Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

We collect information you provide directly, including:

• Account information: name, email address, and password
• Pet profiles: pet names, species, breeds, ages, photos, and descriptions
• User-generated content: posts, photos, videos, comments, and messages
• Activity data: training progress, activity logs, and challenge participation
• Communication data: support requests and feedback

2. Automatically Collected Information

When you use the Service, we automatically collect certain information, including:

• Device information: IP address, browser type, operating system
• Usage data: pages visited, features used, time spent on the platform
• Location data: approximate location based on IP (if enabled)
• Cookies and similar technologies for session management and preferences

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve the Service
• Personalize your experience and show relevant content
• Send notifications about activity, challenges, and training reminders
• Communicate with you about updates, security alerts, and support
• Enforce our Terms of Service and community guidelines
• Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and security issues

4. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share data in the following circumstances:

• With other users: Your public profile, posts, and pet information are visible to other users based on your privacy settings.
• Service providers: We use third-party services for hosting, analytics, and email delivery who are bound by confidentiality agreements.
• Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required by law or to protect our rights and safety.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data, including encryption in transit (HTTPS), secure password hashing (bcrypt), and rate limiting to prevent abuse. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure.

6. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have rights to:

• Access, correct, or delete your personal information
• Export your data in a portable format
• Opt out of certain data processing
• Close your account and request data deletion

To exercise these rights, contact us at support@petmates.app.

7. Children's Privacy

PetMates is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately.

8. Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies to maintain your session, remember your preferences, and analyze how the Service is used. You can control cookies through your browser settings, but disabling them may affect functionality.

9. Changes to This Policy

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

10. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at support@petmates.app.