Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

PinPals ("we," "us," "our," or "Company") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application ("App"), including any related services.

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our App.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

Account Registration: When you create an account, we collect:

• First and last name
• Email address
• Phone number
• Password (hashed and encrypted)
• Avatar preferences and customizations

Profile Information:

• Username
• Status updates and messages
• Biography or description
• Friends list

Content Creation:

• Pins and events you create
• Status updates and emojis
• Comments and reactions on pins
• RSVP responses to events

2.2 Location Data

• Proximity-Based: We process your location primarily to determine whether you're "nearby" friends, not to track your precise movements
• Opt-In Sharing: You must explicitly enable location sharing; it is not enabled by default
• Friend-Only Visibility: Your location is only visible to users you've accepted as friends
• Muting Control: You can mute individual friends to hide your location from them
• Disabling: You can disable all location sharing at any time
• Geolocation Services: We use device location services (GPS, Wi-Fi, cellular data) for location determination

2.3 Device Information

When you use PinPals, we automatically collect:

• Device type and model
• Operating system and version
• Device identifier (IDFA, GAID)
• Mobile network information
• Push notification token

2.4 Usage Data

We collect information about how you interact with the App:

• Features used and frequency
• Pages or content viewed
• Time spent in the App
• Crash and error reports

3. How We Use Your Information

3.1 Service Provision

• Create and maintain your account
• Process your requests and transactions
• Deliver core App features and services
• Facilitate friend connections and location sharing
• Send push notifications and updates

3.2 Safety and Security

• Detect and prevent fraud or security breaches
• Investigate violations of our Terms of Service
• Protect the safety of our users and platform
• Comply with legal obligations

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

4.1 What We Don't Share

4.2 Friend Visibility

If you enable location sharing, your approximate location is visible to:

• Friends who you've mutually connected with
• Users viewing pins you've created
• Users participating in the same events or pins

4.3 Service Providers

We may share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf:

• Cloud hosting providers (e.g., Supabase)
• Push notification services
• Analytics providers

4.4 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, including subpoena or court order, government or law enforcement requests, and compliance with applicable regulations.

5. Data Retention

• Account Data: Retained while your account is active; deleted upon request or after 12 months of inactivity
• Location Data: Stored for the previous 30 days; older data is deleted automatically
• Pins/Events: Retained until you delete them or 1 year after creation
• Support Records: Retained for 2 years for service quality and dispute resolution

6. Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data:

• Encryption of data in transit (SSL/TLS)
• Hashing and encryption of passwords
• Access controls and authentication protocols
• Regular security audits and testing

While we implement strong security measures, no system is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your data.

7. Your Privacy Rights

7.1 Access and Portability

You have the right to request a copy of your personal data in a portable, machine-readable format. Submit requests to [email protected].

7.2 Deletion Rights

You may request deletion of your account and associated data. Upon request, we will delete your account within 30 days.

7.3 Opt-Out Rights

You can opt out of:

• Location sharing (disable in settings)
• Push notifications (disable in settings)
• Marketing emails (unsubscribe link in emails)

7.4 Regulatory Rights

Depending on your location, you may have additional rights under applicable privacy laws (GDPR, CCPA, PIPEDA). Contact [email protected] with your request and jurisdiction.

8. Children's Privacy

PinPals is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13. If we learn we have collected data from a child under 13, we will delete it immediately.

9. Updates to Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. We will notify you of material changes via email or through the App. Your continued use of the App after updates constitutes acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.

10. Contact Us

For questions about this Privacy Policy or to exercise your privacy rights:

Email: [email protected]