Privacy Policy

When you use NatureDex, we collect information to provide and improve our services: • Account Information: Email address, display name, username, and profile picture • Nature Captures: Photos you take or upload, location data (with your permission), species identifications, and notes • Social Activity: Followers, likes, comments, and collections you create or interact with • Device Information: Device type, operating system, and app usage analytics to improve performance • Location Data: Precise or approximate location (only with your explicit permission) to enhance species identification and enable location-based features We do not collect sensitive personal information such as financial data, health records, or government identifiers.

We use your information to: • Provide core app functionality including species identification and social features • Personalize your experience with relevant content and recommendations • Enable social interactions like following users and sharing collections • Improve our AI identification accuracy and app performance • Send important updates about your account or app changes (with your permission) • Ensure app security and prevent abuse We do not sell your personal information to third parties. Currently, we do not display advertisements, but we may introduce advertising features in future versions with appropriate user controls and transparency.

We share information in limited circumstances: • Public Content: Posts, collections, and profile information you choose to make public are visible to other users • Service Providers: We use Firebase (Google) for authentication, database, and storage services • Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law or to protect user safety • Business Transfers: Information may be transferred if our company is acquired (users will be notified) We do not share personal information with advertisers or data brokers. Location data is never shared without explicit permission and is always subject to your privacy settings.

You have control over your information: • Account Privacy: Make your profile private to require approval for new followers • Location Settings: Choose precise, approximate, or no location sharing for each capture • Profile Visibility: Control whether your location and activity are visible to others • Data Access: View and download your personal data by contacting us • Data Deletion: Delete your account and associated data at any time • Communication Preferences: Opt out of non-essential notifications These controls are available in your app Settings and can be changed at any time.

We implement industry-standard security measures: • All data transmission is encrypted using HTTPS/TLS • User authentication is handled securely through Firebase Auth • Database access is restricted and monitored • Regular security audits and updates • Secure cloud storage with access controls We recommend using strong passwords and keeping your device software updated.

NatureDex is designed for users 13 years and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately and we will delete it. For users under 18, we recommend reviewing this policy with a parent or guardian.

We use trusted third-party services: • Firebase (Google): Authentication, database, storage, and analytics • Google Gemini AI: Species identification (images are processed but not stored by Google) • App Stores: Apple App Store and Google Play Store for distribution • Google Maps: Location services for species identification and location-based features These services have their own privacy policies. We encourage you to review them as they may collect additional information.

We retain your information as follows: • Account Data: Until you delete your account • Captures and Posts: Until you delete them or your account • Analytics Data: Up to 2 years for app improvement purposes • Backup Data: Up to 30 days for recovery purposes When you delete your account, we remove your personal information within 30 days, though some anonymized data may be retained for analytics.

NatureDex is based in the United States. Your information may be transferred to and processed in the US and other countries where our service providers operate. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for international data transfers. For users in the European Union, you have additional rights under GDPR including data portability and the right to be forgotten.

We may update this privacy policy to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. We will notify you of material changes through the app or by email. Continued use of the app after changes indicates acceptance of the updated policy. Last updated: June 2025

If you have questions about this privacy policy or our data practices, please contact us: • Through the app: Use the "Contact Us" feature in Settings We aim to respond to all privacy inquiries within 30 days.