B.E Guardian Privacy Policy
Who we are
Cross Cultural Exchange LLC, doing business as Black Brazil Exchange ("BBE," "we," "our") operates the B.E Guardian mobile app. We operate from Rio de Janeiro and are registered in Georgia, United States. Our website is blackbrazilexchange.com.
What data we collect and why
1. Location (GPS)
What: Your device's GPS coordinates while the app is open (when in use, not background).
Why: Three things use your location:
- The safety map shows your position relative to Rio neighborhoods so you know where you are standing.
- The Find Me feature lets you share a pin with the BBE crew or a trusted contact with one tap.
- The SOS feature sends your coordinates to the on the ground BBE crew so they know exactly where to reach you.
How long: Location coordinates are not stored on our servers. The SOS sends a one time coordinate at the moment you tap the button. The map processes your position locally on your device. We do not log a history of your movements.
Sharing: We do not sell your location. We do not share it with advertisers or data brokers. When you tap SOS, your coordinates are sent to the BBE crew in Rio so they can respond. That is the only third party transmission, and it only happens when you trigger it.
Permission: iOS will ask for "Allow While Using App" permission. We request this permission only for the safety functions described above. If you deny location permission, the map will still show Rio neighborhoods but will not show your position.
2. Email address
What: The email address you provide when you sign in.
Why: We use magic link sign in. You enter your email, we send you a link, and you are signed in. No password is stored. If you book a BBE trip, your email is used to pull your trip details (itinerary, crew contacts) into the app.
How long: Your email is retained for as long as your account is active. You can request deletion at any time by emailing bookings@blackbrazilexchange.com.
Sharing: We do not sell your email. We do not share it with advertisers. If you opted in during booking, we may send you trip related updates and BBE news. You can unsubscribe at any time.
3. Motion / accelerometer data (snatch detection)
What: Accelerometer readings from your device's motion sensor.
Why: The snatch detection feature monitors for a sudden, sharp movement pattern that matches a phone being grabbed. If the pattern is detected, the app alerts you.
How long: Motion data is processed entirely on your device in real time. It is never stored. It is never transmitted. It leaves your phone under no circumstances.
Sharing: None. This data never leaves your device.
Permission: iOS will ask for Motion & Fitness access. This is used only for the on device snatch detection logic. You can disable snatch detection in app settings at any time without affecting any other feature.
4. Data we do not collect
We do not collect:
- Browsing history
- Contacts
- Photos or camera access
- Microphone access
- Health or fitness data
- Precise background location (we use when in use only)
What we collect for bookings
When you book a trip or a product with us, we collect what the booking needs:
- Your name, email and phone number.
- Booking details, such as what you booked and the quote you approved.
- Traveler names and travel dates.
- Passport details, only when we book a flight for you. We use them for that booking only.
- Payment status. Payments run through Stripe: we see the amount and whether it went through, never your card number.
We do not sell this information. We share it only with the companies needed to make your booking: the airline, the host, the bus company, and the payment provider you choose.
Visits and the Ask BBE helper
We count visits with Google Analytics. It receives the pages you open and the booking, WhatsApp, phone, email and outside links you tap. It also receives how far you scroll on some pages, and when you book a call, tap through to our payment page, or open the page that confirms a deposit.
The Ask BBE helper on our FAQ and booking pages answers only with answers we wrote. When you ask it something, your question goes to Anthropic, an AI service, which picks the matching answer from our list. The reply you see is always our own words.
The helper also sends the first 100 characters of your question to Google Analytics, so we can see what people ask. Our own server does not keep your question. The helper keeps a list of up to 300 of your questions on your device; that list never leaves your device, and clearing your browser data removes it.
Services our pages load
Some of our pages load a part from another company as the page opens, before you tap anything. Each of these companies sees your IP address, basic details about your browser and that you came from our site, as with any website you visit.
- Google Fonts supplies the lettering on most of our pages.
- Cal.com runs the calendar on our booking page, where you book the free call.
- YouTube plays the videos on our guides page and our app page.
- Supabase shows which homes are open on our stays pages. It receives the dates and the number of guests you search for.
- The unpkg service supplies the icons on our private chef menu pages.
Other links, such as WhatsApp, Instagram, Stripe, Gumroad, the App Store and MZ Apartments, open only when you tap them. Nothing passes to those companies until you do.
How we store and protect your data
Account data (email, trip details) is stored via Supabase, a cloud database provider that uses encryption at rest and in transit. No card data is stored in the app. Card payments for trips and products run through Stripe. Our written guide and audiobook are sold through Gumroad. Lookout bookings inside B.E Guardian run through the app's payment provider. None of them keeps your card on our site or in the app.
Forms on our site, such as the free guide form and the question form on our stays pages, go to Netlify, the company that hosts our site and keeps the replies. When you ask for the free guide, we also add your email to our list at Mailchimp, which sends our emails. You can unsubscribe at any time.
We do not sell personal data. We do not use personal data for advertising. We do not share data with data brokers.
Your rights
You can:
- Request a copy of the data we hold about you.
- Request deletion of your account and associated data.
- Revoke location or motion permissions at any time in your iPhone Settings.
- Unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time.
To exercise any of these rights, email bookings@blackbrazilexchange.com.
Children
B.E Guardian is not intended for users under 13. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13.
Changes to this policy
If we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this document and notify users through the app or by email.
Contact
Questions about this privacy policy:
Cross Cultural Exchange LLC, doing business as Black Brazil Exchange (BBE)
Email: bookings@blackbrazilexchange.com
Website: blackbrazilexchange.com