Privacy Policy

This policy explains what data Clustar collects, why we collect it, how long we keep it, and what control you have. It applies to the Clustar mobile app and the website at clustar.space.

1. Who we are

Clustar is operated from Nigeria. For any privacy question or request, contact clustarsinfo@gmail.com.

2. What we collect

Information you give us

• Sign-in details. A phone number, an email address, or a Google account identifier — whichever method you choose.
• Profile. Your handle, display name, bio, and profile photo if you add one.
• Content. The clustars, replies, direct messages, and photos you post.
• Reports. If you report content or another user, we keep what you submit so a moderator can review it.

Information collected automatically

• Location. Approximate device coordinates, used to anchor your posts and to show you what is nearby. Covered in detail below.
• Device and app data. Device model, operating system version, app version, and a push notification token.
• Usage and technical logs. IP address, request timestamps, and error traces. Used for security, abuse prevention, and debugging.

What we deliberately do not collect

• Contacts, call logs, or SMS messages on your device
• Advertising identifiers
• Payment or card details — Clustar is free and takes no payments
• Biometric data

3. How we use location

Location is the core of how Clustar works, so it’s worth being precise about it.

• Foreground location is read when you open the feed or post a clustar. It determines which posts you see and where your post is anchored.
• Background location is only used if you create a travelling clustar — a post whose anchor follows you while it is alive. It stops when that clustar expires, and you can revoke the permission at any time in your device settings.
• Other users never see your exact coordinates. They see an approximate distance. We do not publish a map of your movements.
• We do not keep a long-term history of your movements. Coordinates are attached to a live clustar and are removed when that clustar expires.

4. Why we process your data

• To provide the Service — authenticate you, deliver nearby content, send and receive messages, push notifications. (Performance of a contract.)
• To keep the platform safe — investigate reports, detect spam and abuse, enforce rate limits. (Legitimate interest.)
• To fix and improve — diagnose crashes and errors, and understand which features are used. (Legitimate interest.)
• To meet legal obligations — respond to lawful requests and retain records where required by law. (Legal obligation.)

Where we rely on your consent — for example, background location — you can withdraw it at any time without affecting the rest of the app.

5. Burner identities

A burner lets you post, reply, and message without other users seeing who you are. Internally, every burner is linked to the account that created it.

We use that link only to:

• Investigate abuse reports and enforce our Terms
• Apply rate limits fairly across an account
• Respond to a valid legal request

We do not disclose the connection between a burner and an account to other users, and we do not use it for profiling or advertising.

6. How long we keep things

• Clustars and replies — deleted from active storage when they expire (1 to 24 hours after posting).
• Direct messages — kept while the conversation exists; deleted when you delete the thread or your account.
• Photos — deleted when the post they belong to expires or is removed.
• Account details — kept while your account is active.
• Encrypted backups — retained for up to 30 days, then overwritten. Deleted content may persist in a backup during that window.
• Moderation records — reported content and the outcome of a report are retained for up to 12 months so we can identify repeat behaviour.
• Server logs — retained for up to 90 days for security and debugging.

7. Who we share data with

We do not sell your data. We do not run advertising. We share data only with providers that help us run the Service:

• Cloud hosting — our servers and database, located in Europe
• SMS provider — to deliver one-time sign-in codes. Receives only your phone number and the code.
• Email provider — to send verification and account emails
• Google — if you sign in with Google, and for push notification delivery on Android
• Apple — for push notification delivery on iOS

We may also disclose data where we are legally required to, or where it is necessary to protect the rights and safety of our users or the public. Where we are permitted to tell you about such a request, we will.

8. International transfers

Our infrastructure is hosted in Europe, so if you use Clustar from Nigeria or elsewhere your data is transferred and stored outside your country. We rely on providers that offer appropriate contractual safeguards for those transfers.

9. Security

• All traffic between your device and our servers is encrypted (HTTPS/TLS)
• Access tokens are stored in your device’s secure storage
• Database access is restricted and credentials are rotated
• Backups are encrypted at rest

No system is perfectly secure. If we become aware of a breach affecting your data, we will notify you and the relevant authority as required by law.

10. Your rights

You can, at any time:

• Access — request a copy of the data we hold about you
• Correct — update your profile in the app, or ask us to fix anything inaccurate
• Delete — delete your account from Settings, which removes your profile and remaining content
• Object or restrict — ask us to stop processing your data for a particular purpose
• Withdraw consent — revoke location or notification permissions in your device settings
• Complain — to the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, or your local data protection authority

To make a request, email clustarsinfo@gmail.com. We respond within 30 days.

11. Children

Clustar is not for anyone under 16. We do not knowingly collect data from children. If you believe a child has created an account, email us and we will remove it.

12. Cookies

The Clustar mobile app does not use cookies. The website uses only essential cookies needed to keep an admin session signed in. We do not use analytics or advertising cookies.

13. Changes to this policy

We will update this policy as the product changes. Material changes will be announced in the app or by email before they take effect. The “last updated” date at the top always reflects the current version.

14. Contact

Privacy questions, data requests, or concerns: clustarsinfo@gmail.com.