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Privacy Policy

Last updated
October 9 2026

Apateu (“we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile app (“App”) and related services (collectively, the “Platform”). By using the Platform, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

1. Information We Collect

1.1. Information You Provide Directly

1.2. Information Collected Automatically

1.3. Cookies & Similar Technologies

We use cookies, web beacons, and local storage to:

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

2.1. AI Training — What This Means

We use data from the Platform to train and improve the Apateu housing agent so it gives better, more accurate answers about housing.

What we may use for training: the questions and searches you send to the housing agent, the agent’s responses, listing content you publish (which is already public on the Platform), and aggregated usage patterns.

What we do not use for training: your password or authentication credentials, government-issued ID or student-ID images submitted for verification, and payment or financial account details.

Before training, we remove direct identifiers (such as your name, email address and phone number) from the content wherever reasonably possible, so training data is de-identified.

Private messages. We do not use the content of your one-to-one chats with another user to train our models unless you have given us separate, explicit consent, or the message has been reported to us for safety or fraud review.

Your choice. You can ask us not to use your content for AI training by emailing apateu.app@gmail.com with the subject “AI training opt-out.” Opting out does not affect your ability to use the Platform, and does not apply to models already trained before your request.

2.2. Phone Verification and Text Messages

To post a listing or send a like, you verify your mobile phone number with a one-time code we text you. Your number is private: other users never see it, and one number can verify only one account.

Text alerts are optional. Only if you tick “Text me Apateu alerts” on the phone screen (unchecked by default), or turn on Activity in the App, do we text you about activity on your account: when someone likes your listing, accepts your request, or sends you a message. You do not have to agree to texts to use Apateu. We do not send promotional texts. Up to 5 alerts a day. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to any text to stop, or HELP for help. You can also change this in the App at any time. See Text alerts.

We do not sell, rent, or share your mobile phone number or your text-message consent with third parties or affiliates for their marketing purposes.

2.3. AI Assistants (Meta Muse, ChatGPT, Claude and others)

You can connect an AI assistant to Apateu. Search only needs no account and shares no personal data with us. If you choose Link my Apateu account, you confirm the email address (or phone number) verified in your Apateu app with a one-time code, and choose what the assistant may do: save homes and keep search alerts, and send messages to sublease hosts from your account. The assistant asks you before each message, and messages appear in the Apateu app like any other.

For a linked connection we store only what it needs: a protected (hashed) access key, the alerts it creates, the homes you save, and the messages you send. We do not sell this data or use it for advertising. Disconnecting the assistant ends the connection right away and deletes its alerts; your saved homes and messages stay in your Apateu account. Apateu never searches or filters by sex, gender, race, religion, national origin, disability, family status or age.

2.4. Apateu AI and Our AI Providers

Apateu AI is the housing agent and the AI in your chats. To work, we send what is needed to our AI providers, OpenAI and Anthropic: your questions to the housing agent, and — in a chat — the messages in that chat (including the other person’s) and both first names. In a chat, the AI uses this to answer questions you ask it privately and to keep track of where the conversation stands (for example, terms you have agreed). We never send your password, ID images or payment details.

An answer you ask for in a chat is shown only to you. Our providers process this data only to produce the answers, and under their business terms they do not use it to train their own models. Section 2.1 explains how Apateu itself may use de-identified housing-agent questions.

3. Disclosure of Your Information

3.1. Service Providers

We may share your data with third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf (hosting, analytics, payment processing, email delivery, text-message delivery through Twilio, and AI processing through OpenAI and Anthropic as described in section 2.4). They may use it only to provide those services to us.

3.2. Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the successor entity (with notice).

We may disclose your information if required by law, regulation, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Apateu, our users, or others.

3.4. Public Listings

Any content you post publicly (e.g., listing details, public chat messages) is visible to other users and third parties.

4. Your Choices

4.1. Access & Update

You can view or update your account information at any time via the App’s settings.

4.2. Communications

You may opt out of marketing emails by following the unsubscribe link or contacting us at apateu.app@gmail.com. You can turn text messages off in the App (Profile › Settings › Verification) or reply STOP to any text.

4.3. Location Permissions

You can enable or disable location access in your device settings. If you revoke permission, location-based features will be limited.

4.4. AI Training

You may opt out of having your content used to train Apateu’s AI models — see section 2.1. Email apateu.app@gmail.com with the subject “AI training opt-out.”

4.5. Cookies

Most browsers allow you to refuse or delete cookies via their settings menus. Note that disabling cookies may affect Platform functionality.

5. Data Retention

We retain personal information only as long as necessary to:

Data Retention & Deletion Policy

We follow a strict data minimization policy to comply with GDPR, CCPA, and other applicable data privacy laws:

6. Security

We implement industry-standard security measures (encryption in transit, secure data storage, access controls) to protect your information. However, no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure.

7. Children’s Privacy

The Platform is only for people 18 and older (see our Terms of Service). We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you are a parent or guardian and believe we have collected data from a minor, please contact us and we will delete it.

8. Third-Party Services & Links

The Platform may contain links to third-party websites and services. We are not responsible for their privacy practices. Please review their policies before providing personal information.

9. International Transfers

Your information may be processed in the United States or other jurisdictions with different data protection laws. By using the Platform, you consent to such transfers.

10. Your Rights (GDPR & CCPA)

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Policy from time to time. We will post the revised version with a new “Effective Date.” Your continued use after changes indicates acceptance.

12. Contact Us

For questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please email us at apateu.app@gmail.com, or write to Apateu LLC, 3185 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 682, Los Angeles, CA 90010.

13. Information Security Policy

We maintain a comprehensive Information Security Policy to protect your data and financial information:

By using our Platform, you agree to these security practices.