1. Overview & Data Controller
EmPati Community ("We", "Our", or "the App") is an open volunteer initiative and mobile platform committed to stray and community animal welfare, feeding coordination, and neighborhood emergency care. We adhere to the highest global data privacy standards, including the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA), and Google Play Developer Policies.
2. Information We Collect & Device Permissions
- 📍 GPS Location Data (Precise & Approximate): Accessed only while using the application to display nearby stray feeding bowls, coordinate walking routes, and locate 24/7 emergency veterinary clinics on your interactive map. Background location (if explicitly granted) is used strictly for geofence safety alerts when you enter areas with community danger reports.
- 👤 Account Information: Your display name, email address, password hash, and city are authenticated and securely stored via Google Firebase Authentication and Google Cloud Firestore.
- 📷 Camera & Gallery Access: Used solely when you choose to take or upload photos of feeding points, pet collar IDs, or municipal rabies tags to verify community feeding and help reunite lost pets.
3. Stray Animal Protection & Coordinates Obfuscation
To prevent malicious individuals from tracking vulnerable street animals, puppies, or endangered colonies, EmPati enforces strict location privacy safeguards: new or unverified volunteer accounts only see approximate, offset coordinates until their trust level is verified by the community.
4. Third-Party Services & Security
All data transmissions are encrypted using industry-standard TLS 1.3 and HTTPS protocols. We integrate reputable third-party infrastructure providers that comply with strict security requirements:
- Google Cloud & Firebase: Encrypted cloud database and authentication infrastructure.
- Google AdMob: Privacy-compliant banner and interstitial advertisements in compliance with Google Play Families & User Data Policies.
5. Data Subject Rights & Permanent Account Deletion
Under GDPR (Articles 15-22) and CCPA, you hold the absolute right to access, rectify, export, or permanently erase your personal data at any time.
6. Children's Privacy (COPPA)
EmPati is not directed to children under the age of 13 (or 16 in the European Economic Area). We do not knowingly collect personal identifiable information from minors.
7. Contact Us
For questions or requests regarding your data, contact our Data Protection team at: empati.app.destek@gmail.com