Privacy Policy

Last Updated: January 1, 2025

Introduction

At UANI, we take your privacy seriously. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application and services.

By using UANI, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

Information We Collect

Personal Information

When you create an account, we collect:

  • Name, age, and gender
  • Email address and phone number
  • Profile photos and bio
  • Verification documents (for identity verification)
  • Payment information (processed securely through third-party payment processors)

Face Data and Biometric Information

UANI collects facial imagery for verification purposes in the following contexts:

What We Collect:

  • Identity Verification (via Persona): A selfie photograph and government-issued ID used to perform a biometric comparison. This data is collected and processed entirely by Persona—UANI does not receive or store your government ID or biometric facial geometry.
  • Verified Selfie Reference: After completing identity verification, Persona securely provides UANI with your verified selfie image. This image is used solely for profile photo matching (see below).
  • Intention Verification: A short video confirming your relationship intentions, stored temporarily on our servers until approved.
  • Profile Photos & Avatar: User-uploaded photos displayed on your profile to other users.

How We Use Face Data:

  • Identity Verification: To confirm you are who you claim to be via selfie-to-ID biometric matching. This prevents fake profiles. UANI does not receive or process this data—it is handled entirely by Persona.
  • Profile Photo Matching (Anti-Catfishing): Every profile photo you upload is compared against your verified selfie using AWS Rekognition facial recognition technology. Photos that do not match your verified identity are flagged or rejected. This ensures all photos on your profile authentically represent you and prevents catfishing.
  • Intention Verification: A short video reviewed by our team to confirm you are genuinely seeking a serious relationship. Upon approval, the video is permanently deleted.
  • Profile Display: Profile photos and avatars are displayed to other users within the app.

AWS Rekognition Processing:

When you upload a profile photo, it is sent to AWS Rekognition along with your verified selfie for facial comparison. AWS Rekognition returns a similarity score indicating whether the photo matches your verified identity. AWS does not store your images after processing—they are used only for real-time comparison. AWS Rekognition is SOC 2 compliant and processes data in accordance with AWS's privacy policy: aws.amazon.com/privacy

Third-Party Processing:

All identity verification biometric data (selfie, government ID, facial geometry) is collected, processed, and stored exclusively by Persona on their secure, SOC 2 compliant servers. UANI never receives or stores this data. Persona's privacy policy governs their processing: withpersona.com/legal/privacy-policy

Storage:

  • Government IDs & Biometric Data: Stored only by Persona. UANI does not receive or store this data.
  • Intention Verification Videos: Stored temporarily on Google Cloud servers until approval, then permanently deleted.
  • Profile Photos & Avatars: Stored on our Google Cloud servers for display within the app.

Retention:

  • Identity Verification (Persona): UANI does not retain this data. Persona retains verification records per their data retention policy.
  • Intention Verification Videos: Deleted immediately upon approval, typically within 24-48 hours.
  • Profile Photos & Avatars: Retained while your account is active. You may delete photos at any time. All photos are deleted upon account deletion.

No Sale of Face Data: We do NOT sell, rent, or trade your face data or biometric information to any third party. Face data is never used for advertising, tracking, or any purpose other than verification and profile display.

Location Data

UANI is a location-based service. We collect:

  • Precise GPS location to show you nearby venues and locations
  • Precise GPS location when you check in at venues
  • Approximate location based on IP address
  • Location history of check-ins

You can control location permissions through your device settings. However, disabling location services will limit core functionality of the app.

Important: UANI does NOT use continuous background location tracking. Your location is used to show nearby venues and is captured when you actively check in. You are automatically checked out when you leave a venue. Your profile may appear in the general feed, but you only appear at specific locations when you choose to check in.

Proximity Notifications

When you are checked in at a venue, UANI may send you optional notifications when someone who has liked you is nearby. This feature:

  • Uses your check-in location only (no continuous background tracking)
  • Is fully optional and can be disabled in settings
  • Respects your visibility preferences (public, private, or incognito mode)
  • Does not share your precise location with other users without your consent

Safety Check-Ins & Emergency Contacts

UANI offers optional safety features to help you feel confident when meeting someone in person:

  • Safety Check-Ins: You can schedule a safety check-in before a date. After the meetup, UANI will send you an "Are you safe?" notification. Your response (or lack thereof) is used solely to determine whether to notify your emergency contacts.
  • Emergency Contacts: You can add up to 3 trusted emergency contacts. Their names and phone numbers are stored securely and used only to send SMS alerts if you trigger an emergency or do not respond to a safety check-in.
  • Emergency Alerts: If you trigger an emergency alert, an SMS is sent to your emergency contacts. The SMS may include your last known check-in location.

Emergency contact data is stored securely on our servers and is never shared with other users or third parties except as needed to send emergency SMS notifications via our SMS provider.

Referral & Waitlist Data

UANI uses a waitlist and referral system to maintain community quality:

  • We store your waitlist status and referral code
  • If you were referred by another user, we store this connection for accountability purposes
  • Referral statistics (how many users you've referred) are visible only to you

Usage Data

We automatically collect:

  • App usage statistics and interactions
  • Device information (model, OS version, unique identifiers)
  • Log data (IP address, access times, pages viewed)
  • Crash reports and performance data

Communications

We store:

  • In-app messages between users
  • Support ticket correspondence
  • Feedback and survey responses

How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

  • Provide Core Services: Match you with other users, facilitate check-ins, show nearby venues, and enable messaging
  • Verify Identity: Confirm you are who you say you are via Persona verification to maintain platform safety
  • Verify Photos: Compare every profile photo against your verified selfie using AWS Rekognition to prevent catfishing
  • Enable Safety Features: Send safety check-in notifications, manage emergency contacts, and send emergency alerts when triggered
  • Proximity Notifications: Notify you when someone who has liked you is nearby (optional feature)
  • Manage Waitlist & Referrals: Maintain community quality through waitlist and referral accountability
  • Improve Our Service: Analyze usage patterns to enhance features and user experience
  • Safety and Security: Detect and prevent fraud, spam, and violations of our Terms of Service
  • Customer Support: Respond to your inquiries and provide assistance
  • Legal Compliance: Comply with legal obligations and protect our rights

Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do NOT sell your personal information. We may share your data with:

Other Users

Your profile information, photos, and current check-in location are visible to other users within the app.

Service Providers

We share data with trusted third-party vendors who help us operate the service:

  • Cloud hosting providers (AWS, Google Cloud)
  • Payment processors (Apple, Google)
  • Analytics services (Google Analytics, Firebase)
  • Identity verification services (Persona)
  • Facial recognition services (AWS Rekognition for photo matching)
  • SMS notification services (for emergency alerts)

Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or in response to:

  • Valid legal process (subpoena, court order)
  • Requests from law enforcement or government agencies
  • Protection of our rights, property, or safety

Business Transfers

If UANI is acquired or merged with another company, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services. When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your data within 30 days, except where we're required to retain it for legal purposes.

To delete your account, visit our Account Deletion page.

Your Privacy Rights

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

  • Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
  • Correction: Update or correct inaccurate information
  • Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data
  • Portability: Receive your data in a machine-readable format
  • Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications
  • Objection: Object to certain processing activities

To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@uani.app.

Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data, including:

  • Encryption of data in transit (TLS/SSL)
  • Encryption of sensitive data at rest
  • Regular security audits and penetration testing
  • Access controls and authentication

However, no system is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your data.

Children's Privacy

UANI is intended for users 18 years and older. We do not knowingly collect data from anyone under 18. If we become aware that a user is under 18, we will immediately delete their account and all associated data.

For more information, see our Child Safety policy.

International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes via email or in-app notification. Your continued use of UANI after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, contact us at:

privacy@uani.app