Privacy Policy

Last updated: 2026-04-24

1. About this policy

This policy describes how Moonote Co., Ltd. ("we", "us", or "Souj") collects, uses, retains, and protects the personal information you provide or generate when using the Souj mobile application (the "Service").

We process your personal data in accordance with Taiwan's Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), applying a principle of data minimization.

2. Information we collect

2.1 Account information

When you sign in with Google or Apple, we receive:

• An identifier from your OAuth provider (provider + provider_id), used as your account ID
• Display name and avatar URL, to the extent your OAuth provider shares them with your consent
• Your chosen handle and language preference

We never store your password. Authentication is handled entirely by Google or Apple.

2.2 Content you create in the app

• Collections, Locations, Location links, Reviews, Announcements
• Bookmarks, Follows, Reports
• Notification read states

This content is created by you and can be edited or deleted at any time within the app.

2.3 Device and technical data

• Push token (Firebase Cloud Messaging): used to deliver push notifications
• Crash reports (Firebase Crashlytics): stack trace, device model, OS version, and app version at time of crash — does not include content you've entered
• Usage analytics (Firebase Analytics): screen views, feature usage, approximate location inferred from IP (country/city level), and device info, used to improve the product
• IP address and login timestamps, automatically recorded by Supabase infrastructure

2.4 Location data

When you use the "Explore nearby" feature, the app requests location permission to display places near you. Location data is used on-device only while that feature is active — it is not uploaded to Souj servers. You can revoke location permission at any time in your system settings.

The coordinates of Locations you add manually come from the map service URL you provide (e.g. a Google Maps link), not from your current location.

2.5 What we don't collect

• Passwords — managed by Google / Apple
• Semantic search queries — Souj converts your search text to vectors using the on-device EmbeddingGemma model. The entire computation runs on your phone; the text you type never leaves the device.
• Photos in reviews — to avoid accidental over-collection and moderation burden, Reviews do not support image upload
• Contacts, photo library, address book — we do not request these permissions

3. How we use your information

• Providing the Service: Feed, search, nearby explore, notifications, collaboration, and related features
• Personalization: surface relevant content based on creators you follow and places you bookmark
• Communication: send push notifications for events you care about (collection updates, announcements, collaboration changes, etc.). Notification types and frequency are configurable in the app.
• Safety and abuse prevention: handle reports, block malicious accounts, detect anomalies
• Product improvement: analyze crash reports and usage patterns to fix bugs and prioritize work
• Legal compliance: respond to lawful requests from authorities

4. Data storage locations and cross-border transfers

Providing the Service involves cross-border data transfers. In accordance with Article 21 of Taiwan's PDPA, we disclose:

• Supabase (backend database, authentication, Edge Functions): Singapore (AWS ap-southeast-1)
• Firebase Cloud Messaging, Firebase Crashlytics, Firebase Analytics (Google LLC): United States
• Google OAuth (Google LLC): United States
• Apple OAuth (Apple Inc.): United States

By registering for or using the Service, you consent to these cross-border transfers.

5. Third-party services

Souj uses the following third-party services. Each service is governed by its own privacy policy:

• Supabase (infrastructure)
• Google LLC (OAuth, Firebase suite, Google Maps links)
• Apple Inc. (OAuth, App Store)

We share only the minimum data needed to provide the Service. We do not sell your personal information.

6. Data retention and deletion

6.1 While your account exists

Your account and content are retained until you delete them or your account is terminated.

6.2 Account deletion flow

You can request deletion from the app under Settings → Delete Account. Upon request:

• Immediate effect: all your public content (Collections, Locations, Reviews, Announcements, etc.) becomes invisible to others
• 30-day grace period: you may sign in again and "Cancel Deletion" to fully restore your data
• After 30 days: a scheduled job hard-deletes your account and all associated records (UGC, Bookmarks, Follows, Notifications, Reports, etc.) from the database. This is permanent and not reversible.

6.3 Deleting individual items

You can delete individual Collections, Locations, Reviews, etc. from within the app at any time. Deletion is immediate and not reversible.

6.4 Notification cleanup

To save storage, notifications are auto-deleted: read notifications after 30 days, unread after 90 days.

6.5 Legal retention

Where required by law (e.g. criminal investigation, tax regulations), we may retain specific data for longer than the above, limited to what is strictly necessary.

7. Your rights

Under Taiwan's PDPA Article 3, you have the following rights over your personal data:

• Access: most of your data is viewable in the app; for specific needs, contact us
• Request a copy: email support@souj.io to request a data export
• Correct or supplement: most fields are editable in the app
• Stop processing: disable notifications, disable analytics (by uninstalling the app), or delete your account
• Deletion: "Delete Account" in the app; individual items can also be deleted immediately

Exercising these rights is free of charge. If you have questions, contact support@souj.io.

8. Children's privacy

The Service is intended for users aged 13 and older. If you are under 13, please do not register or use the Service. If we become aware that a user under 13 has registered, we will delete the account and associated data.

Minors 13 or older should use the Service with the agreement of a parent or legal guardian who has reviewed this policy.

9. Data security

• All data is transmitted over TLS
• Supabase provides encryption at rest at the database level
• Because the app uses OAuth only, we store no passwords, reducing credential-theft risk
• The database uses Row-Level Security (RLS), ensuring users can only access data they are authorized to see

Despite our best efforts, no Internet transmission or storage is absolutely secure. If a personal data breach occurs, we will notify you within a reasonable timeframe in accordance with Article 12 of Taiwan's PDPA.

10. Privacy by design

We have built several privacy-reducing measures into the product itself:

• On-device semantic search: search queries never reach our servers
• No-password policy: sign-in only via OAuth
• No photos in reviews: avoids accidental collection of portraits or sensitive imagery
• External image links: Collection and Location images use original-source URLs (og:image, YouTube thumbnails, etc.) — we do not re-host them
• Minimum permissions: we do not request contacts, photo library, or address book access

11. Cookies and similar technologies

This website (souj.io) is a static site and does not use cookies or tracking beyond the third-party font service (Google Fonts).

The app uses a Firebase Analytics installation identifier (not a cookie) for anonymous analytics. This identifier is deleted when you uninstall the app.

12. Changes to this policy

This policy may be updated to reflect legal changes or service changes. For material changes, we will notify you via an in-app announcement or other conspicuous means. Continued use of the Service after a revision constitutes acceptance of the updated policy. Refer to the "Last updated" date at the top of this page.

13. Contact us