Privacy Policy

Last updated: March 2026 Effective date: March 2026

NaturePins is operated by NaturePins (ABN 57 347 823 466) ("we", "us", "our"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights in relation to it. By using NaturePins, you agree to the collection and use of information as described in this policy.

If you have any questions, contact us at support@naturepins.app.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information you provide directly

When you create an account and use NaturePins, you may provide:

Account information: Your name, email address, display name, and profile photo. If you sign up using a third-party service (such as Google or Apple), we receive your name and email address from that provider.

Pin data: When you pin a location, we store the location name, date of visit, any photos you upload, private notes, and public reviews (including star ratings and review text).

Saved places and lists: Locations you save for later and any lists you create to organise them.

Social information: Your followers, the users you follow, and any interactions with other users' pins (such as cheers).

Communications: Any messages you send to us via email or in-app support.

1.2 Information collected automatically

When you use NaturePins, we automatically collect:

Device information: Device type, operating system version, app version, and a unique device identifier.

Location data: With your permission, we collect your device's geographic location to show you nearby places and to verify pin locations. You can disable location access in your device settings at any time. NaturePins remains usable without location access, but some features (such as nearby recommendations and distance calculations) will be unavailable.

Usage data: How you interact with the app, including pages viewed, features used, search queries, and the dates and times of your activity. We use this to understand how people use NaturePins and to improve the app.

Analytics data: We use PostHog (or similar analytics tools) to collect anonymised usage analytics. This data is aggregated and cannot be used to identify you personally.

1.3 Information we do not collect

We do not collect or store payment card details. All payments are processed securely by the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or our third-party payment processor (such as Stripe). We receive confirmation of your subscription status but never see your card number.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

Provide and operate the app: Create your account, store your pins and saved places, display your profile and stats, track challenge progress, and deliver the core NaturePins experience.

Show you relevant content: Display nearby locations, personalised challenge recommendations, and location descriptions. If you grant location permission, we use your position to calculate distances and show places near you.

Enable social features: Show your public pins and reviews to other users, display your profile to followers, and power the friends feed.

Generate AI-assisted content: If you use AI-powered features (such as smart review prompts or trip planning), we send relevant context (such as your photos, location details, and visit history) to our AI provider (Anthropic) to generate responses. This data is processed in accordance with Anthropic's data handling policies and is not used to train AI models.

Improve the app: Analyse usage patterns, identify bugs, and develop new features. This analysis uses aggregated, anonymised data wherever possible.

Communicate with you: Send you service-related emails (such as account verification, password resets, and important updates to these terms). We will not send marketing emails without your explicit opt-in consent, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Fulfil physical rewards: If you earn a physical enamel pin through a challenge or promotion, we collect a shipping address solely for the purpose of delivering the pin. This address is not used for any other purpose and is deleted after delivery is confirmed.

3. How We Share Your Information

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

Public content: Your display name, profile photo, public pins, reviews, and challenge achievements are visible to other NaturePins users (and, for location pages, to the public web). Private notes are never shared with anyone.

Service providers: We use third-party services to operate NaturePins, including hosting (Vercel, Supabase), analytics (PostHog), AI processing (Anthropic), image storage (Cloudflare), email delivery, and push notification services. These providers process your data solely on our behalf and in accordance with their own privacy policies and our data processing agreements.

Aggregated data for partners: We may share anonymised, aggregated visitation data with tourism boards or regional partners (for example, "Beach X was pinned 340 times in January"). This data cannot be used to identify individual users. We will never share individual user data with partners without your explicit consent.

Legal requirements: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.

Business transfers: If NaturePins is acquired, merged, or transfers its assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you via email or a prominent notice in the app before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

4. Photos and User-Generated Content

When you upload photos to NaturePins as part of a pin, those photos are stored on our servers and may appear on the location's public page (visible to other users and on the web). By uploading a photo, you grant NaturePins a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to display that photo within the app and on NaturePins web pages (such as location pages and share cards). You retain ownership of your photos.

You can delete any photo you have uploaded at any time by editing or deleting the associated pin. Deleted photos are removed from our servers within 30 days.

We do not use your photos for advertising or sell them to third parties. We do not use your photos to train AI models.

5. Location Data

Location data is particularly sensitive, and we treat it accordingly.

When we collect it: Only when you have granted location permission in your device settings AND you are actively using the app. We do not track your location in the background.

What we store: When you pin a location, we store the coordinates of the location you pinned (the place, not your device's exact position). We do not store a continuous log of your movements.

How to disable it: You can revoke location permission at any time in your device's settings (Settings > NaturePins > Location). The app will continue to work, but distance-based features will be unavailable.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, we will delete your personal data within 30 days, with the following exceptions:

Public reviews and ratings: Reviews you have posted on location pages may be retained in anonymised form (with your display name removed) to preserve the integrity of location ratings. If you want reviews fully deleted, contact us at support@naturepins.app.

Aggregated analytics: Anonymised, aggregated data (which cannot identify you) may be retained indefinitely for analytical purposes.

Legal obligations: We may retain certain information as required by law (for example, financial transaction records).

7. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, or alteration. These measures include encryption of data in transit (TLS) and at rest, secure authentication, access controls, and regular security reviews.

However, no method of electronic storage or transmission is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security and encourage you to use a strong, unique password for your NaturePins account.

8. Your Rights

Under the Australian Privacy Principles, you have the right to:

Access your data: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.

Correct your data: Request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete information.

Delete your data: Request deletion of your account and associated personal data.

Export your data: Download a copy of your pins, reviews, saved places, and profile information in a portable format (available in the app under Settings > Export Data).

Withdraw consent: Withdraw consent for location tracking, push notifications, or marketing emails at any time through your device settings or the app's settings.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at support@naturepins.app. We will respond within 30 days.

9. Children's Privacy

NaturePins is not directed at children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 16, please contact us at support@naturepins.app and we will delete it promptly.

10. International Data Transfers

NaturePins is based in Australia. Our hosting providers and service partners may process your data in countries outside Australia (including the United States). Where this occurs, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with this policy and applicable privacy laws.

11. Cookies and Tracking (Web)

The NaturePins website uses essential cookies required for the site to function (such as authentication). We use analytics tools to understand how visitors use the site. We do not use advertising cookies or trackers. We do not serve ads in NaturePins.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you by email or through a prominent notice in the app at least 14 days before the changes take effect. Your continued use of NaturePins after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Complaints

If you believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles, you can lodge a complaint by emailing support@naturepins.app. We will investigate and respond within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at www.oaic.gov.au.

14. Contact Us

NaturePins ABN: 57 347 823 466 Email: support@naturepins.app