privacy policy

• account information: email address (required), phone number (optional), display name
• profile data: photos, bio, city, interests, and custom profile fields you choose to share
• location data: approximate location (city-level) for the find feature. precise location only when you grant permission, never stored permanently.
• usage data: app interactions, feature usage for improving the service
• device information: device type, os version (for push notifications and compatibility)

• provide and improve the niche social networking service
• show you relevant profiles in the find feature based on location and interests
• send push notifications for messages, group invites, and event updates
• verify your identity (email/phone verification)
• detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and security threats
• monitor application performance and fix bugs (via sentry error tracking)

• all data is encrypted at rest (aes-256) and in transit (tls 1.2+)
• passwords are hashed using bcrypt with owasp-recommended settings
• data stored on aws infrastructure in the united states (us-west-2)
• access restricted to authorized personnel only
• regular security audits and monitoring via cloudtrail

we use the following third-party services to operate niche:

• amazon web services (aws): cloud hosting, email delivery (ses), sms (sns), file storage (s3)
• apple push notification service (apns): push notifications on ios
• sentry: error tracking and performance monitoring (pii is scrubbed before transmission)
• maplibre gl js & carto: map rendering and tile service in the find feature (webapp only; no user data is sent to these services)

we do not sell your personal data to third parties.

• account data: retained while your account is active
• stories: automatically deleted after 7 days
• deleted messages: purged after 30 days
• audit logs: retained for 90 days
• media files: old versions removed after 90 days

• access: export all your data via settings → export data
• deletion: delete your account and all associated data via settings → delete account
• correction: edit your profile information at any time
• portability: download your data in json format

niche is not intended for users under the age of 13. we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. if you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.

niche uses:

• authentication cookies: httponly, secure cookies for session management
• local storage: app preferences and consent status (no tracking)

we do not use advertising cookies or third-party tracking cookies.

we may update this policy from time to time. we will notify you of significant changes via the app or email.

if you are a california resident, you have specific rights under the california consumer privacy act (ccpa) regarding your personal information.

categories of personal information we collect:

• identifiers: email address, phone number, display name, device identifiers
• personal information (cal. civ. code 1798.80): name, phone number
• internet or network activity: app usage data, feature interactions, browsing history within the app
• geolocation data: approximate (city-level) and precise location when permission is granted
• inferences: interest-based profile matching for the find feature

your ccpa rights:

• right to know: you may request that we disclose the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you, the categories of sources, our business purpose for collecting it, and the categories of third parties with whom we share it.
• right to delete: you may request that we delete the personal information we have collected about you. you can do this directly via settings → delete account, or by contacting us.
• right to opt-out of sale: we do not sell your personal information. we have never sold personal information and have no plans to do so.
• right to non-discrimination: we will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your ccpa rights.

we do not sell personal information. niche does not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to third parties for monetary or other valuable consideration.

to exercise your ccpa rights, contact us at privacy@niche.social. we will verify your identity before processing your request and respond within 45 days as required by law.

for privacy questions or data requests, contact us at: privacy@niche.social