🌍 Privacy-First Dating for the LGBTQ+ Community

The Dating App You Deserve

End-to-end encryption. Zero personal data required. No invasive tracking. Built by the community, for the community.

0
Third-Party Trackers
E2E
Encrypted Messages
100+
Interest Tags
5
Privacy Levels
🔐 Core Features

Privacy Without Compromise

Everything you need to connect safely and authentically.

🔒

End-to-End Encryption

Your messages are end-to-end encrypted using the same protocol trusted by journalists and activists worldwide. Not even we can read them.

Military-Grade Security
👤

Minimal Data Collection

Sign in with Google or Apple. Your email is encrypted on our servers. We collect only what's needed to provide the service.

Privacy by Design
🛡️

Multi-Layer Bot Protection

Behavioral analysis, device fingerprinting, and verification options to keep scammers and catfish out of your feed.

📍

Your Location, Your Rules

Six privacy modes from Precise (50m) to Hidden. Create Safety Zones around home, work, or gym. You decide who sees you where.

🏷️

100+ Interest Tags

From vanilla to kink, filter by what you're actually into. Per-tag privacy controls let you show different tags to different people.

🚫

No Full-Screen Ads. Ever.

We'll never interrupt your browsing with intrusive ads. Sustainable monetization through optional premium features, not exploitation.

🎭

Discrete App Icons (FREE)

Change the app icon to a calculator, notes app, or weather widget. Other apps charge for this — we believe safety features should never be paywalled.

Safety Feature • Always Free
🔔

Stealth Notifications

Customize how notifications appear. "Reminder" instead of "New message from Jake". Perfect for non-out individuals or shared devices.

Premium
📱 The App Experience

Clean, Modern, Fast

Designed with care. Built with modern technology. No lag, no glitches.

Browse Grid
9:41
📶🔋
⚖️ Balanced Browse ⚙️
Jake, 32
<1km
Marcus, 34
1-5km
Tom, 29
<500m
Chris, 41
1-5km
Ben, 33
<1km
Luke, 28
5-10km
Ryan, 27
<500m
Alex, 35
1-5km
Sam, 30
<1km
Matt, 26
1-5km
Dan, 38
<500m
Josh, 31
5-10km
Mike, 44
<1km
Pete, 29
1-5km
Will, 36
<500m
↓ 147 more nearby
Browse
Sparks
Chats
Profile
E2E Encrypted Chat
9:41
📶🔋
‹
Marcus
Online now
⋯
🔒 Messages are end-to-end encrypted
Hey! Saw you're into leather too 🔥
Yeah! You heading to the event on Saturday?
Definitely! Maybe we can meet up there?
Sounds good, I'll be there around 10
Perfect, see you then! 🤙
Message...
Quick Privacy Switch
Location Privacy
Choose how precisely others see you
🎯
Precise
~1m • Exact distance
⚖️
Balanced ✓ DEFAULT
~150m • Distance bands
🌫️
Fuzzy
~1km • Wide bands
🚫
Hidden PREMIUM
Browse invisibly
👻
Private PREMIUM
~5km area
Profile View
Marcus, 34
📍 1-5km away ✓ Verified
Into leather, pups, and good conversation. Training for my first marathon 🏃‍♂️ Let's grab a coffee or hit the Eagle.
ROLE
Top Dom Handler
INTO
Leather Pup Play Bondage
Advanced Filtering
9:41
📶🔋
‹ Back Filters Apply
MUST HAVE (all required)
Leather Fisting + Add
ANY OF (at least one)
Top Vers Top + Add
EXCLUDE (none of these)
Vanilla + Add
LOOKING FOR
Play Partners Hookups Regular Dates
Privacy Settings
9:41
📶🔋
Settings
Privacy
📍
Location Mode
Balanced (200-500m)
›
🛡️
Safety Zones
2 zones active
›
👁️
Show Distance
🔒
Incognito Mode
Account
✓
Verification
Verified
›
⭐
Premium
Free tier
›
🛡️ Real People Only

Multi-Layer Bot Protection

We're as tired of bots, catfish, and fake profiles as you are. So we built serious defenses.

✓

Verification System

Optional but encouraged. Verified users get a badge and appear higher in search results.

🤖

Behavioral Analysis

Bots act like bots. Our systems detect patterns that humans don't notice but algorithms can't hide.

🚨

Community Reporting

Report suspicious profiles with one tap. Our team reviews quickly with real human judgment.

🔒

Additional Layers

We employ multiple other detection methods. We don't publicize them because bots read too.

99.2%
Bot detection rate*
<2hr
Avg report response
0
Tolerance for spam

*Target metric based on internal testing

🛡️ New Safety Feature

Safety CheQ

Someone should know where you are. Set a check-in timer before meetups — if you don't confirm you're safe, your trusted contact gets notified.

9:41
📶🔋
🛡️ Safety CheQ Active
1:47
remaining
MEETING
Marcus, 34
LOCATION
The Eagle, Oxford St
1

Add a Trusted Contact

Choose someone who'll be notified if you don't check in. They don't need the app — we'll text or email them.

2

Share Your Plans

Before meeting someone, note who you're meeting, where you're going, and set a check-in time. Takes 30 seconds.

3

Check In When Safe

Tap one button to confirm you're OK. If you don't check in by the deadline, your contact is automatically notified with the details you shared.

What your contact receives if you don't check in:
⚠️ SparQ Safety Alert

Shane hasn't checked in from their meetup.

• Meeting: Marcus, 34
• Location: The Eagle, Oxford St
• Was due: 10:30 PM

Try calling them first.
✓ Free for everyone ✓ Server-side (works if phone dies) ✓ Auto-deletes after 24hrs

We built this because safety matters. No other major dating app offers anything like this. And we're giving it to everyone for free.

🚫 Zero Interruptions

No Full-Screen Ads. Ever.

We will never interrupt your experience with intrusive advertising. Period.

❌ The Other Guys

• Full-screen video ads that interrupt browsing
• Banner ads between every few profiles
• Unskippable ads to access basic features
• Third-party tracking pixels everywhere
• $25/month to escape the ad nightmare

✓ The SparQ Way

• Zero full-screen ads for all users
• No video interruptions, ever
• Free tier is genuinely usable
• No third-party trackers or ad networks
• Premium unlocks features, not basic function

How We Stay Sustainable

We believe in ethical monetization. Optional premium subscriptions for power users, not exploitation of free users. We'd rather have fewer users who love us than millions who hate the experience.

📍 Location Privacy

Your Location, Your Rules

Five distinct modes to match your comfort level. Switch anytime, even multiple times per day.

🎯 Precise
Near-exact distance (5m, 15m, 50m)
Shows your accurate distance. Perfect for events, clubs, and parties where you want to find people at your exact venue.
Example: "I'm at Sydney Mardi Gras afterparty. I want to see who else is here right now."
⚖️ Balanced Default
Distance bands (150-250m precision)
The sweet spot for daily browsing. Close enough to be useful, vague enough to stay private. Shows distance ranges like "150-250m away".
Example: "Browsing during lunch break. Don't want to reveal my exact office building."
🌫️ Fuzzy
Wide bands (~1km precision)
Higher privacy for residential areas. Shows wide distance ranges like "1-2km away". You're "in the neighborhood" but nobody knows which street.
Example: "At home in Newtown. Don't want neighbors to see exactly where I live."
🚫 Hidden Premium
Browse invisibly
See others but never appear in anyone's grid. Perfect when you want to browse without being seen. Location still stored for sorting.
Example: "Not ready to meet anyone new. Just want to browse quietly."
👻 Private Premium
~5km area
Maximum location privacy. You could be anywhere across multiple suburbs. Others can't pinpoint your location at all.
The Teacher Example: "I'm a high school teacher. I can't risk students or parents seeing me. Private mode means I could be anywhere in a 5km radius — several suburbs away."

🛡️ Safety Zones Optional Premium Feature

Create invisible bubbles around locations where you'd prefer not to be visible. When you're inside a Safety Zone, you won't appear to others nearby (and won't see them). Totally optional — use them or don't, it's your choice.

🏠
Home Zone
1km radius • Always active
Prefer your neighbors don't know you're on the app? Create a bubble around your home.
🏢
Work Zone
500m radius • Mon-Fri 9am-6pm
Want to keep work and play separate? Set a schedule so it's only active during office hours.
🏋️
Gym Zone
300m radius • Optional
Maybe you'd rather not bump into your gym crush here — or maybe you're hoping to! Entirely up to you.
🏠 Home
🏢 Work
🏋️ Gym
● Home • 1km ● Work • 500m ● Gym • 300m

Drag to position. Resize to adjust radius. Works on all devices.

🔥 Kink & Interest Filtering

Find Exactly Who You're Looking For

100+ tags across roles, kinks, gear, and preferences. Filter by "Must Have", "Any Of", and "Exclude".

🎯

Must Have / Any Of / Exclude

Not just simple filtering. Specify must-have tags, "any of these" options, and tags to completely exclude.

🔒

Per-Tag Privacy Controls

Show different tags to different people. Your kinkier interests visible only to those who share them.

🎪

Match Percentage

See how many tags you share with potential matches. "5 shared interests" helps prioritize connections.

🔄

Reverse Filtering (Exclusive!)

"Only show me to users who share my interests" — connect with genuinely compatible people. A SparQ exclusive.

Comprehensive Tag Library

👤 Roles & Positions
Top Bottom Versatile Vers Top Vers Bottom Side Dom Sub Switch Master Slave Daddy Boy Handler Alpha
🔥 Kinks & Fetishes
Leather Rubber/Latex Pup Play Pig Play Fisting Watersports Bondage Impact Play CBT Feet Armpits Edging Chastity Electro Sounding Nipple Play Wrestling Group Anonymous + 30 more
👕 Gear & Attire
Leather Gear Rubber Gear Sportswear Uniforms Suits Workwear Boots Sneakers Jockstraps Harnesses Hoods Collars Pup Gear
💫 Looking For
Chat Dates Relationship Friends Hookups Play Partners Right Now Regular Events Mentorship
🎬 Creator Friendly

Creator Friendly

Real users come first. Creators get powerful tools without overwhelming the app with promotional content.

The Right Balance

Unlike other apps that either ban creators entirely or let promo content take over, SparQ finds the sweet spot. Creators can build genuine connections while regular users enjoy an organic, authentic experience.

🎯

Reverse Filtering (Exclusive!)

"Only show my profile to users who match my interests" — find genuinely compatible connections

📸

Brand Name (Profile Only)

Display your creator name on your profile, not screaming on the grid

🔗

Collapsed Links

Up to 10 links, but collapsed by default. Tap to expand - not intrusive

⭐

Subtle Creator Badge

Small badge on grid (tiny corner indicator). Subtle, not promotional

📊

Analytics Dashboard (Premium)

Full stats on profile views, link clicks, engagement - data-driven growth

9:41
📶🔋
‹ Profile ⋯
Creator profile photo
John, 35
Mister Fister
📍 Less than 1km ✓ Verified
Links
OnlyFans
@misterfister
→
JustForFans
@misterfister
→
Twitter/X
@misterfister_au
→
Role
Top Dom Handler
Into
Leather Fisting FF Pup Play
About
Leather daddy into fisting. Safe, sane, consensual. Looking for real connections, not just followers. 🔥
💡 The Balance

Creator badge is just 28px — subtle in the corner. Brand name and links are only visible when you tap into the full profile. Regular users browsing the grid never feel overwhelmed by promotional content.

🎭 Discretion Features

Your Privacy, Your Way

For closeted users, those in conservative environments, or anyone who values discretion.

📱

Discrete App Icons

FREE FOR ALL USERS

Change your app icon to something completely innocuous. No one glancing at your phone will know what SparQ is. Some competitors charge $25/month for this. We believe safety features should never be paywalled.

Choose Your App Icon
Default
🧮
Calculator
📝
Notes
🌤️
Weather
✓
To-Do
⚙️
Utilities
💰
Finance
S
Minimal
🔔

Stealth Notifications

PREMIUM

Customize how notifications appear on your lock screen and notification center. Perfect for shared devices, nosy friends, or anyone who needs extra privacy.

STANDARD MODE
SparQ
Jake sent you a message
DISCRETE MODE
SparQ
New message
STEALTH MODE ⭐
🧮
Calculator
Reminder
Uses your chosen discrete icon. Completely unrecognizable.
SILENT MODE
No notifications • Badge count only

Why This Matters

🏠

Living at Home

Parents or family members might see your phone. A calculator icon raises zero questions.

💼

Professional Settings

Presenting your screen or leaving your phone on your desk? No one needs to know.

🌍

Conservative Regions

In some parts of the world, discretion isn't a preference — it's safety.

🤝

Personal Choice

Your dating life is your business. Full stop. No justification needed.

💬 Community Features

Group Chats & Beyond

Connect with your community, not just individuals. All with the same privacy protections.

9:41
📶🔋
‹
Sydney Leather
24 members
⚙️
Marcus
Anyone heading to Leather Pride next weekend? 🔥
Jake
Count me in! Got my new harness ready
I'll be there! Should we meet up beforehand?
Tom
Great idea! I know a good bar nearby
Message...
→
🔒 End-to-end encrypted
Browse
Sparks
Chats
Profile
👥

Interest-Based Groups

Join groups based on your interests — leather, sports, gaming, travel. Find your tribe and plan meetups together.

🔒

E2E Encrypted Groups

Group chats get the same encryption as DMs. We can't read your group conversations either.

📅

Event Coordination

Organize meetups, coordinate for events, or just chat about shared interests. Groups support polls, pinned messages, and event scheduling.

⭐ Community Testimonials COMING SOON

Leave reviews for positive experiences. Build reputation through real community feedback, not just selfies.

⚖️ Fair & Open

Human Moderation, Mathematical Privacy

We can't read your chats. Ever. It's not a policy — it's cryptography.

🔐

Mathematical Impossibility

Your messages are encrypted with keys that only exist on your device and your recipient's device. We don't have them. We can't get them. Even if legally compelled, we literally cannot produce message content.

End-to-End Encryption
The same encryption used by journalists, activists, and anyone who needs genuine privacy.
🚨

User-Controlled Reporting

When you report someone, you choose which messages to share with our moderation team. You decrypt them on your device and send them to us. It's your data, your choice.

1️⃣ You tap "Report" on a conversation
2️⃣ Last 3 messages included by default (adjustable)
3️⃣ Messages are decrypted on YOUR device and sent
4️⃣ Real humans review and make fair decisions
👨‍⚖️

Right to Appeal

Because algorithms make mistakes. Humans can listen.

📧
Direct Contact
Email our team directly to contest any action
👁️
Human Review
Real people, not just algorithms, review appeals
⏱️
48hr Response
We commit to responding within 2 business days
📋
Clear Guidelines
Published rules so you know what's expected
💜 Our Values

Honesty, Transparency & Trust

We're building something different. Here's what we stand for.

🔐

Security First

Your data protection isn't a feature — it's our foundation. We use industry-leading encryption and security practices.

  • E2E encryption for all messages
  • Location data auto-deletes after 24 hours
  • Photos stored with client-side encryption
  • Regular third-party security audits
  • Bug bounty program for researchers
👁️

Radical Transparency

We tell you exactly what we collect, why, and how. No legalese, no hidden clauses.

  • Plain-English privacy policy
  • In-app explanations for every permission
  • Public roadmap and changelog
  • Open about our business model
  • Respond to all privacy inquiries
✋

User Agency

We give you tools and information. You make the choices. We never force settings or remove options.

  • Five location modes — you pick
  • Per-tag privacy controls
  • Export all your data anytime
  • Delete everything with one tap
  • Smart suggestions, never automatic changes
💰

Ethical Monetization

Our business model is sustainable without exploiting you. We make money from premium features, not your data.

  • Free tier is genuinely usable
  • No third-party data sales — ever
  • No invasive ads or tracking
  • Premium unlocks features, not basic function
  • Fair pricing across all regions
🏳️‍🌈

Community-Focused

Built by and for the gay community. We understand the unique privacy and safety needs of our users.

  • LGBTQ+ founded and led
  • Advisory board from the community
  • Features designed around real needs
  • Responsive to community feedback
  • Safe space commitment
⚖️

Legal & Compliance

We don't just meet regulations — we exceed them. Privacy isn't an afterthought.

  • GDPR compliant from day one
  • Australian Privacy Act adherent
  • Exceeds minimum requirements
  • Proactive compliance, not reactive
  • Clear age verification (18+)
⭐ SparQ Premium

Real Value, Fair Price

Premium features that actually matter — not just removing artificial restrictions.

SPARQ PREMIUM
$14.99 /month
or $119.99/year (save 33%)
Cancel anytime • No commitments
✓ 7-day free trial for new users
🥷

Stealth Mode

Go invisible. Browse profiles without appearing online or showing up in others' grids. View without being viewed.

🔄

Reverse Filtering

Only appear to users who share your interests. No more mismatched conversations — connect with compatible people only.

🛡️

Safety Zones

Create invisible bubbles around home, work, or anywhere. Auto-hide when you're in sensitive locations.

👁️

Who Viewed Me

See everyone who's checked out your profile. Free users see the last 2 — Premium sees unlimited history.

📸

Unlimited Albums & Videos

Create multiple photo albums (public & private). Share videos in chat. More ways to express yourself.

💨

Self-Destructing Photos

Send photos that disappear after viewing. Screenshot detection alerts you if someone tries to save.

⚡

Unlimited Sparks

Send unlimited Sparks to get noticed. Free users get 5/day.

🚀

2 Free Boosts/Month

Jump to the top of the grid for 60 minutes. Get seen first.

✈️

Travel Mode

Browse and chat in any city before you arrive. Plan ahead.

📍

All 5 Location Modes

Access City Only and Hidden modes. Maximum location control.

Free is Actually Free

Feature
Free
Premium
Browse & Message
✓ Unlimited
✓ Unlimited
E2E Encryption
✓ Full
✓ Full
Discrete App Icons
✓ All 8
✓ All 8
Interest Tags
✓ All 100+
✓ All 100+
Location Privacy Modes
4 modes
All 5 modes
Who Viewed Me
Last 2
Unlimited
Sparks
5/day
Unlimited
Photo Albums
1 album, 6 photos
Unlimited
Stealth, Safety Zones, Reverse Filtering
—
✓

Our promise: Free users get a genuinely usable app. Premium adds power features, not basic functionality. We grow by being good, not by frustrating you into paying.

🌈 Our Commitment

Beyond Gay Males: A Platform for Everyone

We're starting focused, but our architecture is built to serve the entire LGBTQIA+ community.

🎯

Phase 1: Gay Males

We're launching with a focused audience to get it right. The gay male community deserves a privacy-first alternative to apps that have exploited their data for years.

WHY START HERE
  • • Deeply understand one community's needs first
  • • Build features based on real feedback
  • • Prove the model works before expanding
  • • Avoid the "everything for everyone" trap
🌍

The Bigger Vision

Our technical architecture is designed from day one to support expansion. Each community will get tailored features, not a one-size-fits-all experience.

👩
Lesbian & WLW Community
Tailored safety features and community spaces
⚧️
Trans & Non-Binary
Identity-affirming design from the ground up
💜
Bisexual & Pansexual
Flexible matching without erasure
💛
Queer & Questioning
Safe exploration without judgment

What "Tailored" Actually Means

🏷️
Custom Identity Options
Each community gets relevant identity labels and pronouns
🛡️
Community-Specific Safety
Different communities face different risks; we adapt
📚
Relevant Resources
Health info, support services, and community links
🤝
Advisory Input
Each expansion guided by community advisors

Privacy, security, and respect aren't features we add later — they're the foundation everything else is built on. That foundation serves everyone.

🚀 Roadmap

What's Coming

We're building in public. Here's what's ahead.

Phase 1 — MVP Launch
Core Experience
E2E Encrypted Messaging 5 Location Privacy Modes Multi-Layer Bot Protection Discrete App Icons (FREE) Zero Full-Screen Ads 100+ Interest Tags Profile Verification Google/Apple Sign-In
Phase 2 — Enhanced
Premium Features & Polish
Safety Zones Stealth Notifications Encrypted Chat Backup Multi-Device Sync Advanced Filtering Reverse Filtering Creator Analytics
Phase 3 — Community
Social & Connection
💬 Group Chats (Encrypted) ⭐ Community Testimonials 📅 Events Integration 🔍 Advanced Search 🏆 Trust Badges 👨‍⚖️ Fair Moderation Appeals
Phase 4 — Health & Education
Wellbeing Resources
🏥 Sexual Health Resources 📚 Educational Content 🩺 Clinic Finder 💊 PrEP Information 🧠 Mental Health Support
Phase 5 — Expansion
Broader LGBTQIA+ Community
👩 Lesbian & WLW Community ⚧️ Trans & Non-Binary 🌐 International Expansion 🌍 Multi-Language Support 🎉 Event Hosting
⚡ Built Right

Performance & Stability

Modern architecture, not legacy code held together with duct tape.

📱

React Native

Cross-platform development with native performance. One codebase, consistent experience on iOS and Android, faster updates for everyone.

🔋

Battery Conscious

Efficient background processes, smart location polling, and optimized network requests. We won't drain your battery or burn through your data.

🌐

Global CDN

Content delivered from edge servers near you. Fast image loading, quick profile browsing, and snappy responses regardless of where you are.

🗄️

PostgreSQL + PostGIS

Enterprise-grade database with native geospatial support. Reliable, scalable, and battle-tested by the world's largest applications.

🔄

Real-Time Sync

WebSocket connections for instant message delivery. No more pull-to-refresh hoping someone replied. Messages arrive the moment they're sent.

🛡️

E2E Encryption

Industry-standard end-to-end encryption. Your messages are encrypted on your device before sending — we can never read them.

<100ms
Message delivery
99.9%
Uptime target
<2s
App launch time
~50MB
App size target

We're not just building another dating app — we're building it right, with modern standards and a commitment to quality over quick shipping.

📊 Comparison

SparQ vs. Competitors

See how we stack up against the alternatives.

Feature SparQ Competitor A Competitor B
E2E Encrypted Messages ✓ E2E Encryption ✗ No ✗ No
Encrypted Email Storage ✓ Email encrypted at rest ✗ Plaintext storage ✗ Email required
Third-Party Trackers ✓ Zero ✗ Many (fined millions) ⚠️ Some
Location Privacy Modes ✓ 6 user-controlled modes ✗ None (exact GPS) ✗ Limited
Safety Zones ✓ Yes (Premium) ✗ No ✗ No
Bot/Scam Protection ✓ Multi-layer ⚠️ Basic ⚠️ Limited
App Performance ✓ Modern stack ⚠️ Glitchy ✗ "Beyond glitchy"
No Full-Screen Ads ✓ Never ✗ Every 3 swipes ✓ Minimal
Interest Tag Filtering ✓ 100+ tags ✗ None ✓ Yes
Per-Tag Privacy Controls ✓ Yes ✗ No ✗ No
Reverse Filtering ✓ Only show me to users with X tags ✗ None ✗ None
Creator Analytics ✓ Full dashboard ✗ None ✗ None
Discrete App Icons ✓ FREE for all users ⚠️ Paid ($$$) ✗ None
Stealth Notifications ✓ Premium feature ✗ None ✗ None
Group Chats ✓ E2E Encrypted ✗ None ✗ None
Encrypted Chat Backup ✓ OAuth users ✗ No ✗ No
Human Moderation Appeals ✓ 48hr response ⚠️ Limited ⚠️ Slow
Can Company Read Chats? ✓ Mathematically impossible ✗ Yes, unencrypted ✗ Yes, unencrypted
🔑 Your Choice

Sign Up Your Way

True privacy means giving you options — not forcing a single path.

🔐

Sign in with Google / Apple

Use your existing account for convenience. Your email is encrypted and never shared. All the privacy benefits, plus extras.

  • ✓ Easy account recovery
  • ✓ Encrypted chat backup
  • ✓ Multi-device sync ROADMAP
  • ✓ Email stays encrypted on our servers
🚫

What We Never Do

Regardless of which option you choose, these are absolute commitments:

  • ✗ Sell your data to advertisers
  • ✗ Share with third-party analytics
  • ✗ Read your messages (we can't)
  • ✗ Store your precise location

🎯 Our #1 Priority

User Privacy, Safety, and Security is our core mission. We exist to create a safe application that respects you, protects your right to privacy, and complies with the law. We are nothing without our users — your confidence in us depends on our honesty and transparency.

📋 Full Transparency

What We Actually Collect (And Why)

We believe you deserve complete honesty. Here's exactly what we collect, what we don't, and how your data is protected.

🤖 No Human Ever Views Your Photos

100% Automated Scanning

Photo safety checks are performed entirely by computer systems. The scanning compares mathematical "fingerprints" against databases — no human being ever sees your photos during this process.

Staff Cannot Access Your Content

Our staff do not have the ability to view your photos, messages, or private content. This isn't just policy — it's technically enforced. Your photos are encrypted before storage; we don't have the keys.

What the System Sees

The automated system outputs only: SAFE or BLOCKED. That's it. We never see the actual image content — just a pass/fail result from the computer.

Then It's Encrypted

After passing the automated scan, your photo is immediately encrypted before being stored. Even if someone breached our database, they'd get useless encrypted data — not your actual photos.

📊 Operational Data We Collect

📱 Device Identifiers

Anonymous device IDs help us prevent ban evasion and mass bot creation. Without this, bad actors could create unlimited fake accounts.

What it is: A random identifier tied to your device, not your identity
🌐 IP Addresses

Required for basic network security, rate limiting, and detecting coordinated attacks. Every internet service receives these.

Retention: Logs purged after 30 days, never sold or shared
🔍 Basic Analytics

Aggregate usage data (feature popularity, crash reports) helps us improve the app. This data is anonymized and cannot identify individuals.

No third-party trackers: Analytics are first-party only

⚖️ Australian Legal Requirements

Australian law requires certain safety measures. We comply fully while maximizing your privacy.

🔞 Age Verification (Required by March 2026)

Australian law requires us to verify you're 18+. A third-party service (Yoti/Veriff) handles this — we never see your ID.

What we store: Only age_verified: true and the date. No ID photos. No documents. No biometrics. No name.
🛡️ Automated Photo Safety Scanning

Legally required CSAM detection. Fully automated — compares photo fingerprints against databases. No human views your photos.

Process: Computer scans → outputs SAFE or BLOCKED → photo encrypted → stored. We only see the pass/fail result.
🚨 Mandatory Reporting

If the automated system detects illegal material, we're legally required to report to the Australian Federal Police. We have zero choice in this matter.

🔬 How Automated Photo Scanning Actually Works

📸
You upload
→
🔢
Generate hash
→
🤖
Computer compares
→
✓
SAFE
→
🔐
Encrypted & stored

A "hash" is like a fingerprint — a string of numbers generated from your photo. The computer compares this fingerprint against a database of known illegal content fingerprints. The computer never "looks at" your photo — it just compares numbers. If the numbers don't match anything bad, it outputs "SAFE" and your photo is encrypted for storage.

🔐 For Closeted Users: Your Privacy is Protected

We understand many users need absolute discretion. Here's how we protect you:

Age Verification Privacy

A third-party verifies your age — we never see your ID. They check you're 18+, tell us "yes" or "no", then delete everything. Your ID never touches our servers.

What We Actually Store

Two fields: age_verified: true and verified_date. That's it. No name. No photo. No document number.

Privacy Preserved

Even after verification, your display name is a pseudonym of your choosing. Your profile doesn't link to your real identity. Verification confirms you're an adult, not who you are.

Discreet Billing

Payments go through Apple/Google. Your bank statement shows "Apple" or "Google Play" — not SparQ. Nobody looking at your statements will know.

💬 Your Messages Are Yours

Photos: Scanned Then Encrypted

Profile/album photos are scanned by computer systems (no human), then encrypted before storage. We host these, so we're legally responsible — but no staff member can view them.

Messages: End-to-End Encrypted

Private messages are encrypted on your device before being sent. We cannot read them. We cannot scan them. We cannot access them. Your conversations are completely private.

The legal balance: We scan what we host (photos) using automated systems. We can't scan what we can't read (E2E messages). Current Australian law doesn't require us to break encryption — if that ever changes, we'll be transparent about it.

🔒 How Your Content is Protected

"Your profile photos are encrypted on our servers — we can serve them to other users, but a database breach wouldn't expose them. Your private albums go further: they're encrypted with keys only you control. Even we can't see them. And your messages are end-to-end encrypted, just like Signal."

📸
Profile Photos
Server-encrypted
Breach = need server key
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Private Albums
User-encrypted
Breach = completely useless
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Messages
End-to-end encrypted
Breach = completely useless

📜 Our Commitments To You

🤖
No Human Access
Staff cannot view your photos or messages
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Minimal Collection
Only what's legally required
🗑️
Clear Retention
We delete what we don't need
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Never Sell Data
Ever, to anyone
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Transparency Reports
Public reports on requests

We know trust is earned, not claimed. That's why we're telling you exactly how everything works. If you ever have questions about your privacy, please ask — we'll answer honestly.