Privacy Policy

Last updated: July 29, 2026

Echo (“Echo,” “we,” “us”) is an anonymous, location-based bulletin board and chat app. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have. Echo is designed around anonymity: we do not ask for your name, email, or phone number to use the core app.

Information we collect

Account & identity

Echo signs you in anonymously (via Firebase Authentication) and assigns your device a random identifier and a whimsical guest username. We do not collect your real name, email address, or phone number as part of account creation.

Location

To show you bulletin-board posts from around you and to power matchmaking, Echo reads your device’s approximate location and converts it into a coarse geospatial index (H3 hexagonal cell) before it ever leaves your device context for storage. We do not store your precise GPS coordinates or location history — only the cell your post or session was associated with at the time.

Content you create

Posts, comments, chat messages, and reports you submit are stored so the app can display them to other users (where applicable) and so our moderation systems can review reported content. Voice chat is peer-to-peer (WebRTC) — we relay connection setup only and do not record or store call audio.

Device & usage data

We collect basic device and diagnostic information (app version, platform, crash logs) and a push-notification token (if you enable notifications) to deliver chat and match alerts.

Purchases & rewarded ads

Echo Credits can be earned by watching rewarded ads (served via Google AdMob, which verifies ad completion through a server-to-server callback) or purchased in-app. In-app purchases and subscriptions are processed by the app stores and reconciled through RevenueCat; we receive confirmation of a purchase and its associated entitlement, not your payment card details.

How we use information

• To operate core features: nearby posts, matchmaking, chat, and direct messages.
• To keep the community safe: reviewing reports, applying moderation actions (including shadowbans, suspensions, or bans), and filtering blocked users from your feeds and matches.
• To maintain your Echo Credits balance and transaction history.
• To send chat/match push notifications you’ve enabled.
• To diagnose crashes and improve app performance and reliability.

Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. We share limited data with the service providers that make Echo work: Google Cloud / Firebase (hosting, authentication, push notifications), Google AdMob (rewarded ads), and RevenueCat (purchase management). Each operates under its own privacy policy and only receives what it needs to provide its service.

We may disclose information if required by law, or to protect the rights, safety, and security of Echo, its users, or the public.

Data retention & deletion

We retain account and content data for as long as your account is active. You can request deletion of your account and associated data at any time by contacting us at privacy@useecho.net. Some information may be retained longer where necessary for moderation records, fraud prevention, or legal compliance.

Children’s privacy

Echo is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has provided us information, contact us and we will remove it.

Your choices

• You can disable location access, but nearby-post and matchmaking features will not work without it.
• You can disable push notifications in your device settings at any time.
• You can block other users, which filters them from your feeds, comments, matchmaking, and DMs.
• You can request access to or deletion of your data by contacting us below.

Changes to this policy

We’ll update the “Last updated” date above when this policy changes, and post material changes in the app.

Contact

Questions about this policy? Email us at privacy@useecho.net.