PING PRIVACY POLICY

1. INTRODUCTION

Gropad, Inc. ("Gropad," "we," "us," or "our") operates Ping, an intelligent, city-wide discovery and intent-matching platform. We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use the Ping mobile application, the website at ping.gropad.com, and related services (collectively, the "Service").

By using the Service, you consent to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Service.

2. INFORMATION WE COLLECT

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

Account Information:

• Name and username
• Email address and/or phone number (depending on your sign-in method)
• Authentication identifiers from Apple or Google sign-in, where used
• Profile picture (optional)
• Optional profile details such as school affiliation, program, academic year, and skills or interests

Ping (Intent) Information:

• The natural-language pings you create describing what you need, want, or offer
• Keywords, categories, and preferences derived from your pings to power matching
• The city or, in school-exclusive mode, the school you choose for matching
• The status of your active pings and the matches they generate

Communication Data:

• Messages you send to matched users through in-app messaging
• Media you share within conversations
• Support requests and communications with our team

Reports and Safety Data:

• Reports, blocks, and flags you submit about other users, pings, or messages

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

Device Information:

• Device type, model, and operating system
• Unique device identifiers and push notification tokens
• IP address and mobile network information

Usage Information:

• How you use the app, including features accessed and time spent
• Pings created, matches received, and interactions

Location Information:

• Approximate location based on IP address
• Precise location data only if you grant permission, used to enable city-based matching and relevant features
• The city or school area you select

Technical Information:

• Log files, crash reports, and performance metrics

2.3 Information from Third Parties

• Sign-in providers: When you sign in with Apple or Google, we receive basic identifying information necessary to create and authenticate your account.
• Analytics services: We use third-party analytics that may collect information about your use of the Service.

3. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION

3.1 To Provide the Service

• Create and manage your account
• Operate the intelligent matching engine that continuously compares your pings against other users' pings and profiles
• Generate matches and send you match notifications
• Enable secure in-app messaging between matched users
• Personalize your experience and improve match relevance

Matching relies on automated and AI-based processing of the pings and profile details you provide in order to identify relevant connections.

3.2 Safety and Security

• Detect, prevent, and respond to fraud, abuse, spam, and prohibited content
• Investigate reports and enforce our Terms of Use and Child Safety Policy
• Maintain the security and integrity of the platform

3.3 Communication

• Send you match alerts and important Service updates via push notifications and email
• Respond to your inquiries and support requests
• Send optional promotional messages, which you can opt out of at any time

3.4 Analytics and Improvement

• Analyze usage to improve functionality and develop new features
• Monitor performance, stability, and reliability

4. HOW WE SHARE YOUR INFORMATION

4.1 With Other Users

When your ping matches another user's ping, we share limited profile information (such as your username and profile details) with that user so you can connect and communicate. You control what optional details you add to your profile. Your private account identifiers, such as your email or phone number, are not shared with other users unless you choose to share them in conversation.

4.2 Service Providers

We share information with trusted third-party providers who help us operate the Service, including:

• Cloud hosting, database, and storage infrastructure
• AI and matching infrastructure used to process pings and generate matches
• Push notification and email delivery
• Analytics and performance monitoring
• Payment processing for any in-app purchases

These providers are permitted to use your information only to perform services on our behalf.

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information where we believe in good faith it is necessary to:

• Comply with a legal obligation, court order, or lawful request
• Enforce our Terms of Use or investigate potential violations
• Protect the safety, rights, or property of users, the public, or Gropad
• Detect, prevent, or address fraud, security, or safety issues

4.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any change in ownership or control of your personal information.

4.5 We Do Not Sell Your Personal Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share information with third parties only as described in this Policy or with your consent.

5. DATA SECURITY

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information, including encryption of data in transit and at rest, secure authentication, row-level access controls, and ongoing monitoring. However, no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. In the event of a data breach affecting your personal information, we will notify you and relevant authorities as required by applicable law.

6. YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS AND CHOICES

6.1 Account Management

• View and update your profile and preferences in the app
• Create, edit, and delete your pings at any time
• Block and report other users

6.2 Account Deletion

You can permanently delete your account and associated personal data directly in the app at any time via Profile > Account Actions > Delete Account. Because deletion is tied to your verified, signed-in session, it works securely for every sign-in method (email, phone, Apple, or Google) without ever requiring you to share your password. Deletion is permanent, subject to limited retention required by law or for safety and fraud prevention. See our Account Deletion page for details.

6.3 Communication and Permissions

• Manage push notifications in your device and in-app settings
• Opt out of promotional emails via the unsubscribe link
• Control location sharing through your device settings

6.4 Regional Privacy Rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, port, or restrict the processing of your personal information, and to object to certain processing or withdraw consent. This includes rights under laws such as the GDPR (European Union) and CCPA/CPRA (California). To exercise these rights, contact us at info@gropad.com. We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.

7. DATA RETENTION

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active and as needed to provide the Service, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. When you delete your account, we permanently remove your profile, pings, matches, and messages, retaining only limited information where required by law or for legitimate safety and fraud-prevention purposes. Aggregated or anonymized data that cannot identify you may be retained indefinitely.

8. CHILDREN'S PRIVACY

Ping is intended only for users aged 18 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a minor, we will delete it promptly. If you believe a minor has provided us information, contact us at info@gropad.com. See our Child Safety Policy for more.

9. INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own, which may have different data protection laws. When we transfer your information internationally, we implement appropriate safeguards, such as standard contractual clauses or other legally recognized mechanisms.

10. UPDATES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy and updating the "Last Updated" date, and, where appropriate, through an in-app or email notice. Your continued use of the Service after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. CONTACT INFORMATION

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at:
Email: info@gropad.com
Gropad Inc.
Ontario, Canada

If you are located in the European Union, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority.