Privacy Policy
Last updated: October 25, 2026
1. Who we are
UAParanormal is operated by Michael Coomer, an individual doing business as UAParanormal ("we," "us"). This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, who can see it, and the choices you have. It covers our mobile app and the website at uaparanormal.app. Questions: support@uaparanormal.app.
2. Information we collect
Information you give us
- Account information: your email address and password (our sign-in provider stores passwords in hashed form), plus a record of when you accepted our Terms and confirmed you are at least 18.
- Profile information: username, display name, bio, and profile photo. First and last name are optional (see section 5).
- Content you post: reports (title, description, sighting date, the general location you type, sighting type, photos and videos), comments, shared articles (link, title, comment, and type), reactions, and the people you follow or block.
- Private messages you send through SCIF.
- Reports you file about content or messages, and the reason you choose.
- Emails you send to our support address.
Information collected automatically
- Technical information such as IP address, device and app version, and timestamps, which our hosting providers may log for operation, security, and abuse prevention.
- Alerts and notices: we create records when someone comments on your content or follows you, and when we take action on your account.
From your device, with your permission
- Photos and videos: the app can open your photo library so you can choose pictures for posts and your profile. It only receives the items you pick.
- Location: we do not track your device's location. When you post, you type a general area (for example, "near Roswell, NM"). We turn that text into approximate map coordinates to place a pin on the map, using a geocoding service that may be provided by your device's operating system. The app may ask for location permission to do that lookup.
We do not read your contacts.
3. How we use information
- To run the Service: accounts, the feed, map, search, messages, and alerts.
- To keep it safe: review reports, enforce our Terms, prevent abuse and ban evasion, and detect security problems.
- To send emails about your account, such as verification codes and password resets.
- To answer support requests, fix problems, and improve the Service.
- To follow the law and protect people's safety and rights.
We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use it for advertising. We do not currently use third-party advertising or analytics tools.
4. Who can see your information
- Other users can see your username, profile photo, display name, bio, Verified badge (if any), followers and following, reports, comments, and shared articles. Search lets people find you by username or display name, and by your real name only if you choose (section 5). Reactions are anonymous: other users see only counts.
- The public: some information may be reachable by people who are not logged in, and photos and videos are stored at web addresses that work for anyone who has the link. Assume anything you post could be seen by anyone.
- Us: we can access our database and files to run the Service, review reports, and keep it secure.
- Service providers who help us run the Service (section 7).
- Legal and safety: we may share information when the law or legal process requires it, to report suspected child exploitation or other crimes, or to protect safety and rights.
- Business transfer: if we transfer the Service to another owner, such as a company we form, your information moves with it under this policy.
5. Your name and visibility choices
First and last name are optional and stored separately from your public profile. By default, only you can see them. If you turn on "Show my name on my profile and in search," other users can see that name and search for you by it. You can turn this off at any time. You also choose how general your location text is for each post, and our Terms ask you not to post exact addresses.
6. Private messages (SCIF)
Private messages can be read in the app only by the people in the conversation. They are not end-to-end encrypted: they are stored on our providers' servers, and we technically have access to them. We do not read them except when a participant reports a message, when needed to investigate abuse or a security problem, or when the law requires it. When a message is reported, moderators see that message and a few earlier messages from the conversation.
7. Service providers
- Supabase provides our database, sign-in, file storage, and live updates. It holds your account data, content, messages, and uploaded files.
- Resend sends our emails, such as verification codes and password resets. It receives your email address and the message content.
- GitHub (GitHub Pages) hosts our website and receives visitors' IP addresses and request data.
- Porkbun is our domain registrar and passes email sent to our support address along to our support inbox.
- Google (Gmail) hosts our support inbox, so emails you send us are stored there.
- OpenStreetMap and unpkg: when you open the Map, your device loads map images from OpenStreetMap's servers and the map software from unpkg. They receive your IP address and which map areas you view.
- Your device's operating system may process the location text you type to find map coordinates.
These providers handle information under their own terms and privacy policies, and may process it in the United States and other countries.
8. How long we keep information
We keep your account information and content until you delete them or your account. When you delete your account in the app, we permanently delete your profile, posts (with their photos and videos), comments, shared articles, reactions, follows, blocks, alerts, notices, name settings, and private conversations (deleted for both people).
Some things are not removed:
- Reports that people filed, and the saved copy of reported content, which we keep for moderation, safety, and legal reasons, even after the content or the reporter's account is gone.
- Backups kept by our providers for a limited time, which are deleted on their schedule.
- Records we are legally required to keep.
- Limited information about accounts that were suspended or banned for violations, such as a record of the violations and a protected form of the email address, which we may keep to enforce our rules and prevent evasion.
You cannot delete your account while it is suspended or while a report about your content is still being reviewed.
9. Your choices and rights
- Edit your profile, name visibility, and bio in the app under Profile.
- Delete your account in the app under Profile, then Delete Account.
- Turn alert types on or off under Alerts, then Settings.
- Block users under their profile or posts, and manage blocks under Profile, then Blocked Users.
- If you cannot use the app, email support@uaparanormal.app to ask for a copy of your information, a correction, or deletion.
Depending on where you live, you may have additional privacy rights. Email us and we will respond as the law requires.
10. Security
Data moves between the app and our servers over encrypted connections (HTTPS), and we use access controls to limit who can read private data. No system is perfectly secure, so please protect your password. If we learn of a breach affecting your information, we will notify you as the law requires.
11. Children
The Service is for people 18 and older. We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 18. If we learn that we have, we will delete the account. If you believe a minor is using the Service, please email us.
12. Where information is processed
We operate from the United States. If you use the Service from another country, your information will be transferred to and processed in the United States and other countries where our providers operate.
13. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy. We will change the date above, and if the change is material, we will tell you in the app or by email.