Your Privacy Matters

Data Privacy Policy

At Kupendo, we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information.

Kupendo is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of data privacy and security. This policy outlines how we collect, use, protect, and delete your personal information when you use our platform to connect with African hearts across the diaspora.

Face Data Information

1. What Face Data Does Kupendo Collect?

Kupendo collects two types of face data:

  • A) Profile Photos (3–6 images): Users upload 3–6 photos during registration. The first two must show the user alone. These are stored in Firebase Cloud Storage and displayed on user profiles.
  • B) Live Verification Selfie (NOT stored): During verification, users take one live selfie to verify their identity. This selfie is NOT stored anywhere—it is processed temporarily and immediately deleted after verification.

2. Explanation of All Planned Uses

Profile Photos:

  • Displayed on user's dating profile for other users to view
  • Used for identity verification during onboarding
  • Enable match discovery and connections
  • Essential functionality of a dating app

Live Verification Selfie:

  • One-time identity verification only
  • Compared with first two profile photos using AWS Rekognition API
  • Prevents fake accounts and catfishing
  • Immediately deleted after verification (pass or fail)
  • NOT stored in our database or by AWS

3. Third-Party Sharing and Storage

Profile Photos:

  • Stored in: Google Firebase Cloud Storage
  • Third-party sharing: Temporarily sent to AWS Rekognition for verification comparison only. AWS does NOT permanently store photos.
  • NOT shared with advertisers or data brokers
  • Only visible to authenticated Kupendo users

Live Verification Selfie:

  • NOT stored anywhere
  • Temporarily transmitted to AWS Rekognition for comparison
  • Processed in-memory and deleted immediately
  • Zero retention by both Kupendo and AWS

4. Data Retention Periods

  • Profile Photos: Retained while account is active. Users can delete or replace photos anytime. When account is deleted, all photos are permanently removed from Firebase within 30 days.
  • Live Verification Selfie: Zero retention. Exists only during the 2–5 second API call to AWS Rekognition. Immediately deleted after receiving verification result. NOT saved to any database, storage, or cache.

5. In-App Privacy Policy

Face data collection, use, and retention is explained in our in-app Privacy Policy:

Section P1: Profile Information and Photos • Section P2: Photo Verification Data • Section P3: Identity Verification and Safety • Section P4: Third-Party Service Providers (AWS Rekognition) • Section P5: Photo Storage and Protection • Section P6: Photo Data Retention • Section P7: Photo Management and Your Rights

Accessible in: Profile Settings → Terms & Privacy Policy

Additional Security Measure: Second Photo Retention

For security and trustworthiness reasons, users cannot remove their second photo that was used during authentication verification. This is a critical security measure because:

  • Account Authenticity: Since we do not store the live verification selfie anywhere, we need to maintain at least one verified photo that was confirmed to match the user's identity during the verification process.
  • Ongoing Identity Verification: Keeping the verified second photo ensures that the person using the account is the same person who originally created and verified it—preventing account takeovers.
  • Security Rationale: Without storing the live verification selfie, maintaining the authenticated photo is essential to prevent unauthorized account access, maintain verification integrity, and ensure community safety.

User Control:

  • Users can delete their first photo and any additional photos (photos 3–6)
  • Users can replace their first photo or add/remove other photos as desired
  • If users want to remove all photos including the verified second photo, they can delete their entire account
  • Account deletion permanently removes ALL photos and records from our systems within 30 days

Data Collection

Kupendo collects only the information necessary to provide you with our matching services. This includes profile information, preferences, profile photos (3–6 images stored in Firebase), and communication data. During verification, we process one live selfie that is NOT stored—it is temporarily sent to AWS Rekognition for comparison and immediately deleted. We collect this data to help you find meaningful connections within the African diaspora community.

Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information. This includes encryption, secure servers, and regular security audits. Your data is stored securely and accessed only by authorized personnel for legitimate business purposes.

Data Sharing

Kupendo does not sell your personal information to third parties. Profile photos are stored in Google Firebase Cloud Storage and are temporarily sent to AWS Rekognition for verification only—AWS does not permanently store photos. We do not share your data with advertisers or data brokers. Your profile photos are only visible to authenticated Kupendo users. Live verification selfies are never stored and exist only during the brief API call to AWS Rekognition.

Data Deletion

When you delete your Kupendo profile, your personal data is removed from our systems. All profile photos are permanently removed from Firebase within 30 days. Profile information, messages, and associated data are deleted immediately. However, in cases where a user has been banned from the platform due to violations of our community guidelines, safety concerns, or suspicious activity, we retain limited data necessary to protect the Kupendo community and prevent the creation of new accounts by banned users.

Your Rights

You have the right to access, update, correct, or delete your personal information through your account settings. You can delete or replace your first photo and photos 3–6 at any time. For security reasons, the second verified photo cannot be removed while the account is active—it serves as our verified reference since we do not store live verification selfies. If you wish to remove all photos including the verified second photo, you may delete your entire account; all data is permanently removed within 30 days. Contact us at support@kupendo.co for any requests.

Data Retention

Profile photos are retained while your account is active; you can delete or replace photos anytime. When you delete your account, all photos are permanently removed from Firebase within 30 days. Live verification selfies have zero retention—they exist only during the 2–5 second API call and are immediately deleted. We retain data only as necessary for our services; in cases of platform bans, limited data may be retained for community safety as outlined in our Data Deletion policy.

Immediate Data Deletion

Your data is deleted when you delete your Kupendo profile. All profile photos are permanently removed from Firebase within 30 days; other personal information is removed immediately. We do not retain your personal information after account deletion, ensuring your privacy is fully respected.

Exception: In cases where a user has been banned from the platform due to safety violations, suspicious activity, or breaches of our community guidelines, we retain limited data necessary to protect the Kupendo community and prevent banned users from creating new accounts. This retention is solely for the purpose of maintaining platform safety and security.

Questions About Your Privacy?

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding your data privacy, please contact us.

support@kupendo.co

Last Updated: February 19, 2026