Privacy Policy

Who we are

Communally ("we," "us") is an iOS app that connects local job seekers with people who need help. This Privacy Policy explains what we collect, why, and how it's used. If you have questions, email us at communallyapp@gmail.com.

Information we collect

Account & profile

• Your name, email, username, profile photo, optional banner image, optional pronouns, and date of birth (used to determine if you're 18+ for the hirer side or under 18 for parental approval).
• For job hirers: legal name, home address, and a verification result from Stripe Identity (which scans your government ID and selfie). Stripe stores the document; we only receive a verification status.
• For job seekers: your skills, optional bio, and optional resume/qualification documents.

Under-18 (teen) seekers

If you sign up as a seeker and are under 18, the app asks you to share an approval link with a parent or guardian. The parent fills out a short form (their name, relationship, optional contact). We store this consent record alongside your account so we can prove the approval was given. We never market to or otherwise contact your parent.

Location

• "While Using the App" location is used to show jobs near you on the map and to set the location of jobs you post. We don't collect location in the background.
• For hirers, your verified home address (from onboarding) is stored encrypted alongside your account so a worker meeting you knows it's a real address.

Messages, jobs, applications, ratings

Anything you post — opportunities, applications, in-app messages, and the ratings you leave or receive — is stored so the app can function. Messages are visible to you and the other party in the conversation, plus our trust & safety team if a report is filed.

Payments

Payments run through Stripe. Stripe handles your card or bank details directly — we never see or store them. We retain a record of each transaction (amount, parties, date) for accounting and dispute resolution.

Safety features

If you opt in, you can record audio or video evidence during a job and share live location with an emergency contact. These recordings stay on your device by default; they're only uploaded to our servers if you explicitly attach them to a safety report.

Device data

We collect a push notification token (so we can send you alerts), basic crash logs, and the iOS version + device model when something goes wrong. Crash logs come through Apple and Firebase Crashlytics — they don't contain your messages or personal info.

How your information is used

• To run the matching, messaging, and payment features.
• To verify identity (hirers) and parental consent (under-18 seekers).
• To send you push notifications about applications, messages, payments, and safety events. You can turn these off in iOS Settings at any time.
• To investigate reports of unsafe or abusive behavior and enforce our Terms of Service.
• To meet legal obligations (tax records for payments, retention of consent for minors).

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not show third-party ads inside the app.

Who we share data with

We share specific data with these service providers, only as needed for the app to work:

• Firebase (Google) — Firestore, Cloud Storage, Authentication, Cloud Functions, Cloud Messaging, and Hosting. Hosts your account, messages, and the data this app reads/writes.
• Stripe — payment processing, payouts (Stripe Connect), and identity verification (Stripe Identity) for hirers.
• Apple — Sign in with Apple, push notifications.
• Google — Sign in with Google, Apple's Maps fallback / SF Symbols.
• Gmail / Resend (transactional email) — when we email you for account-related events. These emails are not marketing.

We may share data with law enforcement if compelled by a valid legal process, or with safety authorities if there's an imminent risk of harm.

Your choices & rights

• Edit — change your name, photo, bio, pronouns, and other profile fields anytime in the app.
• Delete — Profile → Delete Account. This permanently removes your profile, jobs, applications, messages, ratings, and storage files. Payment records are anonymized (your name removed) but retained for tax/audit reasons.
• Block & Report — block other users and file safety reports from inside the app.
• Notifications — manage push notifications in iOS Settings → Communally.
• Location — revoke location access in iOS Settings → Communally → Location anytime; the map will then show a generic area only.

Data retention

We keep your account data while your account is active. After you delete your account: profile + content are deleted within 30 days, payment records are kept (anonymized) for up to 7 years for accounting, and parental consent records are kept for as long as required by COPPA / applicable law.

Children & teens

Communally is open to users 15 and older. Anyone under 18 can only use the app as a seeker, and only after a parent or guardian completes the approval form. If you believe a child under 15 has created an account, email us at communallyapp@gmail.com and we'll remove the account immediately.

Security

Data is encrypted in transit (HTTPS/TLS) and at rest in Firebase and Stripe. Authentication uses Apple and Google sign-in flows; we never see your password. No system is perfect, so if you spot something that looks off, please tell us.

International users

Our servers are hosted in the United States via Google Cloud (Firebase). If you're using the app from outside the US, your data is transferred to and processed in the US.

Changes to this policy

If we make material changes, we'll update the date at the top and, where reasonable, notify you in-app or by email before the changes take effect.

Contact

Questions or concerns? Email communallyapp@gmail.com.