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Privacy Policy

Last Updated: January 11, 2026

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide

• Account Information: Email address, password (encrypted), date of birth, username
• Profile Information: Display name, role (pup/handler/switch/other), bio, experience level, photos, interests, looking for preferences
• Identity Verification: Age verification status (18+ required)
• Communications: Messages you send through the app, reports, and support inquiries
• User Content: Photos, profile information, and other content you create or upload

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Location Data: Precise location (GPS) when you use map features, approximate location for nearby user discovery
• Device Information: Device type, operating system, unique device identifiers, mobile network information
• Usage Data: App features used, time spent, interactions with other users, search queries
• Log Data: IP address, app crashes, system activity, access times

1.3 Information from Third Parties

• Social Media: If you connect social media accounts, we may receive profile information
• Other Users: Information others provide about you, such as when they report or block you

2. How We Use Your Information

Purpose	Data Used
Provide and maintain the service	Account info, profile data, location
Connect you with nearby users	Location data, profile information, preferences
Enable messaging and communication	Account info, messages, read receipts
Safety and security	All data to detect fraud, enforce terms, investigate violations
Improve our services	Usage data, analytics, crash reports
Customer support	Account info, support inquiries, usage data
Legal compliance	All data as required by law

3. How We Share Your Information

3.1 With Other Users

• Your profile information (photos, bio, role, experience level) is visible to other users
• Your approximate location and distance may be shown to nearby users
• Users you message can see your profile and online status
• Users you favorite or who favorite you can see this interaction

3.2 With Service Providers

• Cloud Hosting: Amazon Web Services, DigitalOcean (data storage and processing)
• Analytics: Usage statistics and crash reporting (anonymized when possible)
• Email Services: Mailgun (for account verification and notifications)
• Payment Processors: Stripe (if premium features are added - currently not implemented)

3.3 For Legal Reasons

We may disclose your information if required by law or in good faith belief that such disclosure is necessary to:

• Comply with legal obligations, court orders, or government requests
• Enforce our Terms of Service and investigate violations
• Detect, prevent, or address fraud, security, or technical issues
• Protect the rights, property, or safety of PupBoy, our users, or the public
• Respond to emergencies or threats to personal safety

3.4 Business Transfers

If PupBoy is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred. We will notify you via email and/or prominent notice in the app before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

4. Your Privacy Rights and Controls

4.1 Access and Update

• View and edit your profile information in the Profile section
• Update your privacy settings and preferences
• Control who can see your location and online status

4.2 Delete Your Data

• Delete individual photos from your profile
• Delete message history with specific users
• Delete your account entirely (all data permanently removed within 30 days)

4.3 Marketing Communications

• Opt out of promotional emails (you'll still receive important account notifications)
• Control push notification preferences in your device settings

4.4 Legal Rights (Region-Specific)

California Residents (CCPA):

• Right to know what personal information we collect
• Right to delete personal information
• Right to opt-out of sale of personal information (we do not sell your data)
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising privacy rights

European Union Residents (GDPR):

• Right to access your personal data
• Right to rectification of inaccurate data
• Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten")
• Right to restrict processing
• Right to data portability
• Right to object to processing
• Right to withdraw consent

5. Data Security

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

• Encryption: All data transmitted over HTTPS/TLS. Passwords hashed with bcrypt
• Access Controls: Limited employee access on need-to-know basis
• Secure Infrastructure: Cloud servers with firewalls and monitoring
• Regular Security Audits: Ongoing assessment of vulnerabilities

Note: No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Data Retention

• Active Accounts: Data retained as long as account is active
• Deleted Accounts: Most data deleted within 30 days; some data retained for legal compliance (e.g., financial records, safety reports)
• Messages: Deleted when both users delete the conversation
• Backups: Deleted data may persist in backups for up to 90 days
• Legal Holds: Data preserved if subject to legal obligations

7. Children's Privacy

8. Location Services

PupBoy uses location data to provide core functionality:

• Map View: Show nearby users on the map
• Distance Calculation: Display distance to other users
• Search Filters: Find users within specified radius

Privacy Controls:

• You can disable location services in your device settings (app functionality will be limited)
• Control whether your distance is shown to other users in Profile Settings
• Location data is only collected when the app is in use (not in background)

9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website (pupboy.com) uses:

• Essential Cookies: Required for site functionality
• Analytics Cookies: To understand site usage (can be disabled)
• Preference Cookies: To remember your settings

The mobile app uses similar technologies for authentication and analytics.

10. Third-Party Links

Our app may contain links to external websites or services (e.g., support resources like RAINN, The Trevor Project, NCSF). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. Please review their privacy policies before providing information.

11. International Data Transfers

PupBoy operates primarily in the United States. If you access our services from outside the U.S., your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the U.S. or other countries where our service providers operate. By using PupBoy, you consent to such transfers.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by:

• Posting the updated policy in the app
• Sending an email notification
• Displaying a prominent notice in the app

Your continued use of PupBoy after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact Us

14. California Privacy Rights (Shine the Light)

California Civil Code Section 1798.83 permits California residents to request information about disclosure of personal information to third parties for direct marketing purposes. We do not share personal information with third parties for their direct marketing purposes.

15. Do Not Track Signals

Some browsers include a "Do Not Track" (DNT) feature. PupBoy does not currently respond to DNT signals. We may implement DNT support in the future.

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