Who We Are
This Privacy Policy ("Policy") explains the privacy practices of Pidgin ("we," "us," "our") relating to your access and use of Pidgin's services, including our mobile application and website located at www.joinpidgin.com.
This Policy is designed to help you better understand how we collect, use, store or share any personal information about you ("Personal Data"). At Pidgin, we only process Personal Data in compliance with applicable data protection laws and regulations.
We may update this Policy from time to time by publishing a new version on our website.
1. Personal Information We Collect
We collect the following categories of personal information, as defined under the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA):
1.1 Identifiers
- Phone number (used for authentication and verification)
- First and last name
- Email address
- Date of birth
- IP address
- Push notification tokens (Firebase Cloud Messaging tokens)
1.2 Message and Communication Data
- Message content you send and receive
- Sender and recipient identifiers
- Delivery timing and status
- Associated bird, flock, and delivery metadata
Your messages are private. We do not read message content for advertising purposes. Message content is accessed, processed, stored, or disclosed only as necessary to facilitate message delivery, maintain service functionality, investigate abuse or violations of our Terms, or respond to lawful requests or legal obligations.
1.3 Location Data (Precise Geolocation)
If you grant location permissions, we collect and store precise GPS location data, including latitude and longitude, to:
- Display bird flight paths on the tracking map
- Visualize message origin and destination
- Enable location-based features
You may revoke location access at any time through your device settings. Some features may not function without location access.
1.4 Device and Usage Information
- Device type and operating system
- App interaction and usage data
- Crash and diagnostic data
1.5 Bird and Flock Data
- Bird names and customizations (colors)
- Bird ownership, lending, and return status
- Bird type and delivery characteristics
2. Sensitive Personal Information
Under the CPRA, some of the information we collect qualifies as Sensitive Personal Information, including:
- Precise geolocation data
- Message contents
- Account authentication data
- Date of birth
We use Sensitive Personal Information only as reasonably necessary to provide the Services, ensure security, prevent fraud, and enable core functionality. California residents may request to limit the use and disclosure of Sensitive Personal Information as described below.
3. How We Use Personal Information
We use personal information to:
- Operate and maintain the Services
- Create and manage accounts
- Deliver messages and virtual birds
- Display maps and visualizations
- Communicate with users
- Improve product functionality
- Prevent fraud and enforce our Terms
- Comply with legal obligations
4. Data Sharing and Disclosure
We do not sell or share your personal information for advertising or commercial purposes.
We may share personal information only with:
- Other users: As required to deliver messages (message content and sender info)
- Service providers: Firebase/Google for cloud hosting, authentication, and messaging infrastructure
- Legal authorities: When required by law or to protect our rights
5. Your California Privacy Rights (CPRA)
If you are a California resident, you have the following rights under the California Privacy Rights Act:
5.1 Right to Know
Request disclosure of:
- Categories of personal information collected
- Sources of personal information
- Purposes for collection
- Categories of third parties receiving information
- Specific pieces of personal information collected
5.2 Right to Delete
Request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal exceptions.
5.3 Right to Correct
Request correction of inaccurate personal information.
5.4 Right to Opt-Out of Sale or Sharing
We do not sell or share your personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising.
5.5 Right to Limit Use of Sensitive Personal Information
You may request limits on our use of Sensitive Personal Information by contacting us.
5.6 Right to Non-Discrimination
We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.
6. How to Submit and Verify Requests
You may submit all privacy-related requests by email:
To protect your privacy, we will verify your identity by confirming access to the email address or phone number associated with your Pidgin account before fulfilling requests.
7. Data Retention
We retain personal information for as long as your account remains active. Upon account deletion, personal information is deleted or anonymized within 30 days, unless retention is required for legal, security, or dispute-resolution purposes.
8. Security and Storage
We store data using Firebase (Google Cloud) and implement reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, or destruction.
Data is processed and stored in the United States. By using our Services, you consent to the transfer of your data to the United States.
9. Children's Privacy
Pidgin is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. We do not knowingly sell or share personal information of users known to be under 16 years of age. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately.
10. Push Notifications
We send push notifications related to message delivery, bird activity, and account events. You may disable notifications through your device settings at any time.
11. Changes to This Policy
If we make material changes to this Policy, we will notify users through the app or via email before the changes take effect. Your continued use of Pidgin after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.
12. Contact Us
For questions or to exercise your privacy rights, contact us at: