Ending the
Loneliness Epidemic
one connection at a time.

This Privacy Policy describes how HelloMe.US, Inc. ("HelloMe," "we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, discloses, and protects information in connection with the HelloMe mobile application, related services, and any associated websites (collectively, the "Service").

HelloMe lets you share your real-time communication status (for example, whether you are free to talk, busy, or prefer text) with a limited group of trusted contacts, so that you and your connections can choose the most appropriate way to reach each other.

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

• Account info: name, email address, phone number, password (hashed/encrypted), profile picture, display name, status message.
• Contacts & friend connections: contact details you select from your address book (with permission), solely to manage friend requests. We do not use your contacts for any other purpose.
• Communication status: green/red/purple status, timestamps, and per-contact settings such as blocks or Do Not Disturb.
• Linked messaging apps: only routing info needed to open your selected app — we never access, read, or store your message content.
• Support communications: message content and attachments when you contact us for help.

2.2 Collected Automatically

• Device & usage data: device type, OS version, identifiers, IP address, app version, crash logs, and feature-usage data.
• Push notification tokens: to deliver friend request alerts, status-change notifications, and busy-contact warnings.
• Location data: not currently collected. Any future location feature will request your explicit permission first.

2.3 From Other Sources

If someone sends you a friend request, we may receive your name or contact info from their device solely to facilitate that request. You control whether to accept, decline, or ignore it.

• Create, maintain, and authenticate your account.
• Enable friend requests, connections, and trusted contacts management.
• Display and synchronize real-time status only among mutually connected users.
• Generate notifications: friend requests, status changes, and busy-contact warnings.
• Auto-update your status after inactivity, per your in-app settings.
• Operate, maintain, secure, troubleshoot, and improve the Service.
• Provide customer support and respond to your requests.
• Detect, investigate, and prevent fraud, abuse, and security incidents.
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service.

• Connected friends: your profile and status are visible only to mutually connected users, within your configured settings.
• Service providers: cloud hosting, OTP delivery (e.g., Twilio), push notifications (Apple/Google), crash reporting, and support tools — all contractually restricted to our purposes only.
• Legal & safety: to comply with applicable law, legal process, or governmental request, or to protect the safety of our users or the public.
• Business transfers: merger, acquisition, or sale of assets — subject to standard confidentiality protections.
• With your consent: any other purpose disclosed at the time of collection or separately agreed to.

• Update or delete your profile and change your status anytime in the app.
• Accept, decline, or remove friend connections at any time.
• Block or apply Do Not Disturb to specific contacts from the friend management screen.
• Manage push notification permissions in your device settings.
• Grant or revoke contact access in your device settings at any time.
• Request account and data deletion by emailing privacy@hellome.us — we'll act within 30 days of verification.

California residents have rights under CCPA/CPRA to: know and access their personal information; request deletion or correction; opt out of "sale" or "sharing" (we do neither); and not be discriminated against for exercising rights.

Residents of Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, and other states with comprehensive privacy laws have similar rights to access, correct, delete, and port their data.

To exercise any right, contact privacy@hellome.us. We'll verify your identity before responding and honor authorized-agent requests where permitted by law.

HelloMe is based in the United States. Your information is processed and stored here. By using the Service from outside the U.S., you consent to this transfer. If we expand to the EEA, UK, or Switzerland, we'll provide GDPR-compliant disclosures at that time.

The Service is not intended for users under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn we have, we will delete it promptly. Contact privacy@hellome.us if you believe a child has submitted information.

We retain your information as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Service. After account deletion, we delete or anonymize your data within a reasonable period, except where retention is required by law, to resolve disputes, or to enforce agreements.

We use encryption in transit, hashed password storage, and need-to-know access controls to protect your information.

The Service may link to third-party messaging apps (WhatsApp, iMessage, Telegram, Signal, WeChat) and platforms (Slack, Microsoft Teams). This Policy does not apply to those services. Please review their own privacy policies before linking them through HelloMe.

We may update this Policy from time to time. Material changes will be communicated by updating the "Last Updated" date above and, where required, by in-app notification or email. Continued use after an update constitutes acceptance.

Questions, concerns, or requests? We're here:

You must be at least 13 years old (or the minimum digital-consent age in your country) to use HelloMe. If you are under 18, you represent that a parent or guardian has reviewed and agreed to these Terms on your behalf.

You sign in with your phone number, verified by a one-time SMS code. You are responsible for the activity on your account and for keeping access to your phone number secure. One person per account; don't impersonate anyone or misrepresent who you are.

HelloMe lets you share a simple availability status ("free", "text", "busy") and a short note with circles of people who have mutually added you. It is not an emergency service; never rely on it for urgent or safety-critical communication.

You may add a display name, a profile photo, and short status notes ("user content"). You are solely responsible for your user content and interactions.

No tolerance for objectionable content or abusive behavior. You agree not to post, send, or share content that is unlawful, harassing, hateful, threatening, sexually explicit, that depicts or promotes violence, or that infringes anyone's rights — and not to harass, stalk, impersonate, spam, or abuse other users.

HelloMe provides in-app tools to Block and Report other users. We review reports and may, at our discretion and without notice, remove content, suspend or terminate accounts, and act on reports of objectionable content or abusive users, typically within 24 hours. Do not attempt to circumvent Blocks, the report system, rate limits, or any technical protection.

You consent to receive SMS one-time passcodes for sign-in, and — if you enable them — push notifications. Standard message and data rates may apply. You can disable push notifications in your device or in-app settings.

Your use of the Service is subject to our Privacy Policy, which explains what we collect and why. You can delete your account and associated data at any time in Settings → Delete account.

The Service, excluding your user content, is owned by us and our licensors. We grant you a limited, personal, non-transferable, revocable license to use the app. You retain rights to your user content and grant us a limited license to store and display it solely to operate the Service.

You may stop using the Service and delete your account at any time. We may suspend or terminate your access if you violate these Terms or to protect the Service or other users.

The Service is provided "as is" and "as available", without warranties of any kind to the fullest extent permitted by law. To the maximum extent permitted by law, we are not liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from your use of the Service.

We may update these Terms; material changes will be reflected by an updated effective date and, where appropriate, in-app notice. Continued use after changes means you accept them.

Questions about these Terms: legal@hellome.us