LEGAL & PRIVACY
Last updated: 26 July 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how Dropwave Labs Ltd collects, uses, stores and protects personal information when you use the Dropwave mobile application, website and related services.
Dropwave Labs Ltd is the controller responsible for your personal information.
Company: Dropwave Labs Ltd
Registered address: Bartle House, 9 Oxford Court, Manchester, M2 3WQ, United Kingdom
Privacy contact: help@dropwavelabs.com
1. Information we collect
Depending on how you use Dropwave, we may collect:
Account information
Your name, display name, username, email address, user identifier, profile information and authentication details supplied through services such as Google or Apple.
Location information
Approximate and precise device location. Dropwave uses location to show nearby Echoes, determine whether you are close enough to unlock an Echo, and record the location where an Echo is created. Dropwave does not display your live current location to other users.
Content you provide
Videos, audio contained within videos, thumbnails, titles, thoughts, tags, reports, profile information and other content you choose to upload or submit.
Activity and social information
Echoes you create, open, save or react to, Sparks, follows, tags, shares, searches, reports and other interactions with Dropwave.
Device and technical information
Device type, operating system, app version, device identifiers, notification tokens, IP address, diagnostic information, crash logs and performance information.
Communications
Information you provide when contacting support, reporting content, requesting account deletion or communicating with us.
2. How we use information
We use personal information to:
provide and operate Dropwave; create and protect user accounts; show nearby Echoes and operate location-locking features; store, process and display uploaded content; enable tagging, following, saving, sharing and reactions; send service, safety, account and activity notifications; moderate content, investigate reports and enforce our rules; protect users, prevent fraud, abuse and security incidents; diagnose technical problems and improve performance; respond to support and privacy requests; comply with legal and regulatory obligations.
3. Legal bases
Where UK data protection law applies, we process personal information because:
it is necessary to provide the services you request and perform our contract with you; you have given consent, including for device permissions where required; we have legitimate interests in operating, securing and improving Dropwave, provided those interests do not override your rights; processing is necessary to comply with a legal obligation; processing may be necessary to protect the vital interests of a person.
You can withdraw permission for location, camera, microphone or notifications through your device settings, although some Dropwave features may then stop working.
4. How information is shared
We do not sell your personal information.
Information may be shared with:
Other Dropwave users
Public Echoes, profile information, display names, tags, reactions and other social activity may be visible to other users according to the feature and privacy settings you choose. Private Echoes are available only to authorised users, subject to the applicable feature rules.
Service providers
We use service providers to deliver authentication, database hosting, video and image storage, notifications, app infrastructure, diagnostics, moderation and related technical services. These may include Supabase, Google Firebase, Google, Apple and other providers required to operate Dropwave.
Legal and safety purposes
We may disclose information where reasonably necessary to comply with law, enforce our agreements, investigate abuse, respond to lawful requests or protect the rights, safety and security of users, Dropwave Labs Ltd or others.
Business changes
Information may be transferred as part of a merger, financing, acquisition, restructuring or sale of all or part of the business, subject to appropriate safeguards.
5. Location, camera and microphone
Dropwave requests access to precise location because location is central to discovering, unlocking and creating Echoes.
Camera and microphone access are used when you choose to record an Echo. Dropwave does not activate the camera or microphone to record content without your action.
6. Storage, security and international transfers
We use reasonable technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal information, including encrypted network connections and access controls.
No online service can guarantee absolute security. You are responsible for protecting access to your device and account.
Our service providers may process information in countries outside the United Kingdom. Where required, we use appropriate safeguards for international transfers of personal information.
7. Retention
We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to provide Dropwave, fulfil the purposes described in this policy, maintain security, resolve disputes and meet legal obligations.
Echoes are retained according to their selected lifespan, visibility, subscription entitlement and deletion status. Some records may be retained for a limited period after deletion where necessary for backup integrity, fraud prevention, safety investigations, dispute resolution or legal compliance.
8. Account and data deletion
You may request deletion of your Dropwave account and associated personal information.
Visit the Delete Account page or email help@dropwavelabs.com from the email address linked to your account with the subject “Delete my Dropwave account”.
Once ownership is verified, we will delete or anonymise the account and associated personal information, except for limited information that must be retained temporarily for security, fraud prevention, dispute resolution or legal compliance.
Account deletion is permanent and cannot be undone.
9. Your data protection rights
Depending on applicable law, you may have the right to:
request access to your personal information; ask us to correct inaccurate information; request deletion of your information; ask us to restrict or object to certain processing; request a portable copy of information you provided; withdraw consent where processing is based on consent; complain to a data protection authority.
In the United Kingdom, you may complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.
To exercise your rights, contact help@dropwavelabs.com. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling a request.
10. Children
Dropwave is intended for users aged 13 and over. We do not knowingly permit children under 13 to create protected accounts or use the service.
If you believe a child under 13 has provided personal information to Dropwave, contact help@dropwavelabs.com so that we can investigate and take appropriate action.
11. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy as Dropwave develops or legal requirements change. We will publish the updated version on this page and revise the “Last updated” date. Where appropriate, we may also provide notice within the app.
12. Contact us
For privacy questions, requests or complaints, contact:
Dropwave Labs Ltd · Bartle House · 9 Oxford Court · Manchester · M2 3WQ · United Kingdom
Email: help@dropwavelabs.com