Last Updated: November 1, 2025

1. Introduction

This privacy policy (the "Policy") describes Gearful's practices with respect to personal data that is collected when you access gearful.app (the "Site"), or access or use the Gearful mobile application and services (collectively, the "Services"). Gearful is an automotive social platform that connects car enthusiasts worldwide to share their passion, manage their vehicles, and engage with the automotive community.

As used in this Policy, "personal data" means any information that relates to, describes, or could be used to identify an individual, directly or indirectly.

Applicability: This Policy applies to personal data that Gearful collects, uses, and discloses and which may include: (i) data collected through the Services, (ii) data collected through Gearful websites and mobile applications, (iii) data from vehicle information you provide, (iv) location data for finding nearby services and car meets, and (v) data collected from third party sources including Apple and Google authentication services. When you make in-app purchases or subscriptions, we use Apple App Store and Google Play Store payment systems. Gearful does not directly store credit card or payment information.

Changes: We may update this Policy from time-to-time to reflect changes in legal, regulatory, operational requirements, our practices, and other factors. Please check this Policy periodically for updates. If any of the changes are unacceptable to you, you should cease using our Services. When required under applicable law, we will notify you of any changes to this Policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

When you use our Services, you may provide us with the following information:

Your username, email address, and password when you create an account
Profile information including profile pictures, bio, and location
Vehicle information (make, model, year, mileage, modifications)
Photos and videos of your vehicles (posts, sound checks)
Expense tracking data (fuel, maintenance, repairs)
Messages and communications in chat rooms and direct messages
Car meet event information (location, date, attendance)
Marketplace listings (vehicles, parts, services for sale)
Discussion forum posts and comments
Reviews and ratings for places and marketplace items
Subscription and in-app purchase data (via Apple/Google)
Any other information you choose to share

2.2 Information We Collect Automatically

When you use our Services, we automatically collect certain information:

Device information (device type, operating system, unique device identifiers)
Precise location data (GPS coordinates) for finding nearby services, car meets, and places
IP address and approximate location
Usage data (features used, time spent, posts viewed, interactions)
Log files and analytics data
Network and connection information
Crash reports and performance data

2.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from third-party sources, including:

Authentication providers (Google Sign-In, Apple Sign-In, Firebase)
Social media platforms if you choose to share content
Payment platforms (Apple App Store, Google Play Store)
Map and location services (Google Maps)
Analytics partners

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

Service Provision: To provide, maintain, and improve our automotive social platform
Account Management: To create and manage your user account and authentication
Vehicle Management: To track your vehicles, expenses, and maintenance records
Social Features: To enable posting, commenting, following, and community engagement
Messaging: To facilitate direct messages and chat room communications
Location Services: To show nearby gas stations, repair shops, car meets, and other automotive services
Marketplace: To enable buying and selling of vehicles, parts, and services
Content Discovery: To show relevant posts, discussions, and recommendations in your feed
Communication: To send notifications, updates, and respond to your inquiries
Personalization: To personalize your feed based on your interests and interactions
Analytics: To analyze usage patterns and improve our Services
Security: To protect against fraud, abuse, spam, and security threats
Subscriptions: To manage premium subscriptions (Chad/Gigachad badges) and ad packs
Legal Compliance: To comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms

4. How We Share Your Information

We may share your personal information in the following situations:

4.1 Public Content

The following information is public by default on Gearful:

Your profile (username, bio, profile picture)
Posts and sound checks you share
Comments and replies you make
Discussion forum posts and questions
Public car meet events you create
Marketplace listings
Reviews and ratings you leave
Follower/following counts and lists

4.2 Service Providers

We share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our Services, including:

Cloud hosting and storage providers (PostgreSQL, Redis, Cloudflare R2)
Payment processing services (Apple App Store, Google Play Store)
Authentication services (Firebase, Google, Apple)
Map and location services (Google Maps)
Analytics and monitoring services
Email and push notification services
Content delivery networks (CDN)

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information when required by law, legal process, litigation, or to protect our rights, your safety, and the safety of our users.

4.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the new entity as part of that transaction.

4.5 With Your Consent

We may share your information for other purposes with your explicit consent.

5. Location Data

Gearful uses location data to provide core functionality:

Gearful Map: Show nearby gas stations, repair shops, car washes, and automotive services
Car Meets: Display nearby car events and meets in your area
Marketplace: Show listings near your location
Places: Help you discover and review automotive businesses

You can control location permissions through your device settings. Denying location access will limit certain features but won't prevent you from using the core social features of the app.

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

PASETO v4 token-based authentication with asymmetric cryptography
Argon2 password hashing with random salts
TLS/SSL encryption for data in transit
Encrypted storage for sensitive data (MMKV with encryption)
Row-level security in our PostgreSQL database
Regular security assessments and penetration testing
Access controls and authentication systems
Rate limiting and DDoS protection
Automated vulnerability scanning
Incident response procedures

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal data using industry-standard security practices, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Specifically:

Account information: Until you delete your account or request deletion
Posts and content: As long as you maintain your account, unless you delete specific content
Vehicle data: Until you delete the vehicle or your account
Messages: Stored until deleted by you or after 2 years of inactivity
Expense records: Until you delete your account (for your financial tracking)
Marketplace listings: 90 days after listing expires or is sold
Usage and analytics data: Typically 2-3 years for analytics purposes
Legal and security data: As required by applicable laws (typically 7 years)

8. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Access: Request access to your personal data
Correction: Request correction of inaccurate data through your profile settings
Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data or delete your account
Portability: Request a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format
Restriction: Request restriction of processing
Objection: Object to processing of your data
Consent Withdrawal: Withdraw consent for location, notifications, and other permissions

To exercise these rights, please contact us at [email protected] or use the account deletion feature in the app settings.

9. In-App Purchases and Subscriptions

Gearful offers premium subscriptions (Chad Badge, Gigachad Badge) and ad packs through Apple App Store and Google Play Store:

9.1 Payment Processing

All payments are processed by Apple or Google. We receive only:

Transaction ID and purchase token
Product purchased and price paid
Purchase date and subscription status
Platform (iOS or Android)

We do NOT store your credit card information, billing address, or payment credentials.

9.2 Subscription Data

We store subscription information to provide premium features:

Current subscription plan and status
Subscription start and end dates
Trial period information
Cancellation status

9.3 Managing Subscriptions

To manage or cancel subscriptions:

iOS: Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions
Android: Google Play Store → Menu → Subscriptions

10. Advertising and Promotions

Gearful allows users to promote their posts through our campaign system. Promoted content will be clearly labeled as "Promoted" in the feed. We do not use third-party advertising networks.

10.1 Campaign System

Users can boost their posts to reach a wider audience through our in-app promotion system:

Promoted Badge: All promoted posts are clearly labeled with a "🔥 Promoted" badge that appears prominently in the post header, next to the username. This orange-colored badge is always visible and cannot be hidden, making it easy to identify promotional content from regular user posts.
Users can purchase ad packs through in-app purchases
Campaigns are managed through your account settings
All promoted content must comply with our Community Guidelines
The promoted badge appears immediately when viewing any post that has an active promotion campaign

10.2 No Third-Party Ads

We do NOT use third-party advertising networks such as:

Google AdMob
Meta Audience Network
Unity Ads or other gaming ad networks
Any external ad tracking or personalization services

All promotional content comes from within the Gearful community and is subject to our content moderation policies.

10.3 Transparency

We believe in transparency with our users:

Clear Labeling: All promoted posts are clearly marked with a "🔥 Promoted" badge that appears in the post header, making it immediately obvious which content is promotional
Always Visible: The promoted badge is always visible and cannot be hidden, removed, or obscured in any way
Easy Identification: Users can easily distinguish between organic user-generated content and promoted content at a glance
No Deceptive Practices: We do not allow hidden or deceptive advertising practices. All promotional content must be clearly labeled.
No External Ad Networks: We do not share your data with external advertisers. All promotional content comes from within the Gearful community.

10.4 Why You See Promoted Content

Promoted posts may be shown to you based on:

Your location and nearby automotive community
Your interests (e.g., car brands you follow, types of content you engage with)
Your activity within Gearful (hashtags, profiles you visit, posts you like)
Campaign targeting preferences chosen by the content promoter
General engagement patterns to show relevant automotive content

Important Privacy Protection: We do not share your personal information with users who promote content. Promoters only see anonymous campaign statistics such as impressions, clicks, and engagement rates. They cannot see who specifically viewed or interacted with their promoted posts.

10.5 Content Moderation for Promoted Content

All promoted content undergoes additional review to ensure quality and safety:

Campaign Review: New campaigns may require manual review before activation
Community Guidelines: Promoted content must comply with our Community Guidelines and Terms of Service
Prohibited Content: We do not allow promotion of inappropriate, misleading, or harmful content
Reporting: Users can report promoted content that violates our policies
Rejection Reasons: If a campaign is rejected, the promoter receives a clear explanation
Account Responsibility: Users who repeatedly violate promotion policies may lose campaign privileges

10.6 Allowing Others to Promote Your Content

Currently, only content creators can promote their own posts. We may introduce features in the future that allow other users to promote content they find valuable within the community. If implemented:

Original content creators will be notified when someone promotes their post
Promoters pay for increased visibility through our in-app purchase system
Original creators do NOT receive monetary compensation - they receive exposure and engagement
This is a platform feature to highlight quality automotive content, not a payment or tipping system
All payments flow through Apple App Store or Google Play Store payment systems

11. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies on our website to enhance your experience:

Essential Cookies: Required for authentication and basic functionality
Analytics Cookies: To understand how you use our website
Preference Cookies: To remember your settings (dark mode, language)

Our mobile app uses local storage (MMKV) instead of cookies for caching and user preferences.

11.1 App Tracking Transparency (iOS)

We do not require App Tracking Transparency (ATT) permission on iOS because:

We do not use third-party advertising networks (no AdMob, Meta Audience Network, etc.)
We do not share device identifiers with data brokers or ad networks
We do not track you across other companies' apps or websites
All analytics and promotional targeting happens within the Gearful app only (first-party)
We do not connect your activity in Gearful to your activity elsewhere

Our first-party promotion system uses your in-app activity (posts you like, profiles you follow) to show relevant promoted content from the Gearful community. This does NOT constitute cross-app tracking under Apple's guidelines.

11.2 Google Play Advertising ID

On Android devices, we do not access or use the Google Advertising ID for any purpose. Our promotional system operates entirely on first-party data within the Gearful app.

12. Children's Privacy

Our Services are not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at [email protected].

If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without verification of parental consent, we will take steps to remove that information from our servers promptly.

12.1 Age-Appropriate Content

Gearful contains user-generated content and social features that may not be appropriate for all ages. Parents and guardians should be aware that:

Users can post photos and videos of vehicles, which may occasionally contain mature content
The platform includes public discussions and messaging features
Marketplace listings may contain pricing and transaction information
Location-based features show real-world places and events
Promoted content is displayed based on user interests and activity

We employ content moderation and community guidelines to maintain a respectful environment, but parental supervision is recommended for younger users where permitted by law.

13. International Data Transfers

Gearful operates globally, and your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own, including the United States and other jurisdictions where our servers and service providers are located. We ensure that such transfers are conducted in accordance with applicable data protection laws and implement appropriate safeguards including:

Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) for EU data transfers
Adequacy decisions where available
Privacy Shield frameworks (where applicable)
Encryption and security measures for data in transit

14. Third-Party Links and Services

Our Services may contain links to third-party websites, services, or content including:

External automotive websites and resources
Marketplace seller websites
Social media platforms
Third-party mechanic or service provider sites

We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

15. Content Moderation and Community Safety

To maintain a safe and respectful community, we may:

Review reported content for violations of our Community Guidelines
Use automated systems to detect spam, abuse, or inappropriate content
Remove content that violates our terms of service
Suspend or terminate accounts that repeatedly violate our policies
Share information with law enforcement when legally required

16. Regional Specific Provisions

16.1 European Union (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland, or the United Kingdom, additional rights apply under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Our legal basis for processing your personal data includes:

Consent: For location tracking, marketing communications, and non-essential features
Contract Performance: For providing our social platform and Services
Legitimate Interests: For improving Services, security, and personalized content
Legal Obligations: For compliance with applicable laws

You have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

16.2 California (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), including:

Right to know what personal information we collect, use, and share
Right to delete personal information
Right to opt-out of the sale or sharing of personal information
Right to correct inaccurate personal information
Right to limit use of sensitive personal information
Right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We may share data with service providers as described in Section 4. Our first-party promotion system does not constitute a "sale" or "sharing" of personal information under CCPA because:

We do not transfer your personal data to advertisers or external ad networks
Promoted content is served entirely within our platform
Campaign creators only receive anonymous, aggregated statistics
No cross-context behavioral advertising occurs

17. Contact Information

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Email: [email protected]

Support: [email protected]

Website: https://gearful.app

18. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, Services, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of any material changes by:

Posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date
Sending an in-app notification for significant changes
Sending an email to your registered email address (for material changes)

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of our Services after any modifications constitutes your acknowledgment of the modifications and your consent to abide by the modified Privacy Policy.