Privacy Policy
Operator: Hugz Tech Solutions Limited
Application: Aegis by Hugz
Effective Date: 23 April 2026
Last Revised: 30 June 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how Hugz Tech Solutions Limited ("we", "us",
"our") collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects information when you use the
Aegis by Hugz mobile application and related services (collectively, the "Service").
By creating an account or using the Service you agree to this Policy. If you do not agree, do not
use the Service.
1. Information We Collect
1a. Information You Provide
- Phone number and authentication credentials
- Full name, display name, and profile photo
- Emergency contact names and phone numbers
- Guardian and dependent relationship information you configure
- Safe-zone addresses and custom labels
- Support requests and in-app feedback
1b. Information Collected Automatically
- Location data – real-time GPS coordinates, background location (where
permitted), movement history, and derived location attributes (speed, route).
- Audio recordings – ambient audio captured during a Panic alert event
(where the feature is enabled and you hold a Premium plan). Audio is encrypted in transit
and stored in our cloud infrastructure.
- Camera captures – still images captured during a Panic alert (Premium
plan only).
- Device identifiers – Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) tokens, device model,
OS version, and app version for push notification delivery and diagnostics.
- Usage data – feature interactions, crash reports, and performance metrics
to improve the Service.
- Analytics & advertising data – via Google Analytics for Firebase:
app-usage events (such as completing sign-up), session and device information, an
app-instance identifier, an advertising identifier, and approximate location inferred from
your IP address. We use this to understand how the app is used and to measure the
performance of our advertising. We do not use your precise GPS location for advertising.
- Bluetooth proximity data – used to detect paired Bluetooth SOS devices
in range; not transmitted off-device beyond triggering an SOS event.
2. How We Use Your Information
- Delivering the core safety features: Panic alerts, Follow Me sessions, Guardian Dashboard,
safe-zone monitoring, and related notifications.
- Sharing your location, alert status, and recorded media with your designated emergency
contacts, guardians, or family members strictly as configured by you.
- Sending push notifications for alerts, check-ins, and account-related messages.
- Processing subscription payments and managing plan entitlements via our payment provider.
- Diagnosing technical issues, monitoring service reliability, and improving features.
- Complying with legal obligations and enforcing our Terms of Service.
3. Location Data – Detailed Disclosure
3a. What location data we collect
When location features are active, Aegis collects precise location data
from your device's GPS and network sensors. The data fields collected include:
- Latitude and longitude coordinates (precise GPS)
- Altitude and GPS accuracy radius
- Speed and bearing (direction of movement)
- Timestamp of each location reading
- Derived attributes such as route path and movement history
Approximate location (network-based) may also be used when GPS is unavailable. Location is
never collected passively in the background without your explicit permission and an actively
configured feature requiring it.
3b. When and how location is collected
| Mode |
Foreground / Background |
When active |
Who can see it |
Plan required |
| Panic tracking |
Foreground & background |
During an active Panic alert |
Guardians with panic access; emergency contacts |
All plans |
| Follow Me tracking |
Foreground & background |
During an active Follow Me session you start |
Guardians with Follow Me access; external link holders |
All plans (quota applies) |
| Always-On tracking |
Background (continuous) |
Continuously while the heartbeat service runs |
Paid-plan guardians who have been granted Always-On permission |
Guardian must hold Plus, Family, or Premium |
| Location history |
Background (periodic) |
48 h (Plus/Family) or 30 days (Premium) |
You; guardians with dashboard access |
Plus, Family, Premium |
| Safe-zone monitoring |
Background (periodic) |
When safe zones are configured and monitoring is enabled |
You; guardians with dashboard access |
Plus, Family, Premium |
Background location is only collected when you have explicitly granted the
Allow all the time (or equivalent) location permission in your device settings
and when a feature requiring it (Always-On tracking, Follow Me, or Panic) is
actively configured. You may revoke background location access at any time in your device
settings; doing so will disable Always-On tracking and may limit live-safety features.
⚠️ Free-Plan Guardian Limitation. If you assign a free-plan user as your
guardian, that guardian will receive push-notification alerts during Panic and Follow Me events
but will not be able to view your live location or map in the Guardian
Dashboard outside of those events. Always-On background tracking for that guardian is stored
as an intent in your settings and will activate automatically if and when they upgrade to a
paid plan. It is your responsibility to ensure your chosen guardians hold the appropriate plan
for the level of monitoring you require.
3c. How location data is transmitted and stored
Location data is transmitted from your device to our servers over HTTPS (TLS)
and stored in Google Firebase Firestore, a cloud database hosted on Google
Cloud infrastructure. Data is encrypted in transit and at rest.
Location coordinates used for map display are also processed by the
Google Maps Platform (map rendering and geocoding) in accordance with
Google's privacy policy. No location data is sold to third parties or used for advertising.
3d. Location data retention
- Live tracking data (Panic, Follow Me) – deleted from our servers when the
active session ends.
- Always-On history – retained for 48 hours (Plus/Family) or 30 days
(Premium), then automatically deleted.
- Free-plan users – no location history is stored; only live coordinates
during an active alert are held transiently.
- SMS fallback coordinates – your last known GPS coordinates embedded in
emergency SMS messages are sent directly from your device and are not stored on our
servers.
3e. Your location data controls
- Revoke location permission at any time in your device Settings → App permissions.
- Disable individual tracking features (Always-On, Follow Me) inside the Aegis app.
- Delete your location history from your Profile page.
- Delete your account to permanently erase all stored location data from our systems
(see Section 10).
4. SMS Permission – Emergency Alert Fallback
Aegis requests the SEND_SMS permission on Android to deliver Panic SOS alerts
in two emergency fallback scenarios where the standard internet-based dispatch cannot complete:
When SMS is triggered
- No internet connection – if your device has no active data or Wi-Fi
connection when a Panic SOS is triggered, Aegis sends an emergency SMS directly from
your device to each of your configured guardian contacts.
- Online dispatch quota exhausted – if the server-side alert dispatch
has reached its messaging limit for the period, an SMS is sent from your device as a
direct fallback to ensure your emergency contacts are still reached.
In both cases, SMS messages contain your name, a brief emergency alert, and (where available)
your last known GPS coordinates. Messages are sent using your device's native SMS capability
(Android SmsManager). Standard carrier messaging rates may apply to your phone plan.
SMS is never sent for routine notifications, non-emergency events, marketing,
or any purpose other than the two emergency fallback scenarios described above.
What we do NOT do with SMS access
- We do not read your incoming or outgoing SMS inbox.
- We do not send promotional, marketing, or non-emergency messages via SMS.
- We do not store, receive, intercept, or log the content of any SMS messages. Messages
are sent directly from your device to your contacts and do not pass through our servers.
- We do not share your phone number or contacts' numbers with third parties via SMS.
You are prompted to grant this permission during onboarding. You may deny or revoke it at
any time in your device settings. If the permission is denied, both SMS fallback scenarios
will be unavailable; all other Aegis features continue to function normally.
5. Audio and Camera Data
Audio recordings and camera images captured during Panic events are stored encrypted in our
cloud storage (Google Firebase Storage). Access is limited to you, your designated guardians
with the appropriate plan, and authorised Hugz Tech personnel for technical support or legal
compliance purposes. Audio recordings are retained for up to 30 days after the alert event and
then deleted automatically unless a legal hold is in place. You may request earlier deletion by
contacting us.
We do not use audio or camera data for advertising, training AI models, or any purpose other
than delivering the safety feature and as required by law.
6. Sharing of Information
We share your information only as described below:
6a. With People You Choose
Guardians, dependents, family members, and emergency contacts receive exactly the data that
the feature and your permissions settings allow. You can review and change these permissions
at any time in the Safety Permissions screen within the app.
6b. With Third-Party Service Providers (Data Processors)
We use the following processors to operate the Service:
- Google Firebase (Firestore, Firebase Auth, Cloud Storage, Cloud Functions,
Cloud Messaging) – authentication, database, file storage, push notifications, and
server-side logic. Processed in the European Union and United States per Google's data
processing terms.
- RevenueCat – subscription management and payment entitlement. Processed
in the United States.
- Google Maps Platform – map rendering and geocoding. Location coordinates
are sent to Google's servers for this purpose.
- Apple / Google Play – payment processing for in-app purchases.
- Google Analytics for Firebase – app-usage analytics and measurement of our
advertising. Collects app-activity events, device and advertising identifiers, and
approximate (IP-based) location. Processed in the United States and other countries where
Google operates.
- Google Ads – we share conversion events (such as completing sign-up) with
Google Ads to measure and optimize our advertising campaigns. Learn how Google uses this
data at policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites.
Each processor is contractually bound to process data only as instructed and to maintain
appropriate security measures.
6c. Legal and Safety Disclosures
We may disclose information to law enforcement, government authorities, or other third parties
where required by applicable law, court order, or to protect the safety of any person.
6d. Business Transfers
If Hugz Tech Solutions Limited undergoes a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your
information may be transferred as part of that transaction. You will be notified via a
prominent in-app notice before your information is transferred and becomes subject to a
different privacy policy.
7. Data Retention
- Account data – retained while your account is active and for 90 days
after deletion to allow recovery if requested.
- Location history – retained for 48 hours (Plus/Family) or 30 days
(Premium) then automatically deleted. Free-plan users do not have stored location history.
- Panic audio and camera captures – retained for 30 days after the event,
then deleted automatically.
- Push notification tokens – retained while your device is active; removed
when you sign out or delete your account.
- Billing records – retained for the period required by applicable financial
and tax regulations (typically 7 years).
8. Data Security
We implement reasonable technical and organisational security measures including encryption in
transit (TLS), encryption at rest for sensitive data, access controls, and security monitoring.
However, no electronic transmission or storage system is 100% secure. You use the Service at
your own risk and should take steps to protect your device and account credentials.
9. Your Rights and Choices
Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights:
- Access – request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Correction – request correction of inaccurate data.
- Erasure – request deletion of your account and personal data. Some data
may be retained for legal compliance purposes after deletion.
- Portability – request your data in a commonly used machine-readable format.
- Objection / Restriction – object to or request restriction of certain
processing activities.
- Withdraw Consent – withdraw location or notification permissions at any
time via your device settings; note this will disable related features.
To exercise any right, contact us at admin@hugztech.com.
We will respond within 30 days. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local
data protection authority.
9a. Account Deletion
You may request full account deletion from within the app (Profile → Settings → Delete Account)
or by emailing admin@hugztech.com. Deletion removes your
profile, location history, guardian links, and stored media within 30 days. Billing records
required by law are excluded.
10. Children and Minors
The Service is not intended for children under 13 years of age without parental or guardian
consent and supervision. When a minor user is added under a Family or Premium plan by a
parent or guardian, that parent or guardian is responsible for managing the minor's permissions
and data. Always-On tracking is automatically enabled for minors added by a Family/Premium
plan holder in accordance with the guardian's account settings.
11. Plan Downgrades and Feature Changes
If you downgrade to a lower-tier plan, certain features will become unavailable immediately
or at the end of your billing cycle. Guardian relationships established while on a higher
plan are retained, but your guardians' ability to see your live location, map, or Follow Me
dashboard will reflect the access permitted under your active plan. You will not be
automatically notified of changes to a guardian's plan; it is your responsibility to review
your safety permissions periodically.
12. Governing Law
This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Any disputes arising under
this Policy shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Nigeria,
unless otherwise required by applicable consumer protection laws in your jurisdiction.
13. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will
provide at least 14 days' notice via an in-app notification or email before the changes take
effect. Continued use of the Service after changes take effect constitutes your acceptance
of the updated Policy.
14. Contact Us
For privacy questions, data requests, or complaints:
Hugz Tech Solutions Limited
Email: admin@hugztech.com
Subject line: Privacy Request – [your name]