# Privacy Policy for AI Plant and Fruit Scanner
**Effective Date: January 8, 2025**
Thank you for choosing **AI Plant and Fruit Scanner**. Your privacy is very important to us. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, share, and protect your information when you use our app. By using AI Plant and Fruit Scanner, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.
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## 1. Information We Collect
### 1.1 Information You Provide
#### **Images (Photos and Videos)**
- **What we collect:** Images of plants, fruits, food items, and animals that you choose to upload or capture using your device's camera or gallery.
- **How we collect it:** Only when you select or capture an image within the app.
- **Purpose:** To analyze and provide information about the plant, fruit, food, or animal in the image.
- **Optional or Required:** Optional - you choose whether to provide images.
#### **Voice Recordings (Audio)**
- **What we collect:** Voice recordings when you use the voice input feature in the Live Response section.
- **How we collect it:** Only when you unlock the microphone feature (by watching a rewarded advertisement) and actively use voice input.
- **Purpose:** To process your voice questions about plants and provide spoken responses.
- **Optional or Required:** Optional - this is an additional feature you can choose to use.
- **Processing:** Processed in real-time and not stored permanently on your device or our servers.
---
### 1.2 Information Collected Automatically
#### **Device Advertising ID**
- **What we collect:** Your device's Advertising ID (a unique identifier used for advertising purposes).
- **How we collect it:** Automatically collected by advertising SDKs (Google AdMob and Facebook Audience Network) when the app loads advertisements.
- **Purpose:** To provide personalized advertisements and measure ad performance.
- **Optional or Required:** Required for the free version of the app to display ads.
#### **App Activity and Analytics**
- **What we collect:**
- App interactions (which features you use, buttons you click, screens you visit)
- Crash logs and diagnostic information
- Device information (model, operating system version)
- App performance metrics
- **How we collect it:** Automatically through Firebase Analytics and Firebase Crashlytics.
- **Purpose:** To improve app functionality, fix bugs, understand how users interact with the app, and provide better service.
- **Optional or Required:** Required for app functionality and improvement.
---
## 2. How We Use Your Information
### **Images (Photos and Videos):**
- Sent to **Google Gemini AI API** for real-time analysis to identify plants, fruits, food items, and animals.
- Temporarily cached on your device for display purposes within the app.
- Saved to your device's local storage if you choose to save the results to "Favorites."
- **NOT permanently stored on our servers.**
### **Voice Recordings (Audio):**
- Sent to **Google Gemini AI API** via secure WebSocket connection for real-time processing.
- Converted to text and processed to answer your plant-related questions.
- **NOT stored permanently** - processed ephemerally (in real-time only).
### **Device Advertising ID:**
- Used by **Google AdMob** and **Facebook Audience Network** to:
- Serve personalized advertisements
- Measure ad performance and effectiveness
- Provide analytics on ad interactions
- Helps us offer the app for free by generating revenue through ads.
### **App Activity and Analytics:**
- Used to:
- Understand which features are most popular
- Identify and fix bugs and crashes
- Improve user experience and app performance
- Monitor app stability and performance metrics
---
## 3. How We Share Your Information
We share your information with the following third-party service providers who help us operate and improve the app:
### **3.1 Google Services**
#### **Google Gemini AI API**
- **Data shared:** Images (photos) and voice recordings (audio)
- **Purpose:** To analyze images and process voice queries to provide plant, fruit, food, and animal information
- **Data retention:** Google may temporarily process this data according to their [Google AI Terms of Service](https://ai.google.dev/terms)
- **Privacy policy:** [Google Privacy Policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy)
#### **Google AdMob**
- **Data shared:** Advertising ID, app activity, device information
- **Purpose:** To serve personalized advertisements within the app
- **Privacy policy:** [Google AdMob Privacy](https://support.google.com/admob/answer/6128543)
#### **Firebase (Google)**
- **Services used:**
- Firebase Analytics (app interactions, user behavior)
- Firebase Crashlytics (crash reports, diagnostics)
- Firebase Cloud Messaging (push notifications)
- **Data shared:** App activity, crash logs, device information
- **Purpose:** Analytics, crash reporting, app improvement, user notifications
- **Privacy policy:** [Firebase Privacy](https://firebase.google.com/support/privacy)
---
### **3.2 Facebook Audience Network**
- **Data shared:** Advertising ID, device information
- **Purpose:** To serve advertisements within the app as an alternative to Google AdMob
- **Privacy policy:** [Facebook Privacy Policy](https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy)
---
### **3.3 Data NOT Shared**
We do **NOT** share your data with:
- Any other third parties not mentioned above
- Social media platforms (except Facebook for ads)
- Data brokers or marketers
- Government agencies (unless legally required)
---
## 4. Data Security
We take the security of your data seriously:
### **Encryption:**
- ✅ All data transmitted between your device and our service providers (Google, Facebook) is encrypted using industry-standard **HTTPS/TLS protocols**.
- ✅ Images and voice data sent to Google Gemini AI are encrypted in transit.
### **Local Storage:**
- Images you save to "Favorites" are stored locally on your device only.
- Conversation history in Live Response is stored locally using encrypted SharedPreferences.
- We do not have access to data stored on your device.
### **No Server Storage:**
- We do not operate servers that store your images or voice recordings.
- All analysis is done through Google's secure cloud services.
---
## 5. Data Retention
### **Images:**
- **During use:** Temporarily cached on your device while the app is running.
- **Saved favorites:** Retained locally on your device until you manually delete them.
- **On our servers:** NOT stored - images are only sent to Google Gemini AI for immediate analysis.
### **Voice Recordings:**
- **Processed in real-time** via WebSocket connection to Google Gemini AI.
- **NOT stored** on your device or any server after processing is complete.
- **Ephemeral processing** - exists only during the conversation.
### **Advertising ID:**
- Collected on each ad request by Google AdMob and Facebook Audience Network.
- Retained according to their respective privacy policies.
### **App Activity and Crash Logs:**
- Retained by Firebase according to [Firebase data retention policies](https://firebase.google.com/support/privacy).
- Typically stored for up to 60 days for analytics, longer for crash diagnostics.
---
## 6. Your Rights and Choices
### **6.1 Control Over Data Collection**
#### **Images:**
- You can choose whether or not to upload images.
- The app will not function without images (as it's the core feature).
- You can delete saved favorites anytime from the "Saved Items" section.
#### **Voice Feature:**
- This is completely optional.
- The microphone remains locked until you choose to unlock it by watching a rewarded advertisement.
- You can choose not to use this feature at all.
#### **Advertising ID:**
- You can reset your Advertising ID in your Android device settings:
- Go to **Settings** → **Google** → **Ads** → **Reset advertising ID**
- You can opt out of personalized ads:
- Go to **Settings** → **Google** → **Ads** → **Opt out of Ads Personalization**
---
### **6.2 Delete Your Data**
#### **Local Data (On Your Device):**
- **Clear favorites:** Go to "Saved Items" and delete individual items.
- **Clear conversation history:** Use the "Clear" button in Live Response.
- **Clear all app data:** Go to Android **Settings** → **Apps** → **AI Plant and Fruit Scanner** → **Storage** → **Clear Data**
#### **Data Shared with Third Parties:**
- **Google Gemini AI:** Images and voice are processed in real-time and not permanently stored. No action needed.
- **Firebase Analytics:** You can request data deletion by contacting us at **a.ather11@gmail.com**
- **AdMob/Facebook:** These services process data according to their own retention policies. You can reset your Advertising ID as mentioned above.
---
### **6.3 Request Data Deletion**
To request deletion of any analytics or crash data associated with your device:
1. Email us at **a.ather11@gmail.com** with the subject "Data Deletion Request"
2. Include your device model and approximate dates you used the app
3. We will process your request within 30 days
---
## 7. Children's Privacy
AI Plant and Fruit Scanner is not directed to children under the age of 13. 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 at **a.ather11@gmail.com**, and we will take steps to delete such information.
---
## 8. Third-Party Services
This app uses the following third-party services that may collect and process data:
### **8.1 Google Services**
- **Google Gemini AI** - Image and voice analysis
- [Terms of Service](https://ai.google.dev/terms)
- [Privacy Policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy)
- **Google AdMob** - Advertisement serving
- [Privacy Policy](https://support.google.com/admob/answer/6128543)
- **Firebase Analytics** - Usage analytics
- [Privacy Policy](https://firebase.google.com/support/privacy)
- **Firebase Crashlytics** - Crash reporting
- [Privacy Policy](https://firebase.google.com/support/privacy)
- **Firebase Cloud Messaging** - Push notifications
- [Privacy Policy](https://firebase.google.com/support/privacy)
### **8.2 Facebook Services**
- **Facebook Audience Network** - Advertisement serving
- [Privacy Policy](https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy)
- [Data Policy](https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy)
**Important:** These third-party services have their own privacy policies and may collect data independently. We encourage you to review their privacy policies.
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## 9. International Data Transfers
Your data may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own:
- Google services (Gemini AI, AdMob, Firebase) may process data in Google's data centers worldwide.
- Facebook Audience Network may process data in Facebook's global infrastructure.
- These transfers are protected by appropriate safeguards as required by applicable data protection laws.
---
## 10. Your Consent
By using AI Plant and Fruit Scanner, you consent to:
- The collection of data as described in this policy
- The sharing of data with Google and Facebook for the purposes stated
- The processing of your images and voice by Google Gemini AI
- The use of your Advertising ID for personalized advertisements
You can withdraw consent by:
- Uninstalling the app
- Not using specific features (like voice input)
- Resetting your Advertising ID in device settings
---
## 11. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect:
- Changes in our data practices
- New features added to the app
- Legal or regulatory requirements
- Updates to third-party service policies
**When we make changes:**
- We will update the "Effective Date" at the top of this policy
- Significant changes will be notified within the app or via email (if provided)
- Your continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy
**We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.**
---
## 12. Legal Compliance
We comply with applicable data protection laws, including:
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for users in the European Union
- California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) for users in California
- Other applicable privacy laws worldwide
### **Your GDPR Rights (EU Users):**
- Right to access your data
- Right to rectification
- Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten")
- Right to data portability
- Right to object to processing
- Right to withdraw consent
To exercise these rights, contact us at **a.ather11@gmail.com**
---
## 13. Permissions Explanation
Our app requests the following Android permissions:
| Permission | Purpose | Required? |
|------------|---------|-----------|
| **Camera** | To capture images of plants/fruits/food/animals | Optional |
| **Storage/Photos** | To select images from your gallery | Optional |
| **Microphone** | To use voice input in Live Response (after unlocking) | Optional |
| **Internet** | To connect to Google Gemini AI for analysis and load ads | Required |
| **Network State** | To check internet connectivity before processing | Required |
**Note:** You can deny camera, storage, or microphone permissions, but certain features will not work without them.
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## 14. Advertising
This app displays advertisements provided by:
- **Google AdMob** - Personalized ads based on your Advertising ID
- **Facebook Audience Network** - Personalized ads
### **Ad Personalization:**
- Ads are personalized using your Advertising ID
- You can opt out of personalized ads in your Android device settings
- Non-personalized ads will still be shown if you opt out
### **Rewarded Ads:**
- Some features (like microphone unlock) require watching rewarded advertisements
- Watching ads is optional - you can choose not to use these features
---
## 15. Data Safety Summary
| Data Type | Collected | Shared | With Whom | Purpose | Ephemeral |
|-----------|-----------|--------|-----------|---------|-----------|
| **Advertising ID** | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | Google AdMob, Facebook | Advertising, Analytics | ❌ No |
| **Photos** | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | Google Gemini AI | Plant/Fruit/Food/Animal identification | ❌ No |
| **Voice** | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | Google Gemini AI | Voice queries | ✅ Yes |
| **App Activity** | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | Firebase | Analytics, Crash reports | ❌ No |
| **Crash Logs** | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | Firebase Crashlytics | Bug fixing, App improvement | ❌ No |
### **Data Security:**
- ✅ All data is encrypted in transit using HTTPS/TLS
- ✅ No data is sold to third parties
- ✅ Data is only shared with trusted service providers mentioned above
---
## 16. How Long We Keep Your Data
### **On Your Device:**
- **Images:** Stored locally until you delete them from "Saved Items"
- **Conversation history:** Stored locally until you clear it
- **App settings:** Stored locally until you uninstall the app or clear data
### **With Third-Party Services:**
- **Google Gemini AI:** Images and voice are processed in real-time and not permanently stored
- **Firebase Analytics:** Typically retained for 60 days, then automatically deleted
- **Firebase Crashlytics:** Retained for up to 90 days for debugging purposes
- **AdMob/Facebook:** Advertising data retained according to their policies (typically 90-180 days)
---
## 17. Third-Party Links
Our app may contain links to third-party websites or services (such as privacy policies of ad networks). We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these third-party sites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies before providing any information.
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## 18. Your California Privacy Rights (CCPA)
If you are a California resident, you have the right to:
- Know what personal information is collected
- Know whether your personal information is sold or shared
- Opt-out of the sale of personal information
- Request deletion of your personal information
- Not be discriminated against for exercising your rights
**Important:** We do NOT sell your personal information. We only share data with service providers as described in this policy.
To exercise your rights, contact us at **a.ather11@gmail.com**
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## 19. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your data, please contact us:
**📧 Email:** a.ather11@gmail.com
**📱 App Name:** AI Plant and Fruit Scanner
**🆔 Package Name:** com.pointone.plantdetection
**We will respond to your inquiries within 30 days.**
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## 20. Acceptance of This Policy
By downloading, installing, or using AI Plant and Fruit Scanner, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by this Privacy Policy.
If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy, please do not use the app.
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**Last Updated:** January 8, 2025
**Version:** 2.0
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## Quick Reference - What We Do and Don't Do
### ✅ **We DO:**
- Collect images you choose to upload
- Send images to Google Gemini AI for analysis
- Collect Advertising ID for personalized ads
- Share Advertising ID with Google AdMob and Facebook
- Collect app usage analytics via Firebase
- Encrypt all data transmitted over the internet
- Give you control over voice and image features
### ❌ **We DON'T:**
- Collect personal information (name, email, phone number) unless you contact us
- Store your images on our servers
- Store your voice recordings permanently
- Sell your data to third parties
- Share your data with anyone except the service providers mentioned
- Access your data without your permission
- Use your images for any purpose other than providing the app's features
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**By using AI Plant and Fruit Scanner, you acknowledge and agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.**
For the latest version of this Privacy Policy, please visit: [Your Privacy Policy URL]
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