This Privacy Policy explains how information about you is collected, used, and shared when you use Compete (the "App"), a mobile application for private friend groups to compete on self-improvement goals.
The App is operated by Cole Tuckett, an individual based in South Africa ("we", "us", "our"). For the purposes of the South African Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 ("POPIA"), we are the Responsible Party for the personal information described in this policy.
If you have any questions, you can reach us at coletuckett@icloud.com.
Plain-English summary (not a substitute for the full policy): We only collect what we need to run the App — your email and password (to sign you in), the name and optional photo you choose, and the matches, scores, notes, and proof photos you create. We don't sell your data, we don't run advertising, and we don't use third-party analytics or tracking. The people in a match can see what you log in that match — that's the whole point of the App. You can edit or delete your data, and delete your entire account, from inside the App at any time.
1. Who this policy applies to
This policy applies to everyone who creates an account and uses the App. By creating an account and using the App, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.
You must be at least 13 years old to use the App. The App is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. See Section 10.
2. The information we collect
We only collect information that is necessary to provide the App. We do not ask for your real name, phone number, address, date of birth, payment details, or any government identifier.
2.1 Information you give us
| What | When | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Email address | When you create an account or sign in | To create and secure your account, sign you in, and send password-reset and (where applicable) account-related emails |
| Password | When you create an account or sign in | To secure your account. Your password is handled and stored by our authentication provider (Supabase) in a hashed form — we never see or store your actual password |
| Display name | At sign-up and whenever you edit your profile | This is the name your friends see in a match |
| Username (optional) | If you choose to add one | An optional handle shown on your profile |
| Profile photo (optional) | If you choose to add one | Shown to people you share a match with |
| Match content | When you create or join a match | Match titles, the metric and unit you're tracking, target values or deadlines, optional "stakes" text, and invite codes |
| Your logged results | Each time you log a result | The number you enter, an optional short note, and an optional proof photo (for example, a screenshot of a fitness app or a bank statement) |
Please note: because you choose what to track, the numbers, notes, and photos you log may reveal sensitive information about you — for example your finances (savings, income, investments) or your body (weight, body-fat percentage, fitness performance). You decide what to enter. We treat all of this as private information and never make it public (see Section 4).
2.2 Information created as you use the App
| What | Why |
|---|---|
| Who is in which match | We record which matches you create, join, or leave, and when, so the App can show standings and notify the right people |
| Notifications | We record notifications about activity in your matches (who logged, joined, or won) so we can show your in-app notifications feed and, if you allow it, send matching push notifications to your device |
| Push notification token (optional) | If you turn on notifications, your device gives us an anonymous push token (via Expo's push service and Apple) so we can deliver notifications to that specific device. The token identifies the device, not you, and carries no message content; you can turn notifications off at any time in your device settings |
| "Pro" status | Whether your account is marked as upgraded (this is currently a status flag only; the App does not yet take payments — see Section 9) |
2.3 Information collected automatically
The App does not include any third-party analytics, advertising, or tracking software. We do not use cookies, advertising identifiers, or cross-app tracking, and we do not build advertising profiles about you.
Our backend provider (Supabase) automatically processes a limited amount of technical information needed to run any online service securely — for example your IP address and request timestamps when your device communicates with our servers, and basic security/error logs. This is used only to operate, secure, and troubleshoot the service.
2.4 Device permissions
If you choose to add a profile photo or attach a proof photo, the App will ask your device for permission to access your photo library or camera. We only access the specific photo you select. You can decline or change this permission at any time in your device settings; the App still works without it (photos are optional).
If you turn on notifications, the App will also ask permission to send you push notifications. You can decline, or turn them off later in your device settings; the App still works without them.
3. How we use your information
We use the information described above to:
- create, secure, and manage your account, and sign you in;
- provide the core features of the App — creating, joining, and running matches; recording and ranking logged results; showing standings, history, and notifications;
- show your display name and photo to the other people in your matches;
- send you account and security emails, such as password resets;
- maintain, troubleshoot, secure, and improve the App, and prevent abuse or fraud;
- comply with our legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service.
Lawful basis (POPIA). We process your information because it is necessary to provide the App you have asked us to provide (to perform our agreement with you), because you have consented (for example, by choosing to add an optional photo), to pursue our legitimate interests in operating and securing the App, and to meet our legal obligations. Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time (see Section 7).
We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use it for advertising or for automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects about you.
4. How your information is shared
We share your information only in the limited ways described here.
With other people in your matches. Compete is built around private, invite-only groups. When you are in a match, the other participants in that same match can see your display name, your profile photo (if you set one), and everything you log in that match — your results, notes, and any proof photos you attach. This is the core function of the App. Anyone who has a match's 6-character invite code can join that match and become a participant. People you do not share a match with cannot see your matches, your logged data, or your photos.
There is no public discovery. The App has no public profiles, no global leaderboards, no "follow strangers", and no way to search for other users. Your information is never made publicly available by us.
With our service providers (operators). We use trusted third parties to run the App on our behalf. They process information only on our instructions and only to provide their service to us:
- Supabase — our backend provider, which hosts our database, manages authentication (your email and hashed password), and stores your photos. See Section 11.
- Expo — provides the push-notification delivery service that relays notifications to your device (via Apple's push network). See Section 11.
- Apple — distributes the App through the App Store and provides the operating-system services the App runs on. See Section 11.
For legal reasons. We may disclose information if we reasonably believe it is required to comply with a law, regulation, legal process, or enforceable governmental request; to enforce our Terms of Service; or to protect the rights, property, or safety of our users, the public, or us.
Business transfer. If the App or our business is ever involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We would notify you of any such change in ownership or control of your personal information.
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties, and we do not share it with advertisers or data brokers.
5. Where your information is stored and international transfers
Our backend provider, Supabase, hosts our database and stored files in a data centre in the European Union (Ireland). If you use the App from outside the European Union — including from South Africa, where we are based — your personal information will be transferred to, and processed on servers located in, the EU.
The European Union's data-protection regime (the GDPR) is widely recognised as providing a strong, comprehensive standard of protection. Where personal information is transferred across borders, we take reasonable steps, as required by POPIA (and, for users in other regions, applicable local law), to ensure it remains protected — including by using a provider that is contractually bound to appropriate data-protection and security obligations.
6. How long we keep your information
We keep your personal information for as long as your account is active and for as long as we need it to provide the App.
- When you delete a log, that result (and its proof photo) is removed.
- When you leave a match, your participation in it is removed.
- When you delete your account (Profile → Delete account), your account and the personal data associated with it — your profile, the matches you created, your participation records, and your logged results — are permanently deleted from our live database. We also delete your stored profile and proof photos.
- We may retain limited information for a longer period only where necessary to comply with a legal obligation, resolve disputes, prevent abuse, or enforce our agreements, and only for as long as needed for those purposes. Routine backups or server logs held by our providers may persist for a short period before being overwritten in the ordinary course.
7. Your rights
You have rights over your personal information. Many of these you can exercise directly inside the App at any time:
- Access and review — view your profile and all the data you have created in the App.
- Correct or update — edit your display name, username, and photo, and change your password, from your profile.
- Delete — delete individual logs, leave matches, or delete your entire account and its data from Profile → Delete account.
Under POPIA (and equivalent laws such as the EU/UK GDPR for users in those regions), you also have the right to: request access to the personal information we hold about you; request correction or deletion; object to certain processing; withdraw consent you previously gave; and lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at coletuckett@icloud.com. We will respond within the timeframe required by applicable law. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request.
If you are in South Africa and believe we have not handled your personal information lawfully, you have the right to complain to the Information Regulator (South Africa):
Information Regulator (South Africa)
Email: inforeg@inforegulator.org.za (POPIA complaints: POPIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za)
Website: https://inforegulator.org.za
If you are in the EU/UK or another region, you may also contact your local data-protection authority.
8. Security
We take reasonable and appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information, including:
- passwords stored only in hashed form by our authentication provider (we never see your plain-text password);
- all communication between the App and our servers encrypted in transit (HTTPS/TLS);
- row-level security rules in our database that restrict every user to only the data they are allowed to see — your own data, and the shared data of matches you are a participant in;
- private storage for all photos: proof photos and profile photos are never publicly accessible. They are served only to people allowed to see them, through temporary, expiring links.
No method of transmission or storage is ever 100% secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security. If we become aware of a security breach that affects your personal information, we will notify you and the relevant authority where required to do so by law.
9. No payments today
The App is currently free to use. Although the App refers to a "Pro" tier, it does not currently process any payments, and we do not collect or store any payment-card or billing information. If we introduce paid subscriptions in the future, payment will be handled by Apple through your App Store account — we will never receive your card details — and we will update this policy before doing so.
10. Children
The App is intended for users aged 13 and older. It is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 13. If you are between 13 and the age of legal majority where you live, you may only use the App with the involvement and consent of a parent or guardian.
If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us at coletuckett@icloud.com and we will delete it.
11. Third-party services
The App relies on the following third parties. Each has its own privacy practices, which we encourage you to review:
- Supabase — provides our database, authentication, and file storage. Supabase processes the personal information described in this policy on our behalf, as our operator/processor. Privacy information: https://supabase.com/privacy
- Expo — provides the push-notification service (Expo Application Services) that delivers notifications from our servers to your device through Apple's push network. It processes your device's push token and the notification content (for example, "Alex added 3" and the match title). Privacy information: https://expo.dev/privacy
- Apple — distributes the App via the App Store and provides operating-system services. Apple's handling of your information (for example, your App Store account and any device-level settings) is governed by Apple's own privacy policy: https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/
We do not currently use any analytics, advertising, crash-reporting, or attribution services. If we add any in the future, we will update this policy and this list before they go live.
12. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time — for example, if we add new features or new service providers. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date at the top. If the changes are significant, we will take reasonable steps to let you know (for example, an in-app notice). Your continued use of the App after an update means you accept the revised policy.
13. Contact us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests about this Privacy Policy or your personal information, contact:
Cole Tuckett
Email: coletuckett@icloud.com
Location: South Africa
This document is provided as a good-faith, plain-language privacy policy tailored to how the App works today. It is not legal advice. Before public launch, you should have it reviewed by a qualified attorney, especially because users may log financial and health-related information.