PrideChat Privacy and Cookie Policy

Introduction

Welcome to PrideChat's Privacy and Cookie Policy ("Policy"). All references in this policy to "PrideChat", "we", "us", or "our", refer to Confidia Limited. This Policy explains how PrideChat processes and puts you in control of your Personal Information. "Personal Information" means any information that allows someone to identify you individually, such as your name, email address, location data, or profile details.

This policy covers the PrideChat mobile application (the "PrideChat App"), the website https://pridechat.app ("PrideChat Website"), and any related services (collectively, the "PrideChat Services").

Our Commitment to Privacy. As a social networking application serving the LGBTQ+ community, the PrideChat Services allow you to share information about yourself with us, PrideChat's service providers who help us provide our Services, and other PrideChat users, including your precise location and information that may be deemed "sensitive" or "special category" in certain jurisdictions. We are committed to providing a safe platform and put you in control of your information.

We Do Not Sell Your Data. PrideChat does not sell, rent, or trade your Personal Information to third parties. We do not share your data with advertisers, data brokers, or marketing companies. Our revenue comes from business advertising on the platform — not from monetizing your personal data.

We Do Not Monitor Private Chats. Your one-on-one conversations on PrideChat are private. We do not read, scan, or monitor the content of your private messages. Chat content is end-to-end between you and the person you're talking to. We only investigate messages if a user reports them to us for violating our terms of service.

PrideChat is an Australian-based Company. By using the PrideChat Services, you are transmitting information to PrideChat in Australia and its service providers (in Australia and other countries). If you are a resident of another country, note that Australia and other countries may not afford the same privacy protections as your country of residence.

Permissible Age. The PrideChat Services are intended only for users who are legal adults, at least eighteen (18) years of age or older. If you are aware that a child or minor has submitted Personal Information on the PrideChat Services, please contact us at [email protected].

1. Personal Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Are Required To Provide

When you set up an account, we require that you provide limited Personal Information such as email or phone number and date of birth to validate that you are an adult.

1.2 Information You Have The Option To Provide

You have a choice about what Personal Information you provide as part of your public profile ("PrideChat Profile"). Profile Information you include is shared with other users of the PrideChat Services. For example, you may choose to share or not share: profile photos, display name, bio/description, gender identity, interests, and relationship preferences.

A note on "sensitive" Personal Information. In some jurisdictions, information that may reveal your racial or ethnic origin, details on your health or sex life/sexual orientation, or precise geolocation may be considered "sensitive" or "special category" Personal Information. We only collect and process such information with your explicit consent or as otherwise permitted by applicable law.

A note on location information. We may collect your precise location from your device to determine your distance from other users and display your profile on the PrideChat Services. Sophisticated users who use the PrideChat Services in an unauthorized manner may use distance information to determine your exact location and may be able to determine your identity. You can disable location services for the PrideChat App at any time through your device settings.

1.3 Information We Receive From Your Device

To maintain and improve the PrideChat Services, we collect information such as:

• Device Information: Device type, operating system, unique device identifiers, mobile network information;
• Usage Data: How you interact with the PrideChat App and Website, features used, pages visited, time spent;
• Log Data: IP address, access times, crash logs, performance data.

1.4 Information We Receive From Third Parties

PrideChat collects limited information from third parties, such as:

• Authentication partners (e.g., Apple, Google) when you sign in through their services;
• Analytics and tracking partners for app usage statistics;
• Service providers who assist with our operations.

2. What We Do With Your Personal Information

The main reason we use your Personal Information is to enable the PrideChat Services. In general, we use your Personal Information to:

• Provide Services: Account creation, profile display, matchmaking, facilitating connections and chat between users;
• Personalization: Customizing your experience, showing relevant profiles and content;
• Communication: Sending notifications, updates, and responding to your inquiries and support requests;
• Improvement: Monitoring trends, analyzing usage, and improving functionality and user experience;
• Safety and Security: Detecting and preventing fraud, abuse, spam, and unauthorized access; supporting platform safety and integrity;
• Legal Compliance: Responding to legal requests from law enforcement, regulators, and other third parties to comply with legal obligations.

We may anonymize or de-identify information so it is no longer considered Personal Information under applicable law. We commit to maintaining and using de-identified information in de-identified form and not attempting to re-identify it. This Privacy Policy does not apply to information that has been anonymized or aggregated.

3. How We Share Your Personal Information

We do not sell your Personal Information. However, we may share it with:

3.1 Service Providers

Trusted third-party providers who help us operate the PrideChat Services, including hosting, analytics, customer support, authentication, and security services. These providers are contractually bound to protect your information and use it only for the services they provide to us.

3.2 Other Users

Information you include in your PrideChat Profile is visible to other users of the PrideChat Services. You control what Profile Information you share.

3.3 Legal Compliance

We may disclose information when required by law, court order, or governmental regulation, or when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.

3.4 Business Transfers

If PrideChat is involved in a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, your Personal Information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will provide notice before your Personal Information is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

3.5 With Your Consent

We may share your information for other purposes with your explicit consent.

4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

4.1 Cookies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies on the PrideChat Website to:

• Remember your preferences and settings;
• Understand how you use our website;
• Provide essential website functionality;
• Analyze website traffic and usage patterns.

4.2 Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Required for the website to function properly;
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with the website (e.g., Google Analytics);
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and choices.

4.3 Managing Cookies

You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings. You may disable cookies, but this may affect the functionality of the PrideChat Website. For more information about cookies, visit www.allaboutcookies.org.

5. Third-Party Services

The PrideChat Services may integrate with or link to third-party services. These third parties have their own privacy policies, and we encourage you to review them:

• Apple Sign-In: Apple Privacy Policy
• Google Sign-In / Firebase: Google Privacy Policy

PrideChat is not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party services.

6. Data Retention

We retain your Personal Information for as long as your account is active and as needed to provide you with the PrideChat Services. We will also retain and use your information as necessary to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your Personal Information within a reasonable timeframe, except where retention is required by law.

7. Your Rights and Choices

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

• Access: Request access to the Personal Information we hold about you;
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information;
• Deletion: Request deletion of your Personal Information (subject to legal obligations);
• Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format;
• Restriction: Request restriction of processing under certain circumstances;
• Objection: Object to certain processing activities, including direct marketing;
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We will respond to your request within the timeframe required by applicable law. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

7.1 Managing Your Information In-App

Many of your privacy choices can be managed directly within the PrideChat App, including:

• Editing your Profile Information;
• Controlling location services;
• Managing notification preferences;
• Blocking or reporting other users;
• Deleting your account.

8. Security Measures

We take the security of your Personal Information seriously. We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures designed to protect your information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction, including:

• Encryption of data in transit and at rest;
• Secure server infrastructure with access controls;
• Regular security monitoring and vulnerability assessments;
• Employee training on data protection and confidentiality.

However, no method of electronic storage or transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your Personal Information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

9. Children's Privacy

The PrideChat Services are not intended for anyone under the age of eighteen (18). We do not knowingly collect Personal Information from individuals under eighteen (18). If we become aware that a person under eighteen (18) has provided us with Personal Information, we will take steps to delete such information and terminate the associated account. If you believe a minor has provided us with Personal Information, please contact us immediately at [email protected].

10. International Data Transfers

PrideChat is based in Australia, and your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in Australia and other countries where our service providers operate. These countries may have data protection laws that differ from those in your country of residence. We take appropriate safeguards to ensure that your Personal Information remains protected in accordance with this Privacy Policy, including using standard contractual clauses or other legally recognized transfer mechanisms where required by applicable law.

By using the PrideChat Services, you consent to the transfer of your information to Australia and other countries for processing consistent with this Privacy Policy.

11. Your California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you may have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and third-party applicationlicable California privacy laws, including:

• The right to know what Personal Information we collect, use, disclose, and sell;
• The right to request deletion of your Personal Information;
• The right to opt-out of the sale of your Personal Information (note: PrideChat does not sell Personal Information);
• The right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights.

To exercise your California privacy rights, please contact us at [email protected] with "California Privacy Rights" in the subject line. We will respond within the timeframe required by California law.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. When we make material changes, we will notify you through the PrideChat App, by email, or by posting a notice on our website prior to the change becoming effective. The "Effective Date" at the top of this policy indicates when it was last updated. Your continued use of the PrideChat Services after the effective date constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at:

We will investigate and respond to all legitimate privacy inquiries within a reasonable timeframe.