Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide

• Account information: email address and password when creating an account.
• Profile information: full name, username, profile photo, and interests, if you choose to add them.
• Business information: if you register a business on Scouter, we collect the business name, address, category, contact details, hours, social media links, and any content you submit (photos, videos, descriptions).
• User-generated content: videos, photos, captions, or reports you submit or upload through the App.
• Feedback: any messages you send us through the App's feedback feature.

1.2 Location Data

Scouter can use your device's precise location (GPS) to power our "near me" discovery features, showing you local businesses and content relevant to where you are. Location is collected only while the App is in use, and only with your explicit consent through your device's standard permission prompt.

If you'd rather not share your device's precise location, you can instead manually set a town or zip code within the App's settings, or decline location access entirely in your device settings. Declining may limit the App's ability to sort content by distance.

1.3 Automatically Collected Information

• Infrastructure logs: our backend service provider automatically logs standard technical information (such as IP address and request timestamps) as part of operating the App securely, the same way any online service does.
• Anonymous interaction signals: we track aggregate, non-identifying interaction counts, such as how many times a video was viewed, a business profile was visited, or a business's contact details were tapped, to give businesses basic performance insight. These counts are not tied to your individual account or identity.
• On-device only data: your recently viewed businesses and saved videos are stored locally on your device and are never transmitted to or stored on our servers.

Scouter does not currently use a dedicated analytics or crash-reporting SDK. If we add one in the future, we will update this Privacy Policy to describe what it collects before it goes into effect.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, operate, and maintain the App's core features (local discovery, video feed, business profiles).
• Show you relevant content based on your location or stated interests.
• Create and manage user and business accounts.
• Verify you're a real person during signup (see Section 3 regarding our bot-prevention provider).
• Moderate content and enforce our content guidelines.
• Respond to support requests, reports, and feedback.
• Give businesses basic performance insight into their own listing (views, profile visits, contact clicks).
• Detect, prevent, and address technical issues, fraud, or abuse.
• Comply with legal obligations.

3. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We share information only in the following circumstances:

Backend infrastructure: We use Supabase to store account data, business listings, videos, and related content securely. Supabase processes this data on our behalf under its own data processing terms.

Email delivery: We use Resend to send account-related emails, such as email confirmation and password reset messages.

Bot and spam prevention: We use Cloudflare Turnstile during account signup and sign-in to verify you're a real person and to protect the App from automated abuse.

Public content: Business profiles and approved videos are, by design, publicly visible within the App to other users, since Scouter's purpose is local discovery. Your profile name, username, and profile photo may also be visible to other users where relevant, for example alongside content you've submitted.

Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, subpoena, or legal process, or to protect the rights, safety, or property of Scouter, our users, or the public.

Business transfers: If Scouter is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, user information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to this Privacy Policy or a comparable one.

4. Content Moderation

Business listings and videos are manually reviewed before they become visible to other users. Nothing is published automatically. Once published, users can report content or accounts they believe violate our guidelines directly within the App. Reported content is reviewed and may be removed, and accounts or listings may be suspended or deactivated for violations.

5. Data Retention

We retain account and business information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the App's features. If you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within a reasonable period, except where we are required to retain it for legal, security, or fraud-prevention purposes.

6. Your Choices and Rights

• You can access, update, or delete your account information at any time within the App's settings.
• You can decline location access in your device settings and manually set your location instead.
• You can request a copy of your personal information, or request that we delete it, by contacting us at info@joinscouter.app.
• Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights under applicable privacy laws, such as the right to correct inaccurate information or object to certain processing.

7. Children's Privacy

Scouter is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn we have collected such information, we will delete it promptly.

8. Security

We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will provide notice, such as through the App or by email, before the changes take effect.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at info@joinscouter.app.