Privacy Policy

1. Who controls your data

Linkup Match, trading as Linkup Match (“Linkup,” “we,” or “us”), is the data controller for personal data processed through the Linkup website, web app, and mobile apps. This policy is written with the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and applicable guidance of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (“NDPC”) in mind.

Privacy and data-rights requests can be sent to [email protected].

2. Data we collect

• Account data: name, email address, encrypted password, verification status, and account activity.
• Profile data: date of birth, age, gender, dating or friendship goals, who you want to meet, biography, interests, photos, stories, and profile preferences.
• Location data: state, local area, and approximate or device-provided location when you permit access.
• Interaction data: profiles viewed, connection requests, blocks, reports, moderation records, messages, and notification preferences.
• Verification data: the selfie you take to verify your profile, and the outcome of its review.
• Talk Now data: your Talk Now settings, and for each talk: who you were paired with, when, how long it lasted, how it ended, whether each of you was interested, and any report. We do not record or store what is said.
• Transaction data: payment reference, amount, currency, membership status, processor confirmation, and any welcome or promo code you use. We do not receive or store your full card number.
• Technical data: IP address and the country it indicates, device and browser type, app version, push token, security events, and crash and error diagnostics.

3. Sensitive profile information

Some profile choices, such as gender, who you want to meet, relationship intentions, or information you voluntarily place in your bio, may reveal sensitive personal data. We use this information only to provide the matching and discovery experience you request, apply your visibility preferences, and keep the service safe. Where the law requires it, we rely on your explicit consent. You may change optional profile fields or withdraw consent in settings, although doing so may limit relevant recommendations.

4. Why we use data and our lawful bases

5. What other users can see

Your profile name, age, photos, bio, interests, intentions, and general area may be visible to eligible users in discovery. We do not display your email address, password, exact coordinates, payment details, blocks, or reports. Messages are visible to the people in that conversation and may be reviewed by authorized staff when needed to investigate a report, protect users, or comply with law.

6. Location and recommendations

Linkup primarily uses interests, intentions, preferences, and other compatibility signals, and may also use approximate location, to rank profiles that may be relevant. We aim to show only an approximate distance or area, not an exact address or workplace. You can disable device location permission, but discovery may become less relevant. Recommendations do not produce legal or similarly significant effects, and you remain in control of whether to contact or respond to anyone.

7. Your verification selfie

To keep Linkup free of fake profiles, we ask you to take a selfie. A trained member of our team compares it with your profile photos to confirm they show you; we do not use automated face recognition. Because a selfie used this way can be biometric information, we process it only with your explicit consent, given when you choose to send it.

Your selfie is never shown on your profile or to other members. Only authorized reviewers can see it. We keep it while your account is active so your verified badge can be re-checked if a report questions it, and we delete it when you delete your account or when you replace it with a new one. You can skip the selfie, but features that require a verified profile, such as Talk Now, will not be available.

8. Talk Now voice talks

Talk Now pairs you with another verified member for a short voice talk, based on your Talk Now settings and theirs. We use your microphone only during a talk you start, and only after you grant permission. Talks are never recorded, and we do not keep any audio or transcript.

Audio travels through a secure relay so neither person sees the other's IP address, phone number, or location. Before a talk, the other person sees only your age, state, verification status, relationship goal, and interests you share. Your name and photo are shown only if you are both interested afterwards.

We keep a record of each talk (who, when, how long, how it ended, both answers, and any report) to apply daily limits, avoid repeat pairings, investigate reports, and keep Talk Now safe. These records are deleted when you delete your account; reports may be kept as described in the retention section.

9. Who we share data with

We do not sell personal data. We disclose only what is reasonably necessary to:

• other users, as described in Section 5;
• hosting, storage, email, push-notification, crash-reporting, monitoring, customer-support, and security providers acting for us;
• a voice relay provider that carries Talk Now audio between the two phones without recording it;
• the payment provider identified at checkout, which processes payment credentials under its own privacy notice;
• professional advisers, auditors, insurers, or a successor in a properly safeguarded business transaction; and
• regulators, courts, law enforcement, or emergency services where legally required or reasonably necessary to protect someone from serious harm.

You may request the current categories of processors by contacting our privacy address.

10. International transfers

Some service providers may process data outside Nigeria. Before making a restricted transfer, we use a lawful transfer ground and appropriate safeguards required by the NDP Act, such as an adequacy basis, an approved transfer instrument, contractual safeguards, or another permitted exception. You may ask for information about the safeguard relevant to your data.

11. How long we keep data

We retain data only for as long as needed for the purposes above:

• account, profile, photos, preferences, connections, and messages are generally kept while your account is active;
• your verification selfie is kept while your account is active and deleted when you delete your account or replace the selfie;
• Talk Now talk records are kept while your account is active; no audio is ever stored;
• when you delete your account, your profile, photos, selfie, messages, connections, Talk Now records, and preferences are removed and the core account record is anonymized;
• payment and accounting records are retained for the period required by tax, financial, fraud-prevention, and audit obligations; and
• safety reports and enforcement records may be retained after deletion where necessary to prevent repeat abuse, establish legal claims, or protect users.

Residual encrypted backup copies are deleted or overwritten on the applicable backup cycle.

12. Your data rights

Subject to lawful limits, you may ask us to:

• confirm processing and provide access to or a portable copy of your data;
• correct inaccurate or incomplete data;
• delete data or restrict how it is used;
• object to processing based on legitimate interests;
• withdraw consent at any time without affecting earlier lawful processing; and
• obtain human review of a decision made solely by automated means that significantly affects you.

You can delete your account at any time in the app (You → Account & security → Delete account) or at linkupmatch.com/delete-account.

Email [email protected]. We may verify your identity and will respond within the period required by law. You also have the right to complain to the Nigeria Data Protection Commission.

13. Device storage, cookies, and notifications

The marketing website does not currently use advertising or behavioural-tracking cookies. The web app stores authentication tokens in your browser's local storage so you can stay signed in. Mobile and web apps may store device identifiers and push tokens after you grant notification permission. You can clear browser storage, sign out, or change notification permission in your browser or device settings.

14. Security and incident response

We use measures designed to protect personal data, including encryption in transit, password hashing, access controls, session revocation, review of privileged actions, and restricted staff access. No service is completely secure. If a breach creates a legally reportable risk, we will notify the NDPC and affected people as required by law.

15. Adults only

Linkup is strictly for people aged 18 and older. We do not knowingly permit or process profiles belonging to children. If you believe a person under 18 is using Linkup, report the profile or contact us so we can investigate and remove the account.

16. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when our services, providers, or legal obligations change. We will post the revised date and give prominent in-app or email notice before a material change takes effect where required.

17. Contact and complaints