GREENFRIENDS - PRIVACY POLICY

1. INFORMATION WE COLLECT

We collect several types of information from and about users of our App:

1.1 Information You Provide to Us

• Account Information: When you register for an account, we collect your email address, username, and password.
• Profile Information: You may choose to provide additional information for your profile, such as your name, location, plant preferences, and gardening experience.
• User Content: We collect plant photos, questions, comments, and other content you submit through the App.
• Subscription Information: When you purchase a subscription, we receive information about your purchase from Apple's App Store, but we do not store your payment information.
• Communications: If you contact us directly, we may collect information you provide in your communications.

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Device Information: We collect information about your device, including device type, operating system version, unique device identifiers, and mobile network information.
• Usage Information: We collect information about how you use the App, including the features you access, the time and duration of your activities, and other usage patterns.
• Location Information: With your permission, we may collect precise or approximate location information from your device to provide location-based services such as identifying plants native to your region or providing localized plant care recommendations.

1.3 Information Collected Through Third-Party Services

• Analytics: We use third-party analytics services (such as Firebase) to collect information about your use of the App to improve our services.
• Social Media: If you choose to connect your social media accounts, we may collect information from those accounts in accordance with the permissions you grant.
• Advertising: We work with third-party advertising partners who may collect information about you to provide personalized advertising.

2. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION

We use the information we collect for various purposes, including to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve the App
• Process and fulfill your subscription purchases
• Provide plant identification and care recommendations
• Personalize your experience and deliver content relevant to your interests
• Respond to your comments, questions, and requests
• Send you technical notices, updates, security alerts, and support messages
• Monitor and analyze trends, usage, and activities in connection with the App
• Detect, investigate, and prevent fraudulent transactions and other illegal activities
• Protect the rights and property of the Company and others
• Comply with legal obligations
• Train and improve our artificial intelligence systems
• Serve personalized advertisements

3. HOW WE SHARE YOUR INFORMATION

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

3.1 Third-Party Service Providers

We share information with third-party service providers who help us operate the App, including:

• Cloud storage providers
• Analytics providers
• Customer service and support providers
• Payment processors (through Apple's App Store)
• Advertising and marketing partners
• Artificial intelligence and machine learning service providers

3.2 Business Transfers

If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, bankruptcy, or sale of our assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

3.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if we believe that disclosure is necessary to:

• Comply with applicable laws, regulations, legal processes, or governmental requests
• Enforce our Terms of Service, including investigating potential violations
• Detect, prevent, or address fraud, security, or technical issues
• Protect against harm to the rights, property, or safety of the Company, our users, or the public

3.4 With Your Consent

We may share your information with third parties when you have given us your consent to do so.

4. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND DATA PROCESSING

4.1 AI-Powered Features

Our App uses artificial intelligence to provide plant identification and care recommendations. To provide these services, we may:

• Process the plant images you upload to identify plant species
• Analyze your queries and interactions to provide relevant care information
• Store and process your plant-related data to personalize recommendations

4.2 Third-Party AI Services

We currently use third-party AI services to power certain features of the App. These services may receive and process your data in accordance with their own privacy policies and our agreements with them. In the future, we may transition to self-hosted AI solutions, which will continue to adhere to this Privacy Policy.

4.3 AI Training and Improvement

We may use anonymized versions of your plant images and queries to train and improve our AI systems. This helps us enhance the accuracy of plant identification and the quality of care recommendations for all users. By using the App, you consent to this use of your anonymized data for AI improvement purposes. This anonymized data may continue to be used even after you delete your account or the App, as it cannot be specifically identified or removed from our training datasets once incorporated.

5. YOUR PRIVACY CHOICES

5.1 Account Information

You can review and update your account information by accessing your account settings in the App. You may also delete your account, though certain information may be retained as necessary for legitimate business purposes or to comply with legal obligations.

5.2 Marketing Communications

You can opt out of receiving promotional communications from us by following the unsubscribe instructions included in our emails or by contacting us directly.

5.3 Mobile Device Settings

• Location Permissions: You can control location data collection through your device settings. Note that disabling location services may limit certain features of the App.
• Push Notifications: You can manage push notifications in your device settings.
• Photos/Camera Access: You can control the App's access to your device's camera and photo library through your device settings.

5.4 Advertising Choices

You can opt out of personalized advertising by:

• Using the settings within the App (if available)
• Adjusting your device settings (such as "Limit Ad Tracking" on iOS)
• Using industry opt-out tools like those provided by the Digital Advertising Alliance or Network Advertising Initiative

5.5 Do Not Track

Some web browsers have "Do Not Track" features that allow you to tell websites not to track your online activities. Our App does not currently respond to Do Not Track signals.

6. DATA RETENTION

We retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with our services. We will also retain and use your information as necessary to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.

7. DATA SECURITY

We implement reasonable security measures to protect your information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS

8.1 Data Storage and Processing Locations

Your information may be transferred to, stored in, and processed in the United States and other countries where we, our affiliates, or our service providers maintain facilities, regardless of where you use our App.

8.2 Consent to Transfer

By using the App, you explicitly consent to the transfer of your information to the United States or any other country where we operate, which may have different data protection rules than those of your country. If you do not agree to such cross-border transfers of your personal information, you should not use our App.

8.3 Data Transfer Safeguards

For transfers from the EEA, UK, or Switzerland to countries not considered adequate by the European Commission, we rely primarily on your consent as the legal basis for the transfer, as you have expressly consented by agreeing to this Privacy Policy. As a small business based in the United States primarily serving US customers, we implement reasonable security measures but do not maintain formal data transfer mechanisms such as Standard Contractual Clauses.

9. CHILDREN'S PRIVACY

The App is not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have collected the personal information of a child under 13, we will take steps to delete the information as soon as possible. If you believe that we might have any information from or about a child under 13, please contact us.

10. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on our website and/or within the App. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this Privacy Policy will be revised when changes are made.

You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of the App after changes to the Privacy Policy constitutes your acceptance of such changes.

11. PRIVACY RIGHTS BY REGION

11.1 California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act ("CCPA") provides you with specific rights. These include:

• Right to Know: You may request information about the personal information we've collected, used, disclosed, and sold.
• Right to Delete: You may request deletion of personal information we have collected about you, subject to certain exceptions.
• Right to Opt-Out: You may opt-out of the sale of your personal information, if applicable.
• Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your CCPA rights.

To exercise these rights, please contact us at support@hexpresso.app. We will respond to verifiable consumer requests within 45 days.

Note for small businesses: The full requirements of the CCPA apply to businesses that meet specific thresholds. If Hexpresso LLC falls below these thresholds, we voluntarily provide these rights as a courtesy to California residents.

11.2 European Privacy Rights (GDPR)

If you are a resident of the European Economic Area (EEA), you have certain rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

• Access and Portability: You may request access to your personal data and receive it in a structured, commonly used format.
• Rectification: You may request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
• Erasure: You may request deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances.
• Restriction: You may request that we restrict processing of your personal data.
• Objection: You may object to processing of your personal data in certain circumstances.
• Withdraw Consent: You may withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

If you are in the EEA and have questions about these rights, please contact us at support@hexpresso.app.

Note for small businesses: As a US-based company primarily serving US customers, our compliance with GDPR is based on whether we actively target or monitor EEA residents. If you are an EEA resident using our App, we voluntarily extend these rights to you as a courtesy.

14. CONTACT US

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:

Hexpresso LLC
Albany, NY
support@hexpresso.app