Privacy Policy for TapTapTips

Effective Date: January 12, 2026

Last Updated: September 28, 2026

1. Introduction

TapTapTips ("TapTapTips," "we," "our," or "us") operates the TapTapTips mobile applications for Android and iOS (the "App") and related services (the "Services"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard information when you use the App.

By using TapTapTips, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

• Email address (for account creation and authentication; never shown to other users)
• Display name (shown to other users for tipping interactions)
• Profile picture (optional; shown to other users if set)
• Password (securely hashed; never stored in plain text)
• Support communications (information you provide when you contact us)

2.2 Payments and Financial Information (Processed by Stripe)

TapTapTips uses Stripe to process payments and facilitate payouts. Depending on how you use the App (sending tips, receiving tips, onboarding for payouts), Stripe may collect and process:

• Payment method information (e.g., card brand and last 4 digits)
• Bank/payout information for receiving tips (e.g., bank name and last 4 digits)
• Transaction details (tip amounts, timestamps, payment status, and dispute/chargeback events)

Important: TapTapTips does not store full credit card numbers or complete bank account numbers on our servers. Stripe handles sensitive payment information.

TapTapTips may store limited payment-related identifiers needed to operate the Services, such as:

• Stripe customer ID, Stripe connected account ID, default payment method ID
• Bank name and last 4 digits (when available)

2.3 Held Tips

You can receive tips before you finish setting up payouts. When someone tips you before your payout account is ready, the sender's payment method is charged and the funds are held in TapTapTips's Stripe platform account until you complete payout setup (a "Held Tip"). To operate Held Tips, we store a record for each one, including:

• The sender and recipient accounts, and the device the tip was sent from
• The tip amount, fees, and currency
• Stripe payment, charge, transfer, and refund identifiers
• Status (for example, held, released, refunded, or blocked) and related timestamps
• An integrity code used to detect tampering with the record

When you complete payout setup, Held Tips are transferred to your payout account. Held Tips that are not claimed within 30 days are refunded to the sender (see Section 5).

2.4 Proximity Discovery via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)

TapTapTips uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) exclusively for proximity-based user discovery. No Wi-Fi scanning, NFC, or Google Nearby Connections are used.

How BLE discovery works:

• Our servers issue your device a random, short-lived discovery token. The token is not derived from your user ID, email, or any other personal information, and it is replaced regularly (currently about every 30 minutes).
• The App broadcasts this token so nearby users running TapTapTips can find you.
• The App scans for other users' tokens and sends them to our servers, which return only the display name and profile picture needed to show nearby users as potential tip recipients.
• Expired tokens can no longer be matched to your account. We do not keep a history of which tokens you broadcast or which users you were near.

BLE scanning is never used to determine your location. On Android, TapTapTips declares the BLUETOOTH_SCAN permission with neverForLocation="true", meaning Android is explicitly instructed that BLE scan results are not used to derive or infer geographic location. On iOS, TapTapTips requests Bluetooth access only, not location access. TapTapTips does not collect, store, or transmit GPS coordinates or any location data.

2.5 Device and Technical Information

• Device type/model, OS version, app version
• Device registration (a public key your device creates to sign tips; see Section 9)
• Log data (e.g., timestamps, diagnostic events, error logs)
• Push notification tokens (to deliver notifications)
• Network and security signals (e.g., IP address, login attempts, and session signals used for fraud prevention, rate limiting, and security)

2.6 Usage Information

• Feature usage and interactions (e.g., screens used, actions taken)
• Tipping activity metadata (e.g., number of tips sent/received, timestamps, statuses)
• Crash and performance data (if enabled)

3. Fees and Transaction Costs

3.1 Fee Structure

TapTapTips facilitates tip payments through Stripe. Each transaction is subject to two components of fees, both of which are deducted from the tip amount received by the recipient:

• Stripe Payment Processing Fee: A fee charged by Stripe for processing the payment (e.g., a percentage of the transaction plus a fixed amount per transaction). Stripe's current fee schedule is available at https://stripe.com/pricing.
• TapTapTips Application Fee: A platform fee charged by TapTapTips for facilitating the proximity-based tip transaction through the App. Current fee rates are displayed within the App at the time of each transaction.

Both fees are deducted from the recipient's payout. The sender pays the full tip amount they authorize; the recipient receives the tip amount minus applicable Stripe processing fees and the TapTapTips application fee. Fee amounts and breakdowns are displayed to users in the App prior to and upon completion of each transaction. For Held Tips, the same fees apply when the tip is released to the recipient.

3.2 Fee Changes

TapTapTips may update its application fee from time to time. We will provide reasonable notice of material fee changes within the App. Continued use of the Services after a fee change takes effect constitutes acceptance of the new fees.

4. Tipping Limits

To protect senders and recipients, we apply limits to Held Tips, including a maximum amount a sender can place into Held Tips per day and a maximum number and total value of Held Tips waiting for any one recipient. If a limit is reached, the App will let you know and the tip will not be sent.

5. Refunds

Like other peer-to-peer payment platforms, TapTapTips treats delivered tips as final. Because tips represent a voluntary expression of appreciation sent directly to another person, TapTapTips does not offer refunds on delivered tips. This includes:

• Tips sent to the wrong recipient
• Tips sent in an amount you did not intend
• Tips where you later changed your mind

5.1 When Held Tips Are Refunded

A Held Tip is refunded in full to the sender's original payment method if:

• The recipient does not complete payout setup within 30 days of the tip
• The recipient deletes their TapTapTips account before the tip is released
• The payment is disputed, or we determine the tip is fraudulent or violates our Terms

Refunds are returned through Stripe. The time it takes for the refund to appear depends on your bank or card issuer.

5.2 Unauthorized or Fraudulent Transactions

If you believe there was an unauthorized or fraudulent transaction, contact us immediately at support@taptaptips.com. We take fraud seriously and will investigate. Tips that are disputed or under fraud review may be held and not paid out until the review is resolved, and tips already paid out may be reversed where permitted. Dispute and chargeback rights related to your payment method (e.g., your bank or card issuer) remain governed by your agreement with that institution and by Stripe's policies.

Because delivered tips are non-refundable, we encourage you to confirm the recipient's display name and tip amount carefully before completing any transaction.

6. How We Use Your Information

We use information to:

• Provide the Services (accounts, profiles, discovery, tipping workflows)
• Enable proximity-based interactions (BLE-based nearby discovery)
• Process payments and payouts (through Stripe)
• Hold, release, and refund Held Tips (including checking that a recipient's payout account is ready)
• Calculate and collect fees (Stripe processing fees and TapTapTips application fees)
• Send notifications (e.g., tip received/confirmed, Held Tips released; service updates)
• Prevent fraud and secure the platform (detect suspicious activity, limit repeated login attempts, enforce rules, protect users)
• Maintain and improve the App (debugging, analytics, performance)
• Comply with legal obligations (recordkeeping, lawful requests, dispute handling)

7. Legal Bases for Processing (Where Applicable)

Depending on your location, we process information under one or more of the following bases:

• Contract/necessity: to provide the Services you request
• Legitimate interests: to secure, operate, and improve TapTapTips (e.g., fraud prevention, analytics)
• Consent: where required for certain permissions or optional features
• Legal obligation: compliance with financial and regulatory requirements

8. How We Share Your Information

8.1 Service Providers

We share information with vendors who help us operate the Services:

• Stripe (Payment Processing & Payouts)
  Purpose: process payments, hold funds for Held Tips, collect processing fees, manage payouts and refunds, and handle disputes/chargebacks
  Data processed: identifiers, transaction details, fee data, and required onboarding/payout information
  Privacy Policy: https://stripe.com/privacy
• Google/Firebase (Push Notifications & Analytics)
  Purpose: push notifications (tip alerts), usage analytics, diagnostics
  Data processed: device/app identifiers, FCM push notification tokens, usage and diagnostic signals
  Privacy info: https://firebase.google.com/support/privacy
• Render (Backend Hosting & Infrastructure)
  Purpose: host the TapTapTips backend server and database
  Data processed: information stored in our systems needed to operate the Services
  Privacy Policy: https://render.com/privacy

8.2 Sharing With Other Users

Because TapTapTips is designed for user-to-user interactions, other users may be able to see:

• Your display name
• Your profile picture (if set)
• Information needed to complete tipping interactions (e.g., that a tip was sent/received, the amount, and date/time as shown in the App)

We do not share your email address, password, or full payment details with other users.

8.3 Legal, Safety, and Compliance

We may disclose information if we believe it is necessary to:

• Comply with law, regulation, or legal process
• Respond to lawful requests by public authorities
• Enforce our Terms, investigate fraud, or protect the rights and safety of TapTapTips, users, or others

8.4 Business Transfers

If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, bankruptcy, or sale of assets, information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to standard protections.

9. Data Security

We use reasonable safeguards designed to protect information, including:

• Encryption in transit (HTTPS/TLS) for all network communication
• Secure token-based authentication with encrypted local storage of credentials on-device
• Automatic sign-out after inactivity, and when your session expires, to protect your account if your device is left unattended
• Login protection that limits repeated failed sign-in attempts
• Cryptographic transaction signing: each tip is signed on your device using an Ed25519 key held in your device's secure key storage, providing tamper-evident validation of payment requests
• Held Tip integrity checks that detect tampering before any Held Tip is paid out
• Ownership checks so that account actions, such as removing a saved card, can only be performed by the account owner
• Payment security handled by Stripe (PCI-compliant)
• Fraud controls including account suspension when suspicious activity is detected
• Screen security: the card entry screen is protected against screenshots and screen recording

However, no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Data Retention

We retain information for as long as necessary to provide the Services and for legitimate business and legal purposes, including:

• Account data: retained until you delete your account (subject to legal exceptions)
• Transaction records (including Held Tip and fee records): retained as required for financial recordkeeping, tax, compliance, and dispute handling (commonly up to 7 years, depending on requirements)
• BLE discovery tokens: expire after a short period (currently about 30 minutes) and can no longer be matched to your account
• Deleted accounts: personal data is deleted or de-identified within 30 days of a confirmed deletion request, unless retention is required by law or for legitimate purposes such as fraud prevention or dispute resolution

11. Your Choices and Rights

11.1 Account and Profile Controls

You can update your display name and profile picture within the App at any time.

11.2 Permissions

You can control app permissions through your device settings (e.g., Bluetooth, notifications). If you disable Bluetooth permissions, nearby discovery and tipping will not function. Disabling notifications means you will not receive tip alerts when the App is in the background.

11.3 Deletion

You can delete your account from within the App, or request deletion of your account and associated data by contacting us at support@taptaptips.com. Personal data will be deleted or de-identified within 30 days of a confirmed request. Transaction and fee records may be retained as required by law even after account deletion. If you have Held Tips waiting when you delete your account, they are refunded to their senders.

11.4 U.S. State Privacy Rights (e.g., California)

Depending on your state of residence, you may have rights to:

• Request access to categories and specific pieces of personal information we hold
• Request deletion of personal information (subject to exceptions)
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Opt out of certain forms of "sharing" or targeted advertising (if applicable)

TapTapTips does not sell personal information. If we ever offer targeted advertising or similar sharing models, we will update this policy and provide required opt-outs.

To exercise rights, email support@taptaptips.com. We may need to verify your identity.

11.5 International Users (GDPR-style rights where applicable)

Depending on your location, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, object to, restrict processing of, or request portability of your data. You may also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.

12. Children's Privacy

TapTapTips is not intended for individuals under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If we learn we have collected such information, we will delete it promptly.

13. International Data Transfers

Our services are hosted and processed in the United States and other countries where our service providers operate. By using TapTapTips, you understand that information may be transferred and processed outside your jurisdiction.

14. Third-Party Links and Services

The App may link to third-party websites or services (for example, Stripe's onboarding flow). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third parties. Please review their privacy policies before providing information.

15. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated version with a new "Last Updated" date. Material changes may also be communicated within the App. Continued use of the App after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

16. Contact Us

If you have questions or requests related to privacy, fees, or transactions, contact:

© 2026 TapTapTips. All rights reserved.
Last Updated: September 28, 2026