Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

“Joviel,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Joviel, the operator of joviel.one and the Joviel mobile applications (together, the “Service”). Joviel is operated from the Republic of Korea and offered first to users in the United States. You can reach us any time at hello@joviel.one.

2. Information we collect

Information you give us

• Waitlist email. When you join the waitlist on our website, we collect your email address.
• Account & profile (in the app). When the app launches and you create an account, we collect details such as your name, age, photos, approximate location (e.g., city/region), and the answers you give during the faith interview.
• Identity & biometric verification. To keep the community real and safe, we (or trusted verification providers) may process a government ID and a live “selfie.” This may include biometric information (such as a facial scan) used to confirm you are a real, unique person. See Sections 3 and 4.
• Messages & support. Content you send to other members or to us for support.

Information collected automatically

• Technical data. When you submit a form or use the Service, we may log your IP address, browser/user-agent, and timestamps to prevent spam and abuse and to keep the Service secure.
• No advertising trackers. Our website does not use third-party advertising cookies, and we do not track you across other apps or websites.

3. Sensitive information & your consent

Some information we process is treated as “sensitive” under U.S. state privacy laws and as a “special category” under the EU/UK GDPR — in particular, information that reveals your religious beliefs, your biometric information, and any precise geolocation. We process this information only with your opt-in consent, only to operate the Service (for example, to build your profile and suggest compatible introductions), and you can withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us or deleting your account. We do not use your religious information for advertising and we do not sell it.

4. Biometric information

If you complete identity verification, we (or our verification provider) may collect biometric information such as a scan of your facial geometry to confirm you are a real, unique human (“liveness” and identity matching). We will:

• obtain your separate, informed written consent before any biometric information is collected, with the specific purpose stated;
• use it only for identity and liveness verification and fraud prevention — never for advertising;
• never sell, lease, or trade your biometric information;
• retain it only as long as needed to fulfill that purpose, and destroy it when the purpose is satisfied or within three (3) years of your last interaction with us, whichever comes first, in line with our publicly stated retention schedule.

5. How we use information

• To operate the waitlist and tell you when verification or a spot opens.
• To create and run your account, profile, verification, and introductions.
• To keep the community safe — detecting bots, fraud, and abuse.
• To respond to your questions and provide support.
• To comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms.

6. How we share information

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not “share” it for cross-context behavioral advertising. We disclose information only to:

Service providers (preceding 12 months)

• Hosting (Vercel) — to serve the website and apps.
• Database & authentication (Supabase) — to store your waitlist email and, in the app, your account data securely.
• Identity-verification provider (when the app launches) — to verify identity and liveness.
• Email & payment providers (when applicable) — to contact you and process any purchases.

Each provider may use your information only to provide services to us. We may also disclose information for legal and safety reasons (to comply with the law, enforce our Terms, or protect members) or in a business transfer (such as a merger), subject to this policy.

7. Your privacy rights & choices

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, delete, or port your personal information, to opt out of certain processing, and to withdraw consent — without being discriminated against for exercising these rights. To make a request, email hello@joviel.one and we will respond as required by law.

• Opt-out preference signals. We honor recognized universal opt-out signals, including the Global Privacy Control (GPC). Because we do not sell or share personal information for advertising, there is nothing to opt out of for that purpose, and we will confirm the status of any request you make.
• U.S. state rights (incl. California). California residents may exercise CCPA/CPRA rights, including access and deletion and limits on the use of sensitive personal information. Residents of states such as Connecticut, Virginia, Colorado, Texas, Oregon, and Montana have comparable rights, including opt-in consent for sensitive data.
• EEA/UK. Where GDPR/UK GDPR applies, we rely on your explicit consent for special-category data (religious beliefs and biometric verification), and otherwise on contract performance and our legitimate interest in operating a safe Service. You may withdraw consent and may complain to your local supervisory authority.

8. Account & data deletion

You can delete your account and request deletion of your personal data at any time from in-app settings or by emailing hello@joviel.one. Deletion removes your data (it is not merely a deactivation), except for limited information we must retain for security, fraud-prevention, or legal reasons.

9. Email communications

We email you only about Joviel (for example, when verification or a spot opens). Every email identifies us, includes a working way to unsubscribe, and we honor opt-out requests promptly. Our postal contact address is available on request.

10. How long we keep information

We keep waitlist emails until you ask us to remove them or until launch outreach is complete. Account data is kept while your account is active and for a reasonable period afterward to meet legal, security, and dispute-resolution needs, then deleted or anonymized. Biometric information follows the schedule in Section 4.

11. How we protect information

We use technical and organizational safeguards including encryption of your most sensitive answers, database-level access controls, restricted internal access, and audit logging. No system is perfectly secure, but security is a foundation of how we build.

12. International users & transfers

Joviel is operated from Korea and offered first in the United States, so your information may be processed in Korea, the U.S., and other countries. Where required for users in the EEA or UK, international transfers rely on an approved mechanism (such as the UK/EU adequacy decisions for the Republic of Korea) and, for special-category data, on your explicit consent.

13. Children

Joviel is only for adults. The Service is not directed to anyone under 18, and we do not knowingly collect information from minors. If you believe a minor has used the Service, contact us and we will remove the data.

14. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as the Service grows. We will revise the “Last updated” date above and, for material changes, provide additional notice.

15. Contact us

Questions about your privacy, or want to exercise a right? Email hello@joviel.one. Please also read our Dating Safety notice.