Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

Account information

When you register or manage your account, we collect information such as:

First and last name.

Email address.

Phone number, if provided or required for verification.

Date of birth.

Account identifiers and authentication records.

Account settings and preferences.

Records of accepted terms and consent choices.

Your full birthdate, last name, email address, and phone number are not intended to appear on your public member profile.

Profile information

We collect the information you submit to your profile, including:

Photos.

Bio and conversation-starter answers.

Gender and Dating preferences.

Roots, cultural identities, and languages.

Height, hometown, and city or region.

Education and occupation.

Faith and beliefs.

Lifestyle, interests, and information about children.

Some fields are optional. Information you include in a visible profile may be accessible to other eligible members.

Sensitive information

Information you provide may reveal racial or ethnic origin, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or other sensitive characteristics.

We use this information to provide the profile, preferences, discovery, and connection features you request. Where applicable law requires explicit consent, we obtain it before processing that information.

You may remove optional sensitive profile information through profile settings. Do not include sensitive information about another person without appropriate permission.

Location information

We may collect:

A city or region you enter.

Approximate location derived from your IP address.

Device location when you grant permission.

We use location information to support discovery and location-based preferences.

Your precise coordinates are not intended to be displayed to other members. Displayed city, region, or distance information may nevertheless allow others to infer your general location.

Device-location handling: [DESCRIBE WHETHER PRECISE COORDINATES ARE STORED, WHETHER THEY ARE CONVERTED TO APPROXIMATE LOCATION, AND HOW LONG THEY ARE RETAINED.]

You can revoke device-location permission in your browser or device settings. Previously collected information may remain subject to our retention practices.

Activity and communications

We collect information about your use of the Service, such as:

Dating Likes, Passes, and Leis.

Connect expressions of interest.

Matches and connections.

Discovery preferences and daily usage.

Messages, message timestamps, and delivery or read status where enabled.

Blocks, reports, and moderation appeals.

Support requests and communications with us.

Messages are accessible to their recipients. Authorized personnel and service providers may access message information when necessary to deliver the Service, investigate reported conduct, address security issues, or comply with law.

Do not assume messages are end-to-end encrypted unless the Service expressly identifies them as such.

Reports and verification information

When you submit a report, we collect the category, explanation, relevant account or message information, and evidence you provide.

If verification is enabled, we may receive a verification result and related information from a verification provider.

Verification practices: [IDENTIFY THE PROVIDER, INFORMATION COLLECTED, WHETHER DOCUMENTS OR SELFIES ARE RETAINED, AND WHETHER FACIAL OR OTHER BIOMETRIC PROCESSING OCCURS.]

If biometric processing is introduced, we will provide any required separate notice and obtain consent where legally required.

Payment information

If you purchase a membership or paid feature, we may receive transaction identifiers, purchase history, subscription status, billing details, and limited payment-method information.

Payment providers or app stores process payment credentials according to their own privacy policies.

Payment providers: [LIST ACTIVE PROVIDERS AND CONFIRM WHICH PAYMENT DETAILS LAVA RECEIVES.]

Device and technical information

We may collect IP address, browser and operating-system information, device identifiers, language settings, access times, diagnostic logs, and security events.

We use cookies, local storage, or similar technologies as described below.

2. Where Information Comes From

We collect personal information:

Directly from you.

Automatically when you use the Service.

From members who message, interact with, or report your account.

From authentication, payment, verification, and other service providers.

From authorities or other sources where necessary and legally permitted to investigate fraud, threats, or unlawful conduct.

If you use Google, Apple, or another sign-in service, we receive the information that provider shares under your selected permissions. We do not receive your password for that provider.

3. How We Use Information

We use personal information to:

Create, authenticate, and maintain accounts.

Check age eligibility and support verification.

Display profiles according to member settings.

Provide Dating and Connect discovery.

Record interest, establish mutual relationships, and deliver messages.

Apply membership permissions and usage limits.

Process purchases and manage subscriptions.

Deliver service notifications and customer support.

Investigate reports and enforce our Terms of Service.

Detect fraud, abuse, and unauthorized access.

Diagnose problems and improve functionality.

Maintain consent and compliance records.

Meet legal obligations and respond to lawful requests.

Marketing messages are subject to applicable consent requirements and opt-out controls.

We do not use identifiable member photos in external promotional materials without separate permission.

4. Discovery and Personalization

Lava may use profile details, preferences, location, activity, and account status to determine which profiles appear in discovery.

Dating and Connect activity is maintained separately for those experiences. An expression of interest in one does not automatically create a relationship in the other.

Automated discovery does not guarantee compatibility, safety, or any relationship outcome.

Additional automated processing: [DISCLOSE ANY AI MATCHING, AUTOMATED MODERATION, OR OTHER PROFILING ACTUALLY USED.]

Where required by law, you may request information about or challenge qualifying automated decisions.

5. How We Disclose Information

To other members

Eligible members may see your profile information, photos, approximate location information, and interactions made visible by a feature you use.

Message recipients receive the messages you send. Some memberships may permit members to see incoming interest or read receipts.

Members may save or screenshot information they can access. We cannot control copies retained outside the Service.

To service providers

We disclose information to providers that help deliver functions such as:

Hosting, storage, and authentication.

Email, SMS, and notifications.

Payments and subscriptions.

Verification.

Customer support and moderation.

Security, diagnostics, and analytics.

These providers receive information necessary for their functions, subject to applicable contractual and legal restrictions. Some providers, including payment platforms, may also process information independently under their own policies.

Current providers and processing locations: [LIST PROVIDERS OR LINK TO A CURRENT PROVIDER LIST.]

For legal and safety purposes

We may disclose information where reasonably necessary and legally permitted to comply with legal obligations, respond to valid legal process, protect rights, investigate fraud, or address threats to safety.

During a business transfer

Information may be transferred during a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, or sale of assets, subject to applicable law and appropriate protections.

At your direction

We may disclose information when you request it or provide appropriate consent.

6. Advertising, Sale, and Sharing

[COMPLETE THIS SECTION AFTER REVIEWING ALL ADVERTISING, ANALYTICS, AND TRACKING INTEGRATIONS.]

Sale of personal information: [STATE WHETHER LAVA SELLS PERSONAL INFORMATION AS DEFINED BY APPLICABLE LAW.]

Sharing for targeted advertising: [STATE WHETHER LAVA SHARES PERSONAL INFORMATION FOR CROSS-CONTEXT BEHAVIORAL ADVERTISING OR TARGETED ADVERTISING.]

If applicable law provides an opt-out right, you may exercise it through [PRIVACY CHOICES LINK] or [PRIVACY EMAIL]. We honor recognized opt-out preference signals where legally required.

Providing information to an advertising or analytics provider can qualify as a sale or sharing under some laws even when no money is exchanged.

7. Cookies and Similar Technologies

We use necessary cookies or local storage to support sign-in, security, preferences, and core functionality.

Optional technologies: [IDENTIFY ANALYTICS OR ADVERTISING TECHNOLOGIES, THEIR PURPOSES, AND AVAILABLE CONTROLS. REMOVE IF NONE ARE USED.]

Where required, we obtain consent before using nonessential technologies.

You can manage cookies through browser settings and any privacy controls we provide. Blocking necessary storage may prevent parts of the Service from working.

Do Not Track: [STATE THE SERVICE’S ACTUAL RESPONSE TO BROWSER DO NOT TRACK SIGNALS.] Recognized legally required opt-out signals are addressed separately above.

8. Your Privacy Controls

Depending on available features, you may:

Edit profile information and photos.

Change Dating and Connect preferences.

Pause Discovery.

Use Out the Way Mode if included in your membership.

Enable or disable profile sharing.

Block members.

Manage notifications and marketing preferences.

Revoke device permissions.

Request account deletion.

Pause Discovery hides your profile from new discovery while preserving existing relationships and conversations.

Out the Way Mode limits discovery visibility as described in the feature. It does not erase information already viewed or received.

Disabling profile sharing invalidates previously issued sharing links, but cannot delete screenshots or copies held by others.

Blocking limits communication and access within Lava. It does not remove information someone previously saved outside the Service.

9. Retention and Account Deletion

We retain personal information only as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Policy, considering account activity, legal requirements, safety, fraud prevention, and dispute resolution.

You may request account deletion through [IN-APP PATH] or [PRIVACY EMAIL].

Deletion and retention schedule:

Account and profile deletion: [TIMEFRAME].

Message retention after deletion: [TIMEFRAME AND EXPLANATION OF RECIPIENT COPIES].

Reports and safety records: [TIMEFRAME OR SPECIFIC CRITERIA].

Billing and legal records: [TIMEFRAME OR LEGAL CRITERIA].

Verification material: [TIMEFRAME].

Backup expiration: [TIMEFRAME].

Some information may be retained longer when legally required or reasonably necessary for a documented safety, security, or legal purpose.

Deleting your account does not automatically delete copies independently retained by message recipients.

Subscription cancellation may require a separate step through the applicable payment platform.

10. Security

We use safeguards appropriate to the nature of the information we process, including access restrictions and measures to protect accounts and stored data.

No online system is completely secure. Protect your login credentials and contact [SECURITY OR SUPPORT EMAIL] if you suspect unauthorized access.

Where required by law, we will notify affected individuals or authorities of qualifying security incidents.

11. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have rights to:

Obtain confirmation of processing and access your information.

Correct inaccurate information.

Request deletion.

Receive a portable copy of certain information.

Withdraw consent.

Object to or restrict certain processing.

Opt out of qualifying sales, targeted advertising, or profiling.

Limit certain uses of sensitive information.

Appeal a denied request.

Complain to a privacy regulator.

These rights may be subject to legal exceptions.

Submit requests to [PRIVACY EMAIL OR REQUEST FORM]. We may verify your identity using information reasonably necessary to protect your account. Authorized agents may submit requests where permitted by law.

We respond within applicable legal deadlines. We will not unlawfully discriminate against you for exercising privacy rights.

For an appeal, contact [APPEAL EMAIL OR FORM].

12. California Residents

Where the California Consumer Privacy Act applies to Lava, eligible California residents may have rights to know, access, correct, delete, and opt out of qualifying sale or sharing of personal information, and to limit certain uses of sensitive information.

The categories of information, sources, purposes, and recipient types are described above.

Previous 12 months: [CONFIRM WHICH CATEGORIES WERE ACTUALLY COLLECTED, DISCLOSED FOR BUSINESS PURPOSES, SOLD, OR SHARED DURING THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS.]

California privacy requests may be submitted through [REQUEST FORM] and [SECOND REQUIRED REQUEST METHOD, IF APPLICABLE].

13. International Processing

Your information may be processed in countries other than where you live.

Processing countries: [LIST RELEVANT COUNTRIES.]

Where required, we use recognized safeguards for international transfers and provide information about those safeguards upon request.

For individuals protected by European, UK, or similar data-protection laws, our legal bases may include performing our contract with you, consent, legal obligations, and legitimate interests that do not override your rights. Sensitive information is processed only where an additional lawful condition applies.

Applicable representative or data-protection contact: [INSERT IF REQUIRED.]

14. Adults Only

Lava is intended for adults aged 18 and older, or any higher applicable minimum age. We do not knowingly permit minors to maintain accounts.

If you believe a minor is using Lava, report the profile or contact [SUPPORT EMAIL].

We investigate underage-account reports and delete or restrict information as required by law, subject to permitted safety and legal retention.

15. Third-Party Services

Third-party websites, payment platforms, sign-in services, and other services may have their own privacy policies.

This Policy does not govern information you provide directly to those services.

16. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Policy as our practices or legal obligations change.

We will revise the dates above and provide additional notice of material changes where required. If a new use requires consent, we will request that consent before beginning the use.

17. Contact Us

Data Controller / Legal Operator: [FULL LEGAL COMPANY NAME]

Business Address: [BUSINESS ADDRESS]

Privacy Requests: [PRIVACY EMAIL]

Support: [SUPPORT EMAIL]

Website: [LAVA WEBSITE URL]