PAO ("we", "our", "the app") is a give-away marketplace where people post items they no longer need for free, browse items others are giving away, and arrange the handoff through in-app chat. This policy explains what the app collects, how it is used, and the choices you have.
1Information We Collect
Information you provide directly:
- Account details: your name, email address and password (the password is handled by our authentication provider and is never visible to us in readable form).
- Profile details: optional phone number, bio and profile photo.
- Listings: the photos, title, description, category, condition, province and pickup address you add when you post an item.
- Requests and messages: requests you send for items and the chat messages you exchange with other users.
- Photos, videos and voice messages: pictures and videos you take or choose from your gallery, and voice messages you record, when you send them in a chat. Your camera, photo library and microphone are only accessed when you use these features, and nothing is recorded in the background.
- Reports and blocks: if you report or block another user, the report (the reason you choose, any details you add, who it is about and when) and the block.
- Wishlist and feedback: items you save, and the star ratings and reviews you give or receive after an exchange.
- Push notification token and Android version: a device token from Firebase Cloud Messaging, generated automatically while you're signed in, together with your device's Android version number (for example, 8). We use them to notify you about new messages and requests and to choose a notification style your device supports. It is not linked to your device's advertising identifier and is removed when you sign out. The Android version is a plain number and does not identify you or your device model.
Information stored on your device:
- App preferences such as your theme (light/dark) and language.
- A local cache so the app opens quickly and works offline: recent listings, your conversations (including message text), requests, wishlist and the names and photos of people you interact with. It stays on your device, is cleared when you sign out or switch accounts, and never includes passwords.
2Camera and Photos
The app asks for access to your camera or photo library only when you choose to take or select a photo (for your profile picture or for an item you are posting). Photos are not accessed in the background.
3How We Use Your Information
- Create and manage your account and sign you in.
- Show your profile, display listings, and let you filter listings by province.
- Let you send and receive requests and chat (text, photos, videos and voice messages) with other users to arrange a handoff.
- Maintain your wishlist, ratings and reviews.
- Review user reports to keep the community safe. When a user has been reported by five different people, their account is suspended automatically.
- Stop a user you have blocked from sending you messages.
- Remember your app settings.
- Send push notifications to your own signed-in device about new messages and requests.
4What Other Users Can See
- Public to other users: your name, profile photo, the items you post (including photos, province and pickup address), your donation count, and ratings/reviews.
- Shared with the other party only: messages in a conversation, including any photos, videos and voice messages you send. These files are stored privately and can only be opened by you and the person you sent them to.
- Reports and blocks: a report is seen only by us, and the person you report is not told who reported them. Blocking is private too: the person you block is not notified, but they can no longer message you.
- Private to you: your email address, phone number and bio.
Please do not share sensitive personal information in listings or chat. We do not sell your personal information.
5Service Providers and Storage
Your account and app data are stored and processed by Supabase, our backend provider, which we use for authentication, database, file storage (including chat photos, videos and voice messages) and real-time updates. Data is sent over encrypted (HTTPS) connections. Supabase acts on our behalf. Push notifications are delivered through Firebase Cloud Messaging (Google), which receives your device token for that purpose. We do not share your data with any other third party.
While we take reasonable steps to protect your data, no method of storage or transmission is 100% secure.
6Your Choices and Rights
- Review and update your profile at any time from Settings > Edit Profile.
- Clear a conversation from the chat menu: it is hidden from your view only, and the other person keeps their copy.
- Report, block or unblock a user from the chat menu at any time.
- Delete your account and data from Settings > Delete Account. See the account deletion page for the steps and what is removed.
- You can also contact us at any time to ask questions about, or request deletion of, your data.
7Data Retention
We keep your information for as long as your account is active. When you delete your account, your profile, listings, requests, messages, wishlist and feedback are permanently removed from our database, and the photos, videos and voice messages you sent in chats are deleted from storage. Reports you sent or that were made about you, and blocks, are deleted along with the account.
8Children's Privacy
PAO is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, contact us and we will delete it.
9Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The latest revision date is shown at the top of this page.
10Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how your data is handled, email us:
shahabmustafa18@gmail.com