Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Shroomie ("Company," "we," "us," or "our"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal information is handled responsibly. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, how we share it, and what choices you have — all in connection with the Shroomie mobile application ("App") and any related services.

By downloading, installing, or using the App, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the App.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

• Account Information: When you create an account, we may collect your name, email address, and profile information (such as a display name or profile picture).
• Preferences: News category selections (e.g., World, Tech, Science, Health) and other content preferences you configure within the App.
• Feedback & Support: Any messages, feedback, or information you submit through the App or by contacting our support channels.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Usage Data: We collect information about how you interact with the App, including articles viewed, reading time, follow-up questions tapped, sources explored, and reactions to stories.
• Gamification Data: Reading streak history, sunlight earned, mushroom garden state, and item reward activity.
• Device Information: Device type, operating system version, unique device identifiers, language settings, and time zone.
• Log Data: IP address, access times, app crashes, system activity, and diagnostic data.
• Push Notification Tokens: If you opt in to push notifications, we collect your device token to deliver notifications.

2.3 Information from Third Parties

• Sign-In Providers: If you sign in using a third-party service (e.g., Apple Sign-In, Google Sign-In), we may receive your name, email address, and a unique identifier from that service.
• Analytics Services: We may receive aggregated or de-identified data from third-party analytics tools integrated into the App.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

Purpose	Description
Provide & improve the App	Deliver personalized news feeds, AI-generated summaries, follow-up Q&A, and source citations.
Personalization	Tailor content to your selected categories, reading habits, and interaction patterns.
Gamification	Track streaks, manage your mushroom garden, allocate sunlight rewards, and deliver item rewards.
Communications	Send push notifications (if enabled), service updates, and respond to your support requests.
Analytics & diagnostics	Understand usage patterns, diagnose technical issues, and improve app performance.
Safety & security	Detect, prevent, and address fraud, abuse, security risks, and technical issues.
Legal compliance	Comply with applicable laws, regulations, legal processes, or governmental requests.

4. How We Share Your Information

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

• Service Providers: We may share information with trusted third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf (e.g., cloud hosting, analytics, push notification delivery). These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required to do so by law or in response to valid legal requests (e.g., subpoenas, court orders, or government inquiries).
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change and any choices you may have.
• With Your Consent: We may share information for other purposes when we have your explicit consent.

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. When your data is no longer needed, we will securely delete or anonymize it.

• Account data is retained for as long as your account remains active.
• Usage and gamification data is retained for as long as needed to provide and improve the App's features.
• Log and diagnostic data is typically retained for up to 12 months.

6. Data Security

We implement industry-standard technical and organizational measures to protect your information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include encryption in transit and at rest, access controls, and regular security assessments.

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

7. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain legal exceptions.
• Portability: Request a copy of your data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format.
• Opt-Out of Notifications: You can disable push notifications at any time through your device settings.
• Account Deletion: You can delete your account and associated user data directly in the app via the authenticated DELETE /auth/user/{user_id} endpoint (available to the account owner or an admin). You can also contact us at the email address below for help.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@shroom.app.

8. Children's Privacy

The App is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected information from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete that information as soon as possible. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately.

9. Third-Party Links and Services

The App may contain links to third-party news sources, websites, or services. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party services. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you access through the App. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third parties.

10. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than the country in which you reside. These countries may have data protection laws that differ from those in your jurisdiction. By using the App, you consent to the transfer of your information to such countries. We take appropriate safeguards to ensure that your information remains protected in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make material changes, we will notify you by updating the "Effective Date" at the top of this page and, where appropriate, providing additional notice within the App.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of the App after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

Shroomie
Email: privacy@shroom.app