Privacy Policy
Effective July 3, 2026
Pongo helps you plan mahjong nights with your friends. This policy explains what we collect, why, who we share it with, and how to delete it. Plain English, no surprises.
Pongo is operated by Outergy Group ("Pongo," "we," "us"). It is a free iPhone app with no ads and no in-app purchases. We do not sell your personal information.
What we collect
- Account. You sign in with Apple. Apple gives us a unique ID and, if you allow it, your name and email (or Apple's private relay address). We never see your Apple password.
- Profile. Your display name, photo (optional), and the details you enter when you set up your profile, such as the NMJL card years you own and your play preferences.
- Phone number. Pongo requires a phone number. It is your identity in the app and the key we use to match you with friends from your contacts who already use Pongo. Your number is stored and kept unique to your account.
- Contacts (only if you allow it). If you choose to find friends from your contacts, the phone numbers in your address book are formatted and sent over an encrypted connection to our matching service so we can show you which of your contacts already use Pongo. See "How contact matching works" below.
- Photos. Your profile photo, and any photo of a winning hand you add when recording a game. If you use the optional auto-score feature, that photo is sent to our AI provider to identify the hand. See "Photos and the auto-score feature" below.
- Your activity in the app. Friends, groups, games you propose or join, RSVPs, group chat messages, and recorded game results. This is the content that makes the app work.
- Device and diagnostics. If you allow notifications, a device token so Apple can deliver them. We also collect basic crash and error reports to keep the app reliable.
How we use it
- Run the app: connect you with friends, schedule games, send RSVPs, run group chat, and keep your game history.
- Send you notifications about new games, RSVPs, and group messages (only if you allow notifications).
- Match you with friends who already use Pongo.
- Keep the app working and fix problems.
- Respond to your support requests.
How contact matching works
When you tap to find friends, Pongo sends only the phone numbers from your contacts to our matching service over an encrypted connection. It does not send names, emails, photos, or addresses. The service compares the numbers, returns only the people who already use Pongo, and does not store or log your contacts. Contacts you do not match with are not kept.
Photos and the auto-score feature
When you record a game, you can add a photo of the winning hand. If you use the optional auto-score feature, that photo is sent over an encrypted connection to our AI provider (Anthropic) to read the hand and suggest the score, which you can always edit. The photo is processed to give you that result and is not used to train AI models. Your winning-hand photos are stored with your game history so you can look back at them.
Who we share it with
We share data only with service providers that help us run Pongo, and only what they need:
- Apple — Sign in with Apple and push notifications.
- Supabase — secure hosting and database for your account and app data.
- Anthropic — the AI that reads a winning-hand photo for the optional auto-score feature.
- A messaging provider — to send an SMS invite when you invite someone who is not yet on Pongo.
- Diagnostics — a crash and error reporting service to keep the app stable.
We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it for advertising.
Text messaging (SMS)
Pongo sends text messages for two purposes: one-time verification codes when you confirm your phone number, and game invitations that another user explicitly sends to you. Message frequency varies based on account activity. Message and data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help or STOP to opt out at any time; after you reply STOP you will receive one final confirmation message and no further texts. Mobile carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.
No mobile information will be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Text messaging originator opt-in data and consent will not be shared with any third parties.
Calendar
When a game is set, Pongo can add it to your iPhone calendar if you grant calendar access. That entry is written to your device. We do not read your calendar.
Keeping and deleting your data
We keep your data while your account is active. You can delete your account and all of its data at any time by emailing support@pongo.ing. When you delete your account, we remove your profile, friends, groups, games, messages, and photos.
Children
Pongo is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect information from them.
Your choices
- Turn notifications, contacts, photos, and calendar access on or off in your iPhone Settings at any time.
- Edit your profile in the app.
- Request a copy of your data, or delete your account, by emailing us.
Security
Data is encrypted in transit. Access to your account is protected by Sign in with Apple. No system is perfectly secure, but we work to protect your information.
Changes
If we change this policy, we will update the date at the top and, for meaningful changes, let you know in the app.
Contact
Questions about your privacy? Email support@pongo.ing.