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Privacy Policy

Effective Date: February 9, 2025

This Privacy Policy applies to the Bushwak mobile application (the “Application”), operated by J. Nye (the “Service Provider”). Bushwak is an ad-supported mobile application provided on an “AS IS” basis.

This Privacy Policy explains how information is collected, used, stored, and deleted when you use the Application.

1. Data Controller​

For the purposes of applicable data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the data controller is:

J. Nye Jurisdiction: Germany Email: contact@bushwak.com

2. Information We Collect​

2.1 Information You Provide Voluntarily​

The Application may collect information you voluntarily provide, including:

  • Email address
  • Display name or username
  • Account preferences and settings
  • Wildlife sightings, notes, and uploaded photos

Registration is optional. Certain features—such as saving sightings or syncing data—require an account.

If you opt in, we may use your contact information to send service-related notifications or marketing communications. You may unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time.

2.2 User-Generated Content (Photos and Sightings)​

The Application allows users to upload photos and related content (“User Content”) for the purpose of documenting wildlife sightings.

Strict rules apply:

  • Photos of children are strictly prohibited.
  • Users must not upload images that intentionally focus on identifiable individuals.
  • Adults may appear incidentally in photos (for example, in the background of an animal sighting).
  • The Application is not intended for photographing people.

Uploaded photos may include:

  • Images of animals and their surroundings
  • Location data associated with the sighting
  • Technical metadata provided by your device (such as EXIF data)

User Content is used to:

  • Display wildlife sightings
  • Enable mapping and discovery features
  • Support Application functionality and moderation

Uploaded photos are not used for advertising purposes.

The Service Provider reserves the right to remove User Content that violates this policy or applicable laws.

2.3 Automatically Collected Information​

The Application automatically collects certain technical and usage information, including:

  • Device type, model, and operating system
  • Device identifiers (such as advertising ID)
  • IP address and approximate location
  • App usage data (screens viewed, interactions)
  • Crash and error diagnostics

This information is used for:

  • Application functionality
  • Analytics and performance monitoring
  • Security and fraud prevention
  • Service improvement

3. Location Information​

The Application may collect approximate or precise location data only when you grant permission.

Location data is used to:

  • Record and display wildlife sightings
  • Show nearby sightings and maps
  • Improve navigation, analytics, and user experience

The Application does not track location continuously in the background.

You may revoke location access at any time through your device settings.

For users in the European Economic Area, personal data is processed under the following legal bases:

  • Consent (location data, photo uploads, marketing communications)
  • Contractual necessity (account creation, syncing, storage of sightings)
  • Legitimate interests (analytics, security, service improvement)
  • Legal obligations, where applicable

You may withdraw consent at any time without affecting prior lawful processing.

5. Third-Party Services and Data Sharing​

The Application uses third-party service providers to operate and improve the service. These providers may process personal data on our behalf under contractual obligations.

These services include:

  • Google Play Services – app distribution and core services
  • Sentry – error monitoring and crash reporting
  • Mapbox – maps and location visualization
  • Supabase – authentication, database, and file storage
  • Cloudflare – content delivery and security

If advertisements are displayed, third-party ad networks (such as Google AdMob) may collect device identifiers and usage data directly for ad delivery and measurement, subject to their own privacy policies.

The Service Provider may disclose information:

  • When required by law or legal process
  • To protect the rights, safety, or property of users or others
  • To trusted service providers operating under confidentiality agreements

Third-party privacy policies:

6. Data Retention​

  • Account data is retained only while your account remains active.
  • Uploaded content is retained only until deleted by you or through account deletion.
  • Automatically collected technical data is retained for up to 24 months, after which it may be anonymized or aggregated.

7. Account and Data Deletion​

You may delete your account at any time using the in-app account deletion feature or by contacting contact@bushwak.com.

Account deletion is immediate.

Upon deletion:

  • All personal account information is permanently deleted
  • All uploaded photos, wildlife sightings, and associated metadata are permanently deleted
  • All data linked to the account is removed immediately from the Application’s databases through cascading deletion

Once deleted, this data cannot be recovered.

No personal data associated with the deleted account is retained, except where limited retention is required by law.

8. Children’s Privacy​

Bushwak is not intended for children under the age of 13.

The Application does not knowingly collect personal information from children, and photos of children must not be uploaded under any circumstances.

If personal data involving a child is discovered, it will be deleted immediately. Parents or guardians who believe a child’s data has been submitted should contact contact@bushwak.com.

9. Your Rights​

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to:

  • Access your personal data
  • Request correction or deletion
  • Withdraw consent
  • Object to certain processing
  • Request data portability

California residents may request information about the collection and use of personal data and may opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information. Bushwak does not sell personal data.

Requests may be submitted to contact@bushwak.com.

10. Security​

The Service Provider implements reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect personal data.

However, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

11. Changes to This Policy​

This Privacy Policy may be updated periodically. Material changes will be communicated through the Application or app store listings.

Continued use of the Application after updates constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

By using the Application, you consent to the collection and processing of information as described in this Privacy Policy.

“Processing” includes collecting, storing, using, sharing, or deleting personal data.

13. Contact​

For privacy-related questions or requests, contact:

📧 contact@bushwak.com