Privacy Policy
سياسة الخصوصية

1 Introduction

Welcome to شات العرب (Arbs Chat). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you use our mobile application. By using the app, you agree to the terms described in this policy.

This app is intended for users aged 18 and older.

2 Information We Collect

2.1 Account Information

When you create an account, we collect:

• Username
• Email address
• Password (stored securely as a hashed value)
• Gender
• Date of birth
• Country
• Bio / description (optional)
• Profile image (optional)

For guest accounts, we collect: username, gender, and date of birth.

2.2 Google Sign-In

If you sign in with Google, we receive your Google ID token and basic profile information (name, email, profile picture) through Google OAuth 2.0. We do not store your Google password.

2.3 Chat & Communication Data

• Private messages: text content, media attachments (images, videos, audio recordings, documents)
• Group/room messages: text content, media attachments
• Message metadata: timestamps, read status, sender and receiver identifiers
• Contact lists and conversation history

2.4 Call Data

• Call permission records: requests, acceptances, rejections, and revocations between users
• Call metadata: participants, call duration, call type (audio/video)
• Audio and video call streams are processed in real time and are not recorded or stored by us.

2.5 Device & Technical Data

• Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) tokens for push notifications
• Authentication tokens (JWT) stored locally on your device
• Device permissions granted: camera, microphone, location, storage, notifications

2.6 Advertising Data

We use Google AdMob to display advertisements. AdMob may collect:

• Advertising identifiers (e.g., Google Advertising ID)
• Device information (model, OS version)
• IP address
• App usage and interaction data
• Cookies and similar device identifiers

For more information, see Google's Privacy Policy.

3 How We Use Your Information

• Provide and operate the chat service (messages, media, calls)
• Authenticate your identity and manage your account
• Deliver push notifications for new messages, call requests, and updates
• Enable audio and video calls between users with accepted permissions
• Display advertisements through Google AdMob
• Enforce community safety through reporting and blocking features
• Improve the app and fix technical issues

4 Third-Party Services

Our app uses the following third-party services, each with their own privacy policies:

Service	Purpose	Privacy Policy
Firebase	Authentication, push notifications	Firebase Privacy
Google Sign-In	OAuth 2.0 authentication	Google Privacy Policy
Google AdMob	Advertising	Google Advertising Privacy

5 Data Storage & Security

• Server storage: Your account data, messages, and media files are stored on secure servers.
• Local storage: Authentication tokens are stored locally on your device using secure storage mechanisms.
• Security measures: We use industry-standard practices including password hashing, JWT-based authentication, and HTTPS encryption for data in transit.
• We take reasonable measures to protect your data, but no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure.

6 Data Sharing

• We do not sell your personal data to third parties.
• We share data only as necessary to operate the service: with other users (your username, profile image, and messages you send), with third-party service providers listed in Section 4, and if required by law.
• AdMob may share anonymized and aggregated advertising data with advertisers as described in Google's advertising privacy policy.

7 Children's Privacy

This app is not intended for children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If we discover that a user is under 18, we will delete their account and associated data promptly.

8 Your Rights

• Delete your account: Permanently removes all your personal data, messages, media, and records from our servers.
• Block users: Prevent other users from contacting you.
• Report users and messages: Report inappropriate content or behavior.
• Update your information: Edit your profile details at any time.
• Revoke call permissions: Revoke call access for any connected user at any time.

9 Data Retention

• Active accounts: Your data is retained as long as your account is active.
• Deleted accounts: All associated data (profile, messages, media, call permissions) is permanently removed when you delete your account.
• Reported content: Reported messages may be retained temporarily for review purposes.
• Server logs: Technical logs may be retained for a limited period for debugging and security.

10 Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make changes, we will update the "Effective Date" at the top. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.