Privacy Policy

Effective April 6, 2026

Beacon is a simple app. This policy explains what data we collect, why, and how it's handled. We don't advertise, we don't sell data, and we collect only what the app needs to function.

Data we collect

• Phone number — used for account creation and sign-in via one-time passcode (OTP). Stored as your account identifier.
• Beacon activity — the status you broadcast (e.g. "Driving") and its duration. Shared only with the friends you choose and deleted when the beacon expires.
• FCM device token — a push notification identifier provided by your device. Used to deliver notifications. Linked to your account.
• Timezone offset — used to correctly calculate beacon expiry times.
• Last active timestamp — recorded when you start a beacon. Shown to your connected friends to indicate recent activity (displayed with ~30-minute granularity).
• WhatsApp number (optional) — if you choose to add one, it is stored and shared with your connected friends to enable direct WhatsApp contact.
• Friend connections — the list of friends you're connected to is stored to populate your friends list and control beacon visibility.

Contacts

If you choose to sync your contacts to find friends, your contacts are processed on-device for matching purposes only. Contact data is never transmitted to or stored on our servers.

Third-party services

• Supabase — database and real-time data sync. Your account and beacon data is stored here.
• Firebase / FCM — push notification delivery.
• Twilio — sends the OTP SMS to verify your phone number at sign-in.

We use no advertising SDKs and no third-party analytics.

Data retention

Beacon activity is deleted automatically when a beacon expires. You can delete your account and all associated data at any time from within the app. Account deletion is permanent and immediate.

Children

Beacon is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect data from anyone under 13.

Changes

If we make material changes to this policy, we'll update the date at the top of this page.

Contact

Questions? Reach us at beacon@andyxie.dev.