Privacy Policy
Last updated: 10 October 2026
Who we are
Frenlocal helps people find others nearby who share the same interests and meet up in person. This policy explains what personal data we collect, why, and the choices you have.
Frenlocal is operated by Hometec Marketing (SSM registration no. 202103100209), GG5, Connaught Avenue, No. 38, Jalan 9, Taman Bukit Cheras, 56000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ("Frenlocal", "we", "us"). We are the data user (data controller) of your personal data under Malaysia's Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA), as amended in 2024.
This policy covers the Frenlocal website (www.frenlocal.com) and the Frenlocal mobile apps. By creating an account you agree to this policy and our Terms of Use.
What we collect
We collect only what we need to run a local, meet-in-person community.
| Type | Examples | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Account | Name, mobile number, email, password (stored encrypted), language | You, at sign-up |
| Profile | Gender, date of birth, religion, interests, short bio | You; gender, age and religion are optional to show |
| Location | Your current city, approximate distance to others, event location pins | Your device, with your permission |
| Age verification | Result of the ID check for 18+ and 21+ sections; a copy of your ID only while the check runs | You and our verification provider |
| Activity | Events you join, host, attend or save; check-ins; ratings and comments; friends; blocks | Your use of Frenlocal |
| Messages | Text messages with friends, group announcements | You and other members |
| Reports | Reports you make or that are made about you | Members and our moderators |
| Business and payments | Business name, ads, ad results; payment status (card numbers are handled by the payment provider, not us) | Business members and the payment provider |
| Device and usage | Device type, app version, crash logs, notification token, IP address | Your device |
Sensitive personal data. Religion is sensitive personal data under the PDPA. We collect it only if you choose to, and show it only if you switch it on. ID documents and any biometric data used in age checks are also sensitive, and we use them only for that check.
How we use it
We use your data to match you with people and events near you, and to keep the community safe.
Run your account: sign-up, login, verifying your phone, remembering your login ID if you choose.
Local matching: showing people and events in your city that fit your interests, gender, age and religion filters.
Events: joining, waiting lists, check-ins, reminders, results, ratings and comments.
Reliability ranking: members who join and actually attend rank higher. We use your join and attendance record for this.
Messages and notifications: delivering friend messages, group announcements and event reminders.
Safety: age checks, reviewing reports, screening custom interests, comments and ads, blocking misuse and fraud.
Advertising: showing ads that cover your area and, where a business asks, your interests. Ads never use your messages.
Improving Frenlocal: fixing bugs and understanding which features help, using combined, non-identifying statistics where we can.
Legal duties: answering lawful requests and keeping records the law requires.
We do not sell your personal data.
Location and local-only search
Frenlocal uses your location only to work out which city you are in, so search shows people and events there and nowhere else.
Your exact position is never shown. Other members see your city, your area name and an approximate distance (for example "2.2 km"), never a map point.
Search follows you. If you travel, results switch to the city you are in. You cannot search other cities or countries.
Event pins are public to members. A location pin you add to an event you host is shown so people can find the venue. Use the venue's address, not your home.
You control it. You can turn off location access in your phone or browser settings. Frenlocal will then ask you to choose your city and may not work fully.
What other members can see
Other members in your city see your public profile; you choose how much it shows.
| Item | Who can see it |
|---|---|
| Name, interests, bio, area, distance, reliability (attended vs joined) | Members in your city |
| Gender, age, religion | Only if you switch each one on; people can filter only by what you show |
| Events you host, and their location pin | Members in your city (18+/21+ events: verified members only) |
| Organiser contact details on an event | Only members who join that event |
| Your ratings and comments on events | Members who can see that event, with your name |
| Messages | Only you and the friend you are chatting with |
| Your blocked list and reports | Only you (and our moderators for reports) |
Blocked members cannot find you, message you, send friend requests or join your events. They are not told they were blocked.
Who we share it with
We share personal data only with the parties below, and only what each needs.
Service providers that run Frenlocal for us: cloud hosting, SMS and email delivery, push notifications (Apple, Google), age-verification, payments, crash reporting. They act on our instructions and must protect your data.
Businesses that advertise: they receive only combined numbers (views, unique viewers, likes, follows, taps). They do not receive your name or contact details. If you follow a business, it may see its total follower count, not who you are.
Event organisers: see the names of members who join, wait for or attend their events.
Authorities: when the law requires it, for example a valid request from the police or the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), or to protect someone from serious harm.
A new owner: if Frenlocal is merged or sold, your data may pass to the new operator under this policy. We will tell you first.
Transfers outside Malaysia
Some providers may store or process data outside Malaysia, for example cloud servers in Singapore. Since 1 April 2025 the PDPA allows this when the destination has laws substantially similar to the PDPA or ensures an adequate level of protection (DFDL). We transfer data only on that basis, or with your consent, and require providers to protect it.
How long we keep it
We keep personal data only as long as we need it, then delete or anonymise it.
| Data | How long |
|---|---|
| Account and profile | While your account is open; deleted within 30 days after you close it |
| ID document copies used for age checks | Deleted as soon as the check is done; we keep only the result (verified or not) |
| Messages | While both accounts are open, or until deleted |
| Events, ratings and comments | While the event is shown; comments deleted with your account |
| Reports and safety records | Up to 2 years after the case closes, longer if needed for a legal claim |
| Payment and ad records | 7 years, as required for tax and accounting |
| Device and crash logs | Up to 90 days |
Your rights
Under the PDPA you can ask us to do the following. Most can be done in the app; for the rest, email frenlocal@gmail.com.
Access: get a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Correct: fix data that is wrong or out of date. You can edit most of your profile yourself.
Portability: receive your data in a common machine-readable format, or have it sent to another service where technically possible (a right added in 2025).
Withdraw consent: for example turn off location, hide gender, age or religion, or switch off notifications. Some features may then stop working.
Stop direct marketing: we only send marketing if you agree, and you can opt out at any time.
Close your account: in Profile. We then delete your data as set out above.
We reply within 21 days, as the PDPA requires for access and correction requests. We may need to confirm your identity first. Access requests are free.
If you are unhappy with our answer, you can complain to the Personal Data Protection Commissioner.
Security and data breaches
We protect your data with encryption in transit (HTTPS), encrypted passwords, limited staff access and regular security checks. No system is perfectly secure, so please use a strong password and never share your login code.
If a data breach happens, we will notify the Personal Data Protection Commissioner, and we will tell you if it is likely to cause you significant harm, as the PDPA has required since 1 June 2025 (DFDL). We will do this within the time the Commissioner's guidelines set.
Age limits and ID checks
You must be 16 or older to create a Frenlocal account. This follows Malaysia's Child Protection Code under the Online Safety Act 2025, which since 1 June 2026 bars under-16s from opening accounts on large social media services (Malay Mail).
| Section | Minimum age | How we check |
|---|---|---|
| Frenlocal | 16 | Date of birth at sign-up; we close accounts we find belong to under-16s |
| Dating | 18 | ID check before the section unlocks |
| Nightlife (drinks, parties, night out) | 21 | ID check before the section unlocks |
For members aged 16 and 17, we use the strictest privacy settings by default, and adults they are not friends with cannot message them.
ID checks compare your MyKad or passport with you, through our verification provider. We use the ID only for that check, then delete the copy and keep only the result. If you think a child is using Frenlocal, report the profile or email frenlocal@gmail.com.
Advertising and business accounts
Ads are matched to where you are now (your city, state or the whole country, as the advertiser chose) and sometimes to the interests on your profile. Ads from businesses you follow are shown to you until you unfollow.
Advertisers never get your identity, messages or exact location; they see combined results only.
Every ad is labelled "Sponsored" and reviewed before it runs.
If you have a business account, we process your business details, ad content and results, and the payment status from our payment provider. Card details stay with the payment provider.
Cookies and on-device storage
The website and apps store a few items on your device to work: your language, your login (if you choose "remember me"), your filter choices and saved drafts. We do not use third-party advertising cookies or sell browsing data.
Changes and contact
We will post any change to this policy here with a new date, and tell you in the app before an important change takes effect.
Data Protection Officer: Hometec Marketing, GG5, Connaught Avenue, No. 38, Jalan 9, Taman Bukit Cheras, 56000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, email frenlocal@gmail.com. Malaysian law has required organisations to appoint a DPO since 1 June 2025.
General privacy questions: frenlocal@gmail.com