Version 2.1 · Last updated: 20 July 2026
Contents
Flare (“Flare”, “we”, “us”, “our”) is operated by Backroom Studio Ltd, a company registered in the United Kingdom with its registered office in London.
For the purposes of applicable data protection laws, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR), and other applicable privacy legislation, Backroom Studio Ltd acts as the data controller for the personal information described in this Privacy Policy.
This Privacy Policy explains how Flare collects, uses, stores, protects, shares and otherwise processes personal information when you use:
This Privacy Policy should be read together with our:
Together, these documents explain how Flare operates and how we protect our users.
Where this Privacy Policy refers to “the Platform”, this includes all Flare services described above.
Flare is designed exclusively for adults aged 18 years or older.
We do not knowingly permit anyone under the age of 18 to create an account or use the Platform.
To help enforce this requirement, Flare uses age-assurance technology provided by Didit, as described in Section 6.
We designed Flare around several core privacy principles:
We regularly review our systems to ensure they remain appropriate as technology, legal requirements and user expectations evolve.
Flare is available in multiple countries.
Because privacy laws differ between jurisdictions, some features, notices, verification requirements and privacy rights may vary depending on where you use the Platform.
Where local law provides additional protections, those protections will apply.
By creating an account or using Flare, you acknowledge that your personal information will be processed as described in this Privacy Policy.
Where applicable law requires your consent-for example, for processing certain sensitive personal information or delivering personalised advertising-we will request that consent separately before processing begins.
Flare collects information in different ways depending on how you use the Platform, the features you choose to use and the permissions you grant on your device.
Some information is required to provide the Service, while other information is optional and only collected if you choose to use certain features.
We aim to collect only the information reasonably necessary to operate, improve and protect Flare and its users.
When you create a Flare account, we collect information necessary to establish and secure your account.
This may include:
Depending on the sign-in method you choose, we may also process:
To reduce fraud and abuse, Flare may refuse registrations using disposable, temporary or anonymous email services.
You may choose to register or sign in using supported third-party identity providers.
These may include:
When using social sign-in, the provider shares only the information necessary to authenticate you and create your Flare account.
Depending on the provider, this may include:
Flare never receives your password for those services.
Your use of those services remains subject to the provider’s own privacy policy.
Your profile contains information that you choose to provide.
Examples include:
Many profile fields are optional.
You may edit or remove most profile information at any time.
Some profile information may be visible to other users depending on your privacy settings.
You may upload:
Media uploaded to Flare may be processed to:
Media uploaded to public areas of the Platform may be visible according to your privacy settings.
Private Album content remains accessible only to users you authorise.
Private Albums allow you to share selected photographs or videos with individual users.
When using Private Albums, Flare processes information including:
To help protect private content, Flare may apply visible or invisible account-specific identifiers, digital watermarks or similar protective technologies to eligible content.
These protections are intended to discourage unauthorised sharing and assist investigations where private content is distributed without permission.
The existence of these protections does not guarantee that every unauthorised disclosure can be detected or prevented.
Flare allows users to communicate through:
Voice and video communications are transmitted through our communication provider and are not routinely recorded by Flare.
Messages may be processed where reasonably necessary to:
Flare does not routinely monitor every private conversation.
To operate discovery features, Flare processes information relating to your interactions.
Examples include:
These interactions help operate features including:
If you participate in Communities, Flare processes information including:
This information enables Community management, moderation and participation.
When using Meetups, Flare may process:
This information helps operate Meetup features and improve user safety.
When interacting with Venues, Flare may process:
Venue check-in information shown publicly is presented in aggregated or anonymised form where appropriate.
When using Services, Flare may process:
Commercial negotiations, including prices, normally occur through Direct Messages.
Where you choose to connect supported music services such as Spotify or Apple Music, Flare may process limited information including:
Only the information necessary for the features you enable is processed.
You may disconnect these services at any time.
With your permission, Flare collects location information to operate location-based features.
Depending on the feature, this may include:
Your precise GPS location is never displayed publicly.
Further information is provided in Section 5.
To operate securely, Flare processes technical information including:
We use this information to:
Where verification is required, Didit processes:
Flare receives only:
Flare does not receive or permanently store verification selfies, videos or identity documents.
Further information is provided in Section 6.
If you purchase subscriptions or paid features, Flare processes information necessary to manage your entitlements, including:
Flare does not receive your full payment card information.
Payments are processed by authorised third-party payment providers.
If you contact Flare or submit a report, we may process:
This information helps us investigate issues, protect users and improve our services.
Certain information is collected automatically when you use Flare.
Examples include:
This information helps us maintain, improve and secure the Platform.
Flare is an adults-only LGBTQ+ platform designed to help people build meaningful friendships, relationships, communities and professional connections.
Because of the nature of our Platform, some information that users choose to provide may be considered special-category (or sensitive) personal data under privacy laws such as the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR) and similar legislation in other jurisdictions.
We recognise that this information deserves a higher level of protection.
We process sensitive personal data only where necessary, lawful and proportionate, and we apply additional safeguards designed to protect your privacy.
Depending on how you use Flare, sensitive personal data may include information that you voluntarily choose to provide, such as:
Providing this information is entirely optional unless a specific feature requires it.
You may edit or remove most sensitive profile information at any time.
Sensitive personal data is processed only for purposes directly connected with operating the Platform.
Examples include:
We do not process sensitive data for advertising purposes.
We do not sell sensitive personal data.
Most sensitive profile fields are optional.
You decide:
Choosing not to provide sensitive information will not prevent you from using most features of Flare, although some optional features may work differently.
Where UK GDPR, EU GDPR or similar privacy laws apply, Flare generally processes sensitive personal data on one or more of the following legal bases:
Where processing relies on your consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time by removing the relevant information or adjusting your privacy settings, without affecting processing already carried out.
Flare itself does not collect, permanently store or create biometric templates from your face.
Where age or identity verification is required, facial images, liveness checks and identity documents are processed exclusively by Didit, our independent age and identity verification provider.
Flare receives only the verification result required to operate the Platform, such as:
Flare does not receive or permanently store:
Verification information is processed solely for age assurance, identity verification where required, fraud prevention and community safety.
It is never used by Flare for:
Further information about verification is provided in Section 6.
Some users may voluntarily choose to include health-related information in their profile.
Examples might include:
Flare does not verify the accuracy of this information.
Users remain responsible for deciding whether they wish to disclose any health-related information publicly.
We encourage users to share only information they are comfortable making available to others.
Sensitive personal data receives additional protection through technical and organisational safeguards.
These may include:
Access to sensitive information is limited to authorised personnel who require it for legitimate operational purposes.
Flare’s AI systems may process certain content that contains sensitive information only where necessary to provide features requested by users or to help protect the Platform.
Examples include:
Sensitive personal data is not used by Flare to:
Where significant moderation decisions are required, human moderators review the matter before final action is taken whenever appropriate.
Flare does not disclose sensitive personal data to advertisers.
Sensitive information is shared only where reasonably necessary, including:
Any sharing is limited to the minimum information reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.
Where applicable privacy laws apply, you may have rights relating to sensitive personal data, including the right to:
Information about exercising these rights is provided in Section 15.
Flare processes personal information only where there is a lawful reason to do so.
The legal basis we rely upon depends on:
Where UK GDPR, EU GDPR or similar privacy laws apply, we rely on one or more of the following legal bases:
We process personal information to create and operate your Flare account and provide the features you choose to use.
Examples include:
Legal basis
We use your information to:
Legal basis
We process information necessary to:
Age estimation, liveness checks and identity verification are performed by Didit.
Flare receives only the verification outcome necessary to operate the Platform.
Legal basis
To help users discover people, Communities, Meetups, Venues and Services, Flare processes information such as:
Recommendations are generated automatically but are not intended to produce legal or similarly significant effects.
Legal basis
Where you grant permission, Flare processes location information to:
Your precise GPS location is never displayed publicly.
Legal basis
Flare processes information to:
Moderation may involve automated systems and trained human moderators.
Legal basis
Flare uses artificial intelligence to support features such as:
AI assists human decision-making but does not replace it.
Flare does not use sensitive profile information, verification selfies or identity documents to train its own AI models or for advertising.
Legal basis
Flare processes information relating to Services to:
Commercial negotiations normally occur directly between users through Direct Messages.
Legal basis
Flare processes Community information to:
Legal basis
Flare processes Meetup information to:
Legal basis
Flare processes Venue information to:
Legal basis
We process communications to:
Flare does not routinely monitor every private communication.
Legal basis
We process payment-related information to:
Payment card information is processed by authorised payment providers rather than Flare.
Legal basis
When you contact us, we process information necessary to:
Legal basis
We analyse how the Platform is used to:
Where required by law, we obtain consent before using analytics technologies.
Legal basis
Free users may be shown advertisements.
Where required by law:
Flare does not share your messages, profile photos, verification documents, Private Album content or sensitive personal information with advertising partners for advertising purposes.
Legal basis
We process information to:
This may include security logs, authentication records and device information.
Legal basis
Flare may process personal information where necessary to:
Legal basis
Where we rely on legitimate interests, we carefully assess whether our interests are balanced against your rights and freedoms.
Examples include:
Where your interests override ours, we will not rely on legitimate interests as the legal basis.
Where processing relies on your consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time.
Examples include consent for:
Withdrawing consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.
Location is one of Flare’s core features.
It allows users to discover people, Communities, Meetups, Venues and Services nearby while maintaining control over their privacy.
Flare is designed so that your precise GPS location is never displayed publicly to other users.
Instead, we use approximate location information and privacy protections to help reduce the risk of users identifying your exact whereabouts.
With your permission, Flare may collect location information including:
We may also estimate your approximate location from your IP address where necessary to:
Location information may be used to operate features including:
Location may also help:
Flare requests access to your device’s location only with your permission.
Depending on your device, you may choose to grant:
You may change these permissions at any time through your device settings.
Some Flare features may become unavailable or have reduced functionality if location access is disabled.
Flare is designed so that your exact GPS coordinates are not shown to other users.
Instead, the Platform may display:
Distance information may be intentionally adjusted or “fuzzed” to reduce the likelihood that another user can determine your precise location.
The exact methods used to protect location privacy may change over time as we improve the Platform.
For security reasons, we do not publicly disclose all of the techniques used.
If you enable Open, your profile may become more discoverable to nearby users according to your chosen settings.
Enabling Open is entirely optional.
You may enable or disable Open at any time through the Platform.
Turning Open off may reduce how often your profile appears in certain discovery features.
Nearby helps users discover other members who are geographically close.
Nearby uses approximate location information rather than displaying your exact location.
Your visibility within Nearby depends on factors including:
You may hide your approximate distance where that setting is available.
Where available, Travel Mode allows users to explore other locations without physically travelling there.
When using Travel Mode:
Location information helps Flare display:
When you attend a Meetup or check in at a Venue, other users may see information that you have chosen to make visible through that feature.
Aggregated statistics (such as the number of people currently at a Venue) may be displayed without identifying individual users.
Location information helps users discover nearby Services.
Providers may choose to display:
Flare encourages Service providers not to publish unnecessary personal address information unless essential for the Service being offered.
To maintain the integrity of location-based features, Flare may use measures designed to detect suspicious location activity.
Examples include:
These checks help protect users and improve the reliability of Nearby, Meetups and other location-based features.
Flare does not continuously track your location in the background.
Location information is collected only when reasonably necessary to operate features you choose to use and in accordance with your device permissions.
Where background location functionality is introduced in the future for optional safety features, Flare will clearly explain how it works and request any permissions required by law.
Flare retains location information only for as long as reasonably necessary to:
Location history is not retained indefinitely.
Further information is provided in Section 14 (Data Retention).
You remain in control of your location information.
Depending on the feature, you may be able to:
Some choices may reduce the availability or accuracy of location-based features.
Different countries have different legal requirements relating to location information and age assurance.
Flare may use your approximate country or region to:
Flare is an adults-only platform intended exclusively for individuals aged 18 years or older.
To help maintain a safe community, protect users and comply with applicable laws, Flare uses age and identity verification measures.
We have partnered with Didit, an independent specialist in digital identity and age assurance, to perform these checks.
Flare has intentionally designed its verification process using the principles of privacy by design and data minimisation.
Where possible, Flare receives only the information necessary to determine whether verification has been successfully completed.
Verification helps Flare:
Verification also helps maintain the integrity of certain Platform features that require a higher level of trust.
Where available, users may complete age verification through an age estimation process.
This involves:
The processing takes place on Didit’s secure systems.
Flare receives only the verification outcome, such as:
Flare does not receive:
Age estimation is used solely to determine whether you appear to meet Flare’s minimum age requirement.
Additional identity verification may be required where:
Identity verification may require:
These checks are performed entirely by Didit.
Flare receives only the verification result required to operate the Platform.
Depending on the verification method used, Didit may process:
This information is processed by Didit in accordance with its own privacy obligations and applicable law.
Following verification, Flare normally receives only limited information necessary to operate the Platform.
Examples include:
Flare does not routinely receive:
This significantly reduces the amount of sensitive information processed directly by Flare.
Flare is committed to minimising the retention of sensitive verification information.
Once a verification session reaches a final outcome:
Flare retains only the verification status necessary to continue operating your account.
Facial images and identity documents processed during verification may constitute biometric or special-category personal data under laws such as:
Flare does not use this information for:
Verification data is processed solely for:
Verification requirements may differ depending on:
Flare uses your resolved country to determine which verification requirements apply.
Examples may include legislation relating to:
Verification requirements may change as laws evolve.
If required verification cannot be completed successfully, Flare may:
This helps protect both users and the integrity of the Platform.
Flare may request that a user completes verification again where reasonably necessary.
Examples include:
Reverification requests are made only where reasonably necessary.
Flare may change verification providers in the future if necessary to improve:
Where such changes materially affect how your personal information is processed, this Privacy Policy will be updated and users will be informed where required by law.
Where applicable law grants you rights relating to verification information, those rights may be exercised in accordance with:
Because Flare does not retain verification selfies or identity documents, requests relating to those materials may need to be directed to Didit where appropriate.
Verification is protected using technical and organisational security measures designed to safeguard sensitive information during transmission and processing.
Flare and Didit both implement security measures appropriate to the nature of the information being processed.
Flare uses artificial intelligence (“AI”), machine learning and other automated technologies to help operate the Platform, improve user experience and protect our community.
AI is designed to assist-not replace-human judgement.
Where appropriate, important moderation decisions are reviewed by trained human moderators before becoming final.
Flare is committed to using AI responsibly, transparently and in accordance with applicable privacy and online safety laws.
AI helps us:
AI allows Flare to respond more quickly to harmful behaviour while helping moderators focus on reports requiring human judgement.
When users upload photographs or videos, AI may analyse the content to identify material that may violate our Community Guidelines or applicable law.
This may include detecting:
Where appropriate:
The purpose of this processing is to help maintain a safe community.
When users submit reports, AI may assist by:
AI recommendations assist moderators but do not automatically determine the final outcome of serious moderation cases.
Where users choose to translate messages or other content, the relevant text may be securely processed by Flare’s AI provider to generate a translation.
Translation is performed only when requested by a user.
Translated content is intended to improve communication and may not always be perfectly accurate.
Users should not rely on AI translations for legal, medical or other professional purposes.
Flare may use AI and other automated systems to improve recommendations for:
Recommendations may consider factors such as:
These recommendations are intended to improve your experience and do not produce legal or similarly significant effects.
AI may help identify behaviour associated with:
This processing helps protect users and maintain the integrity of the Platform.
Flare recognises that AI is not perfect.
Where reasonably appropriate, trained human moderators review matters requiring context or judgement, including:
Human moderators may confirm, modify or overturn AI-assisted recommendations.
Flare does not make decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects based solely on automated processing where prohibited by applicable law.
Where automated systems assist moderation, appropriate human review is carried out before significant enforcement decisions where required.
Where applicable law provides rights relating to automated decision-making, users may exercise those rights in accordance with Section 15 of this Privacy Policy.
Depending on the feature being used, AI may process information including:
AI processing is limited to the information reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.
Flare does not use the following information to train its own AI models:
Where Flare works with third-party AI providers, processing is governed by contractual safeguards and applicable privacy laws.
Flare currently uses Anthropic (Claude) to support certain AI-powered features.
Examples include:
Flare may introduce additional AI providers in the future where necessary to improve:
If changes materially affect how personal information is processed, we will update this Privacy Policy and notify users where required by law.
Information processed through AI features is protected using appropriate technical and organisational security measures.
AI providers engaged by Flare are required to process personal information only for authorised purposes and in accordance with contractual obligations and applicable privacy laws.
We seek to minimise the amount of personal information shared with AI providers wherever reasonably possible.
Flare continually evaluates and improves its AI systems to:
These improvements are designed to enhance the Platform while respecting user privacy and applicable legal requirements.
We believe users should understand when AI is involved in operating the Platform.
Where reasonably appropriate, Flare aims to explain:
Creating a safe, respectful and trustworthy community is one of Flare’s highest priorities.
To help achieve this, we process certain personal information to:
We aim to balance user privacy with our responsibility to maintain a safe platform.
Users may report content or behaviour that they reasonably believe violates:
Reports may relate to:
When a report is submitted, we may process the information necessary to investigate and respond appropriately.
Where reasonably necessary, we may process information such as:
We only process information that is reasonably necessary for the investigation.
Flare uses AI to help identify behaviour that may violate our rules.
AI may assist in identifying:
AI helps moderators prioritise reports and identify potentially harmful content more quickly.
AI does not replace human judgement for significant moderation decisions.
Many reports require context that automated systems cannot fully understand.
For that reason, Flare employs trained human moderators to review reports where appropriate.
Human moderators may consider:
Moderators act in good faith using the information available at the time.
To help protect users and reduce misuse of the Platform, Flare may use protective technologies including:
These technologies are intended to protect users and maintain the integrity of the Platform.
For security reasons, we do not publicly disclose all technical details about how these systems operate.
Certain private content, including eligible Private Album media and protected chats, may include security measures designed to discourage unauthorised sharing.
Depending on the device and operating system, Flare may:
Operating system limitations mean that these protections are not available on every device.
Taking a screenshot does not grant permission to copy, distribute or publish another person’s content.
Where Flare reasonably believes that private content has been shared without permission, we may investigate the matter.
As part of an investigation, we may use protective technologies incorporated into eligible content to help identify the account through which that content was originally accessed.
These technologies are intended to support investigations and discourage misuse.
They do not guarantee that every unauthorised disclosure can be detected or prevented.
We process information to help prevent:
Fraud prevention helps protect both individual users and the wider Flare community.
To help maintain a safe Platform, Flare may retain limited records relating to:
These records help us:
Retention periods are explained in Section 14.
Where appropriate, users may appeal moderation decisions affecting their account.
Appeals may require us to process additional information provided by the user, including:
Appeals are reviewed fairly and independently where reasonably possible.
Where required or permitted by applicable law, Flare may preserve relevant information and cooperate with competent authorities in relation to:
Any disclosure is limited to what is required or permitted by law.
Flare encourages users to:
Flare’s reporting tools do not replace emergency services.
Flare continually reviews and improves its safety systems.
This may include:
These improvements are designed to better protect our users while respecting their privacy.
We recognise that investigations often involve sensitive personal information.
Where possible, Flare seeks to:
Not every report results in enforcement action.
Each matter is assessed individually based on the available evidence.
Flare works with carefully selected third-party providers to help deliver, secure and improve the Platform.
These providers perform specific services on our behalf, such as:
We only share the information reasonably necessary for each provider to perform the services we request.
Where providers process personal information on our behalf, they are required to do so in accordance with applicable privacy laws and appropriate contractual safeguards.
Flare uses Supabase and Cloudflare to provide core platform infrastructure.
These services help us operate:
Photos, videos, voice messages and other uploaded media are securely stored using Cloudflare R2.
These providers process personal information only as necessary to provide their infrastructure services.
Flare uses Stream to provide:
Voice and video calls are transmitted in real time.
Flare does not routinely record voice or video calls.
Certain technical metadata may be processed to establish and maintain communications, improve reliability and protect the security of the Platform.
Flare uses Didit to perform:
Verification is described in greater detail in Section 6.
Didit processes verification information on Flare’s behalf.
Following verification, Flare receives only the information necessary to determine whether verification has been successfully completed.
Verification selfies, liveness videos and identity documents are not retained by Flare.
Flare currently uses Anthropic (Claude) to support certain AI-powered features.
Examples include:
Information is processed only where reasonably necessary to provide the requested feature or protect the Platform.
Flare does not permit AI providers to use verification selfies, government-issued identity documents or biometric verification information to train Flare’s own AI systems.
Depending on the feature you use, Flare may use Google services including:
These services help provide:
Google processes personal information in accordance with its own privacy documentation and applicable legal obligations.
Where you use Apple devices or services, Flare may use:
If you choose to connect Apple Music, Flare accesses only the information necessary for the music features you enable.
Flare never receives your Apple account password.
If you choose to connect Spotify, Flare may access limited information including:
Only information required for the features you enable is processed.
You may disconnect Spotify at any time through your account settings.
Flare supports social authentication through providers such as:
These providers may supply limited account information necessary to authenticate you and create your Flare account.
Your relationship with these providers remains governed by their own privacy policies.
Flare integrates with GIPHY so you can search for and share GIFs in chats. When you open the GIF picker, your search terms and the GIFs you select are sent to GIPHY to return and deliver results.
GIPHY collects anonymised usage information to operate and improve its service: your GIF search history, and product-interaction data such as taps, scrolls, and which GIFs you view or send. GIPHY uses this for analytics, product personalisation, and app functionality. This information is not linked to your identity and is not used to track you across other apps or websites.
For details, see GIPHY's privacy policy.
Flare uses Cloudflare Turnstile to help prevent:
Turnstile may process limited device and interaction information necessary to distinguish legitimate users from automated systems.
Flare uses trusted email delivery providers, such as Amazon Simple Email Service (SES) or equivalent providers, to send:
These providers process only the information necessary to deliver communications.
Payments for subscriptions and paid features are processed through authorised payment providers, including:
Flare does not receive or store your complete payment card information.
We receive only the information necessary to manage your purchases and subscriptions.
As Flare grows, we may introduce new service providers or replace existing providers to improve:
Examples may include providers for:
Where changes materially affect how personal information is processed, we will update this Privacy Policy and notify users where required by law.
Before engaging new providers, Flare seeks to assess whether they provide appropriate safeguards for protecting personal information.
Depending on the provider, these safeguards may include:
Some third-party integrations are optional.
For example, you may choose whether to:
Disabling optional integrations may reduce the availability of certain features but will not normally prevent you from using the core Platform.
Flare offers both free and paid subscription plans.
To help support the free version of the Platform, Flare may display advertisements to users who do not subscribe to Flare Plus or Flare Premium.
Users with an active Plus or Premium subscription are not shown third-party advertisements within the Platform unless we clearly state otherwise for a specific feature.
Advertising helps us maintain and improve Flare while keeping core features accessible to all eligible adults.
Flare currently uses Google advertising services, including:
These services may display:
Advertising providers may process limited technical information necessary to deliver, measure and improve advertising.
Depending on your device, location and privacy choices, advertising providers may process information such as:
Flare does not provide advertisers with access to:
Where permitted by applicable law and where you have provided consent, advertisements may be personalised based on limited advertising information.
Personalised advertising may consider information such as:
Flare does not use your:
to personalise advertising.
If you choose not to receive personalised advertising, Flare may continue displaying non-personalised advertisements.
These advertisements are based on general contextual information rather than your personal profile or interests.
Choosing non-personalised advertisements will not affect your ability to use the free version of Flare.
Flare may offer optional rewarded advertisements.
Rewarded advertisements allow users to voluntarily watch an advertisement in exchange for temporary Platform benefits.
Examples may include:
Watching rewarded advertisements is entirely optional.
Users are never required to watch advertisements in order to access basic Platform functionality.
Where required by applicable law, Flare requests your consent before personalised advertising is enabled.
Depending on your jurisdiction, this may include:
You may withdraw or change your advertising preferences at any time through:
Some mobile devices provide advertising identifiers.
Examples include:
Depending on your privacy choices, these identifiers may be used to:
You can usually reset or restrict these identifiers through your device settings.
Advertising providers may process limited information to:
This processing helps ensure advertisements function correctly while protecting advertisers and users from fraudulent activity.
Flare does not sell your personal information to advertisers.
We do not permit advertisers to access:
Advertising providers receive only the information reasonably necessary to deliver advertising services.
As Flare evolves, we may introduce additional advertising partners or advertising formats.
Examples may include:
Where these changes materially affect how personal information is processed, we will update this Privacy Policy and notify users where required by applicable law.
Flare believes users should understand why advertisements are shown.
Where reasonably possible, we aim to explain:
You may be able to:
These choices may affect the relevance of advertisements but will not normally prevent you from using Flare.
Flare uses cookies and similar technologies to operate, secure and improve our website and certain web-based features of the Platform.
Depending on how you access Flare, these technologies may include:
Mobile applications may use technologies that perform similar functions to cookies even though traditional browser cookies are not always available.
Cookies and similar technologies help us:
Without certain essential cookies, some parts of Flare may not function correctly.
Depending on your device and how you access Flare, we may use:
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are essential for operating the Platform.
Examples include cookies used for:
These cookies generally cannot be disabled because they are required for the Service to function.
These cookies remember choices you make, such as:
They help personalise your experience without tracking your activity for advertising purposes.
With your consent where required, analytics technologies help us understand:
Analytics information helps us improve Flare.
Where applicable and where required by law, advertising technologies help:
Further information is available in Section 10 (Advertising).
Where required by applicable law, Flare will request your consent before placing non-essential cookies or similar technologies on your device.
Depending on your location, this may include:
You may withdraw or change your consent at any time.
Most web browsers allow you to:
Blocking certain cookies may affect how some parts of the Platform operate.
Traditional browser cookies are not always used within mobile applications.
Instead, mobile applications may use:
These technologies perform functions similar to cookies and help the Platform operate securely.
Some third-party providers used by Flare may place or access cookies or similar technologies.
Examples include providers supporting:
These providers process information according to their own privacy policies and applicable contractual obligations.
Flare maintains a separate Cookie Policy, which provides additional information including:
Where there is any inconsistency between this Privacy Policy and the Cookie Policy regarding cookies and similar technologies, the Cookie Policy will govern those specific matters.
As Flare evolves, the cookies and similar technologies we use may change.
We may update our Cookie Policy and this Privacy Policy to reflect:
Flare is committed to protecting your privacy.
We do not sell your personal information to third parties.
We share personal information only where reasonably necessary to:
Whenever possible, we limit the information shared to the minimum reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.
Because Flare is a social platform, some information you choose to provide is visible to other users.
Depending on your privacy settings and the features you use, this may include:
You remain responsible for deciding what information you choose to share publicly.
Some information is shared only with users you specifically choose.
Examples include:
Access to this information is limited to the users involved, subject to our safety, moderation and legal obligations.
Flare works with trusted third-party service providers who process personal information on our behalf.
Examples include providers responsible for:
These providers are contractually required to process information only for authorised purposes and in accordance with applicable privacy laws.
Age and identity verification is performed by Didit.
Where verification is required:
Flare receives only:
Verification information is never shared with advertisers.
Where AI-powered features are used, limited information may be shared with our AI providers only where reasonably necessary to provide the requested feature or protect the Platform.
Examples include:
Flare seeks to minimise the information shared with AI providers.
Verification selfies, identity documents and biometric verification information are not shared for AI model training.
When you purchase subscriptions or paid features:
Flare receives confirmation of:
Flare does not receive or retain your complete payment card details.
Advertising and analytics providers may receive limited technical information necessary to:
Flare does not share with advertisers:
If Flare or Backroom Studio Ltd is involved in:
Personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction where legally permitted.
If such a transfer materially affects how your personal information is processed, we will provide notice where required by applicable law.
Flare may disclose personal information where reasonably necessary to:
We assess each request carefully and disclose only the information that is legally required or reasonably necessary.
We may share limited information where reasonably necessary to:
Any disclosure is limited to the minimum reasonably necessary under applicable law.
Where reasonably necessary, Flare may share limited personal information with professional advisers acting on our behalf, including:
These advisers are subject to professional confidentiality obligations.
Certain Flare features require us to share information because you ask us to.
Examples include:
These disclosures occur because you choose to use those features.
Some of our service providers operate internationally.
As a result, personal information may be transferred to countries outside your country of residence.
Where required by applicable law, Flare implements appropriate safeguards, including:
Further information is provided in Section 13.
Whenever Flare shares personal information, we seek to:
This reflects our commitment to privacy by design and data minimisation.
As Flare introduces new features or service providers, the categories of information we share may evolve.
If changes materially affect how your personal information is processed, we will update this Privacy Policy and notify users where required by applicable law.
We believe users should understand how their information is shared.
Where reasonably possible, we aim to explain:
Flare is available in multiple countries and works with carefully selected service providers located in different parts of the world.
As a result, your personal information may be processed or stored outside the country in which you live.
Whenever personal information is transferred internationally, Flare seeks to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your privacy and comply with applicable data protection laws.
Depending on the feature you use, your personal information may be processed by Flare or our authorised service providers in:
The locations involved may change over time as Flare grows and introduces new providers.
Photos, videos, voice messages and other uploaded media are stored using Cloudflare R2.
Where possible:
Users located elsewhere may have media stored in other secure locations depending on the infrastructure available and operational requirements.
Storage locations may change to improve:
Account information, authentication records and profile information may be processed by authorised infrastructure providers supporting Flare.
These providers help us operate:
Only authorised personnel and authorised service providers have access to personal information where reasonably necessary to perform their responsibilities.
Age and identity verification is performed by Didit.
Verification selfies, liveness videos and identity documents are processed on Didit’s systems.
Following completion of verification:
This significantly reduces the amount of sensitive information stored by Flare.
Where personal information is transferred outside your country or region, Flare seeks to ensure that appropriate legal safeguards are in place.
Depending on the circumstances, these safeguards may include:
International transfers are supported by technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal information.
These measures may include:
Flare carefully selects service providers that support appropriate security and privacy standards.
Before engaging providers, we seek to assess factors including:
We periodically review these relationships as our Platform evolves.
Certain countries require service providers to disclose information to government authorities under specific legal circumstances.
Where Flare receives requests relating to your personal information, we assess each request carefully.
Unless prohibited by law, we seek to ensure that any disclosure is:
As Flare expands internationally, we may introduce:
These changes are intended to improve:
Where such changes materially affect how personal information is processed, we will update this Privacy Policy and notify users where required by applicable law.
Depending on your location, you may have the right to request additional information about international transfers affecting your personal information.
Where required by applicable law, Flare will provide information about the safeguards used to protect transferred personal information.
Requests may be submitted through our Help Center or designated privacy contact.
Regardless of where personal information is processed, Flare applies the same core privacy principles:
International transfers do not reduce the protections described in this Privacy Policy.
We are committed to being transparent about where personal information is processed.
As our infrastructure evolves, we will continue updating this Privacy Policy to reflect significant changes in our international data processing practices.
Flare retains personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to:
When personal information is no longer required, we seek to securely delete, anonymise or otherwise dispose of it in accordance with our retention practices and applicable law.
While your account remains active, Flare generally retains the information necessary to operate your account, including:
This information is retained while you continue to use the Platform.
If you delete your Flare account, deletion begins immediately.
Unless a longer retention period is required by law or for legitimate operational reasons:
Most of this happens at the point you confirm deletion, rather than being queued for later.
Certain backup systems may require additional time before information is permanently overwritten.
Two things are deliberately kept, and are described below: safety and moderation records (see Safety & Moderation Records), and messages other users have already received (see Messages & Communications).
Verification selfies, liveness videos and government-issued identity documents are not retained by Flare.
These materials are processed by Didit solely for the purpose of completing verification.
Once verification reaches a final outcome:
This approach reflects our commitment to data minimisation.
Messages, shared media and communications are generally retained while your account remains active so that conversations continue to function.
When you delete your account:
Information relating to Communities, Meetups and Services may be retained for limited periods after account deletion where reasonably necessary to:
Where possible, personal identifiers are removed or minimised.
To help maintain a safe Platform, Flare may retain limited information relating to:
These records help us:
Retention periods depend on the nature and seriousness of the matter.
These records are retained even if the account they concern is deleted.
If deleting an account also erased the reports made about it, a person could remove their own history of abuse simply by deleting their account and registering again. Retaining these records is what prevents that, and it is necessary for the safety of other users.
What is retained is limited to what is needed for that purpose. Once the account is deleted, the identifiers held in these records no longer correspond to an existing Flare account, profile or contact details.
This retention is based on our legitimate interest in keeping the Platform safe and preventing abuse, and on our obligations to protect users. Where you object to it, we will consider your request, but we may need to keep a record where doing so is necessary to protect others.
Flare does not store complete payment card information.
Subscription and payment records may be retained for the periods required by:
These records are retained only as long as reasonably necessary.
Analytics information may be retained for periods reasonably necessary to:
Where possible, analytics information is aggregated or anonymised so that it no longer identifies individual users.
Technical logs may include:
These logs help:
Retention periods vary depending on the operational purpose.
Certain personal information may be retained longer where reasonably necessary to:
Such information is retained only for as long as required by applicable law or the relevant legal process.
Flare maintains secure backup systems to protect against accidental data loss.
Information deleted from active systems may continue to exist within encrypted backups for a limited period until those backups are securely overwritten in accordance with our backup retention schedules.
Backup information is not routinely accessed except where necessary for disaster recovery, security or legal compliance.
Flare may retain information that has been anonymised so that it can no longer reasonably identify an individual.
Anonymised information may be used for:
Once information has been genuinely anonymised, it is no longer considered personal information under many privacy laws.
You may reduce the amount of information retained by:
Some information may still be retained where required by law or for legitimate operational purposes.
Flare regularly reviews its retention practices to ensure that personal information is not retained for longer than reasonably necessary.
Retention periods may change where required by:
Any material changes will be reflected in this Privacy Policy where appropriate.
Flare believes you should remain in control of your personal information.
Depending on where you live and the laws that apply to you, you may have certain privacy rights regarding the personal information we hold about you.
Some rights may vary depending on your country or region.
Where applicable law grants additional rights, those rights will also apply.
You may request confirmation of whether Flare processes your personal information.
Where applicable, you may also request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
This may include information relating to:
We may need to verify your identity before responding.
If you believe that your personal information is inaccurate or incomplete, you may request that it be corrected.
Many profile details can also be updated directly through your account settings.
Keeping your information accurate helps Flare operate safely and effectively.
Where applicable, you may request deletion of your personal information.
You may also delete your Flare account at any time through:
Settings → Delete Account
or, where available,
joinflare.io/delete-account
Deleting your account normally begins the deletion process described in Section 14.
Certain information may continue to be retained where reasonably necessary to:
Depending on applicable law, you may request that Flare temporarily restrict the processing of certain personal information.
For example, you may request restriction where:
During restriction, some Platform features may operate differently.
Where we rely on legitimate interests as the legal basis for processing, you may object to that processing in certain circumstances.
Examples include processing relating to:
We will consider your request in accordance with applicable law.
Some processing may continue where compelling legitimate grounds exist.
Where processing relies on your consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time.
Examples include consent for:
Withdrawing consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.
Where applicable, you may request a copy of certain personal information in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format.
Where technically feasible and legally required, you may also request that such information be transferred directly to another provider.
This right generally applies only to information processed:
Where applicable law provides such rights, you may request information about certain automated processing carried out by Flare.
Flare does not make decisions producing legal or similarly significant effects based solely on automated processing where prohibited by applicable law.
Important moderation decisions are reviewed by trained human moderators where appropriate.
If you believe Flare has not handled your personal information appropriately, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant supervisory authority.
For example:
We encourage users to contact Flare first so that we have the opportunity to resolve concerns directly.
If you live in California or another U.S. state with applicable privacy legislation, you may have additional rights.
Depending on applicable law, these may include the right to:
Flare does not sell personal information.
Where required by applicable law, we will honour applicable opt-out rights.
You may exercise your privacy rights by contacting Flare through:
To protect your privacy, we may ask you to verify your identity before fulfilling certain requests.
Where applicable law specifies response deadlines, Flare will respond within the required time.
If additional time is reasonably necessary due to the complexity of your request, we will inform you where required by law.
Certain privacy rights are not absolute.
Flare may decline or limit requests where permitted by applicable law, including where reasonably necessary to:
Where appropriate, we will explain the reasons for our decision.
Flare will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.
However, certain features may become unavailable if the information necessary to operate those features is deleted or if consent is withdrawn.
For example:
Privacy laws continue to evolve.
Flare regularly reviews its privacy practices and user rights procedures to ensure continued compliance with applicable legislation.
Where privacy laws change, we may update this Privacy Policy accordingly.
Flare is designed exclusively for adults aged 18 years or older.
Individuals under the age of 18 are not permitted to create an account or use the Platform.
This restriction applies regardless of local age-of-consent laws unless Flare expressly states otherwise in accordance with applicable legislation.
To help prevent minors from accessing the Platform, Flare uses age-assurance technology provided by Didit, as described in Section 6.
Depending on applicable law and the circumstances, verification may include:
These checks help us maintain an adults-only community and comply with applicable legal requirements.
If Flare reasonably believes that an account belongs to someone under the age of 18, we may:
Where required by law, we may also preserve relevant information or notify the appropriate authorities.
If you believe someone under 18 is using Flare, please report the account immediately using our in-app reporting tools or the Help Center.
We review such reports as quickly as reasonably possible because protecting children is one of our highest priorities.
Because Flare is an adults-only service, we do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
If you are a parent, guardian or legal representative and believe that a child has created a Flare account, please contact us immediately so we can investigate and take appropriate action.
Protecting your personal information is one of Flare’s highest priorities.
We use technical, organisational and administrative safeguards designed to protect personal information against:
Although no online service can guarantee absolute security, we continually improve our systems to reduce risk.
Depending on the feature, Flare may use security measures including:
Access to personal information is limited to authorised personnel who require that access to perform their responsibilities.
Employees, contractors and authorised service providers are subject to confidentiality obligations and appropriate access restrictions.
You also play an important role in protecting your account.
We recommend that you:
If Flare becomes aware of a personal data breach that is likely to pose a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will respond in accordance with applicable law.
Where required, this may include:
Security threats constantly evolve.
Flare regularly reviews and improves its security measures to:
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect:
Where changes materially affect how your personal information is processed, we will provide notice where required by applicable law.
Notification may be provided through:
The “Last Updated” date at the beginning of this Privacy Policy will also be revised.
Where permitted by applicable law, your continued use of Flare after an updated Privacy Policy becomes effective constitutes your acknowledgement of the updated policy.
If you do not agree with the changes, you may stop using the Platform and delete your account.
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, your personal information or your privacy rights, you may contact Flare at:
You may also reach us through:
You may use these contact methods to:
We may request information necessary to verify your identity before responding.
If you believe Flare has not handled your personal information appropriately, we encourage you to contact us first so we have the opportunity to investigate and resolve your concern.
If you remain dissatisfied, you may lodge a complaint with the relevant supervisory authority in your jurisdiction.
For example:
Privacy is a core part of how Flare is designed and operated.
We are committed to:
We appreciate the trust you place in Flare and remain committed to maintaining a safe, respectful and privacy-focused platform for our community.