Legal & Community

Privacy Policy

Last updated: May 29, 2026 · Effective for all Wello members in the San Francisco Bay Area

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This document is a working draft pending attorney review. It is not finalized legal advice. A California-licensed startup attorney will review before public launch.

Contents

Wello is a community, not a product. We collect only what we need to run the platform safely, we never sell your data, and we aim to be straightforward about everything we do with information you share with us.

Section 1

What We Collect

The minimum needed to run Wello

1.1 Information You Provide

Name

Your real first and last name, used on your profile and in exchanges

Phone number

Used to verify your identity at signup via Twilio and for in-app messaging

Neighborhood

The area you associate with for finding and showing nearby requests (zip code or neighborhood — not your precise address)

Profile details

Optional bio, languages spoken, skills — whatever you choose to share

Exchange content

Task titles, descriptions, in-app messages, and exchange notes you write

Dispute submissions

Written accounts you submit during moderation

1.2 Information Generated by Platform Use

  • Credit balance and transaction history — a ledger of credits earned and spent across exchanges
  • Exchange history — records of exchanges you've requested, offered to help with, or completed
  • Moderation actions — reports you've filed or that have been filed about you, and their outcomes
  • Session and device data — browser type, OS, and timestamps used for security and abuse prevention
  • Product analytics — feature usage and interaction events collected through PostHog to help us improve the platform

1.3 What We Don't Collect

Wello does not collect:

  • Your precise GPS location — neighborhood is self-reported; we do not track your device location
  • Government-issued ID or financial information — Wello has no payment system
  • Behavioral data for advertising — we do not build ad profiles
  • Third-party social media data — no sign-in-with-Google, no data imports from other platforms

Section 2

How We Use Your Data

Running the platform and keeping it safe

Running your account

Your name, phone number, and neighborhood are used to identify you to other members and power your experience on the platform.

Facilitating exchanges

Task details, messages, and exchange history are used to connect you with neighbors and to maintain the credit ledger that tracks what flows between members.

Safety and moderation

Reports, exchange records, and message history may be reviewed by community moderators when investigating a safety concern or credit dispute.

Platform integrity

Session and device data are used to detect duplicate accounts, abuse, and unauthorized access. We do not use this data for advertising or profiling.

Communicating with you

We use your phone number and email to send in-app notifications (task updates, messages, confirmation prompts). We may also send you community updates, new feature announcements, and occasional neighborhood highlights by email. You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time.

Improving the platform

PostHog analytics helps us understand how features are used so we can make Wello better. Analytics data is not used for advertising or shared with third parties for their own purposes.

Wello does not:

  • Sell member data to advertisers or third parties
  • Use member data to train commercial AI models
  • Use your data to personalize ads anywhere on the internet
  • Share your data for purposes unrelated to running Wello

Section 3

Who Can See Your Data

Visibility by audience

Any Wello member

Your first name, neighborhood, exchange history count, and any exchange notes neighbors have written about you

A member you exchange with

The exchange details you both agreed to, in-app messages between you, and the note you write about each other after completion

Community moderators

Full exchange records and messages when investigating a dispute or safety report you are party to

Wello staff

All of the above, plus account and device data, for platform operations and legal compliance

Third parties

Nothing — except as required by law, court order, or when you explicitly consent

3.1 Law Enforcement Disclosure

Wello will disclose member data to law enforcement only when legally required (valid subpoena, court order, or warrant) or when we believe disclosure is necessary to prevent imminent physical harm to a member. We will notify affected members of such disclosures to the extent permitted by law.

3.2 Written Notes From Neighbors

Other members may write notes about you after an exchange. These are visible to other users on your profile. The following rules apply:

  • You may edit or delete notes you have written about a neighbor at any time
  • If a note someone else wrote about you feels inaccurate, harmful, or violates our guidelines, you may flag it for moderator review — a moderator will assess and may remove it
  • You cannot directly delete notes others have written about you

Section 4

Third-Party Services

Who we work with and why

Wello uses a small number of trusted third-party providers to operate the platform. Each is bound by a data processing agreement and may only use your data to perform services for us.

Twilio

Phone number verification at signup and in-app SMS notifications

Data shared: Your phone number

PostHog

Product analytics — understanding how features are used to improve the platform

Data shared: Session events, feature interactions, device and browser type

Cloud infrastructure provider

Hosting, storage, and data processing

Data shared: All platform data at rest and in transit

We do not use advertising networks, data brokers, or social login providers. If we add new third-party services in the future, we will update this section and notify members of material changes.


Section 5

Storage & Security

How we protect your information

5.1 Where Data Lives

Wello data is stored on servers located in the United States. We use industry-standard cloud infrastructure with encryption at rest and in transit. We do not store data in jurisdictions with materially weaker data protection standards.

5.2 Access Controls

  • Staff access to member data is role-restricted — engineers do not have casual access to member messages or profiles
  • Moderator access is limited to the data necessary for the dispute or report being reviewed
  • All internal access to member data is logged

5.3 No System Is Perfect

We take reasonable precautions but cannot guarantee absolute security. If a data breach occurs that affects your personal information, we will notify affected members within 72 hours of discovery, in accordance with California law (California Civil Code § 1798.82).

To report a security concern, contact us at contact@wello.world.


Section 6

Retention & Deletion

How long we keep your data

6.1 Active Accounts

We retain your data for as long as your account is active. Exchange records and credit history are retained to maintain the integrity of the community ledger — including for moderation and dispute purposes.

6.2 Messages

In-app messages between members are stored to support dispute resolution and moderation. Messages are deleted within 30 days of the exchange being marked complete, unless the exchange is subject to an open dispute or safety investigation — in which case relevant messages are retained until the matter is resolved.

6.3 Account Deletion

You may request full account deletion at any time from your profile settings or by emailing contact@wello.world. Upon deletion:

  • Your profile is removed from public view immediately
  • Your name is replaced with "Former Member" in exchange histories visible to others
  • Your personal data (name, phone number, messages) is deleted within 30 days
  • Anonymized exchange records (credit amounts, dates, categories) may be retained indefinitely for platform analytics
  • Data may be retained longer if required by an active legal hold or law enforcement request

6.4 Inactive Accounts

Accounts with no activity for 24 consecutive months may be deactivated. We will email you before deactivating. Deactivated accounts retain data for an additional 12 months before deletion, giving you time to reactivate.


Section 7

Children's Privacy

Age requirements and how we enforce them

7.1 Minimum Age

Wello is intended for users 13 years of age and older. Users between 13 and 17 may use Wello only with verified parental or guardian consent.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child under 13 has created an account, please contact us at contact@wello.world and we will delete the account and associated data promptly.

7.2 Age Confirmation at Signup

During signup, all users are required to confirm via checkbox that they are 13 years of age or older (or that a parent or guardian has consented on their behalf). We record a timestamp of this confirmation.

Note on age verification:

Wello currently relies on self-certification at signup. We do not verify age through government-issued ID. If you have concerns about a minor using the platform without consent, please contact us immediately at contact@wello.world.


Section 8

Your Rights

California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and beyond

California residents have specific rights under the CCPA (Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.100 et seq.). Wello honors these rights for all members, regardless of state.

Right to know

You may request a summary of what personal data Wello holds about you, where it came from, and how it has been used or shared.

Right to access

You may request a copy of your personal data in a portable format (JSON or CSV).

Right to delete

You may request deletion of your personal data, subject to the exceptions described in Section 6.3.

Right to correct

You may update inaccurate personal information directly in your profile settings at any time.

Right to opt out of marketing

You may unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time using the unsubscribe link in any email we send, or by contacting us at contact@wello.world. Opting out of marketing does not affect service-related communications.

Right to opt out of sale

Wello does not sell personal data. There is nothing to opt out of.

Right to non-discrimination

Exercising any of these rights will not affect your access to Wello or the service you receive.

8.1 How to Exercise Your Rights

To submit a rights request, you can:

  • Use the data export or deletion option in your profile settings
  • Email contact@wello.world with the subject line "Privacy Request" and a description of what you'd like

We will respond to verified requests within 45 days. If we need more time (up to an additional 45 days), we will notify you with the reason for the extension.


Section 9

Contact & Updates

Questions and how this policy changes

9.1 Privacy Contact

For privacy questions, data requests, or security concerns:

Privacy requests

contact@wello.world

Security reports

contact@wello.world

9.2 Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy as the platform evolves. For material changes — new data categories, new sharing practices, or reduced member rights — we will notify you via in-app notification and email at least 14 days before the change takes effect. Continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

9.3 Governing Law

This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of the State of California. Disputes arising from this policy are subject to the arbitration clause in Wello's Terms of Service.

This document is a working draft for founder and legal review. It is not legal advice. Consult a California-licensed startup attorney before publishing this policy publicly. · Wello · SF · Oakland · Berkeley
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