Privacy Policy

Last updated: December 2025

Introduction

Sobers ("we," "our," or "us"), operated by Volvox, is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application and related services (collectively, the "Service").

We understand that recovery is a deeply personal journey. That's why we've built Sobers with privacy as a foundational principle. Your sobriety data, personal reflections, and recovery progress are treated with the highest level of care and protection.

Information We Collect

Account Information

  • Email address (required for account creation)
  • Display name (2-30 characters)
  • Profile picture (optional)
  • Phone number (optional)
  • Bio/description (optional)
  • Timezone preference

Recovery Data

  • Sobriety start date
  • Slip-up records (dates and optional personal notes)
  • 12-step progress and completion dates
  • Personal reflections and step notes

Activity Data

  • Tasks assigned to or by you
  • Task completion notes and status
  • Messages exchanged with sponsors/sponsees
  • Connection invitations and relationship history

Automatically Collected Information

  • Device type and operating system
  • App version and usage patterns (anonymized)
  • Crash reports and error logs (with sensitive data automatically removed)
  • General engagement metrics (e.g., features used, session duration)

What We Don't Collect

  • Location data - we never track your whereabouts
  • Health app data - no HealthKit or similar integrations
  • Biometric data - no fingerprint or facial recognition data stored
  • Payment information - the app is completely free

Authentication Methods

You can create an account using:

  • Email and password
  • Google Sign-In
  • Apple Sign-In (iOS)

When using third-party sign-in, we only receive your email address and, if you permit, your name. We never receive or store your third-party account password.

How We Use Your Information

  • To provide and maintain the Service
  • To enable sponsor-sponsee connections via invite codes
  • To sync your data securely across devices
  • To track your sobriety milestones and progress
  • To facilitate task assignments and messaging
  • To improve app stability and fix bugs
  • To understand general usage patterns (using privacy-preserving analytics that bucket data rather than expose exact values)

Third-Party Services

We use trusted third-party services to operate Sobers. These providers are bound by confidentiality agreements and only process data as necessary:

Supabase (Database)

Stores your account data, recovery progress, tasks, and messages securely with row-level security policies ensuring you can only access your own data.

Firebase Analytics (Usage Analytics)

Helps us understand how the app is used. We use privacy-preserving practices such as bucketed values (e.g., "30-90 days sober" rather than exact dates) to protect your sensitive information.

Sentry (Error Monitoring)

Helps us identify and fix crashes. All sensitive data (sobriety dates, messages, notes, email addresses, names) is automatically scrubbed before any error report is sent.

Expo (App Updates)

Enables us to deliver bug fixes and improvements without requiring app store updates.

Data Sharing

We never sell your data. Your sobriety information, notes, and personal details are only shared with:

  • Your connected sponsor or sponsee: Only task assignments, messages you send them, and your sobriety milestone information
  • Service providers: As described above, under strict data processing agreements
  • Legal requirements: Only when required by law, such as a valid court order

Your personal notes, step reflections, and slip-up details remain private and are never shared with anyone, including your sponsor.

Data Security

We implement robust security measures including:

  • HTTPS encryption for all data transmission
  • Secure token storage using platform-native secure storage (iOS Keychain, Android Keystore)
  • Row-level security policies ensuring users can only access their own data
  • Automatic scrubbing of sensitive data from error reports and analytics
  • Regular security updates and monitoring

Data Retention

Your data is retained as long as your account is active. When you delete your account:

  • All your personal data is permanently deleted
  • Your recovery journey, tasks, messages, and connections are removed
  • This deletion is irreversible and cannot be undone
  • Anonymized analytics data may be retained for service improvement

Your Rights

You have the right to:

  • Access: View all your personal data within the app
  • Correction: Update your profile information at any time
  • Deletion: Permanently delete your account and all associated data via Settings
  • Disconnect: End any sponsor/sponsee relationship at any time

To exercise these rights or for any privacy-related requests, contact us at the address below.

Children's Privacy

Sobers is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

International Users

If you are accessing the Service from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States where our servers are located. By using the Service, you consent to this transfer.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes through the App or by other means. The "Last updated" date at the top of this policy indicates when it was last revised. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

support@volvoxdev.com