Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

Account Information

When you create a Garden Zoo account, we collect:

• Parent email address (for account management)
• Child's first name and age (for personalized experience)
• Profile photos (optional, stored locally on device)

Usage Information

To improve the app experience, we collect:

• Photos of plants and animals (for identification)
• Discovery locations (general area only, not exact coordinates)
• App usage patterns (which features are used most)
• Device information (for technical support)

2. How We Use Information

We use the information we collect to:

• 🔍 Identify plants and animals
• 📚 Build your child's personal discovery collection
• 🎯 Provide age-appropriate educational content
• 🛠️ Improve app performance and fix bugs
• 📧 Send important account updates to parents
• 🔒 Ensure account security and prevent misuse

3. Information Sharing

We only share information in these limited circumstances:

• Service Providers: Trusted partners who help us operate the app, bound by strict privacy agreements
• Legal Requirements: If required by law or to protect the safety of children
• Emergency Situations: To prevent immediate harm to a child

4. Data Security

We take security seriously and protect your information through:

• 🔐 Industry-standard encryption for all data transmission
• 🏢 Secure servers with regular security audits
• 👥 Limited employee access on a need-to-know basis
• 🔄 Regular security updates and monitoring
• 📱 Local storage of sensitive photos when possible

5. Parental Controls

Parents have full control over their child's Garden Zoo experience:

• 🎛️ Manage all account settings and preferences
• 👀 View your child's discovery collection anytime
• 🗑️ Delete discoveries or the entire account
• 📧 Control email notifications and updates
• 🔒 Set up PIN protection for parental areas
• ⏰ Monitor app usage and set time limits

6. Children's Privacy (COPPA Compliance)

7. Data Retention

We keep your information only as long as necessary:

• 📅 Account information: Until you delete your account
• 📸 Discovery photos: Until manually deleted by parent/child
• 📊 Usage analytics: Up to 2 years for app improvement
• 🗑️ Deleted data: Permanently removed within 30 days

8. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• 📋 Access all information we have about your child
• ✏️ Correct any inaccurate information
• 🗑️ Delete your child's account and all associated data
• 📤 Export your child's discovery collection
• ❌ Refuse further data collection
• 📧 Contact us with any privacy concerns

9. International Users

Garden Zoo is designed to comply with international privacy laws:

• 🇪🇺 GDPR (Europe): Full compliance with European data protection standards
• 🇨🇦 PIPEDA (Canada): Adherence to Canadian privacy principles
• 🌏 Other Regions: We follow the highest privacy standards regardless of location

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. When we do:

• 📧 We'll notify parents via email of any significant changes
• 📅 The "Last Updated" date will be revised
• 🔄 Continued use of the app means acceptance of the new policy
• ❌ You can always delete your account if you disagree with changes