Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

Personal Information You Provide

We collect information you voluntarily provide when registering for an account or using our Service:

• Account Information: Name, email address, username, and password
• Profile Information: Profile photo, bio, location (city/region), gardening zone
• Seed Listings: Information about seeds you offer including variety names, descriptions, photos, and availability
• Communication Data: Messages exchanged with other users through our platform
• Transaction Information: Records of seed exchanges, requests, and reviews

Information Collected Automatically

When you access our Service, we automatically collect certain information:

• Device Information: Device type, operating system, unique device identifiers
• Log Data: IP address, browser type, pages visited, time spent on pages, access times
• Location Data: General geographic location based on IP address (we do not collect precise GPS location without your consent)
• Usage Data: Features used, actions taken, and interactions with other users

Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from third parties:

• Social Login: If you sign in using Google or Apple, we receive your name and email from those services
• Analytics Providers: Aggregated data about app usage and performance

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Create and manage your account
• Facilitate seed exchanges and connections between users
• Display your seed listings to other users in your area
• Send you notifications about exchange requests and messages
• Provide customer support and respond to inquiries
• Improve and optimize our Service through analytics
• Send periodic emails about new features, tips, and community updates (you can opt out)
• Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and security issues
• Comply with legal obligations

3. Information Sharing and Disclosure

With Other Users

To facilitate seed exchanges, certain information is visible to other users:

• Your username, profile photo, and bio
• Your general location (city/region, not precise address)
• Your seed listings and availability
• Your reviews and ratings from other users
• Direct messages you send to other users

With Service Providers

We share information with third-party vendors who help us operate our Service, including cloud hosting (Google Cloud/Firebase), email delivery, analytics, and customer support tools. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the services they provide to us.

For Legal Reasons

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or governmental regulation, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.

We Never Sell Your Data

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes. Period.

4. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you services. If you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within 30 days, except where we are required to retain certain information for legal or legitimate business purposes.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information, including encryption in transit (TLS) and at rest, secure authentication, access controls, and regular security assessments. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information
• Portability: Request your data in a portable format
• Opt-out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time
• Restriction: Request we limit how we use your data

To exercise these rights, contact us at support@seedshareapp.com. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

7. Children's Privacy

Our Service is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete such information.

8. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

9. California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). To exercise these rights, contact us at support@seedshareapp.com.

10. European Privacy Rights (GDPR)

If you are in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including the rights described in Section 6 above. You may lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority if you believe we have violated your rights.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

We take your privacy seriously and will respond to all inquiries within 30 days.