Privacy Policy for Mikan

Last updated: October 8, 2026

Mikan ("we," "our," or "the app") helps people build a local network for friendship, help, and connection wherever they live or plan to move. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding your data.

1. Information We Collect

• Account Information: When you sign up, we collect your email address via email/password registration, Google Sign-In, or Sign in with Apple.

  • Google Sign-In: We receive your name and profile photo from Google's authentication service.

  • Sign in with Apple: We receive your name and email as you choose to share them (Apple allows you to hide your real email behind a private relay address).

• Profile Information: Your display name, headline, profile photo (if provided), and selected interests. You may also choose to add a phone number, birth date, and gender (these are optional).

• Neighborhood Helper: If you activate the Neighborhood Helper feature, we store the services you offer, your availability, and the rate you specify (if any).

• Photos: Profile photos and images uploaded for hubs, listings, events, and posts. You can take a photo using your camera or choose one from your photo library; the app only accesses the specific photos you select. All uploaded photos are stored directly within our database infrastructure as part of your account data.

• Location Information:

  • Your Area: To display nearby users, hubs, listings, and events on the interactive map, we store a general location for your profile. This is determined either by your device's location (with your explicit permission) or a location chosen manually via search.

  • Published Posts: Hubs, listings, and events you create include the specific location set for them.

  • Check-in (Optional): You can choose to check in and display your exact position on the map for a specified duration. This occurs only upon manual check-in with your explicit consent. Your position is captured as a single static snapshot at the moment of check-in; it is never tracked or updated in the background and automatically expires when the selected period ends or when manually cancelled.

  • We never collect or track your location in the background.

• User-Generated Content: Posts, listings, events, event attendance (RSVPs), community hubs, direct chat messages, hub messages, and connection requests.

• Safety Information: List of users you block, and moderation reports submitted regarding other users (including reporter details and timestamps).

• Usage and Device Information: Push notification tokens (if enabled), as well as language and display preferences.

Note: Mikan does not collect or process payment information.

2. How We Use Your Information

• Core Functionality: Operating map features, connecting you with nearby users based on shared interests and proximity, and enabling direct and group chat communications.

• Grammatical Personalization: Gender selection (if provided) is used strictly to render the app's Hebrew interface in the correct grammatical form.

• Notifications: Delivering system alerts, connection requests, and message notifications when enabled.

• Safety & Abuse Prevention: Enforcing user blocks, reviewing policy reports, and executing rule-based database access controls.

We do not sell personal information or use collected data for advertising purposes.

3. Visibility and Data Sharing

• Public Profile & Posts: Your display name, photo, headline, interests, Neighborhood Helper details, general area, recent posts, and public content (hubs, listings, events, and event attendance) are visible to signed-in users. They are not visible to unauthenticated visitors.

• Private Profile Details: Your email address, phone number, birth date, and gender remain strictly private. They are stored separately from your public profile and are never shown to other users.

• Location Privacy: Exact real-time positions are displayed only while actively checked in. Otherwise, precise locations are only visible through content you explicitly choose to publish (e.g., a listing map pin).

• Private Communications: Direct chat messages are visible strictly to conversation participants. Community hub messages are accessible only to authorized hub members.

• Blocking: Blocked users are restricted from sending messages or viewing your activity on the map.

• Third-Party Marketing: We do not share user data with third parties for marketing purposes.

4. Third-Party Service Providers

Mikan utilizes the following infrastructure and external service providers to process data on our behalf:

• Firebase (Google): Authentication, database storage, and backend infrastructure. Refer to Google's Privacy Policy.

• Google Sign-In & Sign in with Apple: Authentication services.

• Google Maps: Interactive map display rendering.

• OpenStreetMap (Nominatim): When searching for addresses or places, search queries are processed via OpenStreetMap. Refer to OpenStreetMap's Privacy Policy.

• Microlink: Web links added to posts are processed via Microlink to generate link previews. Refer to Microlink's Privacy Policy.

• Expo Push Notifications: Route and deliver device push notifications.

When requesting directions, Mikan launches your chosen external navigation application (e.g., Google Maps, Apple Maps, or Waze), which operates under its respective privacy policy.

5. Data Retention, Deactivation, and Deletion

• Account Deletion: You can permanently delete your account via Settings → Account → Delete Account. This action permanently deletes:

  • Your profile (including photos, email, phone number, birth date, gender, location, and Neighborhood Helper details) and public profile.

  • Your blocked-users list and notifications.

  • Listings and events you published (including associated media).

  • Hubs where you are the sole member (including associated media and chat logs).

  • Membership records in external hubs, active conversations, connections, connection requests, and unread counts.

• Shared Content: Specific content may remain following account deletion to preserve network integrity for other users:

  • Messages transmitted in group chats or community hubs.

  • Hubs created that contain active members (ownership is automatically transferred to another member). To completely purge such a hub, delete it manually prior to account deletion.

  • Safety reports submitted may be retained for community moderation records.

• Account Deactivation: A temporary deactivation toggle is available in Settings. It suppresses your profile visibility until your next authentication session.

6. Age Requirement & Child Safety Policy (CSAE)

• Age Requirement: Mikan is designed exclusively for adult users. You must be at least 18 years of age to use the app. We do not knowingly collect personal data from minors under 18. If you identify an account belonging to a minor under 18, please contact us for immediate account removal.

• Child Safety & Anti-CSAE Policy: Mikan maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy against Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) and Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (CSAE).

• Prohibited Conduct: Users are strictly forbidden from uploading, sharing, or transmitting any content, text, images, or links that depict, promote, or facilitate child sexual abuse or exploitation.

• Reporting Mechanisms: We provide integrated in-app reporting and blocking tools allowing users to immediately flag inappropriate content or suspicious behavior. Violations can also be reported via email.

• Moderation & Enforcement: Reported content is audited promptly. Non-compliant content is removed immediately, offending accounts are permanently banned, and illegal activity involving CSAM/CSAE is reported to appropriate law enforcement authorities.

7. Security Measures

Data access is governed by authenticated, rule-based database parameters. Read and write permissions are strictly limited: users can only modify their own profile data, private details are restricted to individual account owners, and direct messages are accessible strictly to conversation participants. While no electronic storage or transmission method is completely immune to risk, we enforce industry-standard security practices to protect your data.

8. Policy Updates

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy as necessary. Material changes will be indicated by the "Last updated" date above.

9. Contact Information

For inquiries, support, or data management requests, contact:

📧 yossefinb@gmail.com