Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Dog Atlas ("we," "us," or "our") is operated by Gustavo Del Prato. We are committed to protecting your privacy and personal data in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable data protection laws.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you use our website and services.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

When you create an account or use our services, we collect:

• Account Information: Email address, username, password (encrypted)
• Profile Information: Name, profile photo (optional), user role
• User-Generated Content: Reviews, ratings, comments, photos, place submissions
• Communication Data: Messages sent to us via contact forms or email

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you use Dog Atlas, we automatically collect:

• Usage Data: Pages viewed, features used, time spent, search queries
• Device Information: Browser type, operating system, device type, IP address
• Location Data: Approximate location based on IP address (not precise GPS)
• Cookies and Similar Technologies: See Section 7 for details

2.3 Third-Party Information

We may receive information from third-party services:

• OAuth Providers: If you sign in with Google, we receive basic profile information (name, email, profile photo)
• Analytics Services: Aggregated usage statistics from analytics providers

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

3.1 Service Provision (Contractual Necessity)

• Create and manage your user account
• Enable you to submit and view content (reviews, photos, places)
• Display your contributions to other users
• Process your searches and personalize results
• Provide customer support

3.2 Service Improvement (Legitimate Interest)

• Analyze usage patterns to improve features and user experience
• Monitor and prevent fraud, spam, and abuse
• Ensure platform security and integrity
• Develop new features and services

3.3 Communication (Legitimate Interest / Consent)

• Send service-related notifications (e.g., account changes, security alerts)
• Respond to your inquiries and support requests
• Send promotional emails (with your consent - you can opt out anytime)

3.4 Legal Compliance (Legal Obligation)

• Comply with applicable laws and regulations
• Respond to legal requests and prevent illegal activities
• Enforce our Terms of Service

4. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

Under GDPR, we process your personal data based on:

• Contract: Processing necessary to provide our services to you
• Consent: You have given clear consent (e.g., for marketing emails)
• Legitimate Interests: Necessary for our legitimate interests (e.g., improving service, preventing fraud) that don't override your rights
• Legal Obligation: Required to comply with the law

5. How We Share Your Information

We do NOT sell your personal data to third parties.

5.1 Public Information

The following information is publicly visible to all users:

• Your username and profile photo
• Reviews, ratings, and comments you post
• Photos you upload
• Places you submit

5.2 Service Providers

We share data with trusted third-party service providers who help us operate:

• Hosting Providers: Vercel (website hosting)
• Database Services: For data storage and management
• Authentication Services: NextAuth, Google OAuth
• Analytics Providers: To understand usage patterns (anonymized data)
• Email Services: For transactional and marketing emails

These providers are contractually bound to protect your data and use it only for specified purposes.

5.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or to:

• Comply with legal obligations, court orders, or government requests
• Protect our rights, property, or safety
• Prevent fraud or illegal activities
• Protect the safety of our users or the public

5.4 Business Transfers

If Dog Atlas is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your personal data may be transferred. We will notify you before your data is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as:

• Active Accounts: As long as your account is active
• Deleted Accounts: 30 days after deletion (to allow recovery), then permanently deleted
• User Content: Reviews and contributions may be retained (anonymized) for service integrity
• Legal Requirements: Longer if required by law or for legal purposes

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Essential Cookies: Required for authentication, security, and basic functionality
• Analytics Cookies: Understand how users interact with our service
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may limit functionality.

8. Your Rights Under GDPR

If you are in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have the following rights:

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at:

Email: inksky11@gmail.com

We will respond to your request within 30 days.

9. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data:

• Encryption: Passwords are hashed using industry-standard encryption (bcrypt)
• Secure Connections: HTTPS/SSL encryption for all data transmission
• Access Controls: Limited employee/system access to personal data
• Regular Security Audits: Monitoring for vulnerabilities and threats

However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. International Data Transfers

Your data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside your country of residence, including countries that may not have the same data protection laws as your jurisdiction.

When we transfer data outside the EEA, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as:

• Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission
• Adequacy decisions recognizing equivalent data protection
• Other legally approved transfer mechanisms

11. Children's Privacy

Dog Atlas is not intended for children under 13 years old. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

If we discover that we have collected data from a child under 13, we will delete it immediately. If you believe we have collected data from a child, please contact us at inksky11@gmail.com.

12. Third-Party Links

Dog Atlas may contain links to third-party websites, services, or social media platforms. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites.

We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by:

• Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page
• Posting a prominent notice on our website
• Sending an email to registered users (for material changes)

Your continued use of Dog Atlas after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

14. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right to know what personal information is collected, used, shared, or sold
• Right to delete personal information
• Right to opt-out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell your data)
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights

To exercise these rights, contact us at inksky11@gmail.com.

15. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us: