1 Information We Collect
We collect information necessary to provide UniChat's messaging and translation services. The information we collect falls into two categories: information you provide directly, and information collected automatically.
| Data Type | What It Is | Why We Collect It |
|---|---|---|
| Phone Number | Your mobile number with country code | Primary authentication identifier via OTP verification |
| Google Account Email | Email address from your Google account (if using Google Sign-In) | Alternative authentication method |
| Display Name | The name you choose for your profile | Shown to contacts in chat; your preferred identity in the app |
| Preferred Language | Your chosen language for message display | Used to automatically translate incoming messages into your language |
| Push Notification Token | A device-specific token issued by FCM (Android) or APNs (iOS) | Required to deliver push notifications for new messages |
| Messages | Text messages you send and receive | Core service functionality — real-time delivery and chat history |
| Message Metadata | Timestamps, delivery status, read receipts | Powers sent/delivered/read indicators |
| Purchase History | Subscription status and transaction identifiers, managed via RevenueCat | To unlock and maintain premium features you've purchased |
| Advertising Identifier & Usage Data | Device advertising ID and ad interaction data, collected via Google AdMob (free tier only) | To display and measure in-app banner ads that support the free version of UniChat |
Contact Data (Device-Only Processing): If you grant contacts permission, UniChat reads your device contacts locally to identify which of your contacts are already on UniChat. Contact names and numbers are not uploaded to our servers. Only phone number hashes (irreversible fingerprints) are compared server-side for matching purposes.
2 How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect solely to operate, maintain, and improve the UniChat service. Specifically:
- Authentication: Your phone number or Google email is used to verify your identity and secure your account.
- Messaging: Your messages are stored and delivered in real time to your conversation partners via Google Firestore.
- Auto-Translation: Incoming messages are translated using your preferred language setting. The original message and the translated version are both stored so each participant sees messages in their own language.
- Push Notifications: Your device token is used to send you notifications when you receive a new message, even when the app is not open.
- Online Presence & Typing: We temporarily track whether you're active in a chat to power the online/offline indicator and typing status shown to the other participant.
- Contact Matching: Hashed phone numbers are used to identify mutual UniChat users among your device contacts.
- App Improvement: Aggregated, anonymised usage patterns may be used to understand how UniChat is used and to prioritise improvements.
- Advertising: UniChat's free tier shows banner ads served by Google AdMob. With your permission (via the App Tracking Transparency prompt on iOS), AdMob may use your device's advertising identifier to show more relevant ads. You can decline this prompt and still use the app; declining only affects ad relevance, not app functionality. Purchasing Premium removes ads entirely.
- Subscriptions: If you purchase Premium, your purchase and subscription status are managed via RevenueCat, linked to your account so your entitlement follows you across devices.
We do not sell your personal data to third parties.
3 How We Share Your Information
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We share data only in the following limited circumstances:
- With Other Users: Your display name, profile initial, preferred language, online status, and messages are visible to users you chat with. This is necessary for the service to function.
- Service Providers: We use Google Firebase (Firestore, Authentication, Cloud Functions, FCM) as our backend infrastructure. Google processes data on our behalf under strict data processing agreements. See Google's Privacy Policy at policies.google.com/privacy.
- Legal Requirements: We may disclose data if required by law, court order, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of UniChat, our users, or the public.
- Business Transfer: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your data may be transferred. We will notify users via in-app notice or email before data is subject to a different privacy policy.
4 Data Storage & Security
All UniChat data is stored on Google Firebase infrastructure, which is SOC 2 and ISO 27001 certified. Data is stored in secure, access-controlled environments with encryption in transit (TLS) and at rest.
We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your data, including:
- Firebase Security Rules restricting database read/write to authenticated users only
- Server-side Cloud Functions for sensitive operations (such as account deletion) to prevent client-side tampering
- OTP-based phone authentication to prevent unauthorised account access
While we take security seriously, no system is 100% secure. We encourage you to use a strong, unique Google account password if using Google Sign-In and to keep your device secure.
5 Your Rights & Choices
Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal data. UniChat respects these rights globally:
- Access: You can view your display name, preferred language, and phone number within the app at any time.
- Correction: You can update your display name and preferred language at any time from your Profile.
- Deletion: You can permanently delete your account and all associated personal data from within the app. See Section 6 below.
- Notification Opt-Out: You can disable push notifications at any time via your device Settings → UniChat → Notifications.
- Contacts Permission: You can revoke contacts access at any time via device Settings. The Contacts tab will no longer display device contacts, but existing chats are unaffected.
To exercise any rights not available directly in the app, please contact us at privacy@unichat.app.
6 Account Deletion
UniChat provides a full in-app account deletion feature, as required by Apple App Store and Google Play Store guidelines. To delete your account:
- Open UniChat and go to the Profile tab.
- Scroll to the bottom and tap "Delete Account."
- Confirm your intention in the dialog that appears.
Upon deletion:
- Your Firebase Authentication account is permanently and immediately deleted — you will not be able to sign back in.
- Your profile document is anonymised: your name is replaced with "Deleted User," and your phone number, email, and notification tokens are permanently removed.
- A server-side Cloud Function provides a secondary safety net to ensure anonymisation completes even if the app is closed during the process.
- Message content you sent remains in chat history (attributed to "Deleted User") so other participants' conversations are not disrupted.
Account deletion is irreversible. If you simply want a break, you can sign out without deleting your account.
7 Children's Privacy
UniChat is not intended for use by children under the age of 13 (or the applicable minimum age in your country). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal data, please contact us at privacy@unichat.app and we will promptly delete it.
8 Third-Party Services
UniChat uses the following third-party services. Each has its own privacy policy:
- Google Firebase — Authentication, Firestore database, Cloud Functions, and Cloud Messaging. Privacy Policy
- Google Sign-In — Optional OAuth authentication. Privacy Policy
- Apple Push Notification Service (APNs) — Push delivery on iOS devices. Privacy Policy
- Google AdMob — Banner advertising in the free tier. Privacy Policy
- RevenueCat — Subscription and purchase management for Premium. Privacy Policy
9 Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will notify you via an in-app notification and update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. Your continued use of UniChat after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.
10 Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us:
- Email: privacy@unichat.app
- Support: UniChat Help Center
We aim to respond to all privacy-related inquiries within 7 business days.