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Privacy Policy

            TL;DR: We collect minimal data, never share it with third parties,
            and your real identity is never shown to other users.
        

1. What data we collect

Data	Purpose	Storage
Hashed username	To identify your account (not reversible)	Permanently stored
Encrypted Last.fm username	To fetch your currently playing track via Last.fm API	Encrypted in database (AES-256-CBC)
Listening activity	To match you with other listeners in real-time	Inactive entries older than 24 hours are periodically cleaned up
Chat messages	To enable communication between listeners	Encrypted (AES-256-CBC). Stored permanently
Gamification data	XP, level, badges, streaks, action points	Permanently stored
Pinned tracks	To keep chat rooms accessible when not listening	Permanently stored

Note: We do not store any Last.fm session keys or tokens. We only use your Last.fm username to read your public scrobble data.

2. What we DON'T collect

Your email address
Your real name
Your full listening history (we only see what you're playing right now)
Your location
Any tracking cookies or analytics

3. How we protect your anonymity

Your real Last.fm username is never exposed to other users. Here's how we ensure your privacy:

Hashed username: We store a one-way hash (SHA-256) of your username, not the username itself
Encrypted username: Your Last.fm username is encrypted (AES-256-CBC) and only decrypted server-side for API calls
Random nickname: You're assigned a randomly generated nickname that others see. You can change it for 25 AP
No profile: There's no public profile page linking your activity

3b. Nickname policy

When choosing a custom nickname, the following rules apply:

Only letters, numbers, spaces and dashes are allowed (2-20 characters)
Nicknames must not impersonate other users, public figures, or brands
Offensive, hateful, discriminatory, or sexually explicit names are prohibited
Names designed to mislead or deceive other users are not allowed

We reserve the right to reset any nickname that violates these rules without notice or refund of AP.

4. Third-party services

Last.fm API: We use the Last.fm API to access your currently playing track. This requires you to authorize our application through Last.fm's OAuth flow. Please review Last.fm's Privacy Policy for information about how they handle your data.

We do not use any analytics services, advertising networks, or other third-party trackers.

5. Data retention

Listening activity: Inactive entries older than 24 hours are periodically cleaned up. Only recent entries are used for matching (5-minute window)
Chat messages: Encrypted and stored permanently
Account data: Username hash, nickname, XP, level, badges, streaks, and action points are retained until you request deletion
Pinned tracks: Retained permanently until you request account deletion

6. Your rights

You have the right to:

Logout: Disconnect your Last.fm account at any time
Request deletion: Ask us to delete all your data (account, messages, badges, pinned tracks)
Data export: Request a copy of your stored data

To exercise these rights, contact us at [email protected].

7. Cookies

We only use essential session cookies to keep you logged in. We do not use any tracking or advertising cookies.

8. Children's privacy

Heare.me is not intended for users under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect data from children.

9. Changes to this policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We will notify users of significant changes through the service.

10. Contact

For privacy-related questions or concerns, please contact us at [email protected].

Last updated: March 2026