Privacy
Circle Us Up · last updated 12 October 2026
Circle Us Up helps adults find and host sports events near them with people they know. This page explains what we collect, why, and what you control. It is written to be read, not skimmed; it is short on purpose.
What we collect and why
- Mobile number — to sign you in by one-time code and to send event texts you ask for (invites, trusted-contact alerts). We never show it to other members.
- Name, home postcode, sports and levels, profile photo, answers on your card — shown to other members so people can find and invite you. Your exact postcode is never shown; distances are rounded.
- Date of birth and sex — collected when you verify, to enforce over-18 only and women-only or balanced events. Only "Over 18 ✓" and your sex appear on your card; your date of birth is never shown.
- Identity documents and selfie — only if you choose to verify. They are captured and checked by our verification provider (Stripe Identity). We receive the result and your date of birth; we do not store the images.
- Payment details — handled by Stripe. We never see or store card numbers. We keep a record of what you paid for which event, and whether it is held, released or refunded.
- Trusted contact — a name and number you choose, used only to send the event details and an alert if you have not checked in after an outdoor event.
- Events, bookings, circle and reports — the record of what you join, host and who you have played with, which is what the app is.
- Device push token — only in the iOS app, if you allow notifications.
Who else sees it
- Other members see your card (name, photo, sports, answers, badges) and, on events you join, your first name and initial, photo and verification badge.
- Hosts of events you join see the same; venue hosts (businesses) see the attendee list for their event.
- Providers who process data for us: Stripe (payments, payouts, identity), Google Firebase (sign-in codes), Render (hosting, Frankfurt). Firebase and Stripe may process data in the USA under standard contractual clauses. Each only receives what it needs for that task.
- We do not sell your data and we do not run advertising.
Smart features
Some features use simple automatic rules, and may use an AI service (Anthropic's Claude) to help: turning a search like "tennis after work" into filters, filling in an event from a one-line description, suggesting a first message in a group chat, translating an event, and checking new events for spam or scams. Our team also uses it to sort contact messages and reports and to draft replies.
- We send only the text that feature needs, such as your search words or event description. We never send your phone number, ID documents, photos or the sex recorded by your ID check.
- AI never decides anything about your account. A person reviews every report, pause, refund and appeal.
- Anthropic processes this text on our behalf under a data processing agreement and does not use it to train its models. It may be processed in the United States under the UK's international transfer safeguards.
Safety features
Reports are reviewed by a person; a reported member may be paused while we look. Venue disputes send the booking reference to the venue so they can confirm whether the event took place. These are described in the app where they happen.
Your choices
- Verification, photo, trusted contact and push notifications are optional.
- Delete your account any time in the app (Circle → Me → Account → Delete account). Your profile, circle and bookings are removed and held payments for events that have not happened are cancelled. Records we must keep for payments and disputes are retained for the period the law requires, then deleted.
- Ask us for a copy of your data or to correct it: our contact form.
Retention and security
Our servers are hosted by Render in Frankfurt (EU). Sign-in is handled by Google Firebase and payments and ID checks by Stripe, which may process data in the USA under the UK International Data Transfer Addendum and standard contractual clauses. Everything is sent over HTTPS.
- Account and profile: kept while your account is open; removed within 30 days of deletion.
- Events and bookings: kept for 2 years for disputes and safety, then deleted or anonymised.
- Payment records: kept for 6 years, as UK tax law requires (held by Stripe and as references by us).
- Reports and moderation decisions: kept for 12 months after they are resolved, longer if needed for a legal claim.
- ID check images: held by Stripe Identity under its own retention policy; we keep only the result and your date of birth.
- Sign-in sessions: expire after 30 days. One-time codes expire in 10 minutes.
Who we are
The data controller is the operator of Circle Us Up. [Controller legal name, address and ICO registration number to be inserted before launch; see legal/ICO_AND_COMPLIANCE_CHECKLIST.md.] You can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk if you are unhappy with how we handle your data.
Legal basis and contact
We process your data to provide the service you ask for (contract), to keep members safe (legitimate interest), and with your consent for optional features. The optional ID check matches your face to your ID document, which is biometric data, and records your sex for women-led events; we only do this with your explicit consent (UK GDPR Article 9(2)(a)), which you give on the verification screen and can withdraw at any time by asking us to remove your verification. We have carried out a data protection impact assessment for this processing. You are over 18 to use Circle Us Up. Circle Us Up is operated from the United Kingdom. Contact: our contact form.