years) |
| Backups | Rolling backups may retain data for up to 30 days after deletion |
| Legal holds | Retained as required by law or legal process |
7. Data Security
We take administrative, technical, and physical measures to protect your information:
- Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit (TLS 1.3) and at rest (AES-256)
- Access controls: Limited employee access on a need-to-know basis
- Security monitoring: Continuous monitoring for suspicious activity
- Regular audits: Security assessments and penetration testing
Important: No security measure is perfect. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials.
8. International Data Transfers
Gaydar is based in the United States. Your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States and other countries where our service providers operate.
When we transfer personal data outside your jurisdiction:
- From the EEA/UK: We use Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) and UK International Data Transfer Agreements (IDTAs) to ensure adequate protection
- From other jurisdictions: We implement appropriate safeguards as required by applicable law
By using Gaydar, you consent to the transfer of your information to countries that may have different data protection laws than your country of residence.
9. Your Rights
Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information.
9.1 General Rights (All Users)
- Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
- Correction: Request that we correct inaccurate information
- Deletion: Request deletion of your account and personal information
- Portability: Request your data in a portable format
9.2 GDPR Rights (EEA, UK, Switzerland)
If you are in the European Economic Area, UK, or Switzerland, you have the following rights under the GDPR:
- Right to be informed about how we use your personal data
- Right of access to your personal data
- Right to rectification of inaccurate personal data
- Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten") in certain circumstances
- Right to restrict processing of your personal data
- Right to data portability
- Right to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing
- Right not to be subject to automated decision-making including profiling
Sensitive Data: Sexual orientation, gender identity, and HIV status are "special category" data under GDPR. We process this data only with your explicit consent, which you provide when creating your profile. You can withdraw consent at any time by deleting the relevant information from your profile or deleting your account.
To exercise your GDPR rights: Email privacy@gaydarapp.com or submit a request through the app.
Complaints: You have the right to lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority.
9.3 CCPA/CPRA Rights (California Residents)
If you are a California resident, you have the following rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA):
- Know what personal and sensitive personal information we collect, use, disclose, and share
- Delete personal information we hold about you
- Correct inaccurate personal information
- Opt out of sale or sharing — Although we do not sell your personal information for money, our advertising partners may constitute "sharing" for cross-context behavioral advertising under California law. You may opt out at any time via Settings → Privacy → "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" or by emailing privacy@gaydarapp.com. We honor Global Privacy Control (GPC) signals.
- Limit use and disclosure of Sensitive Personal Information to that necessary to provide the Service. We already restrict the use of orientation, gender identity, HIV status, and similar sensitive attributes to service delivery — they are never shared with advertisers.
- Non-discrimination for exercising these rights
- Designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf
Categories of Personal Information Collected: See Section 2 above.
Categories of Personal Information Disclosed for Business Purposes: See Section 4 above.
To exercise your CCPA/CPRA rights: Email privacy@gaydarapp.com with the subject line "CCPA Request" or use the in-app controls.
9.4 Other State Privacy Rights
Residents of Virginia (VCDPA), Colorado (CPA), Connecticut (CTDPA), Utah (UCPA), and other states with comprehensive privacy laws may have similar rights to know, access, delete, correct, and opt out of the sale or sharing of their personal information. Contact privacy@gaydarapp.com to exercise these rights.
10. Children's Privacy
Gaydar is not intended for anyone under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 18, we will delete that information immediately.
If you believe a child under 18 has created an account, please contact us at trust@gaydarapp.com.
11. Content Moderation and CSAM
11.1 Automated Moderation
All uploaded images and videos are automatically scanned for:
- Child sexual abuse material (CSAM)
- Nudity and sexual content
- Violence and gore
- Hate symbols
This scanning occurs before content is made visible to other users.
11.2 CSAM Reporting
We report all detected CSAM to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) as required by U.S. law. We cooperate fully with law enforcement investigations.
11.3 User Reports
Users can report inappropriate content or behavior through the app. Reports are reviewed by our Trust & Safety team and may result in content removal, warnings, or account termination.
12. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes:
- We will notify you through the app or via email
- We will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy
- Your continued use of Gaydar after the changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy
We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.
13. Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:
Privacy inquiries: privacy@gaydarapp.com
Trust & Safety: trust@gaydarapp.com
Legal / law enforcement: legal@gaydarapp.com
Mailing address:
Gaydar Inc.
421 8th Avenue, #9227
New York, NY 10116
United States
14. Additional Disclosures for Specific Regions
14.1 Nevada Residents
Under Nevada law, Nevada residents may opt out of the sale of certain personal information. While we do not sell personal information as defined by Nevada law, you may submit an opt-out request to privacy@gaydarapp.com with the subject line "Nevada Opt-Out."
14.2 Canada
If you are in Canada, you have rights under PIPEDA and provincial privacy laws. Contact privacy@gaydarapp.com to exercise your rights.
14.3 Australia
If you are in Australia, you have rights under the Privacy Act 1988. Contact privacy@gaydarapp.com to exercise your rights.
This Privacy Policy was drafted with reference to industry best practices and comparable services in the LGBTQ+ dating space.