Last updated: 15 March 2026
Contents
This Privacy Policy explains how Flare ("we", "us", "our") collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal information when you use the Flare platform and related services.
Flare is committed to protecting your privacy and being transparent about the data we handle. By using Flare, you agree to the collection and use of information as described in this policy.
When you create an account, we collect your email address, authentication credentials (or third-party login tokens from Apple or Google), and date of birth or age range.
Information you voluntarily add to your profile, including your name, age, bio, interests, intentions, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical characteristics, and social media handles.
Photos you upload to your public profile or private albums, and messages you send through the chat system. Private album photos are only visible to users you explicitly grant access to.
With your permission, we collect your device's GPS coordinates to display nearby profiles, venues, and meetups. See Section 4 for details on how location data is handled.
We collect anonymised usage data including feature interactions, session duration, discovery activity, and technical information such as device type, operating system, and browser version. This data helps us improve the platform.
During age verification, our AI-powered selfie scan processes your camera feed entirely on your device — no image is stored or transmitted. If ID verification is required, your uploaded document is encrypted at rest, stored in a private vault, and deleted after review.
We use the information we collect to:
Important: Flare never displays your exact location to other users. Only approximate distances are shown (e.g. "5 m", "47 m", "1.2 km"). Your precise GPS coordinates are never visible to anyone.
Flare uses your device location to show nearby profiles and local venues. Your location helps us connect you with people who are around you right now.
Your exact location is never shared publicly with other users. Other users only see a distance value such as "3 m", "47 m", or "1.2 km". Distances under 1 metre display as "0 m".
Location permissions allow Flare to provide the following features:
Your device’s GPS coordinates are collected with your permission and synced securely to our servers. Location is updated automatically every time you open the app and refreshed periodically while it remains active. This ensures that the Nearby grid always shows accurate, real-time distances.
If your location becomes stale or you go offline, your profile is automatically removed from the Nearby grid until you return and your location is refreshed.
Flare is a proximity-based discovery platform. Location access is requested during account setup and is essential for core features. Profiles without GPS data cannot be verified as nearby and are excluded from the Nearby grid entirely. Without location access:
You can enable location at any time through your device settings to restore full Nearby functionality. Flare only uses your location while the app is active and never tracks you in the background.
You can manage location access in your device settings at any time. If you disable location, your profile will be immediately removed from the Nearby grid. You can re-enable it at any time to restore your visibility.
You can also toggle distance visibility in Privacy Settings within the app to hide your approximate distance from other users.
Flare requires age verification during registration to ensure all users are 18 or older.
Flare may use third-party verification providers (such as Yoti, Veriff, or Persona) in certain regions where required by law. These providers operate under their own privacy policies, which we require to meet our data protection standards.
Free users may view rewarded ads to unlock certain features (e.g. messaging users in other cities). Rewarded ads are provided by third-party advertising partners who may collect anonymised device information for ad targeting.
Plus and Premium subscribers are not shown rewarded ads. Premium subscribers have a fully ad-free experience.
Flare does not sell your personal data to advertisers. We do not share your profile information, messages, photos, or precise location with advertising partners.
Flare does not sell your personal data. We may share limited information with:
We retain your account data for as long as your account is active. When you delete your account:
Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to:
To exercise any of these rights, contact us through the Help Center.
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data, including:
While we take reasonable measures to protect your data, no system is completely secure. We encourage you to use strong, unique passwords and to report any security concerns through the Help Center.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes through the app or by email. Your continued use of Flare after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how your data is handled, please contact us through our Help Center.