Privacy Policy – Dear Anonymous

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how DA Digital Ltd (“we”, “us”, “our”) collects, uses, stores, shares and protects personal information when you use Dear Anonymous (the “App” or the “Service”).

Dear Anonymous is designed to allow users to share anonymous letters and anonymous replies. Although your identity is not displayed to other users, we necessarily process certain technical and account-related information in order to operate the Service, maintain security, moderate content and comply with legal obligations.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your information responsibly. We process personal information in accordance with applicable data protection laws, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and other applicable privacy legislation.

By using Dear Anonymous, you acknowledge that your information will be processed as described in this Privacy Policy.

2. Data Controller

The data controller responsible for Dear Anonymous is:

DA Digital Ltd

Email: info@dearanonymous.app

3. Definitions

In this Privacy Policy:

• App means the Dear Anonymous mobile application.
• Service means Dear Anonymous and all related features, functionality and services provided through the App.
• User ID means the unique internal identifier automatically assigned to your anonymous account.
• Personal Information means information relating to an identified or identifiable individual, as defined by applicable data protection law.

4. Nature of the Service

Dear Anonymous is an anonymous publishing platform that allows users to share letters and receive anonymous replies.

The Service is designed to minimise the amount of personal information required to use it. You are not required to provide your real name or email address in order to create or use an account.

When you first use Dear Anonymous, the App automatically creates an anonymous account. Rather than requiring a username or real-world identity, each account is assigned a unique internal User ID. This identifier enables us to associate your letters, replies, preferences, subscriptions and other App data with your account while allowing you to interact anonymously with other users.

However, anonymity within the App does not mean that no information is collected. We necessarily process certain technical, administrative and account-related information in order to:

• operate the Service;
• associate letters and replies with your anonymous account;
• maintain subscriptions and purchases;
• prevent abuse and spam;
• protect users;
• moderate content; and
• comply with legal obligations.

Dear Anonymous does not verify users’ identities and cannot guarantee complete anonymity in every circumstance.

5. Information We Collect

We collect and process the following categories of information when you use Dear Anonymous.

5.1 Anonymous Account Information

When you first use Dear Anonymous, the App automatically creates an anonymous account for you.

Each account is assigned a unique internal User ID. This allows us to associate your letters, replies, preferences, subscription status and other App data with your anonymous account.

You do not need to provide your name or email address to create this anonymous account.

The credentials that allow the App to access your anonymous account are stored on your device.

If you delete the App, clear its stored data, lose your device or otherwise lose those credentials, you may permanently lose access to your anonymous account unless you have added an email address for account recovery.

5.2 Optional Email Address

You may choose to add an email address to back up and recover your account. Providing an email address is optional and is not required to use Dear Anonymous.

If you choose to provide an email address, we use it solely for account authentication, recovery, account security and other account-management purposes, including:

• authenticating ownership of your account;
• recovering access to your account on another device;
• maintaining account security; and
• sending important account-related communications where necessary.

Your email address is not displayed to other users.

We do not use your email address for advertising or marketing purposes unless you have separately agreed to receive such communications.

5.3 Optional Profile Information

You may choose to provide optional profile information, such as your gender.

This information is used solely to provide relevant App functionality and may be changed or removed by you where those features are available.

You are not required to provide this information and may use Dear Anonymous without doing so.

5.4 Letters and Replies

We collect and store the letters and replies that you choose to create or submit through Dear Anonymous.

Submitting content is optional. You may use the App to read letters without creating a letter or reply of your own.

Although letters and replies are presented anonymously to other users, they may be associated within our systems with your anonymous User ID so that the Service can function correctly.

You should avoid including information in letters or replies that directly identifies yourself or another person unless you are comfortable providing that information.

5.5 Subscription and Purchase Information

When you purchase or manage a subscription, we process information relating to the transaction, including:

• the subscription product purchased;
• subscription status;
• purchase and renewal dates;
• transaction or purchase identifiers;
• entitlement status; and
• cancellation, expiry or refund information.

Payment card details are processed by Apple App Store, Google Play Store or the app-store provider through which you complete your purchase.

We do not directly receive or store your complete payment-card information.

Paid subscriptions are optional. The availability of certain features may depend on whether you have an active subscription.

5.6 App Usage and Interaction Information

We collect information about how users interact with Dear Anonymous, including:

• App launches and sessions;
• screens or pages viewed;
• buttons and features used;
• letters opened or viewed;
• general navigation and interaction events;
• device type;
• operating system;
• App version;
• anonymous analytics identifiers; and
• technical event information.

We use this information to understand how the App is used, maintain and improve functionality, diagnose problems and assess feature performance.

5.7 Approximate Location Information

Our analytics service providers may derive approximate location information, such as your country, region or city, from your IP address.

We do not use this information to determine your precise location, and Dear Anonymous does not require access to your device’s precise GPS location.

5.8 Technical and Diagnostic Information

We may collect technical information necessary to operate, secure and troubleshoot the App, including:

• IP addresses;
• device information;
• operating system information;
• App version;
• timestamps;
• error information;
• request metadata; and
• other technical information reasonably necessary to maintain the Service.

The App does not use traditional web browser cookies. However, analytics and other service providers may use device identifiers or similar technologies to provide their services.

6. How We Use Information

We use the information described in this Privacy Policy to:

• create, authenticate and manage anonymous accounts;
• associate letters and replies with the correct account;
• allow users to create, publish, receive and reply to letters;
• store and retrieve content associated with an account;
• provide optional account backup and recovery;
• display optional profile information;
• provide and manage subscriptions and paid features;
• verify purchases and determine subscription entitlements;
• analyse App usage and improve the user experience;
• maintain the security, reliability and integrity of the App;
• detect spam, abuse and prohibited content;
• enforce our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines;
• investigate technical problems;
• respond to support, privacy and deletion requests; and
• comply with applicable legal obligations.

We do not use the contents of letters or replies for advertising purposes.

7. Legal Bases for Processing

Depending on the circumstances and the type of information being processed, we rely on one or more of the following legal bases:

• Contract: where processing is necessary to provide the Service you have requested, including creating your account, storing your content and providing App functionality.
• Legitimate interests: where processing is necessary for our legitimate interests, including maintaining security, preventing abuse, improving the App, protecting users and ensuring the reliable operation of the Service.
• Consent: where you voluntarily provide information, such as an optional recovery email address, or where consent is otherwise required by applicable law.
• Legal obligation: where processing is necessary to comply with applicable legal or regulatory requirements.

8. Content Moderation

Dear Anonymous uses automated moderation systems to help maintain a safe environment for users.

Letters and replies may be scanned before or after submission using our internal moderation system.

Our moderation system uses rules-based automated checks, including banned words, phrases and other indicators of content that may violate our rules.

This processing helps us detect and address:

• spam;
• abuse;
• threats;
• harassment;
• sexual content;
• unsafe content; and
• other prohibited material.

Letter and reply content is not sent to an external artificial intelligence provider or third-party moderation provider for this screening.

Automated moderation may not identify every violation and may occasionally flag permitted content incorrectly.

Where our systems indicate that content may breach our rules, we may block, restrict, remove or review that content in accordance with our Community Guidelines.

9. Anonymous Use and Identifiability

Dear Anonymous is designed so that users can publish and interact without displaying their identity to other users.

In this context, “anonymous” means that your name, email address and account identity are not normally shown to other users.

It does not mean that no technical or account information is processed.

For example, we may associate:

• letters;
• replies;
• subscription information;
• moderation records; and
• App activity

with your internal User ID.

Our service providers may also process technical information such as IP addresses, device information and analytics identifiers when providing services to us.

We use this information only where reasonably necessary to operate the App, prevent abuse, investigate safety concerns, comply with law or protect users and the public.

10. Service Providers

We use trusted third-party service providers to operate parts of Dear Anonymous. These providers process information on our behalf and under their applicable contractual and privacy obligations.

10.1 Supabase

We use Supabase to provide authentication, database and backend infrastructure.

Supabase may process information including:

• your anonymous User ID;
• authentication tokens and session information;
• optional email addresses used for account recovery;
• letters and replies stored within our database;
• optional profile information;
• account records; and
• technical information necessary to provide and secure its services.

10.2 PostHog

We use PostHog to understand how users interact with Dear Anonymous and to improve the functionality and user experience of the App.

PostHog may process information including:

• App interactions and usage events;
• anonymous analytics identifiers;
• device type;
• operating system;
• App version;
• IP address and technical request information; and
• approximate location, such as country, region or city, inferred from an IP address.

We do not intentionally send the text of your letters or replies, your email address or your optional profile information to PostHog.

10.3 RevenueCat

We use RevenueCat to manage subscriptions, purchases and access to paid features.

RevenueCat may process information including:

• your internal App User ID;
• subscription status;
• purchase and subscription history;
• product and entitlement information;
• transaction identifiers; and
• related device and technical information.

RevenueCat does not process your complete payment-card details. Payments are handled by Apple App Store, Google Play Store or the applicable payment provider.

10.4 Apple App Store and Google Play Store

Where you download Dear Anonymous or purchase subscriptions through Apple App Store or Google Play Store, those platforms may process information relating to your installation, account, device, payment and transactions according to their own privacy policies.

11. Sharing of Information

We do not sell your personal information.

We may disclose information only in the following circumstances:

11.1 Service Providers

We share information with service providers where necessary for them to provide infrastructure, authentication, database services, analytics, subscription management, security and related services on our behalf.

11.2 Legal and Safety Requirements

We may preserve or disclose information where we reasonably believe this is necessary to:

• comply with a legal obligation, court order or lawful government request;
• investigate fraud, abuse, threats, harassment or illegal activity;
• enforce our Terms of Service or Community Guidelines;
• protect the rights, safety or property of users, DA Digital Ltd or other persons; or
• establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

11.3 Business Transfers

If Dear Anonymous or DA Digital Ltd is involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganisation or sale of assets, information may be disclosed to relevant advisers and transferred as part of that transaction, subject to appropriate confidentiality and legal safeguards.

12. International Data Processing

Our service providers may process information in countries other than the country where you live.

Where required by applicable law, we use legally recognised safeguards for international transfers of personal information. These may include Standard Contractual Clauses approved for international data transfers or other appropriate transfer mechanisms.

13. Data Retention

We retain information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, including providing the App, maintaining security, resolving disputes and meeting legal obligations.

In general:

• account information is retained while your account remains active;
• letters and replies are retained while they remain available through the App or associated with an active account;
• optional profile information is retained until it is changed or the account is deleted;
• optional email information is retained while it remains linked to the account;
• subscription and transaction records may be retained as necessary to manage entitlements, process refunds, prevent fraud and meet accounting or legal obligations;
• analytics information is retained in accordance with our configured analytics retention settings; and
• security, moderation and backup records may remain for a limited period after deletion where reasonably necessary for security, legal compliance, disaster recovery or system integrity.

When information is no longer required, we securely delete it or anonymise it so that it can no longer reasonably be linked to an identifiable account or user.

14. Account Recovery

An anonymous account is ordinarily accessible only through the session credentials stored on your device.

You may optionally link an email address to your account so that you can authenticate and recover access from another device or after reinstalling the App.

If you do not add a recovery email and lose the locally stored credentials, we may be unable to verify that you own the account or restore access to it.

15. Account and Data Deletion

You may delete your account through the account-deletion option within the App.

You may also submit an account-deletion request through our website by providing your unique User ID through the designated account deletion form.

When you delete your account, your letters, replies, preferences, registered email address (if provided), and account information associated with your User ID are permanently deleted.

We also take reasonable steps to delete or disassociate associated information held by service providers acting on our behalf, where technically available and legally required.

Copies of deleted information may temporarily remain within secure system backups until those backups are overwritten in accordance with our backup retention procedures.

We may retain limited technical, security, moderation or legal records for a limited period where reasonably necessary to:

• complete the deletion process across active systems and backups;
• investigate or prevent fraud, abuse or repeated violations;
• maintain transaction, accounting or subscription records;
• comply with applicable law;
• respond to disputes or legal claims; or
• protect the safety, security and integrity of Dear Anonymous and its users.

Any retained information will be limited to what is reasonably necessary for those purposes, will not be used for unrelated purposes, and will be securely deleted when no longer required.

Account deletion cannot be undone.

16. Data Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure.

These measures include, where appropriate:

• encrypted network connections;
• secure authentication mechanisms;
• restricted administrative access;
• database security controls;
• monitoring and logging of critical systems; and
• regular maintenance and security updates.

Access to personal information is restricted to authorised personnel and service providers who require access in order to perform their responsibilities and provide the Service.

Despite these safeguards, no method of internet transmission, electronic storage or security system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

You are responsible for protecting access to your own device and any email account linked to your Dear Anonymous account.

17. User Responsibility

Dear Anonymous allows users to communicate anonymously, but users remain responsible for the information they choose to include in letters and replies.

Although your identity is not displayed to other users, you should avoid including information that could identify yourself or another person unless you intend to disclose that information.

You should also take reasonable steps to protect access to your device, account credentials and any email address associated with your account.

18. Children’s Privacy

Dear Anonymous is intended only for individuals aged 18 years or older.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 18.

If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a person under 18 in breach of this Privacy Policy, we will take reasonable steps to delete that information as soon as practicable.

19. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on where you live and the applicable data protection laws, you may have rights concerning your personal information, including the right to:

• request access to personal information we hold about you;
• request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information;
• request deletion of your personal information;
• object to or request restriction of certain processing activities;
• withdraw consent where processing is based on consent; and
• submit a complaint to an applicable data protection authority.

Because Dear Anonymous is designed around anonymous accounts, we may need information such as your User ID, recovery email address or evidence that you control the relevant account before we can locate an account or verify that you are authorised to exercise rights concerning it.

If you have provided an email address for account recovery, this may assist us in identifying and responding to privacy requests relating to your account.

To make a privacy request, please contact:

info@dearanonymous.app

We aim to respond to privacy enquiries within one month where required by applicable law.

If you believe we have not handled your personal information appropriately, you may lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection authority.

For users in the United Kingdom, this includes the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

20. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to Dear Anonymous, our information-handling practices or applicable legal requirements.

When we make changes, we will publish the updated Privacy Policy and revise the Last Updated date and version number shown at the beginning of this document.

Where required by law, we will provide additional notice or request consent before material changes take effect.

21. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, your personal information or your privacy rights, please contact:

DA Digital Ltd

Email: info@dearanonymous.app