Privacy Policy

プライバシーポリシー

1. Introduction

Unira (Pty) Ltd operates the Kizuna (絆) mobile application ("App", "Kizuna", "Service"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you use our Service.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your data responsibly. By using Kizuna, you consent to the data practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use the Service.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

Account Information:

  • Email address
  • Password (stored in hashed form)
  • Date of birth
  • Gender
  • Display name / username

Profile Information:

  • User type (Japanese or Foreigner)
  • Country of origin and city of residence
  • Whether you live in Japan
  • Profile biography
  • Interest tags
  • Languages spoken and languages learning
  • Connection intents (dating, friendship, language exchange, travel companion)
  • Height, education, and occupation (optional)
  • Cultural exchange information (e.g., what you love about Japan, what you'd share about Japan)
  • Japanese language proficiency (JLPT level, self-assessed proficiency)
  • Dating preferences (if dating mode is enabled): age range, gender preference, relationship goals
  • UI language preference (English or Japanese)

Photos and Media:

  • Profile photos (up to 6)
  • Verification video (for profile verification)
  • Images and videos shared in chat
  • Voice messages sent in chat

Communication Data:

  • Text messages sent to other users
  • Connection request messages
  • Kokuhaku (告白) letter messages
  • Message reactions and replies

Travel Information (if you use Travel Mode):

  • Destination city
  • Arrival and departure dates
  • Daily itinerary entries (title, description, availability for meetups)

Safety Information (if you use Safety Check-In):

  • Emergency contact name and phone number
  • Scheduled check-in time
  • Selected match for the meetup

Payment Information:

We do not directly collect or store payment card details. All payment processing is handled by the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. We receive confirmation of purchase status and subscription tier from our payment partner (RevenueCat).

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

Device and Usage Information:

  • Device type, operating system, and version
  • App version
  • Unique device identifiers (for push notifications via Expo Push Token)
  • Interaction data: features used, screens visited, buttons tapped
  • Timestamps of activity (last active time, message send times)
  • App state events (foreground, background)

Analytics Data:

We use Mixpanel to collect anonymized usage analytics to understand how users interact with the App and improve the Service. This includes event tracking (e.g., screen views, feature usage) but does not include message content or personal correspondence.

Error and Performance Data:

We use Sentry to collect crash reports and error logs to maintain and improve the App's stability.

2.3 Information from Third-Party Services

Authentication Providers:

If you sign in using a third-party service (e.g., Apple, Google), we receive limited information from that provider as permitted by your settings, such as your name and email address.

2.4 Information We Do NOT Collect

  • Precise location data: Kizuna does not use GPS, cellular, or Wi-Fi-based location tracking. We do not collect your real-time location. City information is self-reported by you.
  • Contact lists: We do not access or upload your device contacts.
  • Browsing history: We do not track your activity outside the App.
  • Biometric data: Verification video is processed for face detection only; no biometric templates or facial recognition data is stored.

3. How We Use Your Information

3.1 Providing the Service

  • Creating and maintaining your account
  • Displaying your profile to other users in discovery
  • Facilitating matches, connections, and messaging
  • Processing Kokuhaku letters and managing bond relationships
  • Enabling video and voice calls between users
  • Providing in-chat translation services
  • Operating Travel Mode and displaying travel information to potential connections
  • Delivering push notifications for matches, messages, and other events
  • Processing subscriptions and in-app purchases

3.2 Safety and Security

  • Moderating profile photos using image recognition technology (Google Cloud Vision) to detect explicit or violent content
  • Moderating profile biographies using AI text analysis (OpenAI) to detect hate speech, sexual content, or violent language
  • Processing verification videos using face detection to confirm the presence of a real person
  • Enforcing the strike system and account bans
  • Operating the safety check-in feature and delivering SOS notifications
  • Investigating reports of user misconduct

3.3 Improving the Service

  • Analyzing usage patterns to improve features and user experience (via Mixpanel analytics)
  • Diagnosing technical issues and bugs (via Sentry error tracking)
  • Developing new features and services
  • Calculating compatibility scores between users

3.4 Communication

  • Sending you service-related notifications (matches, messages, Kokuhaku, safety alerts)
  • Sending administrative communications (Terms updates, security alerts)

3.5 AI-Powered Features

  • Icebreaker Suggestions: When a new chat is opened, AI (OpenAI GPT-4o-mini) may generate conversation starter suggestions based on both users' profile information (interests, languages, cultural background). No message content is sent to OpenAI for this purpose.
  • Kaisetsu (解説) Language Breakdowns: When you tap the Kaisetsu chip on a received message, the message text is sent to OpenAI GPT-4o for language analysis. The response (word breakdowns, readings, meanings) is cached to avoid repeated processing of the same text.
  • Bio Moderation: Profile biography text is sent to OpenAI's moderation API for content safety screening.

4. How We Share Your Information

4.1 With Other Users

Your profile information (display name, photos, bio, age, country, city, interests, languages, intents, proficiency level, verification status) is visible to other users through the discovery and profile features. You control what information you include in your profile.

4.2 With Service Providers

We share information with third-party service providers who assist in operating the Service:

ProviderPurposeData Shared
Supabase (AWS infrastructure)Backend database, authentication, real-time messaging, file storageAll account and content data
RevenueCatSubscription and purchase managementUser ID, purchase history, subscription status
Daily.coVideo and voice call infrastructureUser ID, call session data
DeepLIn-chat message translationMessage text content (for translation requests only)
OpenAIIcebreaker generation, bio moderation, language analysisProfile interests/languages (icebreakers), bio text (moderation), message text (Kaisetsu)
Google Cloud VisionPhoto moderation, face verificationProfile photos (moderation), verification video frames
TwilioSMS delivery for safety check-in SOSEmergency contact phone number, alert message
MixpanelUsage analyticsAnonymized usage events, device info
SentryError tracking and crash reportingError logs, device/OS info, stack traces
Expo (EAS)Push notification deliveryPush notification tokens, notification content

4.3 For Legal Reasons

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid legal process, including:

  • Court orders or subpoenas
  • Law enforcement requests
  • To protect the rights, property, or safety of Unira, our users, or the public
  • To investigate or prevent fraud, security issues, or technical problems

4.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you via in-app notification or email before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

4.5 We Do NOT Sell Your Data

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.

5. Data Storage and International Transfers

5.1 Where Your Data Is Stored

Your data is stored on servers operated by Supabase, which uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) infrastructure. Primary data storage is located in the United States.

5.2 International Data Transfers

By using Kizuna, you acknowledge and consent to the transfer of your personal information to servers located outside your country of residence, including the United States. We ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data in accordance with applicable law.

5.3 Users in Japan (APPI Cross-Border Transfer Disclosure)

If you are a resident of Japan, your personal information will be transferred to and processed in the United States. In accordance with the Act on the Protection of Personal Information (個人情報の保護に関する法律, "APPI") as amended in 2022, we disclose the following:

(1) Provision of Personal Data to Third Parties in a Foreign Country
Your personal data is processed on servers located in the following country for the purpose of providing the Service:

  • Country receiving your data: United States (AWS/Supabase infrastructure)
  • Purpose of transfer: Providing and operating the Service as described in Section 3

(2) Data Protection System in the Receiving Country
The United States does not have a comprehensive personal data protection law equivalent to APPI at the federal level. However, sector-specific laws exist (e.g., the California Consumer Privacy Act).

(3) Safeguards We Take

  • Encryption of data in transit (TLS) and at rest
  • Role-based access controls
  • Row-level security (RLS) policies on all database tables
  • Service-role-only access for administrative database operations
  • Regular security assessments

(4) Your Consent
By creating an account and using the Service, you consent to the international transfers described above. You may withdraw this consent at any time; however, withdrawal may result in the inability to use all or part of the Service.

5.4 Users in the European Economic Area (EEA)

If you are located in the EEA, data transfers outside the EEA are conducted in compliance with applicable regulations, using standard contractual clauses or other approved transfer mechanisms where required.

6. Data Retention

6.1 Active Accounts

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active and as necessary to provide you with the Service.

6.2 Deleted Accounts

When you delete your account, we permanently delete your profile data, photos, messages, voice messages, verification media, and all other content you created. This process is handled by a dedicated account deletion function.

The people you matched or connected with keep an anonymised record of that relationship. Your conversation remains visible to them as "Deleted user", containing only the messages they sent, and shared moments (such as the date a bond was formed) may remain in their history. Your name, photos, messages, Kokuhaku letters, and any other content you wrote are removed from that record. Letters and messages written by the other person remain theirs.

6.3 Retention Exceptions

We may retain certain information after account deletion:

  • Legal obligations: Data required to be retained by applicable law (e.g., transaction records, report/ban records)
  • Safety: Information related to bans, reports, and safety incidents to prevent re-registration by banned users
  • Aggregated data: Anonymized, non-identifiable aggregate data may be retained indefinitely for analytics purposes

6.4 Message Retention

Messages in active conversations are retained as long as the conversation exists. When a match is unmatched or a connection is deleted, messages associated with that conversation are deleted.

6.5 Automated Cleanup

  • Kokuhaku letters expire after 7 days if not responded to
  • Call session records are retained for service operation purposes
  • Translation caches and language analysis caches are retained for performance purposes and do not contain personally identifiable information beyond the original message text

7. Data Security

7.1 Security Measures

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information, including:

  • Encryption of data in transit using TLS/SSL
  • Encryption of data at rest
  • Row-Level Security (RLS) on all database tables, ensuring users can only access their own data
  • Secure authentication with hashed passwords
  • API keys and secrets stored in secure server-side environments, never exposed to client applications
  • Service-role-only access for administrative database operations

7.2 Third-Party Security

Our third-party service providers maintain their own security practices and certifications. Supabase (our primary infrastructure provider) operates on AWS with SOC 2 compliance.

7.3 No Absolute Guarantee

While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your data.

7.4 Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach that may compromise your personal information, we will notify you as required by applicable law, including via in-app notification and/or email.

8. Your Rights and Choices

8.1 Access and Portability

You have the right to access the personal information we hold about you. You may request a copy of your data by contacting us at privacy@getkizunalink.com.

8.2 Correction

You can update or correct most of your personal information directly through the App (profile editing, settings). For information that cannot be edited in-app, contact us at privacy@getkizunalink.com.

8.3 Deletion

You can delete your account and all associated data at any time through the App settings. Alternatively, you may request account deletion by contacting us at privacy@getkizunalink.com. Account deletion is permanent and cannot be reversed.

8.4 Notification Preferences

You can manage your push notification preferences through your device settings or the App's notification preferences screen.

8.5 Visibility Controls

You can control aspects of your profile visibility:

  • Profile visibility: Toggle your profile visibility in discovery
  • Online status: Choose whether to show your online/last active status to other users
  • Dating mode: Opt in or out of the dating discovery mode independently from social connections

8.6 Translation and AI Features

  • You may choose not to use the in-chat translation feature
  • Icebreaker suggestions are optional and can be dismissed
  • Kaisetsu language breakdowns are activated only when you explicitly tap the feature

9. Children's Privacy

Kizuna is not intended for use by anyone under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we become aware that a user is under 18, we will promptly delete their account and associated data. If you believe a minor is using Kizuna, please contact us immediately at safety@getkizunalink.com.

10. Cookies and Tracking

The Kizuna mobile app does not use browser cookies. We use the following tracking technologies:

  • Mixpanel SDK: For anonymized usage analytics within the App
  • Sentry SDK: For crash reporting and error tracking
  • Expo Push Tokens: For delivering push notifications to your device

These are mobile SDKs, not web cookies, and operate within the App environment only.

11. Additional Rights for Users in Specific Jurisdictions

11.1 Japan (APPI)

If you are a resident of Japan, you have the following rights under the Act on the Protection of Personal Information (個人情報の保護に関する法律, "APPI"):

11.1.1 Right to Request Disclosure

You have the right to request disclosure of the personal information we hold about you and the purposes for which it is used.

11.1.2 Right to Request Correction, Addition, or Deletion

You have the right to request correction, addition, or deletion of your personal information if the content we hold is factually inaccurate.

11.1.3 Right to Request Cessation of Use, Erasure, or Cessation of Third-Party Provision

You have the right to request cessation of use or erasure of your personal information if we are handling it beyond the scope of the stated purpose of use or if it was obtained through improper means. You also have the right to request cessation of provision of your personal data to third parties.

11.1.4 Information Regarding Provision to Third Parties in a Foreign Country

You have the right to receive information regarding the provision of your personal data to third parties in a foreign country, including the personal information protection systems of that country. For details, please refer to Section 5.3.

11.1.5 How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of the above rights, please contact us at privacy@getkizunalink.com. We will respond within the timeframes required by APPI. We may ask you to verify your identity by presenting identification documents when submitting a request.

11.1.6 Data Controller Information

  • Business operator name: Unira (Pty) Ltd
  • Representative: Justin Thiel
  • Address: Johannesburg, South Africa
  • Email: privacy@getkizunalink.com

11.1.7 Complaints

For complaints regarding our handling of personal information, please contact us using the information above. You may also file a complaint with the Personal Information Protection Commission (個人情報保護委員会) at https://www.ppc.go.jp/.

11.2 European Economic Area (GDPR)

If you are located in the EEA, you have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including: right of access, right to rectification, right to erasure ("right to be forgotten"), right to restriction of processing, right to data portability, right to object to processing, right to withdraw consent at any time, and right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.

Our legal bases for processing your personal data include: performance of a contract (providing the Service), legitimate interests (improving the Service, ensuring safety), consent (where applicable), and compliance with legal obligations.

11.3 South Africa (POPIA)

If you are a resident of South Africa, your rights under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) are respected. You have the right to: be notified of data collection, access your personal information, request correction or deletion, object to the processing of your personal information, and lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator.

Our Information Officer can be contacted at privacy@getkizunalink.com.

11.4 California (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and its amendment, the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), including: right to know what personal information is collected, used, and disclosed; right to delete personal information; right to opt out of the sale of personal information (note: we do not sell personal information); and right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights.

12. Third-Party Links

The App may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any third-party services you access.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, the Service, or applicable law. We will notify you of material changes via in-app notification or email. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy indicates when the most recent changes were made. Your continued use of the Service after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

14. Data Protection Contact

Unira (Pty) Ltd — Data Protection
Email: privacy@getkizunalink.com
General inquiries: support@getkizunalink.com
Safety concerns: safety@getkizunalink.com
Website: https://getkizunalink.com

For users in Japan, you may also contact us in Japanese at the same email addresses.

This Privacy Policy was last updated on October 4, 2026.