Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Placepals ("we", "us", or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our Placepals mobile application ("Service").

We believe in being transparent about our data practices and giving you control over your personal information. This policy covers all information we collect through our Service and describes your privacy rights and how the law protects you.

By using our Service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

2. Information We Collect

We collect several types of information from and about users of our Service:

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

• Account information (email address, display name, username)
• Profile information (bio, location, profile photo)
• Authentication data (when using Apple Sign-In)

CONTENT INFORMATION:

• Photos and images you upload
• Memory descriptions and captions
• Map titles and descriptions
• Comments and messages

TECHNICAL INFORMATION:

• Device information (device type, operating system, unique device identifiers)
• Usage data (features used, time spent in app, crash reports)
• Location data (when you choose to add location to memories)
• Network information (IP address, connection type)

METADATA:

• Photo metadata (date taken, camera settings, GPS coordinates if enabled)
• File information (size, format, upload timestamp)

3. Photo Storage and Supabase

Your photos and memories are stored securely using Supabase cloud infrastructure. Here's what you need to know:

STORAGE LOCATION:

• Photos are stored on Supabase's secure cloud servers
• Supabase uses industry-standard encryption and security measures
• Data may be stored in multiple geographic locations for redundancy

PHOTO HANDLING:

• Photos are encrypted during transmission and storage
• We generate unique identifiers for each photo
• Thumbnails and optimized versions may be created for performance
• Original photo metadata may be preserved or modified for privacy

ACCESS AND CONTROL:

• You maintain ownership of all your photos
• You can download your photos at any time through the app
• When you delete photos, they are permanently removed from our servers
• Cached copies may remain for up to 30 days for technical reasons

SUPABASE PARTNERSHIP:

• We use Supabase as our cloud storage and database provider
• Supabase maintains SOC 2 Type II certification
• Data processing agreements ensure your data is protected
• Supabase may have access to encrypted data for infrastructure maintenance

4. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

SERVICE PROVISION:

• Providing and maintaining our Service
• Creating and managing your account
• Displaying your photos and memories on maps
• Enabling collaboration with friends and family
• Synchronizing data across your devices

COMMUNICATION:

• Sending you service-related notifications
• Responding to your requests and providing support
• Notifying you of changes to our Service or policies

IMPROVEMENT AND ANALYTICS:

• Understanding how users interact with our Service
• Improving existing features and developing new ones
• Analyzing usage patterns and performance
• Fixing bugs and technical issues

LEGAL AND SAFETY:

• Complying with legal obligations
• Protecting against fraud and abuse
• Enforcing our Terms of Service
• Protecting the rights and safety of our users

We do not sell your personal information to third parties or use it for advertising purposes.

5. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We may share your information in the following situations:

WITH YOUR CONSENT:

• When you explicitly choose to share memories with friends
• When you collaborate on shared maps
• When you make your profile public

SERVICE PROVIDERS:

• Supabase (for cloud storage and database services)
• Apple (for authentication and app distribution)
• Analytics providers (for app performance and crash reporting)

LEGAL REQUIREMENTS:

• When required by law, regulation, or court order
• To protect our rights, property, or safety
• To protect the rights, property, or safety of our users
• In connection with legal proceedings

BUSINESS TRANSFERS:

• In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets
• Users will be notified of any change in ownership

We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer your personal information to outside parties without your consent, except as described in this policy.

6. Data Retention and Deletion

We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide our Service:

ACCOUNT DATA:

• Retained while your account is active
• Deleted within 180 days after account deletion
• Some data may be retained longer for legal compliance

PHOTOS AND MEMORIES:

• Stored until you delete them through the app
• Permanently deleted when you choose to remove them
• Shared content may remain accessible to collaborators
• Markers you created on other users' maps will remain after account deletion
• Your name may still appear as the creator of those markers

TECHNICAL DATA:

• Usage analytics retained for up to 2 years
• Crash reports and logs retained for up to 1 year
• Anonymized data may be retained indefinitely for product improvement

YOUR DELETION RIGHTS:

• Delete individual photos and memories at any time
• Delete your entire account through app settings
• Request complete data deletion by contacting us
• Download your data before deletion

When you delete content, it is permanently removed from our active servers. However, backup copies may exist for up to 30 days, and some information may remain in our databases for legal or technical reasons.

7. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your information:

ENCRYPTION:

• Data encrypted in transit using TLS/SSL
• Photos encrypted at rest on Supabase servers
• Secure authentication protocols

ACCESS CONTROLS:

• Limited employee access to personal data
• Multi-factor authentication for administrative access
• Regular security audits and monitoring

INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY:

• Supabase provides enterprise-grade security
• Regular security updates and patches
• Backup and disaster recovery procedures

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER:

No method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. By using our Service, you acknowledge and accept these inherent risks.

We are not responsible for unauthorized access to your content by third parties due to security breaches, hacking, or other circumstances beyond our reasonable control.

8. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

ACCESS:

• Request a copy of your personal data
• Download your photos and memories through the app
• View your account information and settings

CORRECTION:

• Update your profile information
• Correct inaccurate personal data
• Modify memory descriptions and captions

DELETION:

• Delete individual photos and memories
• Delete your entire account
• Request complete erasure of your data

PORTABILITY:

• Download your data in a machine-readable format
• Transfer your data to another service

OBJECTION:

• Object to certain processing of your data
• Opt out of non-essential data collection

CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS:

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), you have additional rights including the right to know what personal information we collect and how it's used.

EUROPEAN RESIDENTS:

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you have enhanced rights including the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information provided in this policy.

9. Third-Party Services

Our Service integrates with several third-party services:

SUPABASE:

• Cloud storage and database provider
• Processes data according to their privacy policy
• Maintains SOC 2 Type II certification
• Data processing agreement in place

APPLE SERVICES:

• Sign in with Apple for authentication
• App Store for distribution and updates
• CloudKit for app data synchronization (if used)

MAPKIT:

• Provides mapping and location services
• Subject to Apple's privacy policy
• Location data processed locally when possible

ANALYTICS PROVIDERS:

• Crash reporting and performance monitoring
• Data anonymized and aggregated
• Used solely for improving our Service

These third-party services have their own privacy policies. We encourage you to review their policies to understand how they handle your information. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties.

10. Children's Privacy

Our Service is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13, in compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

AGE VERIFICATION:

During account creation, all users must certify that they are 13 years of age or older. Users who cannot provide this certification will be unable to create an account or access our services.

PARENTAL RIGHTS:

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately. We will take steps to remove such information from our files and terminate the account.

TEEN USERS (13-18):

For users between 13 and 18, we recommend parental supervision and guidance when using social features of our Service.

11. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own. These countries may have different data protection laws than your jurisdiction.

When we transfer your information internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including:

• Data processing agreements with service providers
• Adherence to recognized international frameworks
• Implementation of appropriate technical and organizational measures

By using our Service, you consent to the transfer of your information to countries outside of your residence.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make changes, we will:

• Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy
• Notify you through the app or by email for material changes
• Post the new policy on our website (if applicable)
• Provide a summary of key changes when significant

Your continued use of our Service after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to the changes, you should stop using our Service and may delete your account.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Email: support@placepals.app
Subject Line: Privacy Policy Inquiry

For data subject rights requests (access, deletion, etc.), please include:

• Your full name and email address associated with your account
• A clear description of your request
• Any relevant details to help us locate your information

We will respond to your inquiry within 30 days. For complex requests, we may need additional time and will keep you informed of our progress.

For general support or technical issues, please use the support features within the app or visit our Support page.