HIKEUNITY PRIVACY POLICY

Effective Date: September 27, 2026

Last Updated: September 27, 2026

HikeUnity is operated by Mariia Mongolina under the HikeUnity name (“HikeUnity,” “we,” “us,” or “our”).

HikeUnity respects your privacy.

This Privacy Policy explains how information is collected, used, disclosed, stored, and protected when you use the HikeUnity mobile application, website, and related services (collectively, the “Platform”).

It also explains the choices and rights available to you regarding your information.

By using HikeUnity, you acknowledge the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1. INFORMATION WE COLLECT

The information we collect depends on how you use HikeUnity and which features are available to you.

We aim to collect only information reasonably necessary to operate, secure, improve, and provide the Platform.

1.1 Account Information

When you create or maintain an account, we may collect information such as:

• name;
• username;
• email address;
• profile photograph;
• authentication credentials;
• account identifiers;
• age or date-of-birth information where required;
• language or location preferences; and
• account settings.

Passwords should be stored using appropriate security protections rather than in readable form.

If you sign in through a third-party authentication provider such as Apple, Google, or Facebook, we may receive information that you authorize that provider to share with us, such as your name, email address, profile information, and authentication identifier.

The information received depends on the provider and your settings with that provider.

2. PROFILE INFORMATION

You may choose to provide information for your HikeUnity profile, such as:

• profile photograph;
• biography;
• hiking experience;
• outdoor interests;
• hiking style;
• preferred pace;
• languages;
• social media links;
• general location;
• routes or Activities;
• ratings and reviews;
• participation history; and
• other information you choose to make available.

Some profile information may be visible to other HikeUnity users or publicly visible depending on the feature and your privacy settings.

Do not place sensitive personal information in public profile fields unless you want other users to see it.

3. LOCATION AND GPS DATA

Location information is important to certain HikeUnity features.

With your permission, HikeUnity may collect precise or approximate location information from your device when needed to provide location-based features.

This may include:

• GPS coordinates;
• route location points;
• starting and ending locations;
• movement along a recorded route;
• elevation;
• distance;
• timestamps associated with route recording;
• nearby routes or Activities; and
• other location information necessary to provide a feature you request.

For example, if you use Record Hike, HikeUnity may use your device's location to create a GPS record of your route.

Depending on the permissions you grant and the functionality of the Platform, location information may be collected while you are actively using a location feature and, where necessary for a recording feature and permitted by your device settings, while the application operates in the background.

HikeUnity will request device permission before accessing location information where required.

You may control location permissions through your device settings.

Disabling location access may prevent certain features, such as GPS route recording or location-based functionality, from operating correctly.

4. PRECISE LOCATION IS SENSITIVE

Precise location information can reveal sensitive information about your movements and places you visit.

HikeUnity treats precise location information as sensitive information.

HikeUnity does not sell users' precise location data.

HikeUnity does not permit the use of precise location information collected for HikeUnity's outdoor functionality for unrelated third-party advertising or data-broker purposes without the user's legally required consent.

We may use location information for purposes reasonably related to functionality requested by the user, such as:

• recording hikes;
• displaying a route;
• calculating route information;
• helping users discover relevant nearby routes or Activities;
• enabling location-related safety or navigation functionality;
• preventing fraud or misuse where appropriate;
• providing features specifically requested by the user; and
• maintaining and improving location-based Platform functionality.

5. PUBLIC ROUTES AND LOCATION SHARING

If you choose to publish or share a recorded route, information associated with that route may become visible to other users.

Depending on the feature, this may include:

• route path;
• starting point;
• ending point;
• distance;
• elevation;
• duration;
• photographs;
• route description; and
• related Activity information.

You are responsible for reviewing information before making a route public.

Do not begin or end a publicly shared GPS recording directly at your home, workplace, or another private location that you do not want others to identify.

A public GPS route may allow another person to infer sensitive locations.

HikeUnity may introduce privacy features such as hidden start/end points or privacy zones. The availability of such features does not eliminate your responsibility to review what you share.

6. PHOTOS, VIDEOS AND MEDIA

If you choose to upload photographs, videos, or other media, we collect and process that content to provide the feature you requested.

Depending on your device and settings, uploaded media may contain metadata.

Where reasonably possible, HikeUnity may remove or limit unnecessary metadata before displaying content publicly.

You are responsible for ensuring that you have the right to upload and share content.

Additional rules concerning User Content are provided in the HikeUnity Terms of Service.

7. ROUTES AND ACTIVITY INFORMATION

When you create, record, save, upload, join, or interact with a route or Activity, we may collect information such as:

• route name;
• GPS track;
• GPX/KML information;
• route description;
• date and time;
• duration;
• distance;
• elevation;
• difficulty;
• photographs;
• points of interest;
• Organizer information;
• Participant information;
• Activity status;
• participation history;
• ratings;
• reviews; and
• other information associated with the Activity.

Some of this information may be visible to other users depending on the nature of the Activity and your settings.

8. MESSAGES AND COMMUNICATIONS

HikeUnity may provide:

• direct messages;
• Activity chats;
• group chats;
• community chats; and
• communications with HikeUnity support.

We process messages so that they can be transmitted, stored, displayed, synchronized, moderated where appropriate, and otherwise used to provide the communication service.

Messages should not be considered a secure location for highly sensitive information.

HikeUnity may access, preserve, review, or disclose communications when reasonably necessary to:

• investigate a user report;
• address harassment or abuse;
• investigate fraud;
• investigate a serious safety incident;
• enforce HikeUnity policies;
• maintain Platform security;
• respond to legal process; or
• comply with applicable law.

We do not represent private messages as publicly available content merely because they are processed by HikeUnity.

9. RATINGS, REVIEWS AND COMMUNITY CONTENT

If you submit ratings, reviews, comments, route information, photographs, Activity information, or other community content, we collect that information.

Content intended for public or community display may be visible to other users.

We may associate such content with your profile where appropriate for the feature.

We may process community content to:

• operate the Platform;
• display information to users;
• prevent spam;
• detect abuse;
• investigate reports;
• enforce our policies; and
• improve the Platform.

10. IDENTITY VERIFICATION

HikeUnity may offer or require identity verification for certain features.

For example, HikeUnity may require identity verification before a user can offer a Paid Activity.

If identity verification is enabled, verification may be performed through a third-party identity-verification provider disclosed at the time of verification.

Depending on the provider and verification method, identity verification may involve:

• government-issued identification;
• identification-document images;
• name;
• date of birth;
• identification number;
• selfie or facial image;
• liveness checks;
• document-authenticity checks;
• device and fraud-prevention information; and
• verification results.

Before beginning verification, you may also receive privacy information and consent requests directly from the identity-verification provider.

Our Approach to Identity Data

HikeUnity seeks to minimize its collection and storage of government identification and biometric-related information.

Where technically and legally appropriate, HikeUnity intends to rely on the identity-verification provider to process and store sensitive verification materials rather than storing separate copies of identification documents or selfie images in HikeUnity's own application database.

HikeUnity may receive and retain information reasonably necessary to operate verification features, such as:

• verification status;
• verification date;
• provider reference or session identifier;
• age or eligibility status;
• limited verification results;
• fraud or verification signals; and
• information required for legal or security purposes.

Depending on the verification provider and configuration, authorized HikeUnity personnel may technically be able to access additional verification information through the provider's systems.

Access should be limited to personnel who reasonably need it for verification, fraud prevention, support, safety, or legal compliance.

Identity-verification providers may retain verification information according to their own legal obligations, privacy policies, and retention settings.

11. IDENTITY VERIFICATION DOES NOT MEAN BACKGROUND CHECK

Identity verification is intended to help establish that a user completed an identity-verification process.

It is not necessarily:

• a criminal background check;
• a professional-license check;
• a guide-certification check;
• an insurance check;
• a safety certification; or
• an endorsement by HikeUnity.

HikeUnity may display an Identity Verified indicator when a user successfully completes the applicable process.

12. PAYMENT INFORMATION

If HikeUnity enables Paid Activities or other paid features, payments may be processed through third-party payment providers such as Stripe, PayPal, Apple, or another disclosed provider.

The payment provider may collect information such as:

• name;
• billing information;
• payment-card information;
• bank-account information;
• transaction information;
• tax information;
• identity information;
• fraud-prevention information; and
• payout information.

HikeUnity generally does not need to store complete payment-card numbers when payments are processed by an independent payment provider.

HikeUnity may receive information concerning transactions, including:

• transaction amount;
• currency;
• payment status;
• refund status;
• Platform Fee;
• payout status;
• payment-provider identifiers;
• chargebacks;
• disputes; and
• related transaction information.

We use this information to operate paid features, process or facilitate transactions, prevent fraud, maintain accounting records, provide support, resolve disputes, comply with law, and enforce our policies.

13. ORGANIZER AND PAYOUT INFORMATION

If you become a Paid Organizer, HikeUnity or its payment provider may collect additional information necessary to enable payouts and satisfy financial or legal requirements.

This may include:

• legal name;
• address;
• date of birth;
• business information;
• tax identification information;
• bank or payout account information;
• identity-verification information; and
• transaction history.

Where possible, sensitive banking, tax, and identity information may be collected directly by the payment provider rather than stored in HikeUnity's own application database.

14. DEVICE, LOG AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION

When you use HikeUnity, we or our service providers may automatically receive technical information such as:

• IP address;
• device type;
• operating system;
• application version;
• device or application identifiers;
• language;
• approximate location derived from IP address;
• timestamps;
• pages or screens viewed;
• feature interactions;
• crash information;
• diagnostic information;
• network information; and
• security logs.

We may use this information to:

• operate the Platform;
• diagnose errors;
• improve performance;
• prevent fraud;
• protect accounts;
• investigate abuse;
• understand how features are used; and
• maintain security.

15. INFORMATION FROM THIRD PARTIES

We may receive information from third parties when necessary to provide the Platform.

These may include:

• authentication providers;
• payment providers;
• identity-verification providers;
• mapping providers;
• cloud providers;
• analytics providers;
• fraud-prevention services; and
• other users.

For example, another user may include you in an Activity, report an interaction with you, review you, or send you a message.

Information received from third parties is handled according to this Privacy Policy and applicable law.

16. HOW WE USE INFORMATION

We may use information to provide, maintain, protect, and improve HikeUnity.

Provide HikeUnity

This may include:

• creating and maintaining accounts;
• authenticating users;
• providing profiles;
• recording and displaying routes;
• providing maps and location features;
• enabling Activities;
• enabling messaging;
• displaying reviews and ratings;
• providing identity verification;
• processing or facilitating payments; and
• providing customer support.

Personalize the Platform

We may use information about your stated preferences and Platform activity to help show relevant routes, Activities, users, or features.

Safety and Security

We may use information to:

• protect accounts;
• detect fraud;
• investigate abuse;
• investigate reports;
• prevent spam;
• enforce Platform rules;
• investigate safety incidents; and
• protect HikeUnity and its users.

Improve HikeUnity

We may analyze Platform usage to:

• identify errors;
• understand feature performance;
• improve design;
• improve route and Activity functionality; and
• develop new features.

Communications

We may use contact information to send:

• account notices;
• security alerts;
• Activity-related communications;
• transaction information;
• support responses;
• policy updates; and
• other service communications.

Where permitted, we may also send optional promotional communications.

You may opt out of promotional email communications using the unsubscribe mechanism provided in the message.

You may continue to receive necessary transactional, account, security, or legal communications.

Legal Compliance

We may use information to comply with legal obligations, respond to lawful requests, maintain records, establish or defend legal claims, and enforce our agreements.

17. HOW WE SHARE INFORMATION

We do not sell personal information simply because a user creates a HikeUnity account.

We may share information in the circumstances described below.

17.1 With Other Users

Information you choose to make public or share through HikeUnity may be visible to other users.

This may include:

• profile information;
• photographs;
• public routes;
• Activity information;
• reviews;
• ratings;
• Organizer information; and
• other information you choose to share.

Information shared in an Activity may be visible to other Participants where reasonably necessary for the Activity.

17.2 Service Providers

We may provide information to companies that perform services on our behalf or provide infrastructure necessary for HikeUnity.

These may include providers of:

• cloud hosting;
• databases;
• mapping;
• authentication;
• email;
• messaging;
• analytics;
• crash reporting;
• customer support;
• payment processing;
• identity verification;
• security; and
• fraud prevention.

We expect service providers handling personal information on our behalf to protect that information appropriately and use it for authorized purposes.

17.3 Payment and Identity Providers

If you use payment or identity-verification features, information may be shared with the provider necessary to perform the requested service.

Those providers may also process certain information under their own privacy policies and legal obligations.

17.4 Legal and Safety Reasons

We may preserve or disclose information where we reasonably believe disclosure is necessary to:

• comply with law;
• respond to valid legal process;
• protect the rights or safety of a person;
• investigate fraud;
• investigate serious abuse or safety incidents;
• enforce HikeUnity policies;
• protect Platform security; or
• respond to an emergency where disclosure is legally permitted.

17.5 Business Transfers

If HikeUnity participates in a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, sale of assets, or similar business transaction, information may be transferred as part of that transaction subject to applicable law.

18. WE DO NOT SELL PRECISE GPS HISTORY

HikeUnity does not sell or license a user's precise GPS route history or precise real-time location to data brokers.

If HikeUnity ever materially changes how precise location information is used or shared, we will provide any notice and obtain any consent required by applicable law before applying that materially different use to information where such consent is required.

19. ADVERTISING AND TRACKING

HikeUnity may use analytics technologies to understand Platform performance and usage.

HikeUnity will not use third-party tracking for targeted advertising in circumstances requiring consent without first obtaining the required consent.

If HikeUnity introduces advertising technologies that track activity across apps or websites owned by other companies, HikeUnity will implement applicable consent mechanisms, including Apple's App Tracking Transparency framework where required.

Users may also have privacy controls available through their device or browser.

20. COOKIES AND WEBSITE TECHNOLOGIES

The HikeUnity website may use cookies and similar technologies.

Cookies are small pieces of information stored by a browser or device.

They may be used for purposes such as:

• authentication;
• remembering preferences;
• security;
• maintaining sessions;
• website functionality;
• measuring website performance; and
• analytics.

Where required by applicable law, HikeUnity will request consent before using non-essential cookies.

Additional information is provided in the HikeUnity Cookie Policy.

21. DATA RETENTION

HikeUnity retains personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to provide the Platform, protect users, maintain security, satisfy legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce agreements.

Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information.

Account Information

Generally retained while your account remains active and deleted or de-identified after account deletion when no longer reasonably necessary.

User Content

Generally retained while your account or content remains active.

When you delete your account, User Content associated with your account will be deleted or de-identified where reasonably possible, subject to legal, safety, technical, and other permitted retention exceptions.

Messages

Messages may remain for a limited period after account deletion where necessary for other users' conversation history, safety investigations, abuse prevention, legal requirements, or technical backup processes.

Where appropriate, the deleted user's identity may be removed or de-identified.

Transaction Records

Payment, accounting, tax, refund, chargeback, and transaction records may be retained for periods required by financial, tax, accounting, fraud-prevention, or other applicable laws.

Safety and Enforcement Records

Limited information may be retained after account deletion where reasonably necessary to prevent fraud, repeated abuse, evasion of bans, or serious safety threats.

Backups

Information may remain temporarily in protected backup systems after deletion and will be removed or overwritten according to backup-retention procedures unless continued retention is legally required.

22. ACCOUNT DELETION

You may initiate deletion of your HikeUnity account from within the HikeUnity application using the available Delete Account option.

Deleting an account is intended to delete the account rather than merely hide or deactivate it.

Following a valid deletion request, HikeUnity will delete or de-identify personal information associated with your account when it is no longer reasonably necessary, subject to the retention exceptions described in this Privacy Policy and applicable law.

Some information may be retained where required or permitted for:

• financial records;
• taxes;
• payment disputes;
• chargebacks;
• fraud prevention;
• security;
• legal claims;
• regulatory requirements; or
• serious safety and abuse prevention.

You may also contact:

info@hikeunity.com

with privacy or deletion questions.

23. LOCATION PERMISSION AND WITHDRAWAL

You control HikeUnity's access to device location through your device settings.

You may revoke location permission at any time.

If you revoke permission, HikeUnity will stop obtaining location information through permissions that have been withdrawn, but previously recorded routes or location information will not automatically disappear solely because device permission was disabled.

You may delete applicable content or your account using available HikeUnity controls.

Certain location-dependent features may not function without location permission.

24. CAMERA AND PHOTO ACCESS

HikeUnity may request camera or photo-library access when you choose to:

• upload a profile image;
• add photographs to routes or Activities;
• create User Content;
• scan or photograph identification for an enabled verification feature; or
• use another feature requiring camera access.

HikeUnity will request device permission where required.

Denying access may prevent the corresponding feature from functioning but should not prevent access to unrelated Platform functionality.

25. NOTIFICATIONS

With your permission, HikeUnity may send push notifications concerning:

• messages;
• Activities;
• route or Activity updates;
• safety or account notices;
• transaction information; and
• other Platform activity.

You may manage notification permissions through your device settings and, where available, HikeUnity settings.

Some important service or legal notices may still be sent by email or displayed in the Platform.

26. SECURITY

HikeUnity uses reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures designed to protect personal information.

Depending on the information and system involved, safeguards may include:

• access controls;
• authentication;
• encryption in transit;
• encryption or protected storage where appropriate;
• restricted administrative access;
• monitoring;
• backups;
• security updates; and
• service-provider security requirements.

No internet service or storage system can guarantee absolute security.

Users are responsible for maintaining the security of their own login credentials.

If you believe your account or information has been compromised, contact:

info@hikeunity.com

27. DATA BREACHES

If HikeUnity becomes aware of a security incident involving personal information, we will investigate and take reasonable steps appropriate to the circumstances.

Where applicable law requires notification to affected users, regulators, or other authorities, HikeUnity will provide such notification as required.

28. CHILDREN

HikeUnity is intended for users who are at least 18 years old.

HikeUnity does not knowingly permit children under 18 to create standard HikeUnity accounts under the current version of the Platform.

If we learn that an underage person has created an account contrary to our rules, we may suspend or delete the account and associated information, subject to applicable legal requirements.

If you believe an underage person is using HikeUnity in violation of this policy, contact:

info@hikeunity.com

29. YOUR PRIVACY CHOICES AND RIGHTS

Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have rights concerning personal information.

These may include rights to:

• request access to personal information;
• request correction;
• request deletion;
• obtain information about processing;
• withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;
• object to certain processing;
• request restriction of certain processing;
• request portability where applicable;
• opt out of certain sales, sharing, or targeted advertising where applicable; and
• appeal certain privacy decisions where required by law.

The availability and scope of these rights depend on applicable law.

To submit a privacy request, contact:

info@hikeunity.com

We may need to verify your identity before completing certain requests.

We will not unlawfully discriminate against you for exercising applicable privacy rights.

30. UNITED STATES PRIVACY RIGHTS

Residents of certain U.S. states may have additional privacy rights under applicable state law.

Depending on the law and whether it applies to HikeUnity, these rights may include access, correction, deletion, portability, and the ability to opt out of certain sales, sharing, profiling, or targeted advertising.

HikeUnity will honor applicable rights where legally required.

Because privacy laws and applicability thresholds change over time, HikeUnity may update this Policy and its privacy-request procedures as the Platform grows.

31. CALIFORNIA USERS

California residents may have rights under California privacy laws where those laws apply to HikeUnity.

HikeUnity does not sell users' precise GPS location information to data brokers.

If HikeUnity engages in activity that constitutes “selling” or “sharing” personal information under applicable California law, HikeUnity will provide legally required notices and opt-out mechanisms.

California users may contact:

info@hikeunity.com

regarding applicable privacy rights.

32. USERS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

HikeUnity may be accessible internationally.

If you access HikeUnity from outside the United States, your information may be processed in the United States or other countries where HikeUnity or its service providers operate.

Those countries may have data-protection laws different from the laws where you live.

Where required, HikeUnity will use appropriate legal mechanisms for international transfers of personal information.

Users in jurisdictions such as the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, or other regions may have additional rights under applicable privacy law.

33. LEGAL BASES FOR PROCESSING WHERE REQUIRED

Where applicable law requires HikeUnity to identify a legal basis for processing personal information, HikeUnity may rely on the following bases.

Contract

Processing necessary to provide the HikeUnity service you request.

Examples include maintaining your account, displaying your profile according to your choices, recording a requested hike, providing messaging, and processing an Activity booking.

Consent

Processing based on your permission.

Examples may include device location access, certain identity-verification processes, marketing communications, or non-essential cookies where consent is required.

Legitimate Interests

Processing reasonably necessary for legitimate interests such as:

• Platform security;
• fraud prevention;
• service improvement;
• abuse prevention;
• enforcing Platform rules; and
• protecting users,

provided those interests are not overridden by applicable rights where the law requires such balancing.

Legal Obligations

Processing necessary to comply with law, court orders, tax obligations, financial rules, or other legal requirements.

Vital Interests

In limited circumstances, information may be processed where necessary to protect someone's life or physical safety and applicable law permits such processing.

34. AUTOMATED SYSTEMS AND FRAUD PREVENTION

HikeUnity or its service providers may use automated systems to detect:

• suspicious logins;
• payment fraud;
• fake accounts;
• spam;
• manipulated identity documents;
• abusive behavior;
• security threats; and
• other Platform misuse.

Automated signals may result in additional review, verification requests, temporary restrictions, or other protective measures.

Where applicable law provides rights concerning decisions based solely on automated processing that produce significant legal or similar effects, HikeUnity will provide those rights as required.

35. THIRD-PARTY LINKS AND SERVICES

HikeUnity may contain links to websites, services, social media profiles, maps, booking services, payment services, or other resources operated by third parties.

HikeUnity does not control the privacy practices of independent third parties.

You should review their privacy policies before providing information to them.

36. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We may update this Privacy Policy as HikeUnity changes.

When changes are material, we may notify users through:

• the Platform;
• email;
• an in-app notice; or
• another appropriate method.

The Last Updated date at the top will identify the latest version.

Where applicable law requires consent to a materially different use of personal information, HikeUnity will obtain that consent.

37. CONTACT US

Questions, privacy requests, deletion questions, or concerns about this Privacy Policy may be sent to:

HikeUnity

Operator: Mariia Mongolina

Email: info@hikeunity.com

You may also use privacy, reporting, or account controls available within the HikeUnity Platform.

END OF PRIVACY POLICY