This Privacy Policy describes how Steve Letendre ("we," "us," or "our") processes personal information when you use the Farts with Friends mobile application and website at fartswithfriends.com (together, the "Service").
On iOS, the app is also marketed as Blip with Friends. Both names refer to the same Service.
By using the Service, you agree to this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Service.
1. Introduction
Farts with Friends is a social audio app where users record short sound clips, name them, and share them privately or with selected audiences. This Privacy Policy applies to your use of the app and this website.
2. Our privacy promise
We do not sell your personal information.
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to data brokers or advertisers for their own marketing purposes. We use your information only to operate, secure, and improve the Service, as described below.
Some information is shared with service providers that help us run the app (for example, cloud hosting), and with other users according to the sharing choices you make. If you sign in with Google, Apple, or a phone number, those providers process information under their own privacy policies as well.
3. Information we collect
We collect information you provide, information generated through your use of the Service, and limited technical data needed to keep the app working.
Information you provide
- Account information: display name, username, email address, phone number (if you use phone sign-in), and profile photo.
- User-generated audio: short sound recordings you create in the app.
- Recording details: titles, optional descriptions, and audience or sharing settings you choose for each recording.
- Social information: friends, friend requests, groups, group invites, and referral activity.
- Community activity: ratings, leaderboard participation, and public profile information you choose to show.
- Support & safety: messages you send through Help & Support, content reports, block lists, and related moderation records.
- Contacts (optional): if you turn on friend discovery, we access contact information from your device to suggest people you may know. We do not store your full address book. Matching uses privacy-preserving methods (such as hashed identifiers) and/or limited lookups (such as email or phone number) to find existing users. You can decline contact access at any time in your device settings.
Google sign-in data
If you choose Sign in with Google, Google provides Farts with Friends with your basic Google account information: your name, email address, profile picture (if available), and a unique account identifier and an authentication credential used to verify your sign-in.
We use this Google user data only to:
- Authenticate you and create or connect your Farts with Friends account.
- Prefill basic profile details such as your name, email address, and profile picture.
- Keep your account available across supported devices.
- Verify your identity for sensitive account actions.
Google sign-in does not give us access to your Gmail messages, Google Drive files, Calendar events, or Google Contacts. We do not use Google sign-in data for advertising and do not post to your Google account.
Information collected automatically
- Device & app data: device type, operating system, app version, and general diagnostic or security logs needed to keep the Service reliable.
- Push notification tokens: if you enable notifications, we store a device token so we can deliver alerts you ask for (such as friend requests or ratings).
- Subscription status: whether you have an active trial or paid plan (payment details are handled by Apple or Google, not by us).
- Approximate location: we may infer general location (such as country or region) from your IP address for security and compliance. We do not track precise GPS location.
Website
Our website may use essential cookies or similar technologies needed for basic functionality. We do not use third-party advertising cookies on the website.
4. How we use information
We use personal information to:
- Create, authenticate, and maintain your account.
- Store, play back, and deliver your recordings to the audience you select.
- Power friends, groups, ratings, leaderboards, and referrals.
- Send notifications you enable and important service messages.
- Provide Help & Support and respond to your requests.
- Enforce our Community Guidelines, Terms of Service, and safety tools (including block, report, and moderation).
- Detect, prevent, and address abuse, fraud, security issues, and legal requests.
- Operate, maintain, and improve the Service.
We do not use your information for third-party advertising or to build advertising profiles about you.
5. Sharing & service providers
We may share information in these situations:
Service providers
We use trusted providers to host and operate the Service, including:
- Google Firebase (authentication, database, file storage, cloud functions, and push messaging)
- Apple (Sign in with Apple and App Store subscriptions, on iOS)
- Google (Sign in with Google and Google Play subscriptions, on Android)
These providers process data on our behalf under contractual obligations appropriate to their role. Their own policies also apply when you interact with them directly.
Other users
Information you share publicly or with friends, groups, or the community is visible to those audiences according to your settings. See Audiences & visibility.
Sign-in providers
When you sign in with Google or Apple, those companies receive information about your sign-in and may provide us with basic profile details (such as name and email) according to your choices on their sign-in screens.
Legal & safety
We may disclose information if we believe in good faith that it is necessary to comply with law, respond to valid legal process, protect the rights and safety of users or the public, or enforce our Terms.
Business transfers
If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, personal information may transfer as part of that transaction, subject to this Policy.
What we do not do
- We do not sell personal information.
- We do not share personal information with third parties for their independent advertising or marketing.
6. Audiences & visibility
You control who can see each recording:
- Only me — private to your account.
- Friends — visible to people you are friends with on the Service.
- Groups — visible to members of groups you select.
- Bliposphere / public community — visible to the broader community and may appear in public feeds, ratings, and leaderboards when you opt in.
Your profile (such as display name, username, and photo) may be visible to other users according to how you use social features. You can block users; blocked people cannot interact with you through the Service as described in the app.
7. Retention & deletion
We keep personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Service, resolve disputes, enforce our policies, and meet legal obligations.
When you delete your account (in the app or via our Delete Account page), we delete or anonymize your personal information within a reasonable period, except where we must retain limited data for legal, security, or backup purposes. Some information others received (for example, a copy of a message or rating) may remain in their view until refreshed.
Content removed for moderation or safety may be retained in restricted form for audit and appeal purposes.
8. Security
We use administrative, technical, and organizational measures designed to protect personal information, including encryption in transit and access controls on our infrastructure.
No method of transmission or storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, but we work to protect your information and respond to incidents appropriately.
9. International transfers
We are based in the United States. If you use the Service from another country, your information may be processed in the United States or other countries where our service providers operate. Where required by law, we rely on appropriate safeguards for cross-border transfers.
10. Your rights & choices
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you.
- Correct inaccurate information.
- Delete your account and associated data.
- Object to or restrict certain processing.
- Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent (without affecting prior lawful processing).
You can update much of your account information in the app. To delete your account, use Settings → Account or our Delete Account page.
To exercise other rights, email support@fartswithfriends.com. We may need to verify your identity before responding.
You can disable push notifications in your device or app settings. You can revoke contact access in your device settings at any time.
11. Children's privacy
The Service is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us personal information, contact us at support@fartswithfriends.com and we will take appropriate steps to delete it.
If you are between 13 and the age of majority where you live, you may use the Service only with permission from a parent or legal guardian.
12. Regional notices
United States (including California)
We do not sell personal information as defined under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), as amended by the CPRA. We do not share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. California residents may request access, deletion, or correction as described in Your rights & choices.
EEA, UK, and Switzerland
If you are in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, our legal bases for processing may include performance of our contract with you, legitimate interests (such as security and product improvement), and consent where required (such as optional contact discovery or notifications). You may lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority.
13. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you through the Service, by email where appropriate, or by updating the "Last updated" date above. Continued use after changes take effect means you accept the updated Policy.
14. Contact us
Questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices?
Email: support@fartswithfriends.com
Operator: Steve Letendre — Farts with Friends / Blip with Friends
United States