Privacy Policy

DogBeach ("we", "us", or "our") helps you find dog-friendly beaches, save your favorite spots, leave reviews, and manage profiles for your pets. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have. By creating an account or using DogBeach, you agree to the practices described here.

1. Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of information:

• Account information. When you register, we collect your name, email address, password (stored only as a secure hash), date of birth, and country.
• Pet profiles. Information you choose to add about your pets, such as their name, breed, birthday, and photo.
• Activity and content. Beaches you save or mark as visited, ratings, comments, and photos you upload.
• Location you enter. Searches and location terms you type to find beaches near you.
• Technical data. Basic usage and device information collected automatically to operate and improve the service.

2. How We Use Your Information

• To create and manage your account and authenticate you when you sign in.
• To provide core features such as search, saved and visited beaches, reviews, and pet profiles.
• To send you account-related emails, including email verification.
• To maintain the security, integrity, and performance of the service.
• To understand how DogBeach is used so we can improve it.

3. How We Share Information

We do not sell your personal information. We share information only in these limited cases:

• Public content. Reviews, ratings, and photos you post may be visible to other users along with your display name.
• Service providers. Trusted providers that host our database and send transactional email on our behalf, bound by confidentiality obligations.
• Legal reasons. When required to comply with the law or to protect the rights and safety of our users and the public.

4. Data Retention & Security

We retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the service. Passwords are stored as salted hashes and never in plain text. While no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, we use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your data.

5. Your Rights & Choices

You can view and update your account and pet information at any time from your profile. You may request deletion of your account and associated personal data by contacting us. Depending on your location, you may have additional rights to access, correct, or export your data.

6. Children's Privacy

DogBeach is not intended for children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us information, please contact us so we can remove it.

7. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date above. Your continued use of DogBeach after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

8. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your data, please reach out through our feedback page.