Privacy Policy

Effective date: January 2026

1. Summary

PicPulse respects your privacy and only collects data necessary for app functionality.

2. What Data We Collect

PicPulse collects the following information to provide its core features:

Photos: Images you capture daily are stored in Firebase Cloud Storage
Location data: GPS coordinates when you take photos (optional, can be disabled)
Timestamps: Date and time when photos are captured
User account information: Email or authentication details via Firebase Auth
Usage analytics: Anonymous usage data via Firebase Analytics to improve the app

3. How We Use Your Data

Display your daily photos with timestamps and locations
Track your daily streak and achievement progress
Send daily reminder notifications (if enabled)
Sync your photo journal across devices
Improve app performance and user experience

4. Data Storage & Security

All photos and metadata are stored securely on Firebase Cloud Storage and Cloud Firestore. Firebase implements industry-standard security measures to protect your data. Your photos are private and only accessible to you unless you choose to share them.

5. AI Caption Generation

PicPulse uses on-device AI (ML Kit or TensorFlow Lite) for caption suggestions. Image processing happens locally on your device - photos are not sent to external servers for AI analysis.

6. Third-Party Services

PicPulse uses Firebase services (owned by Google):

Firebase Authentication
Cloud Firestore
Firebase Cloud Storage
Firebase Cloud Messaging
Firebase Analytics
Firebase Crashlytics

These services are subject to Google's privacy policies.

7. Your Rights

You can delete your photos at any time
You can disable location tracking in app settings
You can delete your account and all associated data
You can export your photo data
You can opt out of analytics

8. Data Retention

Your photos and data are retained as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, all data will be permanently removed from our servers within 30 days.

9. Children's Privacy

PicPulse is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

10. Policy Updates

We may update this policy to reflect changes in technology or legal requirements. Users will be notified of significant changes.