WoofWalk Privacy Policy

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

Personal Information

• Account Information: Email address, username, profile photo
• Dog Profiles: Dog name, breed, age, photos, temperament information
• Contact Information: For reporting lost dogs (optional phone number)

Location Data

• Precise Location: We collect your GPS location when you use walk tracking, view the map, or navigate to locations
• Background Location: When you start a walk, we track your location in the background to record your walk route
• Saved Locations: Car parking location, favorite places you save

Photos and Camera

• Camera Access: To take photos of places, waste bins, or your dog profile
• Photo Library: To select existing photos for profiles or place submissions
• User-Generated Content: Photos you upload to places, profiles, or events

Usage Data

• Walk History: Routes, distance, duration, and timestamps of your walks
• App Activity: Places you visit, markers you add, searches you perform
• Device Information: Device type, operating system version, app version
• Analytics: App performance, crashes, and usage patterns (via Firebase Analytics)

Social Features

• Interactions: Friend requests, messages, event attendees, comments, and votes on places
• Community Contributions: Places you add, lost dog reports, reviews

• Provide Services: Track walks, display nearby places, navigate routes, save locations
• Social Features: Connect you with friends, organize dog walking events, enable messaging
• Community Features: Display user-submitted places, waste bins, and dog parks on the map
• Safety: Alert nearby users about lost dogs, provide information about nervous dogs
• Improvements: Analyze app usage to improve features and fix bugs
• Notifications: Send push notifications about events, friend requests, and lost dog alerts
• Rewards: Calculate paw points and badges based on your walking activity

Public Information

The following information is visible to other WoofWalk users:

• Your username and profile photo
• Places, waste bins, and markers you add to the map
• Your dog's profile (if you choose to make it public during walks)
• Events you create or attend
• Comments and ratings on community places

Friends and Social

• Friends can see your walk statistics and dog profiles
• Event attendees can see other participants
• Chat messages are only visible to conversation participants

Service Providers

We use third-party services to operate our app:

• Firebase (Google): Authentication, database, storage, analytics, crash reporting
• Google Maps: Map display and location services
• OSRM (OpenStreetMap): Route planning and navigation

We implement security measures to protect your information:

• Encrypted data transmission (HTTPS/SSL)
• Secure Firebase authentication and database rules
• Regular security updates and monitoring
• Limited access to personal data by authorized personnel only

However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

Account Management

• Access: View your profile, walk history, and saved places in the app
• Update: Edit your profile, dog information, and preferences at any time
• Delete: Delete your account and associated data through app settings or submit a deletion request here

Location Control

• Enable/disable location permissions in device settings
• Stop walk tracking to disable background location collection
• Clear saved car location or favorite places

Notifications

• Manage push notification preferences in device settings
• Control which types of notifications you receive in app settings

Data Portability

• Request a copy of your data by contacting us
• Export your walk history from the app

WoofWalk is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us, and we will delete such information.

• Active Accounts: We retain your data while your account is active
• Walk History: Stored indefinitely unless you delete specific walks
• Community Content: Places and markers remain on the map even after account deletion (anonymized)
• Deleted Accounts: Personal information deleted within 30 days
• Temporary Markers: Poo bag markers expire after 24 hours

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own. We use Firebase services which comply with applicable data protection regulations including GDPR for European users.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes through the app or by email. Your continued use of WoofWalk after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

WoofWalk does not currently display advertisements or use your Advertising ID for advertising purposes. We use Firebase Analytics solely to understand app usage and improve our services.

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us:

• Email: privacy@woofwalk.app
• In-App: Settings → Help & Support → Contact Us