We know that sharing your presence with a community takes trust. Here is exactly what Serendipity does — and does not do — with your information. No legal jargon, just the facts.
WiFi-based presence, not GPS tracking
Serendipity checks which WiFi network you are connected to — that is it. We never record your GPS coordinates, build a map of where you go, or track you between locations. If you are on a recognized community network, you show up as present. If not, you don't.
Auto check-in stays on your device
WiFi network matching happens entirely on your phone. The only thing sent to our servers is a simple check-in status: "I'm here" or "I've left." We never see or store the list of nearby networks your device can see.
Background location is only for departure
If you grant background location permission, we use it for one purpose: detecting when you leave. Apple's low-power Significant Location Changes API tells us you have moved away from the building so we can check you out. We do not continuously monitor or record your position.
90-day data retention
Presence logs — records of when you arrived and departed — are automatically deleted after 90 days. We do not keep a permanent archive of your visit history.
You control your visibility
You can go invisible any time with the Appear Offline toggle in settings. You also choose which communities to join — and you can leave any community whenever you want. You are never visible to people outside your community.
Block anyone, instantly
If someone makes you uncomfortable, you can block them from their profile. Blocking is mutual and immediate — once you block someone, you disappear from their presence list and they disappear from yours. Neither of you can see the other or send help requests to each other. You are in full control: unblock at any time from your settings if you change your mind.
Contacts-only mode
Want to limit who can see you? Turn on Contacts Only mode and your presence is shared only with people already in your phone's address book. Everyone else in the community simply won't see you as present, and you won't see them. It's an extra layer of privacy when you want to be visible to friends but not the whole community.
No ads, no data selling, no analytics tracking
Serendipity has no advertising, no third-party analytics SDKs, and no data brokers. We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with anyone for marketing purposes. Our business is the community, not your data.
Contact hashes, not contact lists
When you opt in to friend discovery, we hash your contacts' phone numbers and email addresses with a one-way cryptographic function on your device. Only the hashes are sent to our servers. We never see, store, or have access to your actual contact names or details.
Open community model
You choose which communities to join. Community managers approve new members, so only verified people can see who is present. There is no global directory and no way for strangers to discover your profile without being in the same community.
Photo moderation
Profile photos are checked by AI for inappropriate content before they go live. Community admins can also review flagged photos. This keeps the community safe without requiring you to share photos publicly outside the app.
Delete everything with one tap
You can delete your entire account from within the app at any time. Deletion is permanent and immediate — your profile, presence history, help requests, contacts, and all associated data are erased from our systems. No retention tricks, no dark patterns.
Want the full legal details? Read our Privacy Policy.
Have a question? Email us at privacy@serendipity.vip.