Privacy Policy for Zer0

Effective Date: 01 October 2025

Zer0 (“we,” “our,” “us”) respects the privacy of our users (“you,” “your”) and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have regarding your information when using our mobile application Zer0 (“the App”).

By using Zer0, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue using the App.

1. Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of information to provide, improve, and secure our services:

a. Account Information

  • Profile picture (image)
  • First name and last name
  • Age (to verify users are 13 years or older)
  • Gender (male, female, other)
  • Email address
  • Mobile number
  • Country
  • Preferred language
  • Password

b. Location Information

  • We collect location data when you use services like shopping, in order to recommend nearby stores within a 10-kilometer radius.
  • Location data is collected only while you are actively using these services.

c. Microphone & Audio Recordings

  • When you activate the SOS feature during an attack or send a help request, the microphone records audio.
  • These recordings are uploaded to Firebase and may be used as evidence of violence or to notify users.

d. Local Storage Access

  • We access your local device storage when you choose to upload media (images, videos, songs, text files, etc.) for publications.
  • We use local storage (SQLite) to temporarily store and retrieve app-related data for performance and offline access.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected data for the following purposes:

  • Account creation & login: To register, authenticate, and manage your account.
  • Personalization: To customize your app experience, including language preferences and relevant store recommendations.
  • Safety & emergency features: To activate and manage SOS requests and audio evidence uploads.
  • Shopping & location-based services: To recommend nearby stores and services within a defined distance.
  • User publications: To allow you to create, upload, and manage media content.
  • Security: To detect fraudulent activity, prevent unauthorized access, and ensure user safety.
  • Session management: To track user sessions for app functionality and experience.

3. Data Sharing

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal data with third parties for marketing. Your information is only shared with:

  • Firebase (for account storage, authentication, database, and hosting).
  • Payment gateways (for processing secure transactions).
  • Email APIs (for sending verification codes, password resets, or notifications).

These providers are bound by their own privacy policies and comply with industry-standard security practices.

4. Data Storage & Security

  • Your data is stored securely in Firebase with encryption and access controls.
  • Audio recordings for SOS events are encrypted and stored for evidence purposes.
  • Sensitive account details (like passwords) are securely hashed before storage.
  • Local device data (via SQLite) remains on your device unless explicitly uploaded by you.

5. Your Rights

As a Zer0 user, you have the following rights:

  • Access & update: You may view and update your account information at any time.
  • Deletion: You may delete your data or account permanently from within the app.
  • Control: You may deny or revoke permissions (e.g., location, microphone, storage) in your device
  • settings. Note: Some features may not work without these permissions.
  • Consent: By continuing to use the app, you consent to the data collection and processing outlined in this policy.

6. Children’s Privacy

Zer0 is not intended for children below the minimum age required by the laws that apply to the user. In many jurisdictions this means users under 13 are prohibited (e.g., United States under COPPA) or parental/guardian consent is required; in the EU the baseline digital age of consent is 16 but Member States may lower it to no less than 13; in South Africa POPIA treats a "child" as under 18 and requires appropriate consent or other lawful basis. Users who are below the minimum age set by their local law must not create an account on Zer0. Where local law permits account creation with parental/guardian consent, such accounts may only be created once verifiable parental/guardian consent has been obtained. Zer0 will take steps to comply with applicable age and consent requirements and will promptly delete data collected from users found to be under the applicable minimum age without valid consent.

Note: age-verification methods vary and enforcement is challenging; users must provide accurate information. Zer0 reserves the right to require additional verification or to suspend accounts that do not meet local legal requirements.

7. Third-Party Links and Services

Zer0 may contain links to third-party services or websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of external services. Please review the privacy policies and terms of any third-party service before using it or sharing your data with it.

8. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted within the app and on our website and the “Effective Date” at the top will be updated accordingly. Material changes that affect the way we process children’s personal information or that change account-eligibility rules will be communicated to users in-app and by other reasonable means.

9. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us:

Zer0 App Support