Privacy Policy

Who We Are

Circl is a location-sharing app that lets you stay connected with the people you choose. It is operated by ShapedSocial LTD ("we", "us", or "our"), a company registered in England and Wales under company number 17454958.

ShapedSocial LTD is the data controller for the personal data described in this policy. That means we decide why and how your data is used, and we are the organisation responsible to you and to the Information Commissioner's Office for it.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and being transparent about how we handle your data. If you want to exercise any of the rights described below, or you are unhappy with how we have handled your data, contact support@circlapp.org.

What Data We Collect

Account information: your name, email address, phone number, and profile photo when you create an account.

Location data: your precise GPS location, speed, and heading while location sharing is active. This is shared in real time only with members of your space.

Device information: battery level and activity type (walking, driving, etc.) used to provide context to your space members.

Music activity: if you connect Apple Music, we collect the currently playing track title, artist, and artwork to display to your space. We do not store your music history.

Usage data: interactions within the app such as places you save, moments you create, and activity within your space.

How We Use Your Data

To provide the core service: sharing your location, status, and activity with members of your space in real time.

To send notifications: arrival and departure alerts for saved places, reactions from space members, and app updates.

To improve the app: understanding how features are used helps us fix bugs and build better experiences.

We do not sell your data to third parties. We do not use your location data for advertising.

Who Can See Your Data

Space members: people in your space can see your real-time location, battery, speed, mood, and currently playing music, but only while you have sharing enabled.

No one outside your space can see your location or personal information through Circl.

You can pause or stop sharing at any time from the Privacy section in Settings.

Data Storage & Security

Your data is stored securely using Google Firebase (Firestore database and Authentication). Location updates are stored temporarily and your full location history is not retained beyond your personal timeline.

Profile and space photos are stored using Cloudflare R2 secure object storage.

We use industry-standard security practices including encrypted connections (HTTPS/TLS) for all data in transit.

Third-Party Services

Google Firebase: authentication, database, and file storage. Subject to Google's Privacy Policy.

Resend: transactional email delivery (e.g. password reset, account notifications). Your email address is passed to Resend solely to send these emails. Subject to Resend's Privacy Policy.

Apple Music: if connected, we access your currently playing track via MusicKit. Subject to Apple's Privacy Policy.

Cloudflare: used for secure media storage. Subject to Cloudflare's Privacy Policy.

We do not share your personal data with these services beyond what is necessary to provide the features you use.

Circl+ Features

Circl+ is our paid tier. Some of its features work out things about your time with other members, which means we record a little more than the free app does. This section explains exactly what, and it applies only to spaces that have Circl+ turned on.

Being in the same place: when you arrive at a place your space has saved, and another member is already there, we record that the two of you were in the same place. We store this as a running count and the date you were last together, not as a list of times and places. That count is what powers features like Orbit and Drift. It is counted at most once per pair, per place, per day.

Nearly crossing paths: to show "near misses", we compare members' current positions from time to time. If two of you are between 100 metres and 1 kilometre apart, we record roughly how far apart you were, rounded to the nearest 100 metres, and the name of a nearby saved place. We do not store the positions themselves.

Places you have been: arriving at a saved place adds a stamp to your own passport, and can count towards a pact you have made. Only you can see your own stamps.

This data is about two people, not one. If you are recorded as being somewhere with another member, that record concerns them as well as you. It is never shown to anyone outside your space, and no member can see how often two other people are together, only pairs they are part of themselves.

Places you mark as quiet are left out of all of this entirely, along with arrival alerts.

If you leave a space, this data is deleted straight away unless you have chosen to let it fade over 30 days instead. Deleting your account removes it regardless. It is all included if you request a copy of your data.

Your Rights

Access: you can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you by tapping "Request My Data" in Privacy Settings.

Deletion: you can permanently delete your account and all associated data from Settings, Delete Account.

Correction: you can update your name, phone number, and photo at any time from Settings, Profile.

Opt out: you can disconnect Apple Music at any time from Settings, Connections.

Children's Privacy

Circl is not intended for use by children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.

Beta App Disclaimer

Circl is currently in beta. Features and data practices may change as the app develops. We will update this Privacy Policy to reflect any significant changes and notify users where required.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes via the app or by email. Continued use of Circl after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact us at support@circlapp.org.

Contact

ShapedSocial LTD, registered in England and Wales under company number 17454958, 66 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NA.

Email support@circlapp.org.

For anything about your personal data, including a request to access, correct or delete it, contact our Data Protection Officer at DPO@shapedsocial.co.uk. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk, or on 0303 123 1113. We would rather you came to us first, but you do not have to.