🐱 NeighborCats Privacy Policy
Introduction
Welcome to NeighborCats ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and being transparent about the data we collect and how we use it.
This Privacy Policy explains how NeighborCats collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal information when you use our mobile application (the "App"). By using NeighborCats, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.
Information We Collect
1. Information You Provide
Nickname:
- When you create an account, you provide a nickname (3-20 characters)
- This nickname is publicly displayed with your cat photos
- Nicknames are stored in our Firebase Firestore database
Email Address (Optional):
- You may optionally provide an email address for account recovery purposes
- Email addresses are stored securely in Firebase Authentication
- We will never sell or share your email with third parties
Photos You Upload:
- Cat photos you capture or select from your device gallery
- Photos are publicly visible to all NeighborCats users
- Photos are stored in Firebase Cloud Storage (Google Cloud Platform)
Tags and Descriptions:
- Text tags you add to your cat photos (preset and custom tags)
- These are publicly visible with your photos
2. Information We Automatically Collect
Location Data:
- GPS coordinates are captured when you take or upload a cat photo
- Location data is stored as latitude/longitude coordinates in our database
- Location data is publicly displayed on the map with your photo marker
- We do NOT track your location continuously - only when you actively upload a photo
- You can deny location permissions, but this will prevent you from uploading photos
Device Information:
- Device type (iOS or Android)
- Operating system version
- App version
- Unique device identifier (for Firebase Authentication)
Usage Data:
- Photos you view
- Ratings you give to photos ("great cat" or "best cat")
- Photos you report for inappropriate content
- App crashes and performance data (via Expo and Firebase Analytics)
EXIF Metadata:
- IMPORTANT: We automatically strip EXIF metadata from all uploaded photos
- This protects your privacy by removing camera model, GPS data embedded in images, and other metadata
- Only the location you explicitly provide when uploading is stored
How We Use Your Information
Core App Functionality
- Display your cat photos on the interactive map
- Show your nickname with your photos
- Allow other users to view and rate your photos
- Enable you to browse and rate photos from other users
- Calculate and display rating counts (great cat / best cat)
App Improvement
- Analyze usage patterns to improve app performance
- Identify and fix bugs
- Understand which features are most popular
- Test new features with a subset of users
Content Moderation
- Review reported photos for inappropriate content
- Remove photos that violate our Terms of Service
- Prevent spam and abuse
Communications
- Send you account-related notifications (if you provide an email)
- Respond to your support requests or feedback
- Notify you of Terms of Service or Privacy Policy changes
Data Storage and Security
Where Your Data is Stored
- Firebase Firestore: User profiles, photo metadata, ratings, reports
- Firebase Cloud Storage: Photo files and thumbnails
- Firebase Authentication: User credentials and authentication tokens
- Geographic Location: Data is stored on Google Cloud Platform servers in us-central1 (United States)
How We Protect Your Data
- All data transmissions use HTTPS encryption (TLS 1.2 or higher)
- Firebase Authentication uses industry-standard security practices
- Firebase Security Rules restrict unauthorized access to user data
- Users can only delete their own photos
- Photo files are stored with randomized filenames (not linked to personal info)
- EXIF metadata is stripped from all photos before upload
- We implement rate limiting to prevent abuse (10 photo uploads per hour per user)
Data Retention
- User accounts and photos are retained indefinitely unless you request deletion
- Deleted photos are permanently removed from Firebase Storage within 24 hours
- Deleted user accounts are permanently removed within 30 days
- Analytics data is aggregated and anonymized after 90 days
Data Sharing and Third Parties
Public Information
The following information is publicly visible to all NeighborCats users:
- Your nickname
- All photos you upload
- Location coordinates of your photos (displayed as map markers)
- Tags you add to photos
- Photo rating counts
Third-Party Services
We use the following third-party services that may collect data:
Firebase (Google LLC):
Google Maps API:
Expo (React Native Framework):
Data Sharing
We DO NOT sell your personal information to third parties.
We may share data only in the following limited circumstances:
- With your consent: When you explicitly agree to share data
- For legal reasons: If required by law, court order, or government request
- To prevent harm: To protect the safety of users or the public
- Business transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets (users will be notified)
Your Rights and Choices
Access Your Data
You can view all your uploaded photos in the "Profile" tab of the app.
Delete Your Photos
- Open any photo you uploaded
- Tap the "Delete" button
- Photos are permanently deleted from our servers within 24 hours
Delete Your Account
To permanently delete your account and all associated data:
- Email us at gregorn@gmail.com
- Include your nickname and device type
- We will delete your account within 30 days
- All your photos, ratings, and user data will be permanently removed
Opt-Out of Analytics
You can disable app analytics in your device settings:
- iOS: Settings > Privacy > Analytics & Improvements > Share iPhone Analytics (disable)
- Android: Settings > Google > Ads > Opt out of Ads Personalization (enable)
Manage Location Permissions
You can revoke location permissions in your device settings:
- iOS: Settings > NeighborCats > Location > Never
- Android: Settings > Apps > NeighborCats > Permissions > Location (deny)
Note: Denying location permissions will prevent you from uploading photos, as location is required for the map feature.
Children's Privacy
NeighborCats is not intended for children under the age of 13 (or 16 in the European Economic Area). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under these ages.
If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at gregorn@gmail.com, and we will delete the information immediately.
International Users and Data Transfers
NeighborCats is operated in Canada. Your data may be transferred to and stored on servers located in the United States (Google Cloud Platform).
By using NeighborCats, you consent to the transfer of your information to countries outside of your country of residence, which may have different data protection laws.
For Users in the European Economic Area (EEA):
- Google Cloud Platform complies with the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework
- You have the right to access, correct, delete, or export your data
- You can file a complaint with your local data protection authority
For Users in California (CCPA):
- You have the right to know what personal information we collect
- You have the right to request deletion of your data
- You have the right to opt-out of the "sale" of personal information (we do not sell data)
- Contact us at gregorn@gmail.com to exercise these rights
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
- For material changes, we will notify you via email (if provided) or in-app notification
- Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the new policy
You can always view the current Privacy Policy at this URL or in the app settings.
Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us:
Email: gregorn@gmail.com
Mailing Address:
Landerwick Trading Company LTD
2065 Triumph
Vancouver, BC V5L1K7
Canada
Response Time: We aim to respond to all privacy inquiries within 5 business days.
Consent
By using NeighborCats, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and agree to its terms.
Additional Resources