Privacy Policy — Circle & Zalia

Last updated: 11 July 2026 · Applies to the Circle mobile app (package com.zalia.app) and its AI companion, Zalia.

This Privacy Policy explains what information the Circle app ("Circle", "Zalia", "we", "us") collects, why we collect it, how it is used and shared, and the choices and rights you have. By creating an account and using Circle, you agree to the practices described here. If you do not agree, please do not use the app.

1. Who we are

Circle is a messaging app with an AI companion called Zalia. The app is operated by the developer of Circle. For any privacy question or request, contact us at the email in the Contact section below.

2. Information we collect

a) Information you provide when you create an account

Your name and chosen username.
Your email address (verified by a one-time code; used for login recovery and account communication).
Your password (stored only as a securely hashed value — never in plain text).
Your date of birth, if you provide it.
A profile photo and bio, if you choose to add them.

b) Phone number and contacts (optional)

You may optionally add your phone number to help friends find you, and you may allow Circle to access your device contacts to discover which of them already use Circle.
For contact discovery, phone numbers are converted to a one-way hash on your device before they are sent to our servers. We do not receive or store your contacts' raw phone numbers or names. We only match hashes to find existing Circle users.
Contacts access is requested only with your permission and can be denied or revoked at any time in your device settings.

c) Content you create and exchange

Direct and group (Circle) messages between you and other users, including text, images, voice notes, videos, documents, reactions, and read receipts.
Your conversations with Zalia, our AI companion, including messages, reminders you set, and memories Zalia keeps to personalize responses.
Statuses, celebrations, journals, check-ins, and other content you choose to create in the app.

d) Technical and usage information

A device push-notification token (to deliver notifications and calls).
A device identifier used in hashed form for trial/abuse prevention.
Basic presence data (online status and last-seen), which you can hide or freeze in settings.
Standard log data generated when the app communicates with our servers.

e) Payment information

When you purchase a subscription (such as Circle Pro or Zalia Pro), payment is processed by our payment provider. We receive a confirmation and a transaction reference, but we do not collect or store your full card number or banking credentials — those are handled directly by the payment processor.

3. How human-to-human messages are protected

All messages are encrypted in transit and stored securely. For any one-to-one chat, you can additionally turn on Private mode, which adds end-to-end encryption: the encryption keys are generated on your device and your private key never leaves it, so no one — including us — can read those messages. Chats that are not in Private mode are stored on our servers so that features like search, message previews, and the Zalia AI companion can work. Conversations with the Zalia AI companion are not end-to-end encrypted, because Zalia must read your messages on the server in order to respond to you.

4. How we use your information

To create and secure your account and let you sign in.
To deliver messages, calls, statuses, and notifications.
To power the Zalia AI companion — generating replies, reminders, and personalized responses.
To find friends already on Circle (via hashed contact matching that you opt into).
To process subscriptions and prevent fraud or trial abuse.
To maintain, troubleshoot, and improve the app and its security.
To communicate with you about your account (for example, verification codes and important notices).

5. Service providers we share data with

We do not sell your personal information. We share data only with the service providers needed to run the app, and only to the extent required to provide their service:

Service category	Purpose
Cloud database & storage provider	Database and storage for accounts, messages, and media
Push notification & sign-in services	Push notifications, calls, and optional social login
AI processing providers	AI model processing for Zalia's responses (your Zalia chat content is sent to generate replies)
App store billing system	In-app purchases and subscriptions (Circle Pro, Zalia Pro, and voluntary support)
Email delivery service	Sending verification and account emails

These providers process your data on our behalf under their own security and privacy obligations. We may also disclose information if required by law or to protect the rights, safety, and security of our users and the service.

6. Permissions the app may request

Camera & Microphone — to take photos/videos, record voice notes, and make voice/video calls.
Contacts — to find friends already using Circle (numbers hashed on-device first).
Notifications — to alert you to messages, calls, and Zalia's check-ins.
Other system permissions (such as background/foreground service, full-screen intent, and battery-optimization exemption) — to deliver calls and notifications reliably.

You can grant or deny each permission, and change your choices at any time in your device settings.

7. Data retention

We keep your information for as long as your account is active and as needed to provide the service. When you delete your account, we delete or anonymize your personal data, except where we must retain limited records to comply with legal, tax, or fraud-prevention obligations. You can clear Zalia's stored memories at any time from within the app.

8. Your rights and choices

Access & correction — view and edit your profile information in the app.
Deletion — delete your account and associated data; clear Zalia's memory at any time.
Privacy controls — hide your online status, freeze your last-seen, and manage read receipts in settings.
Permissions — revoke camera, microphone, or contacts access in your device settings.
Requests — contact us using the details below to exercise any of these rights.

9. Children

Circle is not intended for children under the age required to consent to data processing in their country (and in no case under 13). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us information, contact us and we will delete it.

10. Security

We protect your data with measures including encryption in transit, optional end-to-end encryption for Private-mode chats, hashed passwords, hashed phone numbers for contact discovery, verified server-side payment validation, rate limiting on sensitive actions, and database row-level security. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we work to protect your information using industry-standard safeguards.

11. International data transfers

Your information may be processed and stored on servers operated by our service providers, which may be located in countries other than your own. Where this happens, we rely on appropriate safeguards consistent with applicable law.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date above and, where appropriate, notify you in the app. Your continued use of Circle after an update means you accept the revised policy.

13. Contact us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your data, contact us at:

Email: heymishiha@gmail.com