Welcome to DodaChat
This Privacy Policy explains how DodaChat collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal information when you use our messaging application.
By using DodaChat, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.
Account Information
- Phone number (verified via Twilio SMS)
- Username (your chosen display name)
- Password (encrypted using bcrypt)
- Profile picture (optional, stored on Cloudinary)
Content You Share
- Text messages you send
- Photos and videos you share
- Stories (3-day posts visible for 72 hours)
- Likes and comments on stories
- Profile pictures you upload
Social Information
- Users you follow
- Users who follow you
- Follower and following counts
- Story engagement (likes, comments, views)
Usage Information (Stored Locally on Your Device)
- Login session and timestamp
- Usage statistics (app launches, stories created)
- Viewed stories list (offline tracking)
- Story drafts (temporary)
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We do NOT collect IP addresses, device identifiers, or location data. Usage information above is stored locally on your device only.
- Photos/Storage: Select photos and videos for stories and profile pictures
- Camera: Take photos directly in the app for stories or profile pictures
- Notifications: Alert you about new messages and story activity
- Create and manage your account
- Verify your phone number via Twilio SMS
- Enable one-on-one messaging
- Display and share your 3-day stories (72 hours)
- Display your profile picture to other users
- Manage your follow relationships
- Show suggested users based on activity
- Personalize your story feed using our algorithm
- Identify trending stories based on engagement
- Send push notifications (via OneSignal)
- Send password reset codes via SMS
- Provide story likes and comments
- Improve app performance and fix bugs
Server Storage
- Backend: Hosted on Render cloud platform
- Database: MySQL on Railway cloud servers
- Profile Pictures: Stored on Cloudinary cloud storage
- Messages: Retained until you delete them
- Stories: Automatically deleted after 3 days (72 hours)
- Follow relationships: Kept while account is active
- Account data: Kept while account is active
- Deleted content: Removed immediately
Local Device Storage
- Session data (login token, timestamp)
- Viewed stories tracking
- Story drafts (until published or cleared)
- Usage statistics (launch count, etc.)
- Cleared when you delete your account
Follow System
- Your follow/following relationships are stored on our servers
- Follower and following counts are visible to other users
- Follow relationships are used to personalize your story feed
- You can unfollow users at any time
- When you delete your account, all follow relationships are removed
Algorithm & Personalization
- Story order is determined by our algorithm
- Factors include: who you follow, engagement, recency
- Stories from followed users are prioritized
- Trending stories are highlighted based on likes and comments
- Your own stories always appear first
User Search
- You can search for users by username
- Search only queries usernames, not phone numbers
- Suggested users are based on activity and popularity
Storage & Processing
- Profile pictures are uploaded to Cloudinary cloud storage
- Images are automatically resized to 500x500 pixels
- Face detection is used for optimal cropping
- Supported formats: JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP
- Maximum file size: 5MB
Your Control
- You can upload a profile picture at any time
- You can change your profile picture at any time
- You can remove your profile picture at any time
- When removed, your profile picture is deleted from our servers
Visibility
- Your profile picture is visible to users you chat with
- Your profile picture appears in chat lists, stories, and Social tab
- Your profile picture appears in search results and suggested users
- Blocked users cannot see your profile picture
- Passwords encrypted using bcrypt hashing
- Phone verification via Twilio Verify API
- All data transmission uses HTTPS encryption
- Profile pictures stored securely on Cloudinary with HTTPS
- Messages stored securely on encrypted servers
- Regular security updates
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Important: End-to-end encryption (where only sender and receiver can read messages) is not currently implemented but planned for future updates.
We DO NOT Sell Your Data
Your personal information is never sold to third parties.
Service Providers We Use
Twilio (SMS verification), Render (backend hosting), Railway (database), Cloudinary (profile picture storage), OneSignal (push notifications), Google AdMob (displays ads).
With Other Users
Your messages and stories are shared with recipients you choose. Your username, profile picture, and follower/following counts are visible to other users. Users you follow and users following you are visible in your profile.
Legal Requirements
We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or to protect legal rights and user safety.
Google AdMob
DodaChat displays advertisements through Google AdMob. AdMob may collect and use device information for ad personalization according to Google's privacy policy.
- Change your password anytime
- Change your username anytime
- Upload, change, or remove your profile picture anytime
- Delete individual messages you sent
- Delete your own stories
- Delete your own comments on stories
- Follow or unfollow any user
- View your followers and following lists
- Block users to prevent contact
- Delete your account and all data permanently
- Delete your conversations between you and other users at anytime
Age Requirement
DodaChat is intended for users aged 13 and above. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13.
Parental Notice
If we become aware of data collection from a child under 13, we will delete it immediately. Parents can contact us at dodachatcare@gmail.com
DodaChat is available worldwide. Your data may be transferred to and stored on servers in different countries. By using DodaChat, you consent to these data transfers.
Changes
We may update this policy to reflect changes in practices, legal requirements, or app features.
Notification
Material changes will be notified via in-app notification and updated "Last Updated" date.
Review
We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
By using DodaChat, you consent to this Privacy Policy and agree to its terms. If you do not agree, please do not use DodaChat.