1. Introduction

Welcome to Work and Travel Community ("we", "our", or "us"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application (the "App"). Please read this privacy policy carefully. By using the App, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of information:

2.1 Personal Information

• Account Information: Name, email address, and profile photo when you create an account
• Profile Data: Additional information you choose to add to your profile
• Messages: Content of messages sent through chat rooms and direct messages

2.2 Media and Files

• Photos and Videos: Images and videos you choose to share within the App
• Audio Files: Audio files you choose to send in messages
• Documents: Files you choose to share with other users

2.3 Device and Usage Information

• Device type, operating system, and version
• App usage statistics and crash reports
• Network information (connection type)

3. Permissions We Use

The App requests the following device permissions:

• Internet & Network State: Required for the App to function and communicate with our servers
• Camera: To capture photos for your profile or to share in messages
• Location (Fine & Coarse): To help you find relevant job listings, housing, and community members near you
• Read Media (Images, Video, Audio): To allow you to select and share media files from your device in messages
• Read External Storage: To access files on older Android devices (Android 12 and below)
• Push Notifications: To send you important updates, messages, and alerts

4. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

• To create and manage your account
• To enable communication between users (chat rooms and direct messages)
• To display job listings, housing opportunities, and news
• To send push notifications about messages and updates
• To improve the App's functionality and user experience
• To ensure the security and integrity of the App

5. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services that may collect information:

• Firebase Authentication: For secure user login and account management
• Firebase Realtime Database: To store and sync app data in real-time
• Firebase Cloud Storage: To store user-uploaded media files
• Firebase Analytics: To understand app usage patterns (anonymous, aggregated data)
• Firebase Crashlytics: To collect crash reports and improve app stability
• Adzuna Search API: To provide job listings aggregated from US employers. No personally identifiable information is sent with these queries — only the keywords and location filters you choose.

These services are provided by their respective owners and are subject to their own privacy policies, including Google's Privacy Policy and Adzuna's Privacy Policy.

6. Advertising

To keep core features (job listings, housing browsing, community chat) free for everyone, the App displays advertisements through Google AdMob. This includes:

• Banner ads in the Jobs and Housing screens.
• Optional rewarded video ads you can choose to watch in the Jobs screen to unlock additional listings beyond the daily free allowance. Watching these ads is entirely optional — declining does not restrict your normal use of the App.

To serve, measure, and improve these ads, Google AdMob may collect:

• Your device's advertising identifier (Android Advertising ID / Apple IDFA, with your consent on iOS via the App Tracking Transparency prompt)
• IP address, device model, OS version, and approximate location (country/region)
• How you interact with the ads shown (impressions, taps, video completion)

AdMob's use of this data is governed by Google's Privacy Policy and Google's Advertising Privacy Statement. You can opt out of personalized advertising at any time:

• iOS: Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking → toggle off for Work and Travel Community.
• Android: Settings → Google → Ads → "Delete advertising ID" or "Opt out of Ads Personalization".
• Across services: Google Ad Settings.

We do not sell or share your personal information with advertisers ourselves; the data collection for advertising is performed by Google through the AdMob SDK embedded in the App.

7. Data Storage and Security

Your data is stored on secure Firebase servers managed by Google. We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information, including:

• All data is transmitted over encrypted HTTPS connections
• Firebase Authentication provides secure token-based access
• Database security rules restrict unauthorized access

However, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active. When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal data within a reasonable timeframe, except where we are required to retain it by law.

9. Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Access: You can view your personal information within the App
• Correction: You can update your profile information at any time
• Deletion: You can request deletion of your account and associated data by contacting us
• Data Portability: You can request a copy of your data

10. Children's Privacy

The App is not intended for use by children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we discover that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, we will delete it immediately.

11. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own. Firebase servers are located globally, and data may be stored in any country where Google operates. By using the App, you consent to the transfer of your information to these locations.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

13. Contact Us

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