Privacy Policy

NatureGuard is designed with privacy in mind. We collect only the information necessary to provide you with outdoor safety features and species identification services.

Account Information

• Email address: For account creation and communication
• Name: To personalize your experience (optional)
• Apple ID: If you choose to sign in with Apple

Location Data

• Current location: Used for weather alerts and local emergency services
• Location history: Only stored locally on your device for trip planning

App Usage Analytics

• Feature usage patterns to improve the app
• Crash reports and performance data
• Anonymous usage statistics

We use your information solely to provide and improve NatureGuard services:

Core App Functions

• Provide species identification results
• Deliver location-based weather alerts
• Show relevant emergency contact numbers
• Sync your data across devices

Service Improvement

• Analyze usage patterns to enhance features
• Fix bugs and improve app performance
• Develop new safety features

Communication

• Send important safety updates
• Notify about subscription renewals
• Respond to support requests

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

Data Protection

• All data transmission uses TLS encryption
• Server data is encrypted at rest
• Regular security audits and updates
• Limited access on a need-to-know basis

Data Retention

• Account data: Retained until you delete your account
• Usage analytics: Anonymized and retained for 2 years
• Location data: Not stored on our servers (device only)
• Photos: Never stored anywhere

NatureGuard integrates with select third-party services to provide essential features:

Firebase (Google)

• Purpose: User authentication and data sync
• Data shared: Email address, user ID
• Privacy policy: Google Privacy Policy

Weather API Services

• Purpose: Provide weather alerts and forecasts
• Data shared: General location (city/region level)
• Data retention: Not stored by weather providers

Apple App Store

• Purpose: Process subscription payments
• Data shared: Apple handles all payment processing
• Privacy policy: Apple Privacy Policy

You have full control over your personal information:

Access and Control

• View your data: Access all stored information in app settings
• Correct information: Update your profile anytime
• Delete your account: Permanently remove all data
• Export data: Download your identification history

Privacy Controls

• Location services: Enable/disable in device settings
• Push notifications: Control weather alerts and updates
• Analytics: Opt out of usage tracking

CCPA/GDPR Rights

For residents of California and the EU, you have additional rights:

• Right to know what personal information is collected
• Right to delete personal information
• Right to opt-out of the sale of personal information (we don't sell data)
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising your rights

NatureGuard is designed for users 13 years and older. We take children's privacy seriously:

• We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13
• If we discover we have collected information from a child under 13, we will delete it immediately
• Parents can contact us to review, delete, or stop further collection of their child's information
• Users 13-17 are encouraged to have parental guidance when using outdoor features

We may update this privacy policy to reflect changes in our practices or for legal requirements:

• Notification: We'll notify you 30 days before any material changes
• Methods: Email notification and in-app alerts
• Continued use: Using the app after changes constitutes acceptance
• Opt-out: You can delete your account if you disagree with changes

Material changes include modifications to data collection practices, sharing policies, or your rights under this policy.

If you have questions about this privacy policy or our data practices, please contact us:

For general support questions, please visit our Support Center or contact support@natureguardapp.com.