Avenue Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Avenue ("Avenue", "we", "us", or "our") collects, uses, stores, and shares your information when you use our website, waitlist, and mobile application (the "Services"). Please read this Policy together with our Terms of Service. By using the Services, you agree to the practices described here.

1. Your consent to data practices

By accessing or using the Services, you acknowledge that we process your personal data as described in this Privacy Policy, including collecting, using, and sharing your information to operate Avenue, improve the product, and keep users safe.

Where we rely on consent (for example, for certain marketing communications or optional surveys), you can withdraw that consent at any time by changing your preferences, using the unsubscribe links in our emails, or contacting us. If you withdraw consent, some features of Avenue may no longer work as intended.

2. Who we are

The data controller responsible for your personal information is:

Avenue hello@avenueapp.co

If you are located in the United Kingdom or the European Economic Area (EEA), Avenue is the controller of your personal data for the purposes of applicable data protection laws (such as the UK GDPR and EU GDPR).

3. Information we collect

3.1 Information you provide to us

When you join the waitlist, create an account, or use the Avenue app, you may provide:

• Name or first name
• Email address
• Date of birth or age / age bracket
• Gender
• Location information you choose to provide (for example, city or postcode)
• Profile details such as photos, bio, interests, and dating preferences
• Responses to optional surveys (for example, what made you sign up, willingness to pay)

If we ask you to verify your identity, we may collect:

• Information from your government-issued ID (such as name and date of birth)
• A selfie or short video for liveness and face matching, processed by our verification provider
• Verification results (for example, pass/fail checks)

3.2 Information collected through your use of the Services

When you use Avenue, we automatically collect certain information to operate and secure the Services, including:

• Proximity and encounter information – records that your device has been near another Avenue user's device, including approximate time and basic context (for example, "café" or "gym"), where available.
• Usage information – which screens you view, features you use, matches and messages, and how you interact with other users.
• Device and technical data – IP address, device type, operating system, app version, settings, crash logs, and similar diagnostic data.
• Payment information – subscription tier, billing country, and transaction history. Card details are processed by our payment provider and are not stored by us in full.

Avenue does not show a live map of your real-time location to other users and does not continuously display your exact address or commute route.

3.3 Information from third parties

We may receive information about you from third parties, such as:

• Identity verification providers
• App stores and distribution platforms
• Analytics and performance tools
• Customer support platforms

We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

4. How we use your information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve Avenue and its features
• Create and manage your account and waitlist registration
• Show you relevant profiles and potential matches
• Facilitate messaging and other interactions with users
• Process payments and manage subscriptions
• Detect, prevent, and respond to fraud, abuse, and security issues
• Communicate with you about updates, new features, and support
• Run analytics and research to understand and improve Avenue
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service

5. Legal bases for processing (UK & EU users)

If you are in the UK or EEA, we process your personal data based on the following legal bases:

• Contract – to provide the Services you request, such as creating an account and enabling matches and encounters.
• Legitimate interests – for example, to keep Avenue safe, prevent fraud, improve the product, and conduct analytics, where these interests are not overridden by your rights.
• Consent – for certain activities, such as marketing emails or optional surveys. You can withdraw consent at any time.
• Legal obligations – where we are required to process data to comply with applicable law.

6. How we share your information

6.1 With other Avenue users

Depending on your settings and how you use the App, other users may see your profile (for example, your first name, age range, photos, and bio) and basic encounter context. Messages you send to another user are visible to that user. We do not show a live map of your movements to other users.

6.2 With service providers

We share information with trusted third-party service providers that help us operate Avenue, including:

• Cloud hosting and infrastructure providers
• Identity verification services
• Payment and billing providers
• Analytics, performance, and monitoring tools
• Customer support and communication tools

These providers are only allowed to process your data on our instructions and must protect it appropriately.

6.3 Legal and safety reasons

We may disclose your information if we reasonably believe it is necessary to:

• Comply with applicable laws, regulations, or legal processes
• Respond to lawful requests from authorities
• Protect the rights, property, or safety of Avenue, our users, or the public
• Detect, prevent, or address fraud, abuse, or security issues
• Enforce our Terms of Service and other agreements

6.4 Business transfers

If Avenue is involved in a merger, acquisition, restructuring, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. The new owner will be required to honour this Privacy Policy or provide you notice of material changes.

6.5 With your consent

We may share your information with third parties when you instruct us to do so or give your explicit consent.

7. Data retention and security

7.1 How long we keep your data

We keep your personal data only as long as reasonably necessary to provide and improve the Services, maintain business and legal records, resolve disputes, and comply with legal obligations.

When deciding how long to retain information, we consider the type and sensitivity of the data, the potential risk from unauthorised use or disclosure, the purposes for processing, and applicable legal requirements.

If you delete your account, we will delete or anonymise your personal data, unless we need to keep certain information for legal or legitimate business reasons. We may retain aggregated or de-identified data that no longer identifies you.

7.2 How we protect your data

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data, such as encryption (where appropriate), access controls, and secure development practices.

However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security. If we become aware of a data breach affecting your personal information, we will notify you and relevant authorities where required by law.

8. Your rights and choices

Depending on where you live, you may have rights regarding your personal data, including:

• Right of access to your personal information
• Right to correct inaccurate or incomplete data
• Right to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances
• Right to restrict how we process your data
• Right to data portability
• Right to object to certain processing, including direct marketing
• Right to withdraw consent where we rely on consent

To exercise your rights, contact us at hello@avenueapp.co. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request. Some rights may be limited, for example, where fulfilling your request would impact the rights of others or where we must keep certain data for legal reasons.

9. Marketing communications

We may send you emails about new features, product updates, or early access programmes. You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link in the email or contacting us.

We may still send you essential service messages, such as security alerts or changes to our terms, even if you opt out of marketing.

10. International data transfers

Avenue may process and store your data in countries other than the one in which you reside, including countries that may have different data protection laws.

Where we transfer personal data from the UK/EEA to a country that does not provide an adequate level of protection, we use appropriate safeguards (such as Standard Contractual Clauses) recognised under data protection laws. You can contact us for more information about these safeguards.

11. Children's privacy

Avenue is intended for adults aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you believe someone under 18 is using Avenue or has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will take appropriate steps.

12. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, provide additional notice (for example, by email or an in-app message).

Please review this Policy periodically to stay informed about how we handle your information.

13. Contact us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, you can contact us at:

hello@avenueapp.co