What information do we collect?

To provide the Shwechat Products, we must process information about you. The type of information that we collect depends on how you use our Products. You can learn how to access and delete information that we collect by visiting the Shwechat settings.

Things that you and others do and provide.

• Information and content you provide. We collect the content, communications and other information you provide when you use our Products, including when you sign up for an account, create or share content and message or communicate with others. This can include information in or about the content that you provide (e.g. metadata), such as the location of a photo or the date a file was created. It can also include what you see through features that we provide, such as our camera, so we can do things such as suggest masks and filters that you might like, or give you tips on using camera formats. Our systems automatically process content and communications that you and others provide to analyse context and what's in them for the purposes described below. Learn more about how you can control who can see the things you share.
• Data with special protections: You can choose to provide information in your Shwechat profile fields or life events about your religious views, political views, who you are "interested in" or your health. This and other information (such as racial or ethnic origin, philosophical beliefs or trade union membership) could be subject to special protections under the laws of your country.
• Networks and connections. We collect information about the people, Pages, accounts, hashtags and groups that you are connected to and how you interact with them across our Products, such as people you communicate with the most or groups that you are part of. We also collect contact information if you choose to upload, sync or import it from a device (such as an address book or call log or SMS log history), which we use for things such as helping you and others find people you may know and for the other purposes listed below.
• Your usage. We collect information about how you use our Products, such as the types of content that you view or engage with, the features you use, the actions you take, the people or accounts you interact with and the time, frequency and duration of your activities. For example, we log when you're using and have last used our Products, and what posts, videos and other content you view on our Products. We also collect information about how you use features such as our camera.
• Information about transactions made on our Products. If you use our Products for purchases or other financial transactions (such as when you make a purchase in a game or make a donation), we collect information about the purchase or transaction. This includes payment information, such as your credit or debit card number and other card information, other account and authentication information, and billing, shipping and contact details.
• Things others do and information that they provide about you. We also receive and analyse content, communications and information that other people provide when they use our Products. This can include information about you, such as when others share or comment on a photo of you, send a message to you or upload, sync or import your contact information.

How do we use personal information?

We use the information that we have (subject to choices you make) as described below, and to provide and support the Shwechat Products and related services described in the Shwechat Terms.

Provide, personalise and improve our Products.

• We use the information that we have to deliver our Products, including to personalise features and content (including your News Feed) and make suggestions for you (such as groups or events you may be interested in or topics you may want to follow) on and off our Products. To create personalised Products that are unique and relevant to you, we use your connections, preferences, interests and activities based on the data that we collect and learn from you and others (including any data with special protections you choose to provide); how you use and interact with our Products; and the people, places or things that you're connected to and interested in on and off our Products. Learn more about how we use information about you to personalise your Shwechat experience, including features, content and recommendations in Shwechat Products; you can also learn more about how we choose the ads that you see.
• Information across Shwechat Products and devices: We connect information about your activities on different Shwechat Products and devices to provide a more tailored and consistent experience on all Shwechat Products that you use, wherever you use them. For example, we can suggest that you join a group on Shwechat that includes people you follow or communicate with using Messenger. We can also make your experience more seamless, for example, by automatically filling in your registration information (such as your phone number) from one Shwechat Product when you sign up for an account on a different Product.
• Location-related information: We use location-related information – such as your current location, where you live, the places you like to go, and the businesses and people you're near – to provide, personalise and improve our Products, including ads, for you and others. Location-related information can be based on things such as precise device location (if you've allowed us to collect it), IP addresses and information from your and others' use of Shwechat Products (such as check-ins or events you attend).
• Product research and development: We use the information we have to develop, test and improve our Products, including by conducting surveys and research, and testing and troubleshooting new products and features.
• Face recognition: If you have it turned on, we use face recognition technology to recognise you in photos, videos and camera experiences. The face recognition templates that we create may constitute data with special protections under the laws of your country. Learn more about how we use face recognition technology, or control our use of this technology in Shwechat settings.
• Ads and other sponsored content: We use the information we have about you – including information about your interests, actions and connections – to select and personalise ads, offers and other sponsored content that we show you. Learn more about how we select and personalise ads, and your choices over the data we use to select ads and other sponsored content for you in the Shwechat settings.

Provide measurement, analytics and other business services.

We use the information that we have (including your activity off our Products, such as the websites you visit and ads you see) to help advertisers and other partners measure the effectiveness and distribution of their ads and services, and understand the types of people who use their services and how people interact with their websites, apps and services. Learn how we share information with these partners.

Promote safety, integrity and security.

We use the information that we have to verify accounts and activity, combat harmful conduct, detect and prevent spam and other bad experiences, maintain the integrity of our Products, and promote safety and security on and off Shwechat Products. For example, we use data that we have to investigate suspicious activity or breaches of our Terms or Policies, or to detect when someone needs help. To learn more, visit the Shwechat Security Help Centre and Security Tips.

Communicate with you.

We use the information that we have to send you marketing communications, communicate with you about our Products and let you know about our Policies and Terms. We also use your information to respond to you when you contact us.

Research and innovate for social good.

We use the information that we have (including from research partners who we collaborate with) to conduct and support research and innovation on topics of general social welfare, technological advancement, public interest, health and well-being. For example, we analyse information that we have about migration patterns during crises to aid relief efforts. Learn more about our research programmes.

Please note this list is not exhaustive. You will need to record all purposes for which you process personal data.

How is this information shared?

Your information is shared with others in the following ways:

Products People and accounts that you share and communicate with.

When you share and communicate using our Products, you choose the audience for what you share. For example, when you post on Shwechat, you select the audience for the post, such as a group, all of your friends, the public or a customised list of people. Similarly, when you use Messenger, those people and businesses can see the content you send. Your network can also see actions that you have taken on our Products, including engagement with ads and sponsored content. We also let other accounts see who has viewed their Shwechat Stories.

Public information can be seen by anyone, on or off our Products, including if they don't have an account. This includes your username, any information you share with a public audience, information in your public profile on Shwechat, and content you share on a Shwechat Page, or any other public forum, such as Shwechat Marketplace. You, other people using Shwechat, and we can provide access to or send public information to anyone on or off our Products, including in other Shwechat Company Products, in search results or through tools and APIs. Public information can also be seen, accessed, reshared or downloaded through third-party services such as search engines, APIs and offline media such as TV, and by apps, websites and other services that integrate with our Products.

Content that others share or reshare about you.

You should consider who you choose to share with, because people who can see your activity on our Products can choose to share it with others on and off our Products, including people and businesses outside the audience that you shared with. For example, when you share a post or send a message to specific friends or accounts, they can download, screenshot or reshare that content to others across or off our Products, in person or in virtual reality experiences such as Shwechat Spaces. Also, when you comment on someone else's post or react to their content, your comment or reaction is visible to anyone who can see the other person's content, and that person can change the audience later.

People can also use our Products to create and share content about you with the audience they choose. For example, people can share a photo of you in a story, mention or tag you at a location in a post, or share information about you in their posts or messages. If you are uncomfortable with what others have shared about you on our Products, you can learn how to report the content.

Information about your active status or presence on our Products.

People in your networks can see signals telling them whether you are active on our Products, including whether you are currently active on Messenger or Shwechat, or when you last used our Products.

Apps, websites and third-party integrations on or using our Products.

When you choose to use third-party apps, websites or other services that use, or are integrated with, our Products, they can receive information about what you post or share. For example, when you play a game with your Shwechat friends or use a Shwechat Comment or Share button on a website, the game developer or website can receive information about your activities in the game or receive a comment or link that you share from the website on Shwechat. Also, when you download or use such third-party services, they can access your public profile on Shwechat, and any information that you share with them.

Apps and websites that you use may receive your list of Shwechat friends if you choose to share it with them. But apps and websites that you use will not be able to receive any other information about your Shwechat friends from you, although your friends and followers may, of course, choose to share this information themselves).

Devices and operating systems providing native versions of Shwechat (i.e. where we have not developed our own first-party apps) will have access to all information that you choose to share with them, including information that your friends share with you, so they can provide our core functionality to you.

Note: We are in the process of restricting developers' data access even further to help prevent abuse. For example, we will remove developers' access to your Shwechat data if you haven't used their app in three months, and we are changing login, so that in the next version, we will reduce the data that an app can request without app review to include only name, username and bio, profile photo and email address. Requesting any other data will require our approval.

New owner.

If the ownership or control of all or part of our Products or their assets changes, we may transfer your information to the new owner.

Sharing with third-party partners

We work with third-party partners who help us provide and improve our Products or who use Shwechat Business Tools to grow their businesses, which makes it possible to operate our companies and provide free services to people around the world. We don't sell any of your information to anyone and we never will. We also impose strict restrictions on how our partners can use and disclose the data we provide. Here are the types of third parties that we share information with:

• Partners who use our analytics services. We provide aggregated statistics and insights that help people and businesses understand how people are engaging with their posts, listings, Pages, videos and other content on and off the Shwechat Products. For example, Page admins receive information about the number of people or accounts who viewed, reacted to or commented on their posts, as well as aggregate demographic and other information that helps them understand interactions with their Page or account.
• Researchers and academics. We also provide information and content to research partners and academics to conduct research that advances scholarship and innovation that supports our business or mission and enhances discovery and innovation on topics of general social welfare, technological advancement, public interest, health and well-being.
• Law enforcement or legal requests. We share information with law enforcement or in response to legal requests in the circumstances to prevent harm and any unlawful activities.

How can I manage information about me?

We provide you with the ability to access, rectify, port and delete your data. Learn more in your Shwechat settings.

We store data until it is no longer necessary to provide our services and Shwechat Products or until your account is deleted – whichever comes first. This is a case-by-case determination that depends on things such as the nature of the data, why it is collected and processed, and relevant legal or operational retention needs. For example, when you search for something on Shwechat, you can access and delete that query from within your search history at any time, but the log of that search is deleted after six months. If you submit a copy of your valid photo ID for account verification purposes, we delete that copy 30 days after submission. Learn more about deletion of content that you have shared and cookie data obtained through social plugins.

When you delete your account, we delete things that you have posted, such as your photos and status updates, and you won't be able to recover this information later. Information that others have shared about you isn't part of your account and won't be deleted. If you don't want to delete your account but want to temporarily stop using the Products, you can deactivate your account instead. To delete your account at any time, please visit the Shwechat settings.

How do we respond to legal requests or prevent harm?

We access, preserve and share your information with regulators, law enforcement or others:

In response to a legal request (e.g. a search warrant, court order or subpoena) if we have a good-faith belief that the law requires us to do so. This may include responding to legal requests from jurisdictions outside of the United States when we have a good-faith belief that the response is required by law in that jurisdiction, affects users in that jurisdiction and is consistent with internationally recognised standards.

When we have a good-faith belief that it is necessary to: detect, prevent and address fraud, unauthorised use of the Products, violations of our Terms or Policies, or other harmful or illegal activity; to protect ourselves (including our rights, property or Products), you or others, including as part of investigations or regulatory enquiries; or to prevent death or imminent bodily harm. For example, if relevant, we exchange information with third-party partners about the reliability of your account to prevent fraud, abuse and other harmful activity on and off our Products.

Information that we receive about you (including financial transaction data related to purchases made with Shwechat) can be accessed and preserved for an extended period when it is the subject of a legal request or obligation, governmental investigation or investigations of possible violations of our Terms or Policies, or otherwise to prevent harm. We also retain information from accounts disabled for term violations for at least a year to prevent repeat abuse or other term violations.

Use of cookies and other technologies

Cookies are small pieces of text used to store information on web browsers. Cookies are used to store and receive identifiers and other information on computers, phones and other devices. Other technologies, including data we store on your web browser or device, identifiers associated with your device, and other software, are used for similar purposes. In this policy, we refer to all of these technologies as "cookies."

We use cookies if you have a Shwechat account, use the Shwechat Products, including our website and apps, or visit other websites and apps that use the Shwechat Products (including the Like button or other Shwechat Technologies). Cookies enable Shwechat to offer the Shwechat Products to you and to understand the information we receive about you, including information about your use of other websites and apps, whether or not you are registered or logged in.

This policy explains how we use cookies and the choices you have. Except as otherwise stated in this policy, the Data Policy will apply to our processing of the data that we collect via cookies.

How to contact us?

If you have questions about this Policy, you can contact us through our "Contact Us" page. We will try our best to contact you back as soon as possible.