Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains what personal information Hamus collects, how we use and share it, and your choices. It applies to the Hamus mobile app and related services ("Services") and is part of our Terms of Service. By using the Services you agree to this Policy.

The Services are for users 18 and older; we do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 18 (Section 8). We may offer this Policy in English, Amharic, and Tigrinya; if versions conflict, the English version controls.

1. Information We Collect

A. Information you provide

• Account & profile: name (and optional Amharic/Tigrinya name), email, phone, password, avatar, bio, language preference, location/region, and any optional links you add.
• Content: listings and item details, photos, Hamus Learn lessons, messages to other users, reviews, reports, and Teacher applications.
• Identity verification (optional): if you use a verification feature, details and documents you submit, which may be processed by a third-party provider.
• Support & communications: information you send when you contact support or respond to surveys.

B. Information collected automatically

• Device & usage: device type and identifiers, app version, and log/diagnostic data, for reliability and to improve the Services.
• Usage analytics: to understand how the app is used and improve it, we record anonymous in-app activity — which screens you open and how long you spend on them, and key actions such as creating a listing. This is tied only to a random device identifier (and to your account if you are signed in), never includes your name, messages, photos, or contact information, is stored on our own servers, and is never sold or shared with advertisers. You can turn it off anytime in Settings → Privacy → Share anonymous usage data.
• Location: with your permission, device location to show nearby listings and support location-based services; we may also approximate location from your IP address. You can disable precise location in your device settings.
• Push tokens: to deliver notifications you've enabled.

C. Information from third parties

Service providers that help us operate (e.g., our cloud/database provider, push delivery, and any identity-verification or future payment provider) may give us limited information such as delivery status or verification results.

D. Payments

Hamus does not currently process in-app payments, and we do not collect your card or bank details. If and when in-app payments launch, a third-party processor (e.g., Stripe) will collect and process payment information directly under its own privacy policy; we would receive only limited transaction metadata, not full card numbers.

2. How We Use Your Information

• Create and manage your account and profile;
• Operate the marketplace and community — listings, messaging, services/appointments, custom orders, Hamus Learn, and (where offered) Hamus-operated services like HABEX;
• Show relevant and nearby content;
• Review Teacher applications and moderate content;
• Provide support and send service-related communications and notifications;
• Maintain safety and security, and detect and prevent fraud and abuse;
• Improve and develop the Services (including first-party/diagnostic analytics); and
• Comply with law and enforce our Terms.

We rely on your consent for things like precise location and push notifications, and on our legitimate interest in operating a safe, functional marketplace for the rest. You can withdraw consent (e.g., disable location/notifications) at any time.

3. How We Share Information

• With other users, by your choice: your public profile, listings, lessons, reviews, and the messages you send are visible to the people or community you share them with. Don't post anything you want to keep private.
• With service providers (processors): companies that host and run the Services on our behalf and only on our instructions — for example, our cloud database/auth/storage provider (Supabase), push-notification delivery, identity verification, and (in the future) payments.
• For legal and safety reasons: to comply with law or valid legal process, enforce our Terms, or protect the rights, safety, and property of Hamus, our users, or the public.
• Business transfers: if Hamus is involved in a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, information may transfer as part of that transaction, subject to this Policy.

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it with third-party advertising networks for cross-context behavioral advertising. We do not use third-party advertising trackers in the app.

4. Where Your Information Is Stored; International Transfers

Hamus is based in the United States, and we store and process information on infrastructure located in the United States. Hamus serves a community across the U.S. and Ethiopia; if you use the Services from outside the U.S. (including Ethiopia), your information will be transferred to and processed in the U.S., which may have different data-protection laws than your location.

5. How Long We Keep Information

We keep personal information for as long as your account is active and as needed to provide the Services, then for a reasonable period to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, prevent fraud, and enforce our agreements. Some content you make public (e.g., reviews, published lessons) and content others have re-shared may persist after you delete your account, and we keep limited records as required by law.

6. Your Choices

• Access & update: view and edit your profile and content in the app.
• Delete your account: request deletion in the app settings or by emailing us; we will delete or de-identify your information except where retention is required (Section 5).
• Location: control precise location through your device settings.
• Usage analytics: turn anonymous usage analytics on or off anytime in Settings → Privacy → Share anonymous usage data.
• Notifications: turn push notifications on/off in settings.
• Marketing: if we send optional promotional messages, you can opt out; we will still send essential service messages.

7. Your California Privacy Rights (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you have the right to know/access, delete, and correct your personal information, and to non-discrimination for exercising your rights. You also have the right to opt out of the "sale" or "sharing" of personal information — but Hamus does not sell or share your personal information as those terms are defined under the CCPA/CPRA, so there is nothing to opt out of. Categories we collect may include identifiers, account/profile data, commercial information (transactions you arrange), photos and user content, approximate/precise geolocation, device/usage data, and (if you verify) identity information, used for the purposes in Section 2 and disclosed only as described in Section 3. To exercise these rights, email us; we will verify your request and you may use an authorized agent.

8. Children's Privacy

The Services are intended for users 18 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you believe a minor has provided us information, contact us and we will delete it.

9. Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures (including access controls and database row-level security) to protect personal information. No system is perfectly secure; protect your account credentials and notify us of any suspected compromise.

10. Cookies and Similar Technologies

The Hamus mobile app does not rely on advertising cookies. Any Hamus website may use strictly necessary and basic functional/analytics technologies; where required, we provide notice and choices and honor applicable browser privacy signals.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will provide reasonable notice (in-app or by email) and update the date above. Continued use after the changes take effect means you accept the updated Policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your data, contact us at:

Email: hamusapp@gmail.com