Vidopt ("we," "us," or "our") operates the CircleMap mobile application (the "App"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our App.
1. Information We Collect
Account Information
When you create an account, we collect:
- Phone number — used for account creation, SMS verification, and member identification.
- Display name — shown to other circle members on the map and in messaging.
- Profile photo — optionally uploaded to personalize your map annotation and profile. Stored on our servers.
Location Data
CircleMap's core functionality requires location data:
- Precise location (GPS) — shared in real time with your circle members when location sharing is enabled. Used for map display, Emergency SOS, and share links.
- Approximate location — when you enable approximate mode, your location is blurred to ~1 km before sharing.
- Location history — stored for up to 30 days (Pro) or 1 day (Free) to enable the history timeline feature. Automatically deleted after the retention period.
- Background location — collected when you enable background sharing so circle members receive updates when the app is closed. You can disable this at any time.
- Motion activity — we use device motion sensors (accelerometer) to detect whether you are walking, driving, or stationary, solely to adjust GPS update frequency and save battery. This data is processed on-device and never uploaded.
Device Information
- Device push token — used to deliver push notifications for circle events, messages, SOS alerts, and incoming calls.
- Battery level and charging state — optionally sent with location updates so circle members can see your device battery status.
Communication Data
- Messages — text messages sent within circles are stored on our servers to enable message history and delivery to offline members.
- Voice calls — signaling metadata (call start/end, duration) passes through our SWAP signaling server. Audio is transmitted peer-to-peer between devices using WebRTC and does not pass through our servers.
2. How We Use Your Information
| Purpose | Data Used |
|---|---|
| Display your location to circle members | Precise or approximate location |
| Authenticate your account | Phone number, SMS verification code |
| Show your identity on the map | Display name, profile photo |
| Deliver notifications | Device push token |
| Enable in-app messaging | Message content, sender ID |
| Enable voice calls | Signaling metadata (no audio) |
| Emergency SOS alerts | Precise location, emergency contact numbers |
| Optimize battery usage | Motion activity (on-device only) |
| Process subscriptions | Apple transaction IDs (no payment card data) |
3. How We Share Your Information
We share your information only in these limited circumstances:
- With your circle members — your location, name, and profile photo are shared with members of circles you have joined, subject to your privacy settings.
- Share link viewers — if you create a share link, anyone with the link can view your location (exact or approximate, as you choose) until the link expires.
- Service providers — we use Twilio for SMS verification and Firebase for push notifications. These providers receive only the minimum data required to deliver their service.
- Emergency contacts — when you trigger SOS, your location is sent via SMS to your designated emergency contacts.
- Legal requirements — we may disclose information if required by law, subpoena, or legal process.
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We do not use your data for advertising or behavioral tracking.
4. Data Retention
| Data Type | Retention Period |
|---|---|
| Account information | Until you delete your account |
| Location history | 30 days (Pro) / 1 day (Free), then auto-deleted |
| Messages | Until you delete your account or leave the circle |
| Activity logs | 90 days, then auto-deleted |
| Share links | Until expiry or revocation |
| Geofence events | 30 days, then auto-deleted |
| Expired invitations | 48 hours, then auto-deleted |
| Refresh tokens | 30 days of inactivity, then auto-deleted |
5. Data Security
We take appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data:
- All data transmitted between the App and our servers is encrypted using TLS (HTTPS).
- Authentication tokens are stored in the iOS Keychain, the most secure on-device storage available.
- Voice call audio is encrypted end-to-end via WebRTC DTLS-SRTP and never passes through our servers.
- Passwords are hashed with bcrypt. We never store plaintext credentials.
- Our API enforces rate limiting, input validation, and security headers (HSTS, CSP, X-Frame-Options).
6. Your Rights and Choices
- Disable location sharing — toggle off per-circle in Privacy Settings, or revoke location permission in iOS Settings at any time.
- Approximate mode — switch to ~1 km precision per circle.
- Delete your account — in Profile > Delete Account. This permanently removes all your data from our servers.
- Leave circles — leave any circle to stop sharing your location with that group.
- Revoke share links — delete any active share link immediately.
- Manage notifications — control push notification permissions in iOS Settings.
7. Children's Privacy
CircleMap is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.
8. Third-Party Services
| Service | Purpose | Data Shared |
|---|---|---|
| Twilio | SMS verification | Phone number |
| Firebase (Google) | Push notifications | Device token, notification content |
| Apple (StoreKit) | Subscription processing | Transaction IDs (Apple handles payment) |
9. International Data Transfers
Our servers are located in the United States. If you access the App from outside the US, your data will be transferred to and processed in the US. By using the App, you consent to this transfer.
10. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the new policy in the App or on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. Your continued use of the App after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
11. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your data, contact us at:
Email: privacy@circlemap.io
Website: circlemap.io/support