This Privacy Policy explains how Winksi collects, uses, shares, and protects information. Winksi is a micro-location social network for adults aged 18 and over. It is not a dating application. It lets users connect with others who are pinned to the same venue (a "Point of Interest" or "POI").
We collect only the information needed to operate Winksi.
We use information to:
Winksi is restricted to adults aged 18 and over.
Winksi does not host a public feed. Profiles and content are not publicly available, not viewable by non-users, and not indexed by search engines.
Visibility rules:
Winksi may moderate profile photos, bios, and reported content to enforce our rules.
Who can message: Messaging is available only between mutually connected users (both users have winked at each other).
No end-to-end encryption: Messages are not end-to-end encrypted.
On our servers: Undelivered messages may be stored temporarily on our servers. In the ordinary course, we remove them after the recipient's device confirms delivery. Offline message storage is set to expire after about 10 days, and database cleanup may occur shortly afterward.
On devices: Delivered messages are stored on the recipient's device. The app's periodic cleanup normally removes them after about 30 days. Ending a connection or blocking normally removes the conversation from view in the app, unless it is preserved because of a report.
Reporting a conversation: When you report a conversation, the app uploads a copy of recent messages from that conversation from your device. We store it on our servers as moderation evidence.
Corroboration from the reported user's device: Where technically possible, Winksi may ask the reported user's app for its copy of the same conversation, to help assess the reliability of the report.
Retention and use of report evidence: Conversation snapshots, from the reporting user and, where collected, the reported user, are scheduled to expire 45 days after the report. A reported user's snapshot never expires later than the reporting user's snapshot. Database cleanup may occur shortly after expiry. Report records, such as category and status, are kept for about 1 year. Snapshots are used only for safety, moderation, and legal compliance. Comparing snapshots supports human review; it does not by itself decide or impose account sanctions.
Evidence on your device after sign-out: When you sign out or switch accounts, the app attempts to remove pending encrypted report evidence and its account-specific key from the device. Successful account deletion clears the app's local message data and triggers the same cleanup. Uninstalling the app generally removes app-local data under normal mobile operating system behavior, though secure-storage behavior can vary by platform.
How we use location: When you use Winksi's location features while the app is open, the app obtains your device's precise location. It sends coordinates to our servers to find nearby venues and to identify the venue you pin. Winksi does not collect your location in the background.
What we keep: We store the venue you are currently pinned to, not a record of your movements. We do not show your GPS coordinates to other users. However, because other users can see that you appear at a venue or in its history, they may be able to infer that you are or were near that location.
Venue search cache: To reduce repeated lookups, we store rounded search-center coordinates and the venue results for that area as a shared service cache. This cache is not linked to your account. Cache entries are typically refreshed or marked to expire after about 180 days, and may be retained longer if the area is searched again.
Place data provider: We use Google Maps Platform to find venues. It receives the coordinates used for venue searches.
Usage limits: To enforce a daily limit on viewing venue histories, we keep a record of which venue histories you opened that day, for about one day.
On your device: The app keeps a list of up to 25 venues you have pinned to, so you can open their history.
Self-reported location: Pins are based on location data reported by your device. Winksi does not verify that anyone is physically present at a venue. A user may appear at a venue without being there, including through inaccurate, mock, or falsified location data. Do not treat a pin as proof of anyone's location.
Winksi shows ads through Google AdMob. The Google Mobile Ads SDK in the app may automatically collect your IP address (from which general location can be inferred), device and advertising identifiers, ad interactions, app interaction information, and diagnostic information. Google uses this for ad delivery, measurement, analytics, and fraud prevention. Whether ads are personalized depends on your consent choices, device settings, and location.
Winksi does not intentionally include your Winksi account identifier, email address, date of birth, profile content, messages, or precise GPS coordinates in AdMob ad requests.
You can manage ad consent choices in the app where this option is available, and limit ad personalization in your device settings. Learn more about how Google uses information from apps that use its services.
We share information only as follows:
Winksi does not sell personal information for money.
Winksi does not collect:
| Data | Retention |
|---|---|
| Account, profile, and FCM tokens | Until account deletion |
| Undelivered messages on our servers | Removed after delivery confirmation; otherwise set to expire after about 10 days |
| Delivered messages on devices | Normally removed by the app after about 30 days |
| Report conversation snapshots (reporting user, and reported user where collected) | Scheduled to expire 45 days after the report; the reported user's snapshot never expires later than the reporter's |
| Pending corroboration request | Expires within 7 days, and no later than the reporter's snapshot |
| Report records | About 1 year |
| Pin and venue history appearance | While pinned; a pin normally expires about 6 hours after the most recent pin or visibility update |
| Daily venue-history view record | About 1 day |
| Push notification queue data | Removed after successful sending in the ordinary course; temporary delivery metadata kept briefly for operations |
| Venue search cache (not linked to your account) | Typically refreshed or marked to expire after about 180 days; may be retained longer if the area is searched again |
| IP address and technical logs | Typically about 30 days in our logging service; rotated log copies kept for troubleshooting and security are deleted after about 90 days; longer only where needed to investigate a specific security incident or where required by law |
Scheduled deletions may occur shortly after the stated time. We do not promise immediate removal from backup systems; any backup copies are kept only for the backup's limited retention period and are not used for ordinary operations. We may keep information longer where the law requires us to preserve it, for example in connection with a report to authorities or a legal hold.
We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect information, including encrypted connections between the app and our servers. No system is completely secure. Messages are not end-to-end encrypted.
Winksi is a tool for discovering and connecting with other people. Winksi does not conduct background checks, does not verify identities, and does not verify physical presence at any location. You are responsible for your own safety and decisions when communicating with other users and when choosing whether to meet anyone in person.
Why we process your information (legal bases):
What you must provide: To create an account and use Winksi, you must provide an email address and an eligible date of birth; without them we cannot provide the service. Location permission is not required to create an account, but it is required for location features such as finding nearby venues and pinning; without it, those features do not work.
Automated age check: Eligibility is checked automatically from the date of birth you provide and, where available, Apple or Google age signals. If you believe a decision about your eligibility is wrong, you can contact us to have it reviewed by a person, to express your point of view, and to contest the decision.
Your rights: You have the right to access your information, to have it corrected or erased, to restrict its processing, where applicable to receive a portable copy of information you provided, and to withdraw consent at any time. To exercise these rights, email winksi.app@gmail.com. We respond within one month, which may be extended where the law allows. You may also lodge a request with the Personal Data Protection Agency of North Macedonia (azlp.mk) or with your local data protection authority.
Right to object: You have the right to object at any time, on grounds relating to your particular situation, to processing based on our legitimate interests. To object, email winksi.app@gmail.com.
United States: Winksi does not sell personal information for money. Some U.S. state laws may treat advertising processing through AdMob as "targeted advertising" or "sharing." You can limit personalized ads through the in-app ad consent option where available and through your device settings. If a U.S. state privacy law applies to our processing of your information, you may exercise the rights it gives you by emailing us, and we will respond as that law requires.
EEA and UK: The contact email below is our data protection contact. EU and UK representative details will be added to this section before Winksi launches in regions where such representation is legally required.
HEKOM DOOEL is based in North Macedonia. Our service providers may process information in other countries, including the United States and member states of the European Union.
Where information is transferred outside North Macedonia, we rely on the transfer mechanisms permitted by North Macedonian data protection law.
We will notify you of material changes to this Privacy Policy and may ask you to accept the updated policy in the app.
Company: HEKOM – Gjorgje DOOEL ("HEKOM DOOEL")
Address: Depa Kavajova 21, 1000 Skopje, North Macedonia
Email: winksi.app@gmail.com