Privacy Policy
This policy describes how HalfChat handles information when you use its messaging, calling, Moments, Channels and built-in tools. Effective 10 October 2026.
HalfChat is the service and operator name used in this policy. Contact the HalfChat team using our support form, including for privacy questions and requests to access, correct or delete your information.
1. Information we process
| Information | Purpose and handling |
|---|---|
| Account and profile | Phone number, user ID, username, name, biography, chosen avatar/cover, optional birthday and payment/UPI identifier. Used for sign-in, profiles, discovery and features you choose. Your phone number is not displayed on your public profile. |
| Contacts | With your permission, the app reads phone contacts and sends phone numbers for matching with HalfChat accounts. Contact names help label people on your device. The service stores account-to-account contact relationships. Permission is optional; you can use usernames instead. |
| Private messages and media | Encrypted message content and encrypted photos, videos, files and voice notes; sender, recipient, conversation ID, timing, delivery state and public encryption keys. Messages are decrypted on recipient devices. Routing/membership records exist even though an empty device does not restore your historical direct-chat list. |
| Support and business/API messages | Text, image references, participants and delivery/read status. HalfChat administrators can read official support history; an authorized business/API sender can process the messages it sends. These messages are not end-to-end encrypted. |
| Moments, Channels and social activity | Posts, status text/media, comments, likes, polls, follows, views, impressions and boosts. Visibility follows the audience/channel you choose. Public content can be viewed and copied by others. |
| Calls and location | Camera/microphone input for the call or recording you start; connection/signalling information, IP/network details and call participants. Location is accessed when you choose a location feature. Live-location sharing uses encrypted updates and can continue through a visible foreground service until you stop it or the selected duration ends. |
| Tools and transactions | Local notes, diary, reminders, milk/expense records and other tools; shared ledger and group-expense records, optional server backups, shop profiles/items/orders, wallet balance and transaction/boost records where used. Some tools keep server copies; do not assume every built-in tool is phone-only. |
| Verification and safety | If you apply for a verified badge: your submitted identity document, full name, category, links and reach information. Reports, appeals, enforcement decisions and information you voluntarily provide to support are processed by administrators. |
| Devices and diagnostics | Session tokens, linked-device names/keys, push notification tokens, IP address, user-agent and sign-in/access/security logs. Used for secure access, delivery, fraud prevention, troubleshooting and abuse prevention. |
2. Permissions and choices
Camera and microphone enable photos, voice/video messages and calls. Photo/video access or a system picker enables attachments. Contacts enable matching; location enables maps/sharing. Notifications enable message/call alerts. Optional overlay permission enables chat bubbles, and full-screen notifications enable incoming calls. Biometric authentication is handled by Android for protected app features; HalfChat does not receive your fingerprint or face template. You can revoke permissions in Android settings; the related feature may stop working.
3. Why we use information
We use information to operate the features you request, authenticate accounts, deliver communications, process orders/transactions, show selected/public content, provide support, prevent abuse and meet applicable legal obligations. HalfChat may send limited official onboarding/feature messages. Notification controls are available in Settings.
4. Service providers and sharing
Information is disclosed to your chosen recipients/audiences and authorized linked devices. Infrastructure and storage providers process service data. Google Firebase Cloud Messaging handles notification delivery and device tokens; Google/other configured STUN or TURN providers support call connectivity and may process network addresses or relay encrypted traffic. The configured SMS provider (currently 2Factor.in) receives your number for verification codes.
Map features may contact OpenStreetMap tile services, configured routing providers such as FOSSGIS/OSRM, GraphHopper, OpenRouteService or Google, and send network/location or route information needed for your request. A business or third-party app you explicitly authorize receives data allowed by that authorization. We may disclose legally required information or information necessary to address fraud, abuse or an immediate safety threat. We do not sell your personal information.
5. Storage and retention
- Delivered encrypted direct messages are removed from the pending server inbox after acknowledgement. Undelivered encrypted messages and chat-media files have expiry periods; chat-media retention is normally up to 30 days and a shorter disappearing timer can apply. Group delivery uses different queues/cursors; expiry and acknowledgement determine server retention.
- Status updates normally expire after 24 hours; Moments and their media normally expire after 30 days. A recipient's saved copy can outlive an expiry.
- Account profiles, conversation routing/membership metadata, support/API history, shared records and optional encrypted backups remain while needed for their features, unless removed through the relevant controls or account deletion.
- Sign-in/access and message-routing security logs are retained for up to 180 days. Restricted disaster-recovery database backups are retained for up to 180 days and are not used to restore deleted accounts to active service.
- Privacy/support request contents are removed or minimized within 90 days after resolution. A minimal request/completion record and necessary safety, fraud, legal or accounting records may be retained; shared transaction records and copies held by other participants may remain.
6. Security
Connections use HTTPS; private messages/media use client-side encryption. Sessions and local chat snapshots use device protections, and optional chat backups are encrypted using the backup password. Public content, support/API messages and submitted verification documents have different protection and access rules. No service can promise absolute security. A recipient can save or share content, and compromised devices can expose it.
7. Your controls and account deletion
You can edit your profile, choose audiences, block/report users, stop location sharing, revoke permissions and unlink devices. Request account and associated-data deletion in Settings → Privacy and safety → Delete account, or use the public account deletion page without reinstalling the app. Ownership is verified before deletion. We aim to complete verified requests within 30 days.
Deletion removes account credentials/phone association, profile details, sessions, device/push keys, your hosted social content and personal server backups/files. Shared routing records may use a “Deleted account” placeholder to protect other participants' records. Messages already delivered to someone else's device, another person's independent records and legally necessary records cannot always be removed by HalfChat. Deleting the account does not automatically erase files you saved to your gallery or another device.
8. Age and child safety
HalfChat is not directed at children under 13. You must meet any higher minimum age applicable where you live; users below the age of majority need permission from a parent or guardian. Child sexual abuse and exploitation are strictly prohibited. See our child safety standards and report concerns through in-app reporting or the support form. Request deletion if you believe a child below the applicable minimum age has provided personal information.
9. Changes
We publish the current version here and may require you to review and accept updated terms in the app. Material changes to processing will be described before they take effect where required.