Privacy Policy

BLOK PRIVACY POLICY


Last Updated: 8/4/2025


Nearby, LLC ("Blok," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application and related services (collectively, the "Service").


Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By using our Service, you consent to the data practices described in this policy.


1. INFORMATION WE COLLECT


1.1 Information You Provide Directly

Account Information: When you create an account, we collect:

  • Name and email address

  • Profile information (bio, interests, profile photo)

  • Contact preferences and notification settings

Content Information: When you use our Service, we collect:

  • Posts, comments, and messages you create

  • Photos and other media you share

  • Event information you post or RSVP to

  • Community interactions and engagement data

Communications: We collect information when you:

  • Contact our support team

  • Participate in surveys or feedback requests

  • Report content or users


1.2 Information We Collect Automatically

Location Information: Our Service relies on location data to provide relevant local content. We collect:

  • Precise location data (GPS coordinates) when you use the app

  • Approximate location based on IP address

  • Neighborhood and city-level location for content personalization

  • Location history to improve service recommendations


Device Information: We automatically collect:

  • Device type, operating system, and version

  • Mobile device identifiers (IDFA, Android ID)

  • App version and usage statistics

  • Network connection information

  • Browser type and language preferences


Usage Information: We track how you interact with our Service:

  • Features used and time spent in the app

  • Content viewed, shared, and engaged with

  • Search queries and channel preferences

  • App crashes and performance data


1.3 Information from Third Parties

Local Content Sources: We aggregate publicly available information from:

  • Local news outlets and publications

  • Municipal websites and public records

  • Business directories and event listings

  • Social media platforms (with appropriate permissions)


Third-Party Services: We integrate with external services that may collect additional information:

  • Mapping services (e.g., Google Maps) for location functionality

  • Business APIs for venue and event information

  • Weather services for local conditions

  • Transit and traffic data providers


Analytics and Advertising Partners: We may receive information from:

  • Mobile analytics providers

  • Advertising networks and measurement partners

  • Social media platforms when you connect your accounts


2. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION


2.1 Core Service Functionality

  • Provide personalized local content based on your location and interests

  • Enable community connections and facilitate local discovery

  • Organize content into relevant channels and categories

  • Send notifications about local events and community activity


2.2 Service Improvement

  • Analyze usage patterns to improve app functionality

  • Develop new features and enhance user experience

  • Optimize content relevance and recommendation algorithms

  • Troubleshoot technical issues and prevent fraud


2.3 Communication

  • Send important service updates and security notices

  • Provide customer support and respond to your inquiries

  • Share community highlights and platform news (with consent)

  • Conduct user research and gather feedback


2.4 Safety and Security

  • Verify user accounts and prevent fraudulent activity

  • Moderate content and enforce community guidelines

  • Protect against spam, harassment, and other harmful behavior

  • Comply with legal obligations and law enforcement requests


3. AUTOMATED DECISION MAKING AND AI

We use automated systems and machine learning algorithms to enhance your experience:

  • Content Personalization: Recommend relevant local content based on your interests and location

  • Community Connections: Suggest local users and groups you might want to connect with

  • Content Moderation: Automatically detect and flag potentially harmful or inappropriate content

  • Spam Detection: Identify and filter spam or fraudulent posts and accounts

  • Event Recommendations: Suggest local events based on your preferences and activity


While these systems improve our Service, you have the right to:

  • Request human review of automated content moderation decisions

  • Opt out of certain automated recommendations

  • Contact us if you believe an automated decision has negatively affected you


4. SENSITIVE INFORMATION

We do not intentionally collect sensitive personal information such as:

  • Health or medical information

  • Financial account details (beyond payment processing if applicable)

  • Government identification numbers

  • Information about religious beliefs, political opinions, or sexual orientation

  • Biometric identifiers


If you choose to share such information in your posts, comments, or profile, you do so at your own risk. We recommend avoiding sharing sensitive personal details in public community discussions.


5. HOW WE SHARE YOUR INFORMATION


5.1 Within the Blok Community

  • Your profile information and posts are visible to other users in your local area

  • Your participation in community discussions and events may be publicly visible

  • Your username and activity may appear in community feeds and notifications


5.2 Service Providers

We share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us with:

  • Cloud hosting and data storage

  • Mapping and location services (e.g., Google Maps)

  • Business and venue data providers

  • Analytics and performance monitoring

  • Push notifications and email communications

  • Customer support and user feedback collection

  • Payment processing (if applicable)

  • Content delivery networks


These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the specific services they provide to us.


5.3 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity, subject to the same privacy protections.


5.4 Legal Requirements and Emergency Situations

We may disclose your information when required by law or to:

  • Comply with legal processes, court orders, or government requests

  • Protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of our users

  • Investigate potential violations of our Terms of Service

  • Prevent fraud, security threats, or other illegal activities

  • Emergency Disclosures: In urgent situations to prevent imminent physical harm, assist in missing person investigations, or respond to public emergencies affecting your community


5.5 Aggregated Information

We may share aggregated, de-identified information about user behavior and community trends for research, marketing, or business development purposes.


6. YOUR PRIVACY CHOICES AND CONTROLS


6.1 Location Settings

  • Device-Level Controls: You can disable location access through your device settings, though this will limit app functionality

  • App-Level Controls: You can adjust location sharing preferences within the app settings

  • Location History: You can request deletion of your location history data


6.2 Account Settings

  • Profile Visibility: Control who can see your profile and activity

  • Notification Preferences: Choose which notifications you receive and how

  • Data Export: Request a copy of your personal data

  • Account Deletion: Delete your account and associated data


6.3 Communication Preferences

  • Email Communications: Unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time

  • Push Notifications: Disable notifications through app or device settings

  • Community Updates: Choose whether to receive community highlights


6.4 Third-Party Connections

  • Social Media: Disconnect linked social media accounts

  • Analytics: Opt out of certain analytics tracking where legally available


7. COOKIES AND TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES


We use various tracking technologies to enhance your experience:

Essential Technologies:

  • Authentication tokens to keep you logged in

  • Session storage for app preferences and settings

  • Security cookies to prevent fraud and unauthorized access


Analytics and Performance:

  • Usage analytics to understand app performance

  • Crash reporting to identify and fix technical issues

  • Feature usage tracking to improve our Service


Third-Party Tracking:

  • Mapping service cookies (e.g., Google Maps) for location features

  • Business data APIs may set their own tracking identifiers

  • Social media pixels when you share content


Your Controls:

  • Mobile advertising ID controls through your device settings

  • Location tracking controls through device and app settings

  • Limited cookie controls available through app preferences


8. DATA BREACH NOTIFICATION

In the event of a data breach that may affect your personal information, we will:

  • Investigate and assess the scope of the breach within 72 hours

  • Notify affected users as soon as reasonably possible

  • Provide clear information about what data was involved

  • Explain the steps we're taking to address the breach

  • Offer specific guidance on protective measures you can take

  • Report to relevant authorities as required by law


We maintain an incident response plan and conduct regular security assessments to minimize the risk of data breaches.


9. DATA SECURITY

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

  • Encryption of data in transit and at rest

  • Regular security assessments and updates

  • Access controls and authentication requirements

  • Secure data centers and cloud infrastructure

  • Employee training on data protection practices


However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your information.


10. DATA RETENTION

We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide our services and fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy. Specific retention periods include:

  • Account Information: Retained while your account is active and for up to 90 days after deletion for legal and security purposes

  • Location Data: Retained for up to 2 years or until you request deletion, with aggregated location analytics retained longer

  • Content and Messages: Public posts may remain for community continuity but will be anonymized after account deletion; private messages deleted within 30 days

  • Usage Analytics: Aggregated, de-identified data may be retained indefinitely for service improvement

  • Third-Party API Data: Retained according to our agreements with data providers, typically 30-90 days

Account Deletion vs. Deactivation:

  • Deactivation: Temporarily hides your profile but preserves your data for reactivation

  • Deletion: Permanently removes your account and personal data within 30 days, though some anonymized community content may remain for continuity

You can request deletion of specific data categories or your entire account at any time through app settings or by contacting us.


11. CHILDREN'S PRIVACY

Our Service is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, we will take steps to delete such information.


For users between 13-18, we provide additional privacy protections and require parental consent where legally required.


12. INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS

If you are located outside the United States, please note that we may transfer your information to the United States for processing and storage. We implement appropriate safeguards to ensure your information receives adequate protection during international transfers.


13. STATE-SPECIFIC PRIVACY RIGHTS


13.1 California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you have the right to:

  • Know what personal information we collect and how it's used

  • Request deletion of your personal information

  • Opt out of the sale of your personal information (we do not sell personal information)

  • Non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights


13.2 European Economic Area (GDPR)

If you are in the EEA, you have additional rights including:

  • Access to your personal data

  • Rectification of inaccurate data

  • Erasure of your personal data

  • Data portability

  • Object to processing based on legitimate interests


13.3 Other State Privacy Rights

Residents of Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, and other states with comprehensive privacy laws have rights including:

  • Right to correct inaccurate personal data

  • Right to data portability in a usable format

  • Right to opt out of targeted advertising (we do not currently engage in targeted advertising)

  • Right to opt out of profiling for decisions with legal effects


To exercise these rights, contact us using the information provided below.


14. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by:

  • Posting the updated policy in the app

  • Sending an email notification to registered users

  • Providing prominent notice of significant changes


Your continued use of the Service after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.


15. THIRD-PARTY LINKS AND SERVICES

Our Service may contain links to third-party websites, applications, or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.


Our Service may contain links to third-party websites, applications, or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

Specific Third-Party Integrations:

  • Mapping Services: When you use location features, you interact directly with mapping providers (e.g., Google Maps) who have their own privacy policies

  • Business APIs: Local business information comes from third-party data providers with their own data practices

  • Social Media: When you share content to social platforms, those platforms' privacy policies apply


16. CONTACT US

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:


Privacy Officer

Nearby, LLC

Email: team@heyblok.com

Address: 917 S 7th St Ann Arbor, MI 48103


For specific privacy requests (access, deletion, etc.), please email team@heyblok.com


17. EFFECTIVE DATE

This Privacy Policy is effective as of 8/4/2025 and applies to all information collected by Blok.


By using Blok, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and consent to our data practices as described herein.