Privacy Policy
Deespora ("Deespora," "we," "us," or "our") helps people find and connect with businesses run by others from their home country, wherever they've settled. This policy explains what information we collect through the Deespora mobile app, why we collect it, who we share it with, and the choices you have.
We've tried to write this in plain language rather than dense legal text. If anything is unclear, email us at info@deespora.com and we'll explain it.
By creating an account or using Deespora, you agree to the practices described here.
01 — The Basics
Information We Collect
We collect information you give us directly, information we collect automatically to make the app work, and information from third parties when you choose to use them (like signing in with Google or Apple).
| What we collect | Why we collect it |
|---|---|
| Name, email address, phone number | To create and identify your account, and to contact you about it |
| Password | To secure your account. Your password is hashed and we never store or view it in plain text |
| Google or Apple account info | If you sign in with Google or Apple instead of a password, we receive basic profile info (like your name and email) from that provider |
| Device location (GPS, city, state) | To show you businesses near you and send push notifications relevant to your city |
| Push notification device token (FCM) | To deliver push notifications to your specific device |
| Notification preferences | To remember whether you've opted in to push and/or email notifications |
| Saved / favorited businesses | To keep your saved listings available across sessions |
We do not intentionally collect payment card details, government ID numbers, or other sensitive identifiers through the app.
02 — Putting It To Work
How We Use Your Information
- Show you relevant businesses — we use your city/state (resolved from your device location) to surface listings near you.
- Send push notifications — about local promotions, business updates, and app activity, only if you've enabled push notifications.
- Send transactional emails — like a welcome email, password reset link, or a notice that your business listing was approved or rejected.
- Maintain your account — including your saved/favorited businesses and preferences, so they're there next time you open the app.
- Keep the app secure — to detect misuse, fraud, or technical issues.
We do not use your data to build advertising profiles for third parties, and we do not use your location for anything beyond showing nearby businesses and city-targeted notifications.
03 — Staying In Touch
Push Notifications & Email
Push notifications are opt-in — you'll only receive them if you enable them in the app, and you can turn them off at any time in your device settings or in the app's notification preferences. We use Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) to deliver these, which means Google's infrastructure handles the actual delivery of the notification to your device.
We send transactional emails (account welcome, password reset, listing approval or rejection) regardless of your marketing email preference, since these relate directly to your account and actions you've taken. You can opt out of non-transactional email at any time.
04 — Who Else Sees It
Third Parties We Work With
We don't have our own servers or data centers — like most apps, we rely on established infrastructure providers to run Deespora. Each of the following processes data on our behalf, under their own security and privacy commitments:
Firebase (Google)
Push notification delivery and, for some users, authentication
MongoDB Atlas
Hosts our application database
Railway
Hosts our backend server infrastructure
Google Maps / Geocoding
Converts your GPS coordinates into a city and state
Google Sign-In / Apple Sign-In
Optional OAuth login, if you choose to sign in that way
Resend
Delivers our transactional emails
These providers only receive the data needed to perform their specific function, and are not permitted to use it for their own purposes beyond that. We may also disclose information if required by law, to protect the rights and safety of our users, or in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets — in which case we'll make reasonable efforts to notify you.
05 — The Short Answer
Do We Sell Your Data?
06 — How Long We Keep It
Data Retention & Deletion
We retain your account information for as long as your account is active, so the app can function properly (showing your saved businesses, remembering your preferences, and so on).
Some information may be retained for a limited period after deletion where we're legally required to, or where needed to resolve disputes or enforce our agreements.
07 — Keeping It Safe
How We Protect Your Data
We take reasonable technical and organizational steps to protect your information, including:
- Passwords are hashed, never stored in plain text.
- Data in transit is encrypted using industry-standard protocols (HTTPS/TLS).
- Access to our database and servers is restricted to authorized personnel only.
No system is 100% secure, and we can't guarantee absolute security — but we work to keep your information protected and will notify affected users if we become aware of a breach involving your personal data, as required by law.
08 — Your Choices
Your Rights & Choices
- Access or correct your info — email us and we'll help you review or update your account details.
- Delete your account — you can permanently delete your account and associated personal data at any time directly within the app, in your account settings. You can also email us at info@deespora.com if you need help.
- Turn off location access — you can disable location permissions in your device settings at any time. Note that this will limit our ability to show you nearby businesses.
- Turn off push notifications — disable these in-app or in your device settings whenever you like.
- Opt out of marketing email — you'll still receive transactional emails related to your account.
If you're located somewhere with specific data protection laws (such as the EU/UK's GDPR or California's CCPA), you may have additional rights, like requesting a copy of your data in a portable format or objecting to certain processing. Reach out to us at info@deespora.com and we'll do our best to accommodate your request.
09 — Age Requirement
Children's Privacy
Deespora is intended for general audiences aged 13 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us at info@deespora.com and we will delete it promptly.
10 — Keeping This Current
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time as the app evolves. If we make material changes, we'll update the "Effective date" at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify you in-app or by email. We encourage you to review this page periodically.
11 — Get In Touch
Contact Us
Questions, concerns, or requests about your data? We're happy to help.
Reach the Deespora team
Whether it's a privacy question, a data deletion request, or general feedback, email is the fastest way to reach us.