Privacy Policy

1. Information we collect

Account details: your email address and password (passwords are handled securely by our authentication provider and are never visible to us). If you sign in with Apple, we receive a verified identity token from Apple and, on first sign-in, the name you choose to share.

Profile details: display name, birth year, gender, suburb or location, favourite activities, skill level, short bio and profile photo.

Activity data: events and groups you create, join, leave or cancel; ratings and written feedback you give or receive; mate requests; messages you send through the app one-to-one and in groups.

Payment data: when you pay to join an event or receive a payout as a host, we record the amount, currency, event, payment status and a Stripe payment reference. Full card numbers and bank details are handled by Stripe and are not stored by MateMap.

Points and reputation: in-app points you have earned, level, and the events those points came from.

Support data: tickets you submit through the in-app help, bug or idea forms, and any replies from our team.

Technical data: basic device, platform (web or native iOS/Android) and usage information needed to run and secure the service.

Local preferences: small settings such as notification sound and theme stored in your device's local storage.

Approximate location: if you grant location permission, your device shares its coordinates with our map view so it can be centred on your area. Your precise coordinates stay on your device — we do not store them on our servers. The suburb you select or type when creating your profile or an event is stored to power the suburb-level discovery features.

2. How we use your information

To create and manage your account, including verifying you meet the age requirement.

To show you relevant nearby events, mates and groups, and to display them on a map.

To take payments for paid events, hold those funds, process refunds, pay out hosts, and keep payment records for accounting and dispute handling.

To run the points, ratings and feedback features, including the post-event feedback window.

To deliver messages, mate requests, group activity and in-app notifications to the right people.

To operate safety, moderation and account-restriction features, and to respond to reports or misuse.

To send you service-related messages, such as confirmation and password emails.

To meet our legal and regulatory obligations, including tax and anti-fraud requirements.

3. What other users can see

Other users can see your display name, profile photo, suburb, skill level, favourite activities, bio, public events you host or join, groups you are a member of, points/level, and ratings or feedback you have given or received.

Your age is only ever shown as an age band (for example 25–29). Your exact birth year, email address and payment details are never shown to other users.

4. Location information

We use the location or suburb you provide to show events near you and to display them on a map. Map rendering is provided by Google Maps, which processes the coordinates of events being displayed.

Locations shown to other users are approximate where possible. We do not continuously track your device location in the background.

5. Payment information

Payments for paid events are processed by Stripe. Your card or wallet details are entered directly into Stripe's payment form and are sent to Stripe, not stored by MateMap. Stripe handles them under its own terms and privacy policy.

MateMap stores a payment reference, the amount, the related event, your user ID and the status of the payment (including any refund) so that we can show you your history, settle hosts and handle disputes.

6. Service providers

We use trusted third parties to run MateMap. Each one only receives the data needed to do its job:

Supabase — hosting, authentication, database and file storage (including profile and group avatars).

Stripe — payment processing, refunds and host payouts.

Google Maps — displaying maps and event locations.

Apple — Sign in with Apple on iOS devices.

Email delivery for confirmation, password reset and other service emails (provided through our authentication provider).

7. Data retention

We keep your information for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account we remove or anonymise your personal information, except where we are required to keep it by law (for example, payment and tax records).

Some content such as messages you sent in shared chats, ratings you left for hosts and events you joined may remain visible to the other users involved after your account is deleted, in anonymised or pseudonymised form.

8. Your rights

You can access or correct most of your profile information directly in the app. You can also delete your account and the personal data linked to it directly in the app from Profile → Account → Delete account. If you would prefer us to handle the request for you, or you want a copy of your data, email info@matemap.com.au and we will respond within 30 days.

If you are in Australia, you have rights under the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles. You can contact us about a privacy concern, and you can escalate unresolved concerns to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

9. Security

We take reasonable steps to protect your information, including using HTTPS, a managed authentication provider and a payment provider that handles card data on their own secure systems.

No online service can be completely secure. Please use a strong, unique password and keep your login details private.

10. Children

MateMap is not intended for anyone under 18. We do not knowingly collect information from people under 18. If you believe a child has created an account, please contact us so we can remove it.

11. International transfers

Some of our service providers (including Stripe, Google and Apple) may process data outside Australia. When we share data with them, we rely on the protections those providers offer and the safeguards required by Australian privacy law.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. If we make material changes we will take reasonable steps to let you know.

13. Contact

Questions about your privacy? Email us at info@matemap.com.au.