The short version
- No ads. We never sell your data. There are no advertising, analytics or tracking tools in the app.
- Your private messages are end-to-end encrypted. Only you and the person you write to can read them. We can't.
- You control who sees you. Your scene, everyone, or nobody (discreet mode). Your full photo only goes to people you've connected with.
- We don't keep your birthdate. We check that you're 18 or older and then throw the date away.
- We don't track your location. The app never asks for it.
- You can delete your account in the app, any time, and it's gone right away.
Who we are
Compersion is a community app for polyamorous, open and ethically non-monogamous adults. It is operated by Eric Harmond, based in New Braunfels, Texas, USA. Questions about privacy: privacy@compersion.love.
What we collect, and why
| What | Why |
|---|---|
| Email address and password | To create and secure your account and send sign-in and reset codes. Your email is never shown to other members. Your password is stored only in scrambled (hashed) form by our sign-in provider; we can't see it. |
| Date of birth | Checked on your phone at sign-up to confirm you're 18 or older. It is never sent to or stored by us. We keep only a yes/no that you confirmed your age. |
| Your profile: handle, display name, area (a neighborhood you type, never an address), bio, how you relate, structure, what you're open to, interests, zodiac signs (and any partner names you add to them), your scene | So other members can find and get to know you, within the visibility you choose. Pseudonyms are welcome. |
| How long you've been in the lifestyle (optional answer: new or curious, a few years, seasoned) | Only to decide where your app opens (new members start on Learn). It is stored separately from your profile and no other member can see it. |
| Photos: a profile photo and an optional "moon picture" | Your full photo and moon picture are stored privately and delivered only to members you allow. A tiny blurred thumbnail of your profile photo (24 pixels wide, no recognizable detail) is stored where it can be loaded without signing in, so discovery screens work. |
| Your activity: posts, replies, reactions, Glows, events you host or RSVP to, follows, partner links, hellos, invites, blocks, reports, and requests for a new city scene | These are the community features themselves. Partner links show only when both people agree. |
| Private messages | Stored only in encrypted form (see below). We can see that a conversation exists between two accounts and when messages were sent, but not what they say. |
| Message keys | Your public key (so others can write to you) and, if you set a recovery passphrase, a copy of your private key locked with that passphrase. We never receive your passphrase and cannot unlock the copy. |
| Waitlist email (website), and a city if you give one | Only to tell you when Compersion opens near you. Collected on compersion.love, protected by Cloudflare Turnstile (a spam check), and never shared or used for anything else. Ask us at privacy@compersion.love and we'll remove it. |
| Push notification token (if you allow notifications) | To deliver notifications to your device. |
What stays on your phone
Your private message key (in your phone's secure keychain), your app-lock settings, and your time zone. The app reads your time zone only to draw tonight's moon the right way up for your hemisphere; it isn't sent to us.
Permissions the app may ask for
- Photos and camera, only when you choose a picture.
- Face ID / fingerprint, only if you turn on app lock. Your biometric data never leaves your phone; we never see it.
- Calendar, only when you tap "add to calendar." The app adds that one event; it does not read your calendar's events.
- Notifications, if you allow them.
How your messages are protected
Messages are encrypted on your phone before they are sent, using keys that only you and the person you're writing to hold. Our servers store only scrambled text and are set up to refuse any message that isn't encrypted. If you set a recovery passphrase, you can restore your messages on a new phone; if you forget it, earlier messages can't be recovered by anyone, including us.
Who can see what
- Your profile is visible to members of your scene, or to everyone if you choose, and to no one in discovery if you turn on discreet mode.
- Blocking hides you from that person and from their partners.
- Your orbit (partners and follows) is visible to members who can see your profile. Private conversations are never shown in it.
- Posts are visible to members of the scene they were posted in.
Reports and safety
When you report someone, your report goes to the Compersion team for review. Because messages are end-to-end encrypted, your phone attaches the most recent messages the reported member sent you (up to 20) so the report can be reviewed; this happens only when you choose to report. If you later delete your account, reports you made are kept for safety, with your name removed.
Who we share data with
We never sell or rent your data, and we don't share it with advertisers. We use a small number of service providers to run the app, who process data only on our behalf:
- Supabase: database, sign-in and file storage (servers in the United States).
- Resend: sends sign-in and reset emails.
- Expo: relays push notifications to your device.
- Apple: distributes the app through the App Store.
- Cloudflare: hosts compersion.love and runs the waitlist's spam check.
We disclose information only in response to a valid legal order (such as a subpoena or warrant), and only the minimum it requires. We will tell you about the request before we respond, unless the law forbids us. Because messages are end-to-end encrypted, we can't hand over what they say.
How long we keep it, and deleting it
We keep your information while your account exists. You can delete your account in the app (You tab, then "Delete my account"). Deletion is immediate and removes your profile, photos, moon picture, posts, replies, reactions, Glows, your conversations (deleted for both people, since a conversation belongs to both), follows, partner links, RSVPs and message keys. Reports you made are kept with your name removed; reports about you are kept for community safety. Deleted data can remain in our hosting provider's routine backups for up to 30 days, after which it is gone.
Your rights
You can see and edit your profile in the app at any time, and delete your account in the app. You can also ask us to see, correct, delete or send you a copy of your data by writing to privacy@compersion.love. We answer every request within 45 days, wherever you live, and we won't treat you differently for asking.
Adults only
Compersion is for people 18 and older. We do not knowingly allow anyone under 18 to use it. If we learn an account belongs to someone under 18, we remove it.
Changes
If we change this policy in a way that matters, we'll tell you in the app before the change takes effect.