Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

WOW Outdoor App ("we," "us," or "our") is an outdoor tracking application designed for bird watchers, crabbers, fishers, hunters, and wildlife enthusiasts across the United States. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect information when you use our mobile application and related services.

Contact us at: wowoutdoorapp@outlook.com

2. Information We Collect

Information you provide directly:

• Account registration — When you create an account (local or cloud), we collect your first name, last name, email address, and a password (stored using secure one-way hashing). You also provide your state of residence (used to set default species regulations), zip code (used for regional features), and an optional phone number. A security question and answer are collected locally on your device for password recovery purposes only.
• Outdoor activity data — Pot locations, fish catches, wildlife sightings, bird sightings, hunting harvests, hiking/sailing routes, and associated notes you log
• Photos — Images you capture or select from your camera roll for species identification or activity logging
• Profile information — Display name and optional profile photo
• Referral information — If you were referred by another user, you may optionally provide the referrer's name and username. This is used only to credit the referral.

Information collected automatically:

• GPS location data — Used to tag your activity logs, track routes, and display your position on the map. Location is only accessed while the app is in use (foreground). We do not track your location in the background without your explicit permission for route tracking.
• Device information — Basic device type and operating system version for app compatibility purposes

Information we do NOT collect:

• We do not use advertising networks or third-party analytics trackers
• We do not sell your personal information to any third party
• We do not collect contacts, call logs, or messages
• We do not access your camera or photo library without your explicit action

3. How We Use Your Information

• To display your tracked locations, catches, sightings, and routes on your personal map
• To enable optional cloud backup and multi-device sync of your activity data
• To power AI species identification features (photos are sent to Google's Gemini AI service — see Section 5)
• To enable community features such as sharing posts with friends and groups (only when you choose to share)
• To manage contest participation and prize eligibility
• To send you account-related communications (we do not send marketing emails without consent)

4. Local Storage — Offline First

All your activity data — pots, catches, sightings, harvests, routes, and settings — is stored locally on your device using secure local storage. This data never leaves your device unless you choose to create a cloud account and enable sync.

You can use WOW Outdoor App completely offline without creating an account. No data is transmitted to any server in offline-only mode.

5. Third-Party Services

Google Gemini AI (Species Identification)

When you use the AI species identification feature for fish or bird identification, the photo you select is sent to Google's Gemini AI API for processing. Google's privacy policy applies to this processing: policies.google.com/privacy. Photos are used only for identification and are not stored by us after the request completes.

Supabase (Optional Cloud Sync)

If you create a cloud account, your activity data is synced and stored using Supabase, a secure cloud database platform. Supabase stores data on servers located in the United States. Supabase's privacy policy: supabase.com/privacy

Resend (Email Notifications)

We use Resend to send transactional emails such as account confirmations. Your email address is used only to send emails you have requested or that are necessary for your account. Resend's privacy policy: resend.com/legal/privacy-policy

RevenueCat (Subscription Management)

If you purchase a WOW Outdoor VIP subscription, purchases are processed through Apple's App Store or Google Play. We use RevenueCat to manage subscription status. RevenueCat may receive your anonymized purchase receipt and subscription status. RevenueCat does not receive your name, email, or personal data from us. RevenueCat's privacy policy: revenuecat.com/privacy

Expo / React Native

Our app is built on Expo, a React Native development platform. Expo may collect minimal crash reporting and performance data to help maintain app stability. Expo's privacy policy: expo.dev/privacy

6. Location Data

WOW Outdoor App requests access to your device's GPS location to power its core features. Specifically:

• Precise location — Used to tag pot drops, catches, sightings, and waypoints with accurate GPS coordinates
• Continuous location (route tracking) — Used only when you start an active hiking or sailing track session. You control when this starts and stops.
• Location data is stored on your device and is only synced to the cloud if you have a cloud account and sync enabled
• We never share your location data with advertisers or data brokers

7. Camera and Photos

We request camera and photo library access only when you choose to use features that require it, such as adding a photo to a catch log or using AI species identification. We do not access your camera or photo library in the background.

Photos you add to your activity logs are stored locally on your device. If cloud sync is enabled, photos may be stored in your cloud account. Photos sent for AI identification are processed by Google Gemini and are not retained by us.

8. Community & Social Features

WOW Outdoor App includes optional social features including friends, groups, messaging, and network posts. Information you choose to share — such as hotspot posts, catches, or sightings — will be visible to other users according to the privacy settings you select (private, friends, or public network). You are always in control of what you share and with whom.

Direct messages between users are stored in the cloud database and are accessible only to the participants of the conversation.

9. Children's Privacy

WOW Outdoor App is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us at wowoutdoorapp@outlook.com and we will promptly delete such information.

10. Data Retention & Deletion

Local data remains on your device until you delete the app or clear your data through the app's settings. Cloud account data is retained while your account is active. You may request deletion of your cloud account and all associated data at any time by contacting us at wowoutdoorapp@outlook.com. We will process deletion requests within 30 days.

11. Security

We take reasonable measures to protect your information. Passwords are hashed using SHA-256 encryption and stored securely. Cloud data is protected by Supabase's Row Level Security (RLS) policies, which ensure each user can only access their own data. Authentication credentials are stored in your device's secure keychain.

No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. If you believe your account has been compromised, contact us immediately at wowoutdoorapp@outlook.com.

12. Your Rights

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

• The right to access the personal information we hold about you
• The right to correct inaccurate information
• The right to request deletion of your personal data
• The right to export your data in a portable format
• The right to withdraw consent for optional data processing

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at wowoutdoorapp@outlook.com.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy. For significant changes, we will notify users through the app or by email.

14. Contact Us