In Search Of… — Privacy Policy

Effective Date: February 21, 2026
Business: Joseph S Apps, LLC (“Company,” “we,” “us,” “our”)
Website: josephsapps.com
Support: itsjosephsapps@gmail.com

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect information when you use the Services.

1) Information We Collect

A) Account Information

When you sign in (Apple, Google, or email/password), we may collect:

  • Email address (including Apple relay addresses if “Hide My Email” is used)
  • Account identifiers (e.g., a user ID used to run the account)
  • Sign-in provider type (Apple/Google/Email)

B) Profile Information You Provide

Depending on what you choose to add:

  • Username, profile photo(s), about-me text
  • City/state and other optional profile fields you submit
  • Profile visibility preferences (public/private toggles)

C) Listings and Marketplace Content

When you post or edit a listing:

  • Title, description, category, photos
  • Listing preferences (e.g., “Looking to Pay” / “Looking to Earn”)
  • Location info used for discovery (zip-based or approximate distance filtering)

D) Messages

If you use in-app messaging:

  • Message content and attachments you send/receive
  • Metadata like timestamps and conversation IDs

E) Location Information (Permission-Based)

  • If you grant location access, we may use device location to show nearby results and calculate distance.
  • If you enter a zip code, we may use it to estimate location for search.

F) Safety, Moderation, and Trust

  • Reports you submit, blocks you set, and moderation actions/logs
  • Ratings/reviews (where available)

G) Device & Diagnostics

  • Device type, operating system, app version
  • Crash/error diagnostics to improve stability

H) Push Notifications

  • A device notification token used to deliver notifications if enabled

2) How We Use Information

We use information to:

  • Provide core features (accounts, profiles, listings, filters, messaging)
  • Personalize local discovery (zip/distance)
  • Deliver notifications you enable
  • Prevent fraud, spam, and abuse; enforce Terms
  • Respond to support requests and safety reports
  • Maintain, debug, and improve performance

3) How We Share Information

We do not sell your personal information.

We may share information:

A) With Other Users

Other users may see your listings and the profile fields you set as public. Messages are visible to the people you message.

B) With Service Providers

We use third-party providers to operate the Services (authentication, databases, storage, notifications). They process data on our behalf under agreements designed to protect it.

C) For Legal and Safety Reasons

We may disclose information to comply with law, enforce our Terms, protect users, investigate fraud/abuse, or respond to valid legal requests.

D) Business Transfers

If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, or sale of assets, information may be transferred as part of that process.

4) Your Choices & Controls

You can:

  • Edit your profile and listings
  • Control profile visibility where available
  • Enable/disable location permission in iOS settings
  • Enable/disable push notifications in device settings
  • Block/report users inside the app

5) Data Retention

We retain information as necessary to:

  • Provide the Services
  • Comply with legal obligations
  • Resolve disputes
  • Prevent fraud and abuse

If you delete your account, we will take steps to delete or de-identify data where appropriate, but some data may be retained for legal/safety reasons and in backups for a limited time.

6) Security

We use reasonable safeguards to protect data, but no method of storage or transmission is completely secure. Please use caution when sharing information with others.

7) Children’s Privacy

The Services are not intended for anyone under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors.

8) International Users

If you use the Services outside the U.S., your information may be processed in the U.S. or other locations where our providers operate.

9) Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post updates on our website and/or in the app with a new effective date.

10) Contact

For privacy questions or requests, email: itsjosephsapps@gmail.com