Data Collection
We collect the following types of data:
- Account information such as your email address, nickname, and date of birth (used only to confirm you meet our 13+ minimum age).
- Profile details you choose to share, such as your bio, interests, writing style, country, and language.
- Content you create, including letters, postcards, and Wall of Letters posts, along with any photo or audio attachments you choose to send.
- Usage data including interactions with the platform and preferences.
- Technical data such as IP address, browser type, and device information, and a device push-notification token if you enable notifications.
Data Usage
Your data is used to:
- Provide and personalize our services, including matching you with pen pals.
- Deliver notifications about new letters and platform updates.
- Improve platform functionality and user experience.
- Investigate reports and enforce our Terms of Service and Safety Guidelines.
- Ensure compliance with legal obligations.
Data Sharing
We do not sell your data. We do not share your data with third parties without your explicit consent, except:
- When required by law or legal processes.
- To trusted service providers who assist in platform operations (for example, push notification delivery and file storage).
- To protect the rights, safety, and security of our users and platform.
Your pen pal only ever sees what you choose to share in your profile and letters - we do not disclose your real name, email address, or exact location to other users.
Children's Privacy
DearStranger requires all users to be at least 13 years old and is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 13. If we learn that we have collected information from a child under 13, we will delete it. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child under 13 has provided us information, please contact us at [email protected].
User Rights
Users have the right to:
- Access and review their personal data.
- Request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Delete their account and request deletion of their data, subject to legal and operational requirements.
- Withdraw consent for data processing at any time.
Account Deletion
You can delete your account at any time from Settings in the app or on the web. When you do:
- Your account is deactivated immediately - you're logged out, can no longer log back in, and disappear from Discover, matching, and your pen pals' conversations.
- Push notifications to your device stop immediately.
- We retain the underlying account and letter data for a period afterward for legal, safety, and operational reasons (for example, so a reported conversation can still be investigated), rather than erasing it instantly.
If you'd like your data fully erased sooner than our standard retention period, contact us at [email protected] and we'll process your request.
Data Security
We implement reasonable security measures to protect your data from unauthorized access, alteration, or disclosure. However, no system is completely secure, and users are encouraged to take precautions to protect their information (see our Safety Guidelines).
Contact
If you have any questions about this policy or your data, please contact us at [email protected], or visit our Contact & Support page.