Privacy Policy

Welcome to Sync Vibes, a real-time listening application operated by Maison Ethos. We are committed to protecting your personal data and ensuring transparency regarding how your information is collected, used, and stored. This Privacy Policy specifically outlines our practices regarding data obtained through third-party authentication services, such as Google.

1. Information We Collect

To provide our core service of synchronized audio streaming and virtual rooms, we collect the following types of information:

• Google User Data (OAuth): When you choose to sign in using Google, we request access to your basic profile information. This strictly includes your email address, name, and profile picture URL. We do not request, access, or collect data from your Google Contacts, Google Drive, or any other restricted Google services.
• Application Usage Data: We temporarily collect telemetry data essential for the application to function, such as the YouTube Video IDs you queue, playback timestamps to synchronize audio, and your active presence status (online/offline) within a specific room.
• Voluntary Profile Data: Information you choose to add to your profile, such as a custom username or bio.

2. How We Use Your Data

Your information is utilized strictly for the following operational purposes:

• Authentication & Identity: Your Google-provided email address is used to securely create and manage your Sync Vibes account. Your name and profile picture are used to visually identify you to other users within the virtual rooms you join.
• Service Delivery: Usage data (like playback timestamps) is used by our sync engine to ensure all users in a room hear the audio at the exact same millisecond.
• Platform Integrity: We monitor active network states to prevent abuse, such as multi-room joining, ensuring a stable experience for all users.

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal data with third-party advertisers or data brokers.

3. Third-Party Integrations & Data Sharing

To provide our services, we interface with specific third-party APIs. We only share the minimum data necessary for these integrations to function:

• Google Cloud & Firebase: Our database and authentication systems are hosted securely on Google Firebase.
• YouTube IFrame API: We utilize YouTube's official API to deliver audio and video playback. By using our service, you acknowledge that video playback is subject to the Google Privacy Policy and YouTube Terms of Service.
• Groq (AI Features): For dynamic in-room AI interactions, we may transmit non-sensitive fragments (such as a song title you requested or your first name) to Large Language Models provided by Groq. No identifying email addresses or auth tokens are ever sent to these models.

4. Data Retention and Deletion

We retain your authentication data and user profile information only for as long as your account remains active. Ephemeral data, such as real-time playback timestamps and room chat logs, are routinely cleared when sessions end.

Account Deletion: You have the right to request the complete deletion of your account and all associated data at any time. To initiate a data deletion request, please contact us at privacy@maisonethos.co.za. Upon request, your Google auth linkage, profile data, and usage history will be permanently erased from our active databases within 30 days.

5. Data Security

We implement strict cryptographic security measures within our infrastructure to prevent your personal data from being accidentally lost, used, or accessed in an unauthorized way. Access to underlying identity data is heavily restricted to authorized administrators on a need-to-know basis.

6. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal reasons. We will notify users of any material changes by updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, via email.

7. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your Google user data, please contact us at:

Email: privacy@maisonethos.co.za