Privacy Policy

Effective date: 9 June 2026

Gotcha helps you capture animals, identify them, save them to your personal collection, and view where your sightings happened. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and what choices you have.

1. Data We Collect

Account Data

When you sign in with Apple, we may receive and store your Apple account identifier, email address, and name if Apple provides them and you choose to share them. We also create an internal user ID for your account.

Animal Collection Data

We store the animals you add to your collection, including animal names, catalog numbers, rarity, type, capture dates, model labels, confidence scores, sighting counts, and related collection statistics.

Photos and Animal Images

When you capture an animal, the app may upload the original photo and a processed subject image with the background removed. These images are used to show your saved animal cards, collection, and photo history.

Location Data

If you grant location permission, the app may collect a location for an animal sighting so that it can be shown on your map. We do not collect continuous background location. Location is requested only for app features such as saving or viewing animal sightings.

Subscription Data

If subscriptions are enabled, we may store subscription status, entitlement status, renewal status, and related App Store transaction information needed to decide whether your account has access to paid features.

Technical Data

We may process technical information such as app version, device type, server logs, request timestamps, IP address, error logs, and authentication events to operate, secure, and improve the service.

2. How We Use Data

We use your data to:

• create and authenticate your account;
• save and sync your animal collection;
• store and display your animal photos and cards;
• show animal sightings on your map when location is available;
• provide subscription-based access to paid features;
• prevent abuse, fraud, and unauthorized access;
• debug, maintain, and improve the app and backend service;
• respond to support requests.

3. Subscription Access and Data Retention

Full access to Gotcha features is available only while your subscription is active, unless we provide a free trial or another limited access option. If your subscription ends, expires, is cancelled, or cannot be renewed, you may lose access to paid features.

If your account does not have an active subscription, we may keep your saved animals, photos, sighting history, map data, and collection statistics for up to 365 days. This gives you time to restore access without immediately losing your collection. After 365 days without an active subscription, we may delete, archive, or anonymize some or all of this data.

4. Account Deletion

You may request account deletion from inside the app. Account deletion may be scheduled with a short waiting period so you can cancel the request if it was made by mistake. After deletion is completed, we delete or anonymize your account data, saved animals, photos, and related collection data, unless we must keep limited information for legal, security, or accounting reasons.

5. Sharing of Data

We do not sell your personal data. We do not use your data for third-party advertising tracking.

We may share data with:

• Apple, for Sign in with Apple, App Store subscriptions, payments, refunds, and receipts;
• hosting, storage, database, and infrastructure providers that operate the service for us;
• service providers who help with security, support, maintenance, or analytics if added later;
• legal authorities if required by law or necessary to protect rights, safety, or security.

6. Photos and User Content

You are responsible for the photos you upload. You should only capture and upload photos that you have the right to use and that do not violate another person's privacy or rights.

7. Children

Gotcha is not intended for children under 13. If you believe a child has provided personal data without appropriate consent, contact us and we will take appropriate action.

8. Security

We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your data. However, no internet service can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

9. International Processing

Your data may be processed and stored in countries other than where you live. Where required, we take steps designed to protect your data according to applicable law.

10. Your Choices

You can choose not to grant camera or location permissions, but some features may not work. You can manage or cancel subscriptions through your Apple ID settings. You can request account deletion in the app or contact us.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If changes are material, we will take reasonable steps to notify you, such as updating the effective date or showing a notice in the app.

12. Contact

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your data, contact us at: gohelpapps0@gmail.com.