Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains what Koocheh ("we", "us") collects, how we use it, and the choices you have. Koocheh is a location-based neighborhood chat service that places you in a local area and lets you talk with nearby residents.

Information we collect

• Account information - your display name, username, email address, and password (stored hashed). Optionally your birthdate, gender, and marital status if you choose to provide them.
• Location - your device's GPS coordinates, used to determine which neighborhood you belong to. We store only the resolved neighborhood and a coarse, cached approximation; we do not keep a continuous history of your precise movements.
• Content you create - messages, direct messages, and photos you send, including their metadata (timestamps, dimensions).
• Technical data - basic device and connection information needed to deliver and secure the service.

How we use your information

• To place you in the correct neighborhood and show you nearby conversations.
• To deliver your messages in real time and maintain your conversations.
• To operate, secure, and improve the service, and to enforce our Terms of Service.
• To review reports and remove objectionable content or abusive users.

Location permission

The app requests location access only while you are using it ("When In Use"). You can deny or revoke this permission at any time in your device settings. Without location, we cannot place you in a neighborhood, so core features will be unavailable.

Third-party services

We use a reverse-geocoding provider (LocationIQ) to translate coordinates into place names, and standard hosting and infrastructure providers to run the service. These providers process data only as needed to perform their function.

Data sharing

We do not sell your personal information. Content you post in a neighborhood is visible to other users of that neighborhood; direct messages are visible only to you and the recipient. We may disclose information where required by law.

Data retention

We keep your account and content while your account is active. When you delete your account, your profile and personal data are removed; some records may be retained briefly where required for security, legal, or anti-abuse purposes.

Your choices and rights

• Delete your account at any time from Settings → Profile. This permanently removes your account and personal data.
• Control location through your device's permission settings.
• Report or block other users directly within the app.
• Request access to or correction of your data by contacting us.

Children

Koocheh is not intended for children under 18, and you must be at least 18 years old to create an account. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18.

Changes

We may update this policy from time to time. Material changes will be reflected here with an updated date.

Contact

Questions about this policy or your data? Email us at [email protected].