Privacy Policy

North Star Digital Labs ("we," "our," or "us") operates the Echo.pet mobile application and website (collectively, the "Service"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our Service.

1. Information We Collect

Account Information

When you create an account, we collect your email address and, optionally, your name. This information is used to identify your account and enable core features of the Service.

Pet Profile Data

You may provide information about your pet, including their name, species, breed, age, weight, photos, medical records, vaccination history, allergies, and medications. You control what information is visible when someone scans your pet's NFC tag.

Contact Information

You may optionally provide your phone number, email address, or other contact details to be displayed on your pet's public profile. You have full control over which contact methods, if any, are visible to finders.

Location Data

We collect approximate location data only when someone scans your pet's NFC tag, and only if you have enabled Lost Mode. This location data comes from the scanning device, not from continuous tracking. We do not track your location or your pet's location at any other time.

Device Information

We collect device tokens for Apple Push Notification Service (APNs) to send you notifications when someone scans your pet's tag. We also collect basic device information (device model, operating system version) for troubleshooting and service improvement.

2. Health and Wellness Data (HealthKit)

Echo. integrates with Apple HealthKit to read and write health and fitness data where you grant permission. Data accessed via HealthKit may include activity, sleep, and other wellness metrics you choose to share.

We use HealthKit data solely to provide features within the app. We do not share HealthKit data with third parties, use it for advertising, or sell it under any circumstances. HealthKit data is never used for any purpose other than the health features you explicitly enable.

You can revoke HealthKit access at any time in your iPhone Settings under Privacy & Security › Health.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, operate, and maintain the Service
• Display your pet's profile when their NFC tag is scanned
• Send you push notifications about tag scans and Lost Mode alerts
• Communicate with you about your account and provide customer support
• Improve and develop new features for the Service
• Detect, prevent, and address technical issues or abuse

4. Data Sharing

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We may share information only in the following circumstances:

• Public Pet Profile: Information you choose to include on your pet's public scan page is visible to anyone who scans the tag. You control what is displayed.
• Service Providers: We use third-party services (such as cloud hosting and push notification services) that process data on our behalf under strict contractual obligations.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, regulation, or legal process.

5. Data Storage and Security

Your data is stored on Amazon Web Services (AWS) infrastructure located in the EU (Frankfurt, Germany). We implement industry-standard security measures, including encryption in transit (TLS) and at rest, to protect your information. However, no method of electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Data Retention

We retain your data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Service. If you delete your account, we will delete your personal data within 30 days, except where retention is required by law. Scan location data is retained for a maximum of 90 days.

7. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to:

• Access, correct, or delete your personal data
• Object to or restrict processing of your data
• Export your data in a portable format
• Withdraw consent at any time

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at support@echo.pet.

8. Children's Privacy

The Service is not directed to children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected data from a child, please contact us immediately.

9. Third-Party Services

The Service uses the following third-party services, each with their own privacy policies:

• Apple Push Notification Service (APNs) — delivers push notifications to your device
• Amazon Web Services (AWS) — cloud infrastructure and data storage
• Apple HealthKit — health and wellness data, accessed only with your explicit permission. HealthKit data is never shared with any third party or used for advertising.
• Mixpanel — anonymized product analytics to understand how features are used and improve the app. We do not send any personally identifiable information to Mixpanel. No names, email addresses, phone numbers, or pet data are included in analytics events. You can review Mixpanel's privacy policy at mixpanel.com/legal/privacy-policy.

10. Website Cookies and Analytics

This website (echo.pet) uses Google Analytics 4, a web analytics service provided by Google Ireland Limited, to understand how visitors use the site so we can improve it.

Analytics only runs if you consent. When you first visit, we ask for your permission. Google Analytics is not loaded and no analytics cookies are set unless you actively accept. If you decline, or simply ignore the banner, no analytics is loaded at all. Only technically necessary storage — for example remembering your language choice and your cookie decision — is used without consent, as permitted under § 25 (2) TDDDG.

You can change your decision at any time via the “Cookie settings” link in the footer of any page. Withdrawing consent stops any further collection; it does not affect data already collected.

Where analytics is enabled, Google may process usage data (such as pages viewed, approximate location derived from a truncated IP address, device and browser type) and may transfer data to servers in the United States. The legal basis is your consent under Art. 6 (1)(a) GDPR and § 25 (1) TDDDG. You can review Google's privacy policy at policies.google.com/privacy.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy on our website and updating the "Last updated" date. Your continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, contact us at:

North Star Digital Labs
Email: support@echo.pet
Website: echo.pet