Home

1. Introduction: This Privacy Policy explains how the Nearish app ("we," "our," or "the App") collects, uses, and protects your information. The App is designed as a private, peer-to-peer connection tool for two paired users to share their current distance, status, real-time motion status, photos, messages, video greetings, Shared Canvas drawings, daily questions (Nearish Topics), Relationship Timeline memories, and real-time heartbeats via home screen widgets, paired smartwatches, and a secure vault.

2. Information We Collect: To provide the core functionality of the App, we collect the following types of information:

Location Data (Foreground and Background): Nearish requires background location access (ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION) to provide core app functionality. The App collects your device's precise location data to continuously calculate the physical distance between you and your paired partner, even when the app is closed or not in use. This background location data enables the Nearish Widget to update on your home screen and powers the "Smart Meet-Up Mode" feature.
Activity and Motion Data: To power our "Motion Status" feature, the App requests the Physical Activity (ACTIVITY_RECOGNITION) permission. This allows us to detect your current high-level contextual state (such as "Driving", "Walking", or "Stationary"). We do not track, record, or analyze any health, fitness, medical, or biometric data (such as step counts or calories burned).
Camera, Microphone, and Photos: The App requires access to your camera and photo gallery to allow you to upload Profile Pictures, add memories to your Relationship Timeline, and share images for the "Moments" widget and the "Secure Vault." We request access to your microphone to allow you to record temporary video messages ("Whispers"). Additionally, the camera and flashlight are utilized strictly to calculate your heart rate metrics (pulse) for the Heartbeat sharing feature.
User-Provided Data: We collect text inputs such as display names, connection codes, customized statuses, Emotional Weather states (your "Vibe" and current needs), custom target dates, travel itineraries (including flight numbers and dates), Shared Canvas drawings, Timeline event milestones, and daily answers submitted via the Nearish Topics feature.
Device Identifiers: We utilize Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) to deliver real-time push notifications. To facilitate this, the App collects anonymous device push tokens.
Subscription and Purchase Data (Nearish+): We utilize secure third-party billing providers (Google Play Billing and RevenueCat) to verify your active subscription status. We do not collect, process, or store your payment details on our servers.

3. How We Use Your Information: Data collected is strictly used to facilitate the connection between you and your uniquely paired partner.

Distance, Status & Motion: Location data is converted into a distance metric and displayed on your partner's widget. Your Emotional Weather and availability light automatically sync to let your partner know how to support you. Your detected motion state is temporarily processed to update your status display for your partner, helping them know when it is safe or convenient to contact you. This activity data is never stored for health analytics or shared with third parties.
Timeline & Memories: Photos, dates, and milestones are organized to create a shared digital scrapbook of your relationship history.
Photos and Video Whispers: Securely transmitted to your partner's device using End-to-End Encryption.
Wearable Sync: Data such as your partner's distance and status is securely bridged locally to your watch for at-a-glance updates.
Heart Rate Data: Heart rate metrics are processed locally on your device. The resulting data is transmitted securely to your partner to trigger haptic feedback.

4. Data Security & End-to-End Encryption (E2EE): We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third-party advertisers or data brokers.

Universal End-to-End Encryption (E2EE): All media shared through the App—including Secure Vault photos, Moments widget photos, Video Whispers, and Relationship Timeline photos—is encrypted locally on your device using AES-256 encryption before it is uploaded. The decryption key is derived from your unique connection code, which is known only to you and your partner. We have absolutely no technical means to decrypt or view your private media.
Zero-Trace Cloud Shredder & Local Vault: Nearish utilizes a strict "delivery and delete" protocol for temporary media. The moment a standard Secure Vault photo, Widget photo, or Video Whisper is successfully downloaded to the receiving partner's device, the encrypted file is immediately and permanently deleted from our cloud storage (Google Firebase). We do not maintain a cloud history of your shared media.
Hardware-Level Privacy: If you utilize the Nearish+ "Infinite Memory Vault," your media is securely archived locally on your device's internal storage, protected by Android's native hardware security and biometric locks.

5. Data Retention and Deletion:

Relationship Timeline: Event milestones and encrypted photos saved to your Timeline are retained in your shared database to build your relationship history until manually deleted by either user.
Routine Overwriting: Non-encrypted real-time data (such as your current location, battery, and status) is routinely overwritten by your latest updates.
"Burn After Reading" Protocol: Standard Time Capsules and Video Whispers utilize a strict deletion protocol. Once the receiving partner accesses the content, the data is immediately and permanently wiped from both the local device memory and our cloud database.
Revoking Access: You can stop the collection of data at any time by uninstalling the App or revoking permissions in your device settings.

6. Contact Us: If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or how your data is handled, please contact the developer at: distancewidget@gmail.com