1. Scope and who we are

This Privacy Policy applies to personal information processed by Friend in LA (“we,” “us”) when you use friendinla.com, our apps, events, verification appointments, billing, affiliate tools, support channels, and related services (the “Service”). It is designed for users in the United States, with specific rights for California residents under the California Consumer Privacy Act as amended by the CPRA (“CCPA”).

Privacy requests: CCPA Request Center or Contact support.

2. Categories of personal information we collect

2.1 Identifiers and account data

Email address, password hash, account identifiers, display name, phone number (for SMS verification), IP address, device/session identifiers, and similar account metadata.

2.2 Profile and demographic information

Date of birth (age gate), gender and preference fields you choose, photos, prompts, interests, relationship/friendship goals, bio text, and other profile content you provide.

2.3 Location information

ZIP code and derived approximate coordinates used for distance-based discovery. We do not display your precise street address to other members. Approximate distance bands may be shown according to product rules.

2.4 Communications

Messages, attachments you send in-app (including images/audio/video where enabled), community room posts, support tickets, and related metadata (timestamps, delivery state).

2.5 Verification and Elite application data

SMS codes and verification status; government ID images and live video review materials for Admin Identity Verification; Elite application statements, category, invitation codes, interview scheduling data, and evidence you upload. Evidence and ID materials are not shown on public profiles.

2.6 Commercial and billing information

Subscription plan, purchase history, invoices/receipts metadata, and payment status. Card numbers are processed by Stripe; we do not store full card PAN on our servers.

2.7 Internet / device activity

App and site events, pages viewed, feature usage, crash logs, referral parameters, cookie identifiers, and security signals (for example suspicious login flags).

2.8 Inferences

Limited inferences used to operate discovery, fraud prevention, and product analytics (for example approximate activity level or eligibility signals).

2.9 Sensitive personal information (as defined under CPRA)

Depending on what you provide, this may include government ID imagery used for verification, precise geolocation if ever collected beyond ZIP-derived approximation, and account login credentials (stored as hashes/tokens). We use sensitive information for verification, security, and Service functionality — not for unexpected secondary advertising.

3. Sources of information

• You — registration, profile, messages, purchases, verification, Elite applications, support.
• Your device — cookies, logs, security signals (see Cookie Notice).
• Payment processors — Stripe payment status and limited billing metadata.
• Affiliates / referrers — referral codes or link attribution when you arrive via a partner.
• Other members — reports, blocks, and safety signals about interactions.
• Service providers — hosting, SMS, email, analytics, and moderation tooling under contract.

4. How we use personal information

• Provide and operate matching, messaging, calls, rooms, events, verification, Elite review, and billing
• Verify age eligibility, phone control, and optional identity credentials
• Personalize discovery within your radius and plan entitlements
• Prevent fraud, spam, abuse, and policy violations; enforce Community Guidelines
• Communicate security alerts, transactional notices, and (if opted in) product updates
• Analyze aggregated or de-identified usage to improve reliability and product design
• Comply with law, respond to lawful requests, and protect rights, safety, and property
• Process affiliate attribution and payouts where applicable

5. How we share personal information

We disclose personal information to:

• Other members — profile content and badges according to your settings; approximate distance; messages you send them.
• Service providers — hosting, storage, email, SMS, payments (Stripe), customer support tooling, analytics, and security vendors under confidentiality and use restrictions.
• Event venues / hosts — limited attendee information needed to run an Event you RSVP to (for example first name and ticket status).
• Professional advisors — lawyers, auditors, insurers as needed.
• Authorities and safety partners — when required by law or to prevent imminent harm, fraud, or illegal activity.
• Business transfers — in connection with a merger, acquisition, financing, or sale of assets, with notice where required.

Sale / share: We do not sell personal information for money. If we engage in “sharing” for cross-context behavioral advertising as defined by the CCPA, we will disclose it and honor opt-out / Global Privacy Control as described in our Cookie Notice and CCPA Request Center.

6. Retention

We retain personal information for as long as your account is active and as needed to provide the Service, resolve disputes, enforce agreements, prevent fraud, and meet legal obligations. Typical patterns include:

• Account/profile data — while active; then deletion or anonymization after account closure queues complete
• Messages and media — while needed for the conversation/product and legal/safety holds
• Billing records — as required for tax, accounting, and dispute periods
• Verification / Elite evidence — limited access, retained for fraud prevention, appeals, and legal obligations, then securely deleted or minimized
• Logs and security data — rolling windows appropriate to security monitoring

Backup systems may retain residual copies for a limited period after deletion from production systems.

7. Security

We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of dating, messaging, and verification data, including encryption in transit, access controls, and monitoring. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. Report suspected unauthorized access via support immediately.

8. Your choices and controls

• Update profile, privacy, and visibility settings in your account
• Block and report other members
• Manage billing and cancel subscriptions in Manage billing
• Control nonessential cookies via the Cookie Notice preference form
• Unsubscribe from optional marketing email; use STOP for optional SMS where offered
• Request access or deletion via the CCPA Request Center

9. California privacy rights (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you may have the right to:

• Know / access categories and specific pieces of personal information we collected
• Delete personal information, subject to legal exceptions
• Correct inaccurate personal information
• Opt out of sale or sharing of personal information (if applicable)
• Limit use of sensitive personal information to purposes permitted by law
• Non-discrimination for exercising privacy rights

Submit requests at the CCPA Request Center. We will verify your identity (typically via authenticated session). Authorized agents may submit with proof of authorization. We aim to respond within 45 days, with a permitted extension when needed.

Shine the Light: California Civil Code §1798.83 requests regarding third-party marketing disclosures may be sent via support with subject “Shine the Light.”

10. Children

The Service is strictly for adults 18+. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If we learn an account belongs to a minor, we will terminate it and delete associated data as required.

11. International users

The Service is operated from the United States for a Greater Los Angeles audience. If you access the Service from elsewhere, you understand information may be processed in the U.S., where laws may differ from those in your country.

12. Automated processing

We use automated systems for fraud detection, spam filtering, ranking/discovery, and entitlement checks. Significant account actions (for example Elite approval or identity badge grants) involve human review as described in product flows.

13. Changes to this Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy. We will revise the “Last updated” date and, for material changes, provide additional notice where required by law.

14. Contact

Privacy questions and requests: CCPA Request Center · Contact support.