Privacy Policy

Last updated: August 11, 2026

This policy covers the BarkShare website and mobile app. Questions: privacy@barkshare.dog.

1. Who we are

BarkShare LLC ("BarkShare," "we," "us," or "our") operates the BarkShare website and mobile app. This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, how we use it, how we share it, and the choices you have. By using https://www.barkshare.dog or the BarkShare mobile app (together, the "Services"), you acknowledge this policy. Our Terms of Use also apply.

2. Information we collect

Account and profile

When you create an app account we may collect your name, email, phone number, age confirmation, gender, profile photos, bio, dog profiles, and privacy preferences. If you sign in with Google or Apple, we receive basic account information from that provider (such as name and email).

Content and activity

Posts, comments, messages, events, packs, matches, reports, feedback, and other content you submit. We may process images and text for safety moderation (including automated screening).

Location

With your permission, we collect city/state and coordinates to power nearby discovery (matches, posts, packs, events). Exact coordinates are not shown to other users — only city/state and approximate distance when you allow it. Your device may use Apple or Google on-device geocoding to create a city label stored on your profile. You can clear stored location in Settings → Privacy / Location.

Device and usage

Device type, OS, app version, crash/error diagnostics, IP address (for security and rate-limiting), and product analytics events (for example feature usage). Error tools may include diagnostic data and, in limited cases, screenshots.

Website

  • Contact / newsletter: name, email, and message content when you submit forms or subscribe.
  • Cookies and similar tech: if you accept cookies, analytics and advertising technologies may run (see below).

3. How we use information

  • Provide, operate, and improve BarkShare (matching, chat, packs, events, feed).
  • Verify accounts (email/phone), send transactional messages and push notifications.
  • Keep the community safe: moderate content, prevent abuse, investigate reports.
  • Respond to support requests and send updates you request (including marketing email you opt into).
  • Measure product and marketing performance (analytics and advertising measurement).
  • Comply with law and protect rights, safety, and security.

4. How we share information

We do not sell your personal information for money. We may disclose information as follows:

  • Other users: profile details (display name, photos, bio, dogs) according to your privacy settings. Email and phone are not shown to other users. Exact GPS coordinates are not shown to other users.
  • Service providers: vendors that process data for us, including Firebase/Google Cloud (hosting, auth, database, storage, messaging), Resend (email), PostHog (product analytics), Google Cloud Vision (photo moderation), Sentry and Firebase Crashlytics (errors/crashes), and Google or Apple when you use their sign-in.
  • Advertising partners: Meta Platforms (see Advertising & analytics).
  • Legal and safety: when required by law, to report CSAM to NCMEC or authorities, or to protect users and the Services.
  • Business transfers: if we are involved in a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, information may transfer subject to this policy or notice.

5. Advertising & analytics

PostHog

We use PostHog to understand how the website and app are used (page views, feature events, device/browser context). On the website, PostHog runs only if you accept cookies. In the app, product analytics may run to operate and improve BarkShare (and may also be stored in our Firebase infrastructure).

Meta (Facebook / Instagram ads)

On the website, if you accept cookies, we may use the Meta Pixel and related conversion APIs to measure ad performance (for example store download intent). Limited technical identifiers (such as IP address, user agent, and Meta cookies like _fbp) may be sent to Meta. On iOS/Android, we may use the Meta / Facebook SDK for app events and attribution. On iOS we request App Tracking Transparency (ATT) where required; advertising tracking settings follow your device choice.

Under some U.S. state laws (including California), sharing identifiers with advertising platforms for cross-context behavioral advertising can be considered a "sale" or "share" even when no money is exchanged. See Your privacy rights below to opt out.

6. Cookies

Our website uses a cookie consent banner. If you accept, analytics and advertising cookies (including PostHog and Meta) may be set. If you decline, those cookies are not loaded. You can change your choice by clearing site data for barkshare.dog and revisiting. The mobile app does not use the website cookie banner.

7. Retention

  • Account data: kept while your account is active.
  • After deletion: we delete or de-identify personal account data from production systems promptly; backups, logs, and vendor caches may retain limited data for a short period (typically up to 90 days), then expire in the normal cycle, unless we must retain longer for legal, safety, or dispute reasons.
  • Safety records: reports, moderation decisions, and related records may be retained as needed to protect the community and comply with law.

8. Security

App data is stored on Google Firebase / Google Cloud with encryption in transit (HTTPS/TLS) and at rest by default. Chat is delivered under access-controlled security rules to conversation participants. We do not use end-to-end encryption — BarkShare and our infrastructure providers can technically access message content for delivery, abuse prevention, and legal compliance. We do not sell chat content or use it for advertising.

Additional safeguards include verification, rate limiting, automated photo/text screening, user reporting, and manual review of flagged content. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure.

9. Your choices

  • Profile & privacy: Settings → Privacy (location, discovery, distance, name display).
  • Notifications: Settings → Notifications or your device settings.
  • Delete account: Settings → Delete Account, or see delete-account instructions.
  • Marketing email: unsubscribe link or email privacy@barkshare.dog.
  • Website cookies: accept/decline banner; clear site data to reset.
  • iOS tracking: Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking on your device.

10. Your privacy rights (including California)

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or obtain a copy of personal information, and to opt out of certain sharing for advertising. To exercise rights, email privacy@barkshare.dog. We will verify requests as required by law and will not discriminate against you for exercising privacy rights.

California (CCPA/CPRA) notice (summary): We collect identifiers (name, email, phone, account IDs); commercial/internet activity (app and site usage); geolocation (approximate); visual information (photos you upload); and inferences drawn from usage to improve the product. We use this information for the purposes in Section 3. We disclose information to service providers and, if you consent to website cookies or use the app with advertising SDKs enabled, to Meta for advertising measurement.

Sensitive personal information: Some information we process (such as precise geolocation when you enable location, or account phone number) may be considered sensitive under California law. We use it to provide the Services (discovery, verification, security) and do not use or disclose it to infer characteristics about you for cross-context advertising. You may request that we limit certain uses of sensitive personal information by emailing privacy@barkshare.dog with the subject line "Limit Sensitive PI."

Do Not Sell or Share: To opt out of sale/sharing for cross-context behavioral advertising: decline website cookies, adjust iOS ATT / device ad settings, and/or email privacy@barkshare.dog with the subject line "Do Not Sell or Share." If your browser sends a Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal, we treat it as an opt-out of sale/sharing for that browser: we store a declined cookie preference and do not load consent-gated analytics or ads tags.

11. Children's privacy

BarkShare is for adults only. You must be at least 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. During onboarding you must confirm you are 18+. If we learn we collected information from a minor, we will delete it.

12. International transfers

We are based in the United States. If you use BarkShare from elsewhere, your information may be processed in the U.S. and other countries where our providers operate.

13. Changes

We may update this Privacy Policy. We will post the new version on this page with an updated date and, for material changes, notify you in the app or by email when appropriate.

14. Contact

Privacy questions or requests: privacy@barkshare.dog. General support: support@barkshare.dog. Or use our contact form.

Legal entity: BarkShare LLC. For a mailing address for privacy or legal notices, email privacy@barkshare.dog.