1. Introduction
Welcome to OUT! We are committed to protecting your privacy and complying with the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486) of Hong Kong. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal data when you use our app.
Age Requirement: OUT! is exclusively designed for adults aged 18 and above. By using our app, you confirm that you are at least 18 years old.
Important Notice About User Content
OUT! is a platform that enables users to join and host their own real-life events. All content published by users on OUT! does not represent the opinions or views of OUT! or its platform owners. OUT! does not control, edit, or pre-screen user-posted content prior to publication. We only review content if it is reported by users after publication through our official reporting system. The only content directly controlled and published by OUT! are those made from our official platform account, which reflect the platform's own views and announcements. This notice clarifies the nature of user-generated content and OUT!'s role in content moderation, ensuring transparency regarding data associated with posted content.
Privacy Policy Outline:
- Personal Data We Collect: Details the types of information we gather.
- Use of Your Personal Data: Explains how we use your data to provide and improve our services.
- Algorithmic Recommendations: Describes how we use your data to suggest Friends and events.
- User Reporting and Enforcement: Explains how you can report misuse and our enforcement actions.
- Data Retention, Access, and Third Parties: Details how long data is retained, who can access it, and circumstances around sharing anonymized data.
- Data Security: Outlines how we protect your data.
- Your Rights Under Hong Kong Law: Your legal rights to access and correct your data.
- Updates to This Policy: How we handle changes to our Privacy Policy.
- Contact Us: How to reach us with questions or concerns.
2. Personal Data We Collect
When you register and use OUT!, we collect the following information from you:
- Registration Information: Email address from your Google account or Apple ID for account creation.
- Profile Information: User-uploaded pictures, birthday, age, gender, school, workplace, interests, and any other information you provide in bio.
- Activity Data: Your usage patterns such as event joining frequency, time spent on the app, and friend network growth.
- Location Data: Approximate location for event discovery and recommendations (only when location services are enabled).
- Device Information: Device type, operating system, and app version for technical support and security purposes.
- Communication Data: Messages sent through the app for event coordination and safety purposes.
- Report Information: Details of any reports you submit about other users.
- We do not collect sensitive personal data (e.g., racial or ethnic origin, health information) unless explicitly provided by you.
3. Use of Your Personal Data
We use your data to:
- Provide and maintain the OUT! services.
- Allow users to join and host events and create user groups ("Rooms") for event participants.
- Review reports submitted by users and enforce platform rules.
- Improve our app infrastructure and user experience.
- Communicate important information, updates, and respond to your inquiries.
- Comply with applicable laws and protect legal rights.
We do not sell or rent your personal data to third parties.
4. Algorithmic Recommendations
To enhance your experience, OUT! uses automated algorithms to suggest potential Friends and relevant events on your Home Feed. These recommendations are based on:
- User Profile Information: Such as the interests, you share in your profile.
- User Activity on the App: Including your current friend network (e.g., mutual friends increase compatibility likelihood), and your event participation patterns such as the size and category of events you frequently join.
Such processing is done in compliance with data minimization and fairness principles in the PDPO.
These algorithmic processes help us predict user compatibility and personalize event suggestions, making it easier for you to connect with like-minded people and find events that match your interests.
5. User Reporting and Enforcement
Users can report misuse or inappropriate content via the in-app Report button. Examples of reportable content or behavior include but are not limited to:
- Discrimination and Hate Speech: Content or behavior involving sexism, racism, fetishization, or any identity-based hate that promotes harmful stereotypes or incites violence.
- Unwelcome or Lewd Comments: Sexual harassment including sending unwanted sexual comments, questions, advances, or unsolicited images of nudity (cyberflashing).
- Threatening or Violent Behavior: Any credible threats or intimidation towards other users.
- Fake Profiles and Scams: Profiles that may be fake, staged, or used to scam other users.
- Harassment and Bullying: Insulting, excessive messaging, mocking, stalking, or other behaviors that make users feel unsafe or uncomfortable.
- Inappropriate Use of the Platform: Using the app for purposes other than intended, such as unwanted romantic or sexual messages in non-dating modes.
- Sharing False or Misleading Information: Posting demonstrably false content that could cause harm or public safety risks.
Each report is reviewed on a case-by-case basis. If a report is found legitimate, against out terms & condition or against human moral, we will take actions from sending a warning, suspending the reported user from using the service or lastly banning the account.
Account suspension has a minimum duration of one year. During this suspension period, such users will be prohibited from registering new accounts using the same email address or Apple ID. In addition to suspension, OUT! reserves the right to permanently terminate accounts in cases of repeated or severe violations.
For direct inquiries or issues, users may contact us by email at: out.inquiry@gmail.com.
6. Data Retention, Access, and Third Parties
- User data collected by OUT! will be retained solely for internal app usage to improve our app infrastructure and provide services.
- Only authorized core development team members of OUT! have access to your personal private data, such as email, name, date of birth, gender, school, workplace, profile pictures, location, and interests that you provide during registration and profile creation. All access is subject to strict confidentiality and security policies.
- All personal data will be permanently deleted from our database once you terminate your account on the OUT! platform.
- In limited cases where OUT! shares performance statistics or aggregated data with external companies for future collaboration or legal business activities, any shared data will be anonymized and randomized to prevent identification or reverse tracking of individual users.
- OUT! strictly complies with all applicable legal regulations to ensure the protection of our users' privacy.
7. Data Security
We implement reasonable security measures to protect your data from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. Examples include encryption, secure servers, and access controls.
8. Your Rights Under Hong Kong Law
- You have the right to request access to and correction of your personal data held by OUT!.
- Right to Data Deletion: You may request deletion of your personal data by terminating your account through the app settings or by contacting us directly.
- Right to Data Portability: You may request a copy of your personal data in a commonly used format.
- Right to Withdraw Consent: You may withdraw consent for data processing at any time, though this may limit app functionality.
- To exercise these rights or make any privacy-related inquiry, please contact us at out.inquiry@gmail.com.
- We will respond to your request within 40 days and handle it in accordance with the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486).
9. Updates to This Policy
As OUT! evolves, this Privacy Policy may be updated. We encourage you to review this page periodically for any changes.