Privacy Policy

Last updated: November 2026

This policy explains what information Circl collects, how it's used, and the choices you have. We keep it short and plain on purpose.

1. What we collect

Account details: your email address, and if you sign in with Google, the name and email Google shares with us. Passwords are handled by Firebase Authentication, and we never see or store them.
Profile: your display name and username.
Content you create: posts, direct messages, message requests, block lists, and reports you submit.
Membership record: the date you joined, since Circl has a limited number of seats.
Technical data: basic information such as IP address and device or browser type, which our providers process when you connect to the site and sign in.

2. How we use it

To run Circl: sign you in, show your profile and posts, and deliver messages.
To keep Circl safe: prevent abuse, review reports, and enforce our Terms.
To help you if you contact support, and to meet legal obligations.

We don't sell your personal information. We don't currently show ads or use advertising or analytics trackers.

3. Who can see what

Profiles and posts can be seen by other Circl members.
Direct messages can be seen by the people in the conversation. They are encrypted in transit and at rest by our providers, but they are not end-to-end encrypted. We don't routinely read them, but we may review messages that are reported or when required for safety or by law.
Reports you submit are visible to Circl administrators.

4. Service providers

We use trusted companies to run Circl, and they process data on our behalf:

Google (Firebase): sign-in, email verification and our database.
Cloudflare: hosting and delivery of the website.
Google Fonts: our pages load fonts from Google, which means Google receives your IP address when a page loads.

These providers may process data in the United States and other countries. We may also share information if the law requires it, or to protect people's safety.

5. Storage on your device

Circl stores some data in your browser or installed app to work properly: your sign-in session, a local copy of recent data so the app loads faster and works with a weak connection, and a setting that remembers if you skipped the install prompt. Signing out clears the local copy of your data on that device.

6. How long we keep it

We keep your information while your account is active. When you delete a post, it's removed from our database. To delete your account and the data tied to it, email us and we'll take care of it.

7. Your choices

Edit or delete your posts, decline message requests, and block people.
Ask us to access, correct or delete your information by emailing the address below. Depending on where you live, you may have additional legal rights, and we'll honor them.

8. Security

We use access rules, encrypted connections and verified sign-in to protect your data. No online service is perfectly secure, so please use a strong, unique password.

9. Children

Circl is for people 13 and older. We don't knowingly collect information from children under 13. If you think a child under 13 has an account, email us and we'll delete it.

10. Notifications

We don't send push notifications yet. When we do, we'll ask for your permission first, and you can turn them off in your device settings.

11. Changes

We may update this policy as Circl grows. If we make an important change, we'll let you know in the app or by email.

12. Contact

Privacy questions or requests? Email circlapp.hq@gmail.com.