Privacy Policy

Last updated: March 26, 2026

1. Introduction

PinMapp ("we", "us", or "our") operates the PinMapp mobile application (the "App"). This policy explains what personal data we collect, how we use it, how we protect it, and your rights regarding it. By using the App you agree to this policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Account Information

Email address and password (stored as a secure hash by Firebase Auth) when you register with email.
Your Google account name and profile photo when you sign in with Google.
Username, bio, and visited countries you provide in your profile.
Social media handles (Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X) if you choose to add them.

2.2 Content You Post

Travel photos you upload, stored in Firebase Storage.
Place names, coordinates (latitude/longitude), and descriptions of locations you pin on the map.
Comments you post on photos.
Direct messages you send to other users.

2.3 Activity Data

Likes on photos and comments.
Follows and blocks of other users.
Tags on photos linking your account to a photo.
Reports you submit on photos or profiles.

2.4 Device Location

When you place a pin on the map, the App requests access to your device's GPS location to auto-fill the coordinates of your chosen spot. Location is accessed only during that interaction — it is not tracked continuously or in the background. Only the coordinates you confirm are stored (as part of the Place record in our database). You may deny location permission and enter coordinates manually.

2.5 Device Permissions

The App requests the following permissions:

Camera / Photo Library — to select or take a travel photo for upload.
Location (GPS) — to auto-fill coordinates when pinning a new place (see 2.4).
Notifications (Android 13+) — to deliver push notifications for likes, comments, tags, and messages. You can revoke this at any time in device settings.

No permission is required for core browsing. You can use the map, feed, and profile features without granting camera or location access.

2.6 Technical and Diagnostic Data

Firebase automatically collects certain technical data to help us operate and improve the App. This includes:

App open/close events and session duration.
Device model, operating system version, and language.
Crash reports and stack traces (via Firebase Crashlytics).
Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) token for push notification delivery.

This data is associated with an anonymous installation ID, not your name or email. For full details, see Google's Privacy Policy at policies.google.com/privacy.

2.7 Local Device Storage

The App stores certain preferences locally on your device using Android SharedPreferences. These include dark mode setting, default filters, hidden photo IDs, and notification toggles. This data never leaves your device and is cleared when you sign out or delete the app.

3. How We Use Your Information

Provide core app features: map, photo feed, profiles, messaging.
Send push notifications for likes, comments, tags, and messages (based on your preferences).
Scan uploaded photos for inappropriate content via Google Cloud Vision API (see Section 4).
Manage premium features and free trial eligibility.
Show profile analytics (view counts, top posts) to premium users.
Prevent abuse through blocking, suspension, and reporting systems.
Authenticate your identity and maintain account security.
Process one-time premium upgrade payments via Google Play Billing.

4. Photo Moderation

Uploaded photos are automatically scanned by Google Cloud Vision API to detect adult, violent, or explicit material. Photos that exceed our safety thresholds are removed from storage and marked as hidden. You will receive a push notification if your photo is flagged. The photo's metadata record is retained in our database so you can upload a replacement. We do not manually review photos unless a report is submitted by another user.

5. Data Sharing

We do not sell your personal data. We share data only with the following third-party service providers, each acting as a data processor on our behalf:

Firebase (Google LLC) — authentication, database, file storage, and push notifications.
Google Maps Platform — displaying maps and resolving place information from coordinates.
Google Cloud Vision — automated photo content moderation.
Google Play Billing (Google LLC) — payment processing for premium upgrades.

We do not share your data with advertisers, data brokers, or any unrelated third parties.

6. International Data Transfers

The App is built on Google Firebase, which stores and processes data on servers that may be located in the United States or other countries outside your country of residence.

Google ensures these transfers comply with applicable data protection laws through Standard Contractual Clauses and other approved mechanisms. For details, see Google's Privacy Policy at policies.google.com/privacy.

7. User-Controlled Privacy

Hide photos: You can hide any of your photos from the public feed at any time. Hidden photos are stored locally on your device.
Block users: Blocking prevents a user from seeing your content and hides their content from you.
Profile analytics visibility: Premium users can choose whether their top posts statistics are visible to profile visitors (Settings → Account → "Show my stats to others").
Social links: Only shown on your profile if you choose to add them.
Notification preferences: You can disable any category of push notification in Settings → Notifications.

8. Data Retention

Account and profile data — retained until you delete your account.
Photos and places — retained until you delete them or delete your account.
Comments and likes — retained until deleted by you, or until account deletion.
Direct messages — retained after your account is deleted so the other party keeps their conversation history; your messages display as "Deleted User".
System notifications (likes, comments, tags) — automatically deleted after 7 days.
Profile view records — retained while your account is active.
Technical/diagnostic data — retained per Google Firebase's standard retention periods (typically 90 days for Crashlytics, 14 months for Analytics).

9. Account Deletion

You can delete your account from Settings → Account → Delete Account. Upon deletion:

Your profile, photos, stored files, places, likes, comments, follows, blocks, and feedback records are permanently deleted.
Direct message threads are preserved for other users (your messages show as "Deleted User").
Server-side data where you are a referenced target (follows, blocks, notifications, tags) is automatically cleaned up.

Account deletion is permanent and cannot be undone.

To request account deletion outside the app, contact us at pinmapp.support@gmail.com.

10. Children's Privacy

PinMapp is not directed at children. You must be at least 13 years old to use the App (or 16 in certain EU member states that have set a higher age of digital consent under GDPR Article 8). We do not knowingly collect personal data from children below the applicable minimum age. If you believe a child has created an account, please contact us immediately so we can remove their data.

11. Security

We protect your data through:

Firebase Authentication for secure sign-in (passwords are never stored in plain text).
Firestore and Storage security rules that restrict data access to authorised users only.
HTTPS encryption for all data in transit.

Despite these measures, no internet-based system is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security and are not responsible for breaches caused by events outside our reasonable control.

12. Your Rights

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

For all users

Access — request a copy of the data we hold about you.
Rectification — correct inaccurate data (most data can be edited directly in the App).
Erasure — request deletion of your data (use in-app account deletion or contact us).
Portability — request your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
Objection — object to certain types of processing.

GDPR (EU/EEA users)

We process your data on the following legal bases:

Contract performance — to provide the App's features you signed up for.
Legitimate interests — for abuse prevention, security, and service improvement.
Consent — for optional features such as push notifications (which you can withdraw at any time).

You have the right to lodge a complaint with your national data protection authority.

CCPA (California users)

We do not sell your personal information as defined under the California Consumer Privacy Act. California residents have the right to know what personal information is collected, request deletion, and opt out of any future sale (none currently occurs).

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy when we add new features or change how we handle data. We will notify you of significant changes via an in-app notice at least 14 days before the change takes effect. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page always reflects the current version. Continued use of the App after a change takes effect constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

14. Contact

For privacy questions, data requests, or complaints, contact us at:

Email: pinmapp.support@gmail.com

You can also use the Contact Us form in Settings → About.

Terms of Service

Last updated: May 04, 2026

1. Acceptance of Terms

By downloading, installing, or using PinMapp (the "App"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree, do not use the App.

These Terms apply to all users of the App, including free and premium users.

2. Eligibility

You must be at least 13 years old to use the App (or 16 in certain EU member states). By using the App you confirm that you meet this requirement.

You are responsible for ensuring that your use of the App complies with all laws applicable in your country of residence.

3. Account Registration

You must create an account to use the App. You agree to:

Provide accurate information when registering.
Keep your password secure and not share it with others.
Notify us immediately if you suspect unauthorised access to your account.
Be responsible for all activity that occurs under your account.

You may not create an account on behalf of another person or use a username that impersonates someone else.

4. User Content

4.1 Ownership

You retain ownership of the photos, place names, descriptions, and other content you post on PinMapp ("User Content"). We do not claim ownership of your content.

4.2 Licence to PinMapp

By posting User Content you grant PinMapp a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to store, display, and distribute your content within the App for the purpose of operating the service. This licence ends when you delete the content or your account.

4.3 Your Responsibility

You are solely responsible for the content you post. You confirm that:

You own or have the right to share any content you upload.
Your content does not infringe the copyright, privacy, or other rights of any third party.
Your content complies with these Terms and all applicable laws.

4.4 Content Moderation

We use automated tools (Google Cloud Vision API) to detect and remove content that violates these Terms. We also review content reported by other users. We reserve the right to remove any content that violates these Terms without notice.

5. Prohibited Conduct

You agree not to use the App to:

Post content that is illegal, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, or obscene.
Post sexually explicit, violent, or graphic content.
Impersonate any person or entity, or falsely claim affiliation with any person or entity.
Spam, solicit, or advertise to other users without their consent.
Collect or harvest personal data about other users.
Attempt to gain unauthorised access to other accounts or our systems.
Upload malware, viruses, or any harmful code.
Use the App in any way that could damage, disable, or impair the service.
Use automated scripts or bots to interact with the App.
Violate any applicable local, national, or international law.

6. Premium Features and Payments

6.1 Premium Upgrade

Certain features of the App are available only to premium users. Premium access is available as a one-time purchase processed through Google Play Billing. All payments are handled by Google — we do not store your payment information.

6.2 Free Trial

A 7-day free trial of premium features is available to new users who have never previously activated a trial. The trial cannot be restarted once it has ended. Trial eligibility is determined by your account history, not your device.

6.3 Refunds

All purchases are final. We do not offer refunds except where required by applicable law. If you believe you are entitled to a refund under your local consumer protection laws, please contact us.

6.4 Changes to Premium

We reserve the right to change the features included in premium or adjust pricing at any time. Changes will not affect access you have already purchased.

6.5 Service Discontinuation

We reserve the right to discontinue the App or any part of it at any time. In the event of a permanent shutdown, we will provide at least 30 days' notice via in-app notification or email. Premium purchases are non-refundable upon discontinuation except where required by applicable law.

7. Termination and Suspension

We may suspend or terminate your account at any time, with or without notice, if we determine that you have violated these Terms or if your continued use poses a risk to other users or the service.

Suspended users may submit an appeal via the in-app contact form. We will review appeals and respond where reasonably practicable.

You may delete your account at any time from Settings → Account → Delete Account. Upon deletion, your content is permanently removed as described in our Privacy Policy.

8. Intellectual Property

All rights in the App itself — including its design, code, logo, and name "PinMapp" — belong to us. These Terms do not grant you any right to use our trademarks, logos, or branding.

You may not copy, modify, distribute, sell, or reverse-engineer any part of the App.

9. Third-Party Services

The App uses third-party services including Google Firebase, Google Maps Platform, and Google Cloud Vision. Your use of the App is also subject to Google's Terms of Service at policies.google.com/terms.

We are not responsible for the availability or conduct of any third-party services.

10. Disclaimers

The App is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied.

We do not guarantee that:

The App will be available at all times or free from errors.
User-generated content is accurate, complete, or safe.
The App will meet your specific requirements.

Travel information and place details shared by users are user-generated and unverified. Always exercise your own judgement when making travel decisions.

11. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, PinMapp shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from your use of or inability to use the App, including but not limited to loss of data, loss of revenue, or personal injury.

Our total liability to you for any claim arising from these Terms or your use of the App shall not exceed the amount you paid for the App in the 12 months preceding the claim.

12. Governing Law

Any disputes arising from these Terms will first be addressed through good-faith negotiation. If unresolved, disputes will be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts where the App developer is located.

13. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes via an in-app notice at least 14 days before the change takes effect. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page always reflects the current version.

Continued use of the App after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

14. Contact

For questions about these Terms, contact us at:

Email: pinmapp.support@gmail.com

You can also use the Contact Us form in Settings → About.

Child Safety Standards

Last updated: April 8, 2026

1. Our Commitment

PinMapp has a zero-tolerance policy toward child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE). We are committed to maintaining a safe environment for all users and to preventing our platform from being used to produce, distribute, or facilitate any material that sexually exploits or endangers minors.

This page describes the standards we maintain, the technical and operational measures we have in place, and how to report concerns.

2. Age Requirements

PinMapp is not directed at children. Users must be at least 13 years old to create an account (or 16 in EU member states that have set a higher age of digital consent under GDPR Article 8). We do not knowingly allow children below the applicable minimum age to register. If we become aware that an underage user has created an account, we will suspend and delete that account promptly.

3. Prohibited Content and Behaviour

The following content and behaviour are strictly prohibited on PinMapp:

Child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of any kind, including images, videos, or text.
Grooming, solicitation, or any attempt to exploit a minor sexually.
Sharing, distributing, or linking to CSAE content hosted elsewhere.
Using the platform to arrange in-person contact with a minor for exploitative purposes.
Any content that sexualises, endangers, or demeans minors.

Violations result in immediate account suspension, permanent removal of content, and reporting to the relevant authorities.

4. Automated Content Moderation

Every photo uploaded to PinMapp is automatically scanned by Google Cloud Vision API before it becomes visible to other users. The scan checks for adult, violent, and explicit content using industry-standard classifiers. Photos that exceed our safety thresholds are:

Immediately removed from storage.
Marked as hidden in our database so they cannot be viewed.
Flagged for potential manual review.

The uploader receives a push notification informing them that their photo was removed for violating our content policy.

5. In-App Reporting

Any user can report a photo or a user profile directly within the App. Reports are submitted to our moderation queue and reviewed promptly. Upon review:

Content confirmed to violate our policy is removed.
Accounts confirmed to have uploaded or distributed CSAM are permanently suspended.
Reports involving suspected CSAM are escalated to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline and/or the relevant national authority in the user's jurisdiction, as required by law.

6. Reporting to Authorities

PinMapp complies with all applicable child safety laws, including mandatory reporting obligations. Where required, we report confirmed or suspected CSAM to:

NCMEC CyberTipline (United States): missingkids.org/gethelpnow/cybertipline
Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) (United Kingdom / international): iwf.org.uk/report
The relevant national law enforcement agency in the jurisdiction of the user or the content.

7. Account Suspension

Users found to have uploaded, shared, or solicited CSAE content are permanently suspended. Suspension is applied immediately upon confirmation and the relevant data is preserved for law enforcement purposes. Suspended users cannot create new accounts using the same email address.

8. Designated Point of Contact

Our designated contact for child safety matters — including CSAM prevention practices, compliance questions, and law enforcement requests — is:

Email: pinmapp.support@gmail.com

This contact is ready and able to speak about PinMapp's CSAM prevention practices and respond to law enforcement enquiries in a timely manner.

9. How to Report a Child Safety Concern

If you encounter content on PinMapp that you believe exploits or endangers a child:

In-app: Use the report button on any photo or user profile.
By email: Send details to pinmapp.support@gmail.com with the subject line "Child Safety Report".
Directly to authorities: You can also report directly to the NCMEC CyberTipline or your national authority at any time — you do not need to contact us first.

All reports are treated with urgency and confidentiality.

10. Contact

For all child safety enquiries, compliance questions, or law enforcement requests, contact us at:

Email: pinmapp.support@gmail.com