Privacy Policy

Effective date: 17 September 2026

Mermaid ("we", "our", "us") operates the Mermaid mobile application (the "App") — an offline-first companion for seafarers. This policy explains what data we collect, why, where it lives, and how you can delete it. We keep it short and honest: we do not sell your data, and we do not show you ads.

1. Information we collect

When you create an account you provide, and we store:

• Account details — your email address (or Google account when you sign in with Google) and your name.
• Profile details (optional) — phone number, nationality, vessel name, profile photo, and your current or last port.
• Location sharing (optional, off by default) — your current/last port and approximate position, visible only to your Mermaid friends and only when you enable location sharing. You can disable this any time in Settings.
• Contacts (optional, sync you initiate) — when you tap Sync Contacts, your phone contacts' names, phone numbers and email addresses are sent to our server, matched against other Mermaid users, and discarded. Only the resulting "matched friends" connections are stored.
• Usage analytics — basic usage events (screens opened, features used, searches). These help us fix bugs and understand what seafarers actually use.

2. Orders & provider platform

If you use the provider features (listings, orders, services), we store your listings, order records and service information, including any images you upload, so that buyers and sellers can transact. Order records include the buyer/seller relationship and order details. Mermaid does not process payments — you arrange and confirm payments with the provider directly.

3. How we use your information

• To operate the App: your account, profile, friends, pokes, route calculations, port data and provider features.
• To send push notifications for pokes and friend activity (you can mute friends or block users at any time).
• To keep the App safe: rate limits, spam prevention, account suspension for abuse, and support.
• To improve the App using aggregate, non-identifying usage analytics.

4. Where your data lives

We use Google Firebase (Firestore, Authentication, Cloud Storage, Cloud Functions, Cloud Messaging) — data is stored on Google Cloud infrastructure with encryption at rest and in transit (HTTPS/TLS). Map tiles are served by MapTiler; weather data by Open-Meteo; your requests to these services do not include your identity. Parts of the App work fully offline and are cached on your device (port data, maps, recent calculations) — that cache never leaves your phone unless you use a feature that needs the network.

5. Sharing

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data. Information is shared only:

• With other users, as the App's features require — e.g. your profile (name, photo, vessel) is visible to other seafarers; your location is visible only to friends when you enable sharing; your contact-matched name may appear to users whose contacts include you.
• With our infrastructure providers (Google Firebase, MapTiler, Open-Meteo) solely to operate the App.
• Where required by law.

6. Data retention & deletion

We keep your data while your account exists. You can delete your account at any time from Settings → Delete Account — this removes your account, profile, friends, pokes, listings and related data from our servers. Deleting the App does not delete your account; use the in-app deletion. Contact-processed data is transient and not stored.

7. Children

The App is intended for professional seafarers and is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children.

8. Changes to this policy

If we change this policy materially, we will update this page and notify you in the App. Continued use after changes means you accept the updated policy.

9. Contact

Questions about privacy or your data: [email protected].