Privacy Policy

What Knock is

Knock is a venue-based social app that helps people signal they are open to connection in a shared place — a coffee shop, library, or wherever you find yourself. You can check in, see who else is there, send a knock, and start chatting if they accept.

Your privacy is the foundation of how we've designed this app. You are anonymous by default. Revealing your name, photo, or contact is always optional and requires mutual consent.

Information we collect

When you use Knock, we may collect:

• Your nickname (not your real name — you choose this)
• Your selected aura (a color/vibe preference)
• Optional profile hints, such as "Ask me about," "Feeling," and "Here for"
• Your anonymous account identifier (generated automatically, not tied to your identity)
• The venue you check in to
• Knocks you send or receive
• Chat messages sent through the app

We do not collect your real name, email address, or phone number. No account registration is required.

Location data

Knock uses your location while the app is open to help identify nearby places you can check in to. That's it.

• We do not use your location in the background
• We do not store your raw GPS coordinates in our backend as part of the normal app flow
• We do not track your movement over time

How we use your information

We use data only to make the app work:

• Let you check in to a venue and appear to others at the same place
• Show you other signals checked in to the same venue
• Deliver knocks and chat messages between matched users
• Support moderation and safety features (including banned-word filters)
• Keep the app functioning and improve reliability

We do not use your data for advertising, profiling, or any purpose outside of operating the app.

Authentication and backend services

Knock uses Supabase for anonymous authentication, data storage, and real-time messaging. Supabase may process and store your anonymous user ID, nickname, aura, venue presence, knocks, and chat messages. Supabase hosts data on AWS infrastructure and maintains its own security practices.

Data is transmitted over encrypted HTTPS connections. Authentication tokens are stored locally on your device. We do not store passwords because none are required.

Messaging and moderation

Messages and knock prompts are stored on our backend so that chats can function in real time. Knock uses moderation tools — including a banned-word filter — to reduce abusive or unsafe content. We may review flagged content to enforce community safety.

Data sharing

We do not sell your personal information.

We share limited data only with service providers that help us operate the app:

• Supabase — authentication, backend data, and real-time messaging
• Google Places — if enabled, for nearby venue lookup (location data only, at check-in time)

We do not share your data with advertisers, data brokers, or any third party for marketing purposes.

What we don't do

• We do not sell, rent, or share your data for marketing
• We do not use Bluetooth or QR codes to identify or track you
• We do not track your location in the background
• We do not require a real name, email, or phone number at any point
• We do not show your profile to anyone outside your current venue session
• We do not use cross-app tracking or advertising SDKs

Your choices

You are in control of your experience. You can choose:

• Whether to check in to a venue at all
• What nickname and hints to display
• Whether to accept or pass on any Knock
• Whether to reveal your name, photo, or contact info (always optional, always mutual)
• To leave a venue or end a chat at any time

To request deletion of your account and all associated data, email us at mra454@gmail.com. Include your anonymous user ID if possible (found in app settings).

Data retention

Venue presence records are ephemeral and cleared when you leave or your session ends. Knock and message records are retained for the duration of the session and a short period afterward for safety review. We do not retain data longer than reasonably necessary to operate the service, comply with legal obligations, or resolve disputes.

Children's privacy

Knock is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect data from anyone under 13. If you believe a child has provided information through the app, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will update the effective date at the top of this page. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.