Privacy Policy

Last Updated: 30 December 2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to Chatkuy ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application and services.

By using Chatkuy, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our services.

This Privacy Policy should be read together with our Terms of Service, which govern your use of the Chatkuy application.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Account Information

When you register for a Chatkuy account, we collect the following information:

  • Full Name: Your complete name as provided during registration
  • Email Address: Your email address used for account verification and communication
  • Password: Encrypted password for account security
  • Gender: Your gender preference (optional)

2.2 Profile Information

You may choose to provide additional profile information, including:

  • Username
  • Bio or personal description
  • Profile photos
  • Date of birth
  • Phone number
  • Location information (country, region, city, area) (optional)
  • Social media links
  • Hash tags
  • Last seen timestamp

2.3 Messages and Media

We collect and store the following communication data:

  • Text messages sent and received
  • Images and photos shared in chats (coming soon feature)
  • Media files (videos) shared through the app (coming soon feature)
  • Message read status and timestamps
  • Chat metadata (participants, creation date, etc.)

2.4 Location Information

Chatkuy collects and processes location data to provide core functionality, specifically to show you other users who are nearby. We collect the following location information:

  • Precise Location: GPS coordinates (latitude and longitude) when you grant precise location permission
  • Approximate Location: Network-based location (derived from Wi-Fi, cellular networks, or IP address) when precise location is not available
  • Location Timestamp: The time when your location was last updated

Purpose of Location Collection: Location data is essential for the core functionality of Chatkuy, which allows users to discover and interact with other users in their vicinity. We use your location to:

  • Display your approximate or precise location to other nearby users
  • Show you other users who are in your vicinity
  • Calculate and display proximity and distance information between users
  • Enable location-based matching and discovery features

Location Data Controls: You can control location sharing through your device settings:

  • You can disable location permissions at any time through your device's app settings
  • Disabling location permissions will prevent the app from showing nearby users and may limit core functionality
  • You can choose between precise and approximate location when prompted by the app
  • Location data is only shared with other users when you are actively using the app and have granted location permissions

Important: Location data may not be 100% accurate. Proximity and distance calculations are approximate and may vary based on GPS accuracy, network conditions, and other factors beyond our control.

2.5 Device Information

To provide and improve our services, we automatically collect device information, including:

  • Device Identifiers: Android ID (device identifier), Advertising ID (Google Advertising ID)
  • Device Information: Device model, manufacturer, brand, product name, hardware information
  • Operating System: Android version, SDK version, OS codename
  • App Information: App version, version code, package name
  • Screen Information: Screen resolution, density, tablet/phone detection
  • System Information: Locale, language, country, timezone
  • Network Information: Network state, Wi-Fi state, IP address
  • Push Notification Token: Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) token for push notifications

2.6 Usage Information

We collect information about how you use our services, including:

  • Features you use
  • Posts you create and interact with
  • Users you follow or interact with
  • App performance and crash reports

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

  • Service Provision: To provide, maintain, and improve our messaging and social features
  • Account Management: To create and manage your account, authenticate users, and process transactions
  • Communication: To send you notifications, updates, and respond to your inquiries
  • Personalization: To customize your experience and show relevant content
  • Analytics: To analyze usage patterns and improve our services (using Firebase Analytics)
  • Push Notifications: To send you push notifications about messages, posts, and other activities
  • Security: To detect, prevent, and address technical issues, fraud, and security threats
  • Legal Compliance: To comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms of service

4. Permissions We Request

Chatkuy requires the following permissions to function properly:

  • INTERNET: To connect to our servers and send/receive messages
  • ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE: To check network connectivity
  • ACCESS_WIFI_STATE: To optimize network usage
  • ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION: To access your precise GPS location for showing nearby users (core functionality)
  • ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION: To access your approximate location when precise location is not available
  • READ_MEDIA_IMAGES: To allow you to select and share images from your device
  • CAMERA: To take photos directly within the app for profile pictures and messages
  • POST_NOTIFICATIONS: To send you push notifications (Android 13+)

You can revoke these permissions at any time through your device settings, though this may limit certain app functionality. Revoking location permissions will prevent the app from showing nearby users, which is a core feature of Chatkuy.

4.1 Android-Specific Requirements

4.1.1 Firebase Crashlytics

To improve app stability, we use Firebase Crashlytics to collect information about errors and crashes that occur in the application. Data collected during errors or crashes includes:

  • Device information (model, OS version, app version)
  • Stack trace and error logs
  • Timestamp when the error occurred
  • App status when the error occurred

This data is used solely to fix bugs and improve app quality. This data is not used to personally identify users and is not linked to your personal information.

4.1.2 Advertising and Google AdMob

Chatkuy uses Google AdMob to display advertisements within the application. AdMob is a third-party advertising service provided by Google that helps us monetize the application.

Data Collected by AdMob: When you use Chatkuy, Google AdMob may collect and process the following information:

  • Advertising ID: Google Advertising ID (also known as Android Advertising ID or AAID) for ad personalization and measurement
  • Device Information: Device type, model, operating system version, and device identifiers
  • App Information: App version, installation information, and app activity
  • Location Information: Approximate location (derived from IP address or network information) for ad targeting, if location permissions are granted
  • Usage Data: Information about how you interact with advertisements, including ad views, clicks, and conversions
  • Network Information: IP address, network type, and connection information

How AdMob Uses Your Data: Google AdMob uses the collected information to:

  • Display personalized advertisements based on your interests and app usage
  • Measure ad performance and effectiveness
  • Prevent fraud and ensure ad quality
  • Comply with advertising policies and regulations

Third-Party Data Sharing: By using Chatkuy, you acknowledge that your data may be shared with Google and its advertising partners in accordance with Google's Privacy Policy and Google AdMob's policies. Google may use this data for advertising purposes across its services and partner networks.

Advertising Controls and Opt-Out: You have control over advertising personalization:

  • Reset Advertising ID: You can reset your Google Advertising ID at any time through your Android device settings (Settings → Google → Ads → Reset advertising ID)
  • Opt-Out of Personalized Ads: You can opt out of personalized advertising through your Android device settings (Settings → Google → Ads → Opt out of Ads Personalization)
  • Manage Ad Preferences: You can manage your ad preferences through Google's Ad Settings at adssettings.google.com

Cookies and Advertising Identifiers: Chatkuy and Google AdMob use advertising identifiers (such as the Google Advertising ID) and similar technologies to deliver and measure advertising. These identifiers are used to:

  • Show you relevant advertisements
  • Measure ad performance and prevent fraud
  • Limit the number of times you see the same ad

You can control these identifiers through your device settings as described above. Note that opting out of personalized ads does not stop ads from being displayed; it only means that ads will be less relevant to your interests.

For more information about how Google uses data for advertising, please visit Google's Advertising Privacy Policy.

5. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services that may collect information:

5.1 Google Services

  • Google AdMob: Used to display advertisements and monetize the application. AdMob collects advertising identifiers, device information, location data (if permitted), and usage data. Data is processed in accordance with Google's Privacy Policy and Google AdMob Publisher Policies. For more information, see Section 4.1.2 above.
  • Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM): Used to send push notifications. Google may collect device identifiers and usage data. For more information, see Google's Privacy Policy.
  • Firebase Analytics: Used to analyze app usage and performance. This service may collect device identifiers, app usage data, and other analytics information. For more information, see Google's Privacy Policy.

5.2 Data Storage

Your data is stored on our secure servers and may be processed using cloud storage services. We use industry-standard security measures to protect your data.

6. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

  • With Other Users: Your profile information (username, profile photo, bio) and approximate or precise location (when using the app) are visible to other nearby users as part of the core functionality of the app. This is essential for the "people nearby" feature to work.
  • Google AdMob: We share advertising identifiers, device information, location data (if permitted), and usage data with Google AdMob for advertising purposes. This data sharing is necessary for ad delivery and measurement. Google may use this data in accordance with its privacy policies and may share it with its advertising partners.
  • Service Providers: We may share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf (e.g., cloud hosting, analytics, advertising). These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.
  • Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or government regulation, or to protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of our users or others
  • Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity

Location Data Sharing: Your location data is shared with other users only when you are actively using the app and have granted location permissions. Location data is used solely for the purpose of showing nearby users and is not shared with third parties except as described in this policy (e.g., with Google AdMob for advertising purposes if location permissions are granted).

7. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information, including:

  • Encryption of data in transit using secure protocols (HTTPS/TLS)
  • Secure password storage using industry-standard hashing algorithms
  • Regular security assessments and updates
  • Access controls and authentication mechanisms

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

7.1 Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach that may compromise the privacy or security of your personal information, we will:

  • Immediately conduct an investigation to identify and address the breach
  • Notify affected users within 72 hours after we become aware of the breach, in accordance with applicable regulations
  • Inform you of the types of data affected and the steps we have taken to address the issue
  • Provide recommendations for steps you can take to protect yourself
  • Report the breach to relevant data protection authorities if required by law

7.2 Data Storage Location

Your data is stored on servers located in Indonesia. We use Amazon Web Services (AWS) with servers located in Jakarta, Indonesia. This ensures that your data remains within Indonesian jurisdiction and is subject to Indonesian data protection laws.

By storing data on local Indonesian servers, we ensure:

  • Compliance with Indonesian data protection regulations
  • Lower latency for users in Indonesia
  • Better control over the physical location of your data

8. Your Rights and Choices

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

  • Access: You can access and review your personal information through the app settings
  • Correction: You can update or correct your profile information at any time
  • Deletion: You can request deletion of your account and associated data (see Account Deletion below)
  • Location Controls: You can disable location permissions at any time through your device settings. Disabling location will prevent the app from showing nearby users
  • Advertising Controls: You can opt out of personalized advertising, reset your advertising ID, or manage ad preferences through your Android device settings (Settings → Google → Ads) or at adssettings.google.com
  • Privacy Settings: You can control who can see your profile, last seen status, and other privacy settings
  • Notifications: You can manage push notification preferences in your device settings
  • Data Export: You can request a copy of your data

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information provided in the "Contact Us" section below.

8.1 Account Deletion

You have the right to request deletion of your Chatkuy account at any time. You can delete your account through:

  • In-App: Go to Settings → Account → Delete Account
  • Email Request: Send a deletion request to privacy@chatkuy.com from your registered email address

What happens when you delete your account:

  • Your account and profile information will be permanently deleted
  • Your messages will be deleted (subject to backup retention periods as described in Section 9)
  • Your posts and shared content will be removed
  • You will no longer be able to access your account or any associated data
  • Some information may be retained as required by law or for legitimate business purposes (e.g., transaction records, legal compliance)

Important: Account deletion is permanent and cannot be undone. Please ensure you have backed up any important information before requesting deletion. We will process your deletion request within 30 days.

For more information about account deletion, please refer to our Terms of Service Section 3.3.

9. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services and fulfill the purposes described in this policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information, except where we are required to retain it for legal purposes.

We retain different types of information for different periods:

  • Account Data: Retained until account deletion
  • Messages: Stored until deleted by user or account deletion
  • Analytics Data: Aggregated data retained for 6 months
  • Backup Data: Deleted within 30 days of account deletion

10. Children's Privacy

Chatkuy is not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under 18 years of age. In accordance with Google Play Store policies and our Terms of Service, we do not allow users under 18 to create accounts or use our services.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe that an individual under 18 has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at privacy@chatkuy.com. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from an individual under 18, we will take immediate steps to delete such information and terminate the account.

By using the Service, you represent and warrant that you are at least 18 years of age and have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement. If you do not meet this age requirement, you must not use the Service.

11. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have data protection laws that differ from those in your country. By using our services, you consent to the transfer of your information to these countries.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.

13. Contact Us

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

14. Consent

By using Chatkuy, you consent to our Privacy Policy and agree to its terms. If you do not agree to this policy, please do not use our services.

15. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

For users in the European Economic Area (EEA), we process your data based on:

  • Contract: To provide our services under our Terms of Service
  • Consent: For optional features and marketing communications
  • Legitimate Interests: For security, analytics, and service improvement

Note: This Privacy Policy is effective as of 30 December 2025 and applies to all users of the Chatkuy mobile application. We are committed to protecting your privacy and will continue to update our practices to ensure the security of your information.