Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Brandon James ("we," "us," or "our") operates the following mobile applications (collectively, the "Apps"):

  • Bintu — A social connectivity platform that helps friends see when each other is available for phone calls.

  • Sunshyne — A weather application providing location-based weather information and weather-informed trip packing support.

This Privacy Policy describes what personal data we collect, how we use it, how we protect it, and your rights regarding your data. This policy applies to all users of our Apps and our related SMS/text messaging services. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your data responsibly and transparently.

By downloading, installing, or using any of our Apps, or by opting in to receive text messages from us, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and agree to the collection and use of your information as described herein.

2. Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of information to provide and improve our Apps:

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

  • Phone Number: Within Bintu, we collect your mobile phone number for account creation, authentication, and to send you verification codes via SMS. Your phone number is also used within Bintu to facilitate social connectivity features with your contacts. Sunshyne does not collect your phone number or require account creation; it identifies your device anonymously using a device-generated identifier.

  • Contact Information: With your explicit permission, we access your device’s contact list within Bintu to help you discover and connect with friends who also use the app. Contact data is used for in-app friend discovery and invitation tracking. When you invite a contact to join Bintu, their phone number and name are stored on our servers to enable automatic friend connection when they join.

  • Calendar Information: With your explicit permission, we access your device’s calendar within Sunshyne to extract location and date information from your upcoming events in order to detect trips and provide weather forecasts for the locations you will be visiting. Raw calendar event data is not permanently stored on our servers. However, location and date information derived from your calendar events (such as destination cities and travel dates) may be stored to support trip detection and weather planning features. Bintu does not access your calendar data.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

  • Location Data: With your explicit permission, we collect location data. In Sunshyne, location data is used to provide accurate weather information for your current location and planned travel destinations. In Bintu, location data may be used to enhance availability features. We collect both precise and coarse location data depending on the feature and your permission settings.

  • Bluetooth Data: With your explicit permission, we use Bluetooth connectivity within Bintu to support availability automations based on your Bluetooth connections. For example, Bintu may detect paired Bluetooth devices to help determine and update your availability status automatically. Bluetooth connection detection is processed locally on your device. However, Bluetooth device configurations (such as device names, trigger rules, and target statuses) are stored on our servers to enable cross-session functionality and syncing across devices. Status changes triggered by Bluetooth detection are also transmitted to our servers. When you use the screenshot feature to extract Bluetooth device names, your screenshot is sent to a third-party AI service (OpenAI) for processing and is not stored after processing.

  • Device and Usage Information: We may collect standard device information such as device type, operating system version, and app usage analytics to improve performance and user experience. This data is collected in aggregate and is not used to personally identify you.

2.3 SMS/Text Messaging Data

The SMS/Text Messaging provisions in this section apply exclusively to Bintu. Sunshyne does not use or collect data for SMS messaging. When you opt in to receive text messages from us within Bintu, we collect your mobile phone number for the purpose of sending you account verification codes and password reset codes. We do not collect any additional personal information through our SMS messaging service, and no marketing or promotional messages are sent via SMS. Additionally, Bintu allows you to invite friends from your contacts via SMS through your device’s native messaging app. These invitation messages are sent directly from your device and are not transmitted through our messaging service. When you invite a friend, their phone number and name are stored on our servers to enable automatic friend connection when they join Bintu.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

  • Account Verification: To verify your identity through SMS verification codes when you create an account or log in.

  • App Functionality: To provide core app features, including friend discovery and availability status (Bintu), and location-based weather information and packing recommendations (Sunshyne).

  • Service Improvement: To analyze usage patterns in aggregate to improve app performance, fix bugs, and develop new features.

  • Communications: To send you transactional messages related to your account, such as verification codes. We do not send marketing or promotional messages via SMS.

4. How We Do NOT Use Your Information

We want to be absolutely clear about the following restrictions on data use:

  • We do NOT sell, rent, lease, or trade your personal information to any third party for any reason.

  • We do NOT share your personal information with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes.

  • We do NOT share your mobile phone number or any mobile opt-in data with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes at any time.

  • We do NOT use your personal data, including text messaging originator opt-in data and consent information, for any purpose other than the specific service you have opted in to.

  • We do NOT share text messaging originator opt-in data or consent with any third parties. This information will not be shared with any third parties under any circumstances.

  • We do NOT use your contact list data for any purpose other than in-app friend discovery and invitation tracking within Bintu.

  • We do NOT track you across third-party apps or websites for advertising purposes.

  • We do NOT share your personal data with third-party AI systems without your knowledge. When you use the screenshot-based Bluetooth device extraction feature in Bintu, your screenshot is sent to OpenAI for processing. Screenshots are used solely for extracting device names and are not stored by OpenAI or by us after processing. No other personal data is shared with third-party AI systems.

No mobile information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes. All other categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties.

5. Limited Data Sharing

We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:

  • Service Providers: We use third-party service providers (such as Twilio for SMS delivery) that process data on our behalf to provide our services. These providers are contractually obligated to use your data only for the purposes we specify and in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

  • Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, court order, or governmental regulation, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.

  • With Your Consent: We may share information with your explicit consent for purposes you have approved.

  • AI Processing: When you use the screenshot-based Bluetooth device extraction feature in Bintu, your screenshot is sent to OpenAI for processing. Screenshots are used solely for extracting device names and are not stored by OpenAI or by us after processing. No other user data is shared with AI service providers.

6. Device Permissions

Our Apps request the following device permissions. Each permission is requested only when needed for specific functionality, and you may decline or revoke any permission at any time through your device settings:

  • Contacts: Used by Bintu for friend discovery. Your contacts are not uploaded to our servers for any purpose other than matching with existing Bintu users.

  • Calendar: Used by Sunshyne to extract location and date information from your calendar events for trip detection and weather forecasts. Raw calendar data is not permanently stored; derived trip data (destinations and dates) is stored on our servers. Not used by Bintu.

  • Location: Used by Sunshyne for local weather data and trip planning, and by Bintu for enhanced availability features.

  • Bluetooth: Used by Bintu to support availability automations based on Bluetooth connections. Bluetooth detection occurs locally; device configurations and trigger rules are stored on our servers. The screenshot-based device name extraction feature sends images to OpenAI for processing (not stored after use).

You can revoke any of these permissions at any time by navigating to your device’s Settings > Privacy & Security, and selecting the relevant permission category. Revoking a permission may limit certain features of the applicable App.

7. Data Security

We implement industry-standard technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include encryption of data in transit and at rest, secure server infrastructure, and access controls. However, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Data Retention and Deletion

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to provide our services and fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy. For Bintu, when you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal data within 30 days, except where we are required to retain certain information by law. You may request deletion of your Bintu account and associated data at any time by contacting us at brandonisaacjames@gmail.com. For Sunshyne, which does not use accounts, you may request deletion of all data associated with your device by contacting us at brandonisaacjames@gmail.com. We will process such requests within 30 days.

For our SMS messaging services, we retain your phone number only for as long as you have an active account. If you opt out of text messages (by replying STOP), we will cease all messaging but may retain your opt-out preference to ensure compliance.

9. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

  • Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.

  • Correction: Request correction of inaccurate personal data.

  • Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data and account.

  • Opt-Out of Messaging: You can opt out of SMS messages at any time by replying STOP to any message you receive from us.

  • Revoke Consent: Revoke consent for data collection by adjusting your device permissions or contacting us.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at brandonisaacjames@gmail.com.

10. Children’s Privacy

Our Apps are not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete that information as quickly as possible. If you believe we may have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us at brandonisaacjames@gmail.com.

11. Third-Party Services

Our Apps may contain links to or integrations with third-party services. This Privacy Policy does not apply to third-party services, and we encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you interact with. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party services.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make changes, we will update the "Effective Date" at the top of this policy and, where appropriate, notify you through the Apps or via other communication channels. Your continued use of our Apps after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

13. Contact Us

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

Brandon James

Email: brandonisaacjames@gmail.com

Website: foac.info