Privacy Policy

We collect information you provide directly to us and information generated by your use of Awwpals.

Information you provide:

• Account information: name, username, email address, password, birthdate, and phone number
• Profile information: profile photo, bio, location, and pet preferences
• User content: photos, videos, captions, comments, and messages you post
• Communications: messages you send through the platform

Information collected automatically:

• Device information: device type, operating system, and unique device identifiers
• Usage data: features you use, content you view, and actions you take
• Location data: approximate location based on IP address or precise location if you grant permission
• Log data: IP address, browser type, pages visited, and time stamps

Information from third parties:

• Social login providers (Instagram, Facebook) if you choose to sign in that way
• Analytics providers (PostHog) for aggregated usage insights

We use the information we collect to:

• Create and manage your account
• Provide, maintain, and improve the Service
• Connect you with rescue organizations, breeders, and other pet lovers
• Send push notifications and emails about activity on your account (you can opt out in Settings)
• Detect, investigate, and prevent abuse, fraud, and violations of our Terms of Service
• Comply with legal obligations, including mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)
• Analyze usage patterns to improve the platform
• Respond to your support requests

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We share information:

With other users: Your public profile, posts, and activity are visible to other users according to your privacy settings. Messages are visible to their recipients.

With organizations: If you interact with a rescue or breeder organization, they can see your profile and messages.

With service providers: We share data with vendors who help us operate the Service, including:

• AWS (cloud storage and AI content moderation)
• Twilio (SMS and two-factor authentication)
• Resend (email delivery)
• Expo (push notifications)
• Sentry (error tracking)
• PostHog (analytics)
• Google (location search)

For legal reasons: We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or to protect the rights and safety of Awwpals, our users, or the public. This includes mandatory reporting to NCMEC under 18 U.S.C. § 2258A.

SMS/Text Messages: We use your phone number solely to send one-time verification codes during account registration and two-factor authentication. Your mobile information, including your phone number and messaging consent, will not be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency: one message per verification attempt.

Business transfers: If Awwpals is acquired or merges with another company, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

Awwpals uses automated systems to detect and remove content that violates our Terms of Service, including:

• AI-based image and text moderation (Hugging Face, AWS Rekognition) to detect explicit or harmful content
• Mandatory scanning of uploaded images and videos for child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Any detected CSAM is immediately removed, the account is permanently suspended, and a report is filed with NCMEC as required by federal law.

Our moderation systems may analyze the content of your uploads. This analysis is used solely for safety and compliance purposes.

We retain your information for as long as your account is active, or as needed to provide the Service. When you delete your account, we begin a 30-day grace period during which you can recover your account. After 30 days, your personal information is anonymized and your content is removed.

Some data may be retained longer if required by law. CSAM-related reports are retained indefinitely as required by 18 U.S.C. § 2258A.

Awwpals is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us at privacy@awwpals.com and we will delete that information.

Users between 13 and 18 should have a parent or guardian review these Terms and this Privacy Policy.

Account information: You can update your profile information at any time in the Settings menu.

Push notifications: You can disable push notifications in your device's Settings or in the Awwpals Settings menu.

Location data: You can disable location access in your device's Settings.

Account deletion: You can delete your account in Settings → Account. We will anonymize your data within 30 days.

Data access and portability: You may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you by contacting privacy@awwpals.com. We will respond within 30 days.

California residents (CCPA): You have the right to know what personal information we collect, to request deletion, and to opt out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information). Contact privacy@awwpals.com to exercise these rights.

European/UK residents (GDPR): You have the right to access, rectify, erase, and port your personal data, and to object to processing. Contact privacy@awwpals.com to exercise these rights.

We implement technical and organizational security measures to protect your information, including:

• Encrypted data transmission (HTTPS/TLS)
• Hashed and salted password storage
• JWT-based authentication with short-lived access tokens
• Content scanning to detect and remove harmful material
• Rate limiting and abuse detection

No security measures are perfect. We encourage you to use a strong password and enable two-factor authentication.

The Service may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties and encourage you to review their privacy policies.

We use the following third-party service providers ("subprocessors") to operate Awwpals. Each processes data on our behalf under contractual obligations to protect your information:

We will update this list if we add or change subprocessors. For data transfers outside the EEA, we rely on Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or equivalent safeguards where required by GDPR.

To request the current subprocessor list or raise a concern, contact privacy@awwpals.com.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes via email or in-app notification. The "Last updated" date at the top indicates when the policy was last revised.

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your personal data, contact us at:

privacy@awwpals.com

For CSAM-related concerns, contact NCMEC at cybertipline@ncmec.org or 1-800-843-5678.