Privacy Policy

Last updated: 31 August 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how BookMingle (“BookMingle”, “we”, “us” or “our”) collects, uses, stores and shares personal information when you use the BookMingle mobile application, website and related services.

BookMingle is currently operated personally rather than through a registered company. Privacy enquiries can be sent to team@bookmingle.co.uk.

1. Who can use BookMingle

BookMingle is intended for people aged 13 and over. Users under 13 must not create an account or use the service.

Important: BookMingle does not currently collect a user’s age or operate a technical age-verification system. We may remove an account if we reasonably believe that it belongs to a child under 13. Content posted to BookMingle may also be reviewed by the BookMingle team for moderation and safety purposes.

2. Information we collect

Account information

When you create an account, we may collect your name, email address, profile photo and authentication information. You can sign in using email and password, Google Sign-In or Sign in with Apple. Where you use Google or Apple, those providers may provide account information to us in accordance with the permissions shown during sign-in.

Location information

BookMingle uses location information to provide local book-sharing features. For location-based features, BookMingle stores latitude and longitude coordinates in Firebase, including coordinates associated with relevant user activity and locations selected for book posts or Groups. Your precise latitude and longitude are not shown to other BookMingle users. Other users are shown only an approximate location where needed to understand where a book, user or Group is based.

Books, posts and profile content

We store information you choose to publish or upload, including book listings, book images and details, social posts, stories, images, descriptions, profile information and other user-generated content.

Groups

If you use BookMingle Groups, we may store the Group name, description, image, privacy setting, latitude and longitude for the selected Group location, membership, invitation information, shared-library activity and Group Chat messages. Groups are identified in the app as private or public. Requests to join public Groups require approval by a Group administrator. Group invitation codes are available to the Group administrator and are not displayed publicly to other BookMingle users.

Messages and chats

One-to-one messages and Group Chat messages are stored using Firebase. These messages are not end-to-end encrypted. Authorised members of the BookMingle team can access messages where necessary to operate the service, investigate reports, moderate content, address safety issues or troubleshoot the service.

Technical, analytics and diagnostic information

The BookMingle app uses Firebase Analytics and Firebase Crashlytics. These services may collect information about app usage, device and app information, events, crashes and diagnostics. BookMingle also uses Firebase Cloud Messaging to deliver push notifications.

On the BookMingle website, Google Analytics/MonsterInsights and Burst Statistics may process website usage and analytics information. Cookie and similar-technology choices on the website are managed through the site’s consent tools where applicable.

Feedback and communications

If you contact us, respond to a feedback or review request, or otherwise communicate with BookMingle, we may process your email address and the content of that communication. We do not currently use app account information to send a general marketing newsletter.

3. Why we use personal information

We use personal information to create and secure accounts; provide local book discovery, borrowing and lending features; allow users to post and request books; provide social posts and messaging; create and operate Groups and shared libraries; send service and push notifications; maintain and improve BookMingle; understand app and website usage; diagnose crashes and technical problems; respond to enquiries; prevent misuse; investigate reports; moderate content; and protect users and the service.

4. Lawful bases

Depending on the activity, we may process personal information because it is necessary to provide the BookMingle service requested by you, because we have legitimate interests in operating, securing, improving and moderating the service, because you have given consent where consent is required, or because we need to comply with a legal obligation. Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it, although this does not affect processing that was lawful before withdrawal.

5. Who receives information

BookMingle uses third-party technology providers to operate the service. These include Google/Firebase services such as Firebase Authentication, Firestore, Firebase Storage, Cloud Functions, Firebase Analytics, Crashlytics and Firebase Cloud Messaging, as well as Google and Apple for optional third-party sign-in. Website analytics may involve Google Analytics/MonsterInsights and Burst Statistics.

We may also disclose information where required by law or where reasonably necessary to protect users, investigate abuse, enforce our Terms or protect the rights and safety of BookMingle or others.

We do not sell users’ personal information.

6. Information visible to other users

BookMingle is a community service. Depending on the feature and your choices, other users may see information such as your profile, profile photo, book listings, social posts, an approximate location associated with relevant book or Group features, Group membership and content you share in Groups or chats. Precise latitude and longitude coordinates stored by BookMingle are not displayed to other users. Public Group information may be discoverable by other users, while private Groups are intended for invited members.

7. Moderation, reports and blocking

Users can report users, messages, books or posts and can block other users. Reports are reviewed by the BookMingle team. The team may access relevant account information, messages or content to investigate a report and may remove content, restrict features, suspend or terminate accounts where appropriate.

8. How long we keep information

We keep personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to provide BookMingle and for legitimate operational, security, moderation, audit and analytical purposes. BookMingle does not currently have a defined retention period for every category of information.

When a user deletes their account, the user’s active account data and books are deleted from the active service. A copy of book records may be retained in an archive for storage, audit and analytics purposes. There is currently no defined retention period for that archive. BookMingle intends to review and formalise its retention schedule.

9. Account deletion and your choices

You can use the Delete Account option in the app to request deletion of your account. You may also contact team@bookmingle.co.uk about your information or privacy choices.

10. Your UK data-protection rights

Depending on the circumstances and our lawful basis for processing, you may have rights to request access to your personal information, correction of inaccurate information, deletion, restriction of processing, portability of certain information, and to object to certain processing. Where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw that consent.

You also have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you are concerned about how your personal information is handled.

11. International processing

Some technology providers used by BookMingle, including Google/Firebase and Apple, operate internationally. This means personal information may be processed outside the United Kingdom. Where UK data-protection law requires safeguards for an international transfer, the relevant provider and BookMingle must use an appropriate lawful transfer mechanism.

12. Security

We use technical and organisational measures intended to protect personal information. However, no online service can guarantee absolute security. In particular, BookMingle chat messages are stored in Firebase and are not end-to-end encrypted, so users should not use BookMingle messages to share passwords, financial information or other highly sensitive information.

13. Children and safety

BookMingle is intended for users aged 13 and over. BookMingle does not currently collect age or technically verify a user’s age. Because BookMingle includes messaging, user-generated content, location-based discovery and real-world book exchanges, younger users should take particular care about the information they share and arrangements they make with other users. BookMingle provides safety guidance for arranging exchanges and moderates reported content, but it cannot guarantee the identity, age or conduct of every user.

14. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy as BookMingle changes. When changes are significant, we may provide additional notice through the app, website or other appropriate means.

15. Contact

For privacy questions or requests, contact team@bookmingle.co.uk.