Exchange Connect — Legal

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 17 June 2026

1. Controllers

Exchange Connect is operated jointly by Jona Fengler (“JF Software”), Zietenring 11, 65195 Wiesbaden, Germany, and Maximilian Strauch, Am Sonnenhang 22, 65232 Taunusstein, Germany. They are the joint controllers (Art. 26 GDPR) responsible for your personal data. Contact point for all privacy matters: jona.fengler@gmail.com.

2. What we collect

Account: either your email address and password (passwords are stored hashed by our authentication provider), or, if you choose Sign in with Apple or Sign in with Google, the basic account information those providers share with us (name and email). With Sign in with Apple you may choose to hide your email, in which case we receive an Apple private-relay address instead.
Profile: first name, age, home university, exchange university, field of study, interests, languages, destination city, semester, and an optional profile photo.
Posts: the text and any optional photos of posts you publish on the board (e.g. items, clothes, housing, questions, events, activities).
Social handles: optional Instagram / TikTok handles you add (shared with another user only after a mutual save / match).
Activity: the people and posts you save (“like”), and the reports and blocks you create.
Technical: basic device/usage data needed to run the app, and advertising identifiers if advertising is enabled (see §6).
Waitlist (website only): if you joined our waitlist on our website, your email is processed via Brevo.

3. Why we use it & legal bases (GDPR Art. 6)

Provide the service — show you relevant students, save connections, enable reporting/blocking: Art. 6(1)(b) (contract).
Keep the community safe — moderation, reviewing reports, enforcing our rules, blocking abusive users: Art. 6(1)(f) (legitimate interests); Art. 6(1)(c) where legally required.
Photo screening — automated check of uploaded photos: Art. 6(1)(f).
Waitlist / advertising — where applicable: Art. 6(1)(a) (consent).

4. Photo moderation

Profile and post photos you upload are sent to an automated image-moderation provider (Sightengine) to detect prohibited content (e.g. nudity, violence) before they are shown. Photos that fail screening are not published and are deleted.

5. Processors & third parties

We share data only with service providers acting on our behalf:

Supabase (database, authentication, file storage) — servers in the EU (Frankfurt), data-processing agreement in place.
Apple and Google — only if you use Sign in with Apple / Sign in with Google: they authenticate you and provide the basic account info named in §2.
Sightengine (EU/France) — receives uploaded images for automated screening only.
Expo — app build / delivery infrastructure.
Google AdMob — only if advertising is enabled; may process advertising identifiers and transfer data outside the EU under appropriate safeguards.
Brevo (EU) — waitlist emails collected on our website only.

We do not sell your personal data.

6. Advertising

If advertising is enabled we may use Google AdMob. Where required we ask for your consent before serving personalised ads; otherwise non-personalised ads are used.

7. Storage location & retention

Data is stored in the EU. We keep your data while your account exists. When you delete your account (Settings → Delete account) we delete your profile, photos, posts, saves, blocks and the reports you filed. Some data may be retained where we are legally required to, or to handle abuse/safety matters, for as long as necessary.

8. Your rights (GDPR)

You have the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict, and port your data, and to object to certain processing. You can delete your account in-app at any time. You can also contact us at jona.fengler@gmail.com. You have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority — for our location this is Der Hessische Beauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit.

9. Age

Exchange Connect is for users 18 and older. We do not knowingly collect data from anyone under 18; if we learn we have, we delete it.

10. Security

We use industry-standard measures (encryption in transit, access controls, and row-level security on the database) to protect your data. No method is 100% secure.

11. Changes

We may update this policy and will notify you of material changes in the app or by email.

12. Contact

Jona Fengler (“JF Software”), Zietenring 11, 65195 Wiesbaden, Germany, and Maximilian Strauch, Am Sonnenhang 22, 65232 Taunusstein, Germany · jona.fengler@gmail.com · see also the Imprint below.

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Terms of Service

Last updated: 17 June 2026

These Terms are a binding agreement between you and the joint operators of the Exchange Connect app (the “Service”): Jona Fengler (“JF Software”), Zietenring 11, 65195 Wiesbaden, Germany, and Maximilian Strauch, Am Sonnenhang 22, 65232 Taunusstein, Germany (together “we”, “us”). By creating an account or using the Service, you agree to these Terms.

1. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old to use the Service. By using it you confirm that you are 18+ and legally able to enter into these Terms.

2. Your account

You are responsible for your account and for keeping your credentials secure. Provide accurate information and keep it up to date. One account per person.

3. User-generated content

You are solely responsible for the content you post (profile details, photos, and board posts). You retain ownership of your content. You grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to host, store, display, and distribute that content solely to operate and provide the Service.

4. Acceptable use — zero tolerance for objectionable content

You agree not to post content or engage in behaviour that is unlawful, harassing, abusive, hateful, threatening, sexually explicit, violent, deceptive, or that infringes others’ rights, and not to harass or abuse other users. This is a condition of using the Service and there is no tolerance for objectionable content or abusive users.

You agree to use the in-app tools (report and block) to flag content or users that violate our Community Guidelines.

5. Moderation, suspension & termination

We may, at our discretion and without prior notice, review, remove, or restrict content, hide profiles, and suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms or the Community Guidelines. We will act on reports of objectionable content and remove the content and/or ban the offending user, typically within 24 hours. You may delete your account at any time in Settings.

6. Photo screening

Uploaded photos may be automatically screened by an automated moderation service to detect prohibited content. Photos identified as prohibited are rejected and not published.

7. Community board, handles & off-platform dealings

The Service lets users share social handles (e.g. Instagram, TikTok) and post on a community board (items, clothes, housing, questions, events, activities and the like). We do not process payments and are not a party to any exchange, sale, sublet, rental, or other arrangement between users — prices and terms are set by users themselves and any deal happens off the Service. Any interaction or transaction you have off the Service, or on third-party platforms, is at your own risk and not our responsibility.

8. Disclaimers & limitation of liability

The Service is provided “as is” without warranties of any kind to the extent permitted by law. We do not verify users’ identities and are not responsible for users’ conduct. To the maximum extent permitted by law, our liability is limited as set out here; nothing limits liability that cannot be limited under applicable law (including for intent or gross negligence).

9. Governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of Germany, without prejudice to mandatory consumer-protection rules of your country of residence.

10. Changes

We may update these Terms. We will notify you of material changes; continued use after changes take effect means you accept them.

11. Contact

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Community Guidelines

Last updated: 17 June 2026

Exchange Connect helps exchange students meet other students heading to the same city. To keep it safe and useful, everyone must follow these rules. Breaking them can get your content removed and your account suspended or banned.

Be real

Use your real name and recent photos of yourself.
One account per person. No impersonation or fake profiles.
You must be 18 or older to use Exchange Connect.

Be respectful

No harassment, bullying, threats, stalking, or hate speech based on race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or any other protected characteristic.

Keep it clean — photo & content rules

The following are not allowed anywhere in the app (profile photos, posts, or any text):

Nudity, sexual or explicit content.
Violence, gore, or shocking content.
Content involving or sexualising minors (zero tolerance — this is reported to the authorities).
Illegal activity, drugs, weapons sales, or scams.

Profile and post photos are automatically screened, and content that breaks these rules is removed. Repeat or serious violations lead to a permanent ban.

Keep the board genuine — no spam

No spam, mass messaging, advertising, phishing, or links to malicious sites. The board is for real, relevant posts (items, clothes, housing, questions, events, activities and the like) — no fake listings, bait, or scams. Put prices and details in your own description; deals happen between users off the app.

Privacy of others

Don’t post other people’s private information, photos, or contact details without their consent.

How we enforce this

Report — tap the “…” menu on any profile or post to report it. Reports are reviewed. Reported users are hidden from you immediately.
Block — blocking someone hides you from each other across the whole app. Manage blocked users in Settings → Safety.
We may remove content, hide profiles, or suspend/ban accounts that break these rules, and we cooperate with law enforcement where required.

Contact

Report serious concerns to jona.fengler@gmail.com (also in Settings → Contact support). Operated jointly by Jona Fengler (“JF Software”), Zietenring 11, 65195 Wiesbaden, Germany, and Maximilian Strauch, Am Sonnenhang 22, 65232 Taunusstein, Germany.

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Imprint

Information pursuant to § 5 TMG

Exchange Connect is operated jointly by:

Jona Fengler, trading as “JF Software”
Zietenring 11
65195 Wiesbaden
Germany

Maximilian Strauch
Am Sonnenhang 22
65232 Taunusstein
Germany

Contact: jona.fengler@gmail.com

Responsible for content pursuant to § 18 (2) MStV: Jona Fengler and Maximilian Strauch (addresses as above).

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Exchange Connect · Jointly operated by Jona Fengler (“JF Software”), 65195 Wiesbaden, and Maximilian Strauch, 65232 Taunusstein, Germany · jona.fengler@gmail.com