BeMe: Plain Language Privacy Policy

Your Use of BeMe

• To use BeMe, you must be at least 13 years old. Please let us know if you think someone on BeMe is under the age of 13. If we find out you’re underage, we will have to close your account until you’re an official teenager
• When you sign up for BeMe, you agree to follow our Terms of Service (TOS) and Privacy Policy. We can revise these terms. And if we do, we will let you know.
• Don’t use BeMe to engage in any illegal or shady behaviors. If you think it might be shady or illegal, it probably is.
• You are responsible for your actions on BeMe. If you have questions about the rules, please review our Community Guidelines or ask us for help.
• By accessing BeMe, you agree that the laws of Florida and the United States of America govern all matters relating to access or use of this website.
• Don’t use anybody else’s account without their permission. This behavior is not cool, and we reserve the right to close or suspend your account if you do. You can appeal your account by contacting BeMe Customer Support if we suspend it.
• We will not tolerate any behavior or content that directs hate against a protected category or group (race, religion, gender, orientation, disability). If you experience abusive behavior on BeMe or see content that you feel violates our TOS or Community Guidelines, let us know.
• Don’t use images for your profile that include nudity or show your private parts or the private parts of others. Doing so violates our sensitive content policy, and if you don’t comply with this policy, your BeMe account may be terminated.
• Don’t create user names referencing sexual activity, drug use, hate speech, or other profanity. If you do, we will ask you to change your username. If you fail to respond, you will be found violating our graphic content policy, and your BeMe account may be terminated.
• Repeated misuse of our content moderation tools or other BeMe features that negatively impact other users, BeMe Coaches, and BeMe moderators or staff is not allowed. If you engage in such activities, we may terminate your BeMe account.

Our Privacy Policy

By using BeMe, you agree to use your information as described in this Privacy Policy. If you don’t agree to these terms, don’t sign up. This Privacy Policy applies to your “personal information” (information that identifies you).

What information does BeMe collect?

• We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us. This data may include but is not limited to, information like your device type (Apple or Android), Device ID, which version of an operating system you’re using, location, and access to your account information while using BeMe.

What do we access on your device?

• To make certain features work on BeMe, we may ask for your permission to access your camera or microphone. If you don’t want to grant access, that’s fine, but some features on BeMe won’t work. If you decide to grant access and later want to cancel our access, you can change this in your device settings.

How Will You Use My Data?

• The data we collect is also used to keep things running smoothly on the app, keep you safe, and provide us with analytics to improve your experience on BeMe. To do this, we may rely on third-party tools like Google Analytics.

How Long Will We Store Your Information

• We will retain your information for as long as you have an active account with BeMe. We will permanently and irrevocably anonymize your account data 6 months after you close your account or after you have not used your account for 12 months.

What Features Do You Access On My Device?

• We may also ask permission to access certain features of your device, like your camera or microphone, to make certain features on BeMe work. If you want to revoke our access to your device, you can change this in your device settings.

Will My Information Be Shared With Anyone?

• We only share information to comply with laws, provide services, protect your rights, or fulfill our business, mandated reporter, or legal obligations. We may also review content you create and post on BeMe to keep the community safe.

Do You Use Cookies or Tracking Technologies?

• We may use cookies or other technologies to collect and store your information in the app and provide a great user experience.

How Do You Use My Social Logins (aka Single Sign-On)?

• If you choose to register with BeMe using your social logins, we may have some access to some additional information about you.
• You can sign up for BeMe using your Google ID or Apple ID. These services verify your identity, share your personal information with us, and automatically fill out our sign-up form. These services will verify your identity, allow you to share certain personal information like your name and email address with us, and pre-fill our sign-up form.

What Information Do We Share?

• Coaching: All information you share with a coach is confidential, with a few important safety limitations. If we have concerns about you harming yourself or another person, or if there is the possibility of a child, dependent, or elder abuse occurring, then we need to take steps to keep everyone safe.
  
  In addition, all members of our coaching team work together to ensure we support you as best we can. Coaches and coach supervisors connect regularly about conversations happening to help ensure high-quality interactions
• BeMe App: We use the information we collect about you to provide this Website and our BeMe app. We may also use your information to improve our Services, contact you when necessary, provide anonymous reporting internally, and fulfill your requests. We also provide certain information to third-party service providers to optimize BeMe functionality and improve our Services.

How Long Do We Store Your Data & Personal Information?

• We will retain your information for as long as you have an active account with BeMe.
• We will permanently and irrevocably anonymize your account data 6 months after you close your account or after you have not used your account for 12 months.

Biometric Data Collection

We want to let you know that certain features in the BeMe app may collect some special information about you. This includes things like:

• Images: We might collect pictures or photos you share on the app.
• Voice: We may collect your voice data if you use voice features in the app.
• Emotional States: This means information about your moods, feelings, and reactions while using the app. Some of this data may be shared with other users in the app but willnot be sold, leased, or shared with other third parties.
• Biometric ID: The BeMe app allows iOS users to use FaceID to log in. BeMe Health never accesses or stores Face ID data. Learn more about Face ID privacy at Apple.

User-Generated Content

At BeMe, we believe in the power of our awesome teen community! We want to ensure you understand how we handle the stuff you create on our platform.

When you share on BeMe, we want you to know that:

• You Own Your Stuff: You still own what you share. BeMe doesn't take ownership of it. So, keep in mind, it's your content.
• Sharing with the BeMe Community: When you post something, it can be seen by other BeMe users. That's how we all connect and enjoy each other's content.
• Sharing on Social Media: Sometimes, we want to show off the amazing things you create on our social media channels. We'll always ask for your permission first, though. Your content won't show up on our social media without your say-so.
• Using It in Marketing: We also use your content in our marketing materials, like ads or promotional stuff. Again, we'll ask for your permission first. No worries, we won't use it if you're not okay with it.
• Respecting Your Privacy: We care about your privacy. We won't use your personal info or content for weird or shady stuff. We follow all the rules and laws to keep things safe.

If you have questions or concerns about your content, contact us. We're here to help.

Newsletters Or Other Electronic Communications

• We use your data to send you the email and push notifications you requested. To stop receiving promotional emails, click "unsubscribe" or email us at support@beme.com.
• You can disable push notifications on your device. Standard text message rates apply for SMS Services. You may be unable to opt out of necessary services or transactional emails.

BeMe Evaluations

As a behavioral health company, from time to time, we use data from our platform to understand how our app affects teen mental well-being and to improve our platform.

Here's what you need to know:

• Why We Collect Mental Health Info: We gather data to improve our app and help people feel better.
• How We Use Your Info: We may share data from our platform with a partner, but it would never identify you unless we ask you. We will use the data to improve BeMe and share the findings in writing.
• Anonymity: We keep your data anonymous; there is no personal info unless we ask you separately. And remember, we won’t sell your data to other organizations.
• Your Rights: Do you have more questions? Send us a message or check out our FAQs.

Plain Language Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA)

Our commitment to integrating Child Rights by Design and Age-Appropriate Design Code is reflected in our privacy practices, which prioritize protecting children's rights.

This involves providing clear and easily accessible information about the personal data we collect from BeMe users and implementing measures to protect this data and prevent harm to minors.

What Are Your Privacy Rights?

• You can review your information, correct your information, request a copy of your information, or get more information about what information we provide to third parties. You can also ask us to delete the information in your account, but we can’t ensure complete content removal.
• BeMe does not use your personal information to do targeted advertising or to make automated decisions about you, and BeMe does not sell, rent, or lease your personal information to third parties.
• If you want to do any of these things, or if you want to close your BeMe account, you can do this in the app Settings, or you can contact BeMe Customer Support at +1.888.979.7616.

Effective Date: February 1, 2024