KatByrd Privacy Policy
What this covers
This policy explains what KatByrd collects, why, and the choices you have. We keep it as small as we can.
What we collect
Guests: a username you choose, a random device ID, and your scores and finds. Accounts: also your email address, a securely hashed password, an optional ZIP code, and the date you accepted our Terms. Artists: the profile you write (name, bio, links, what you make) and the photos and text you submit with claims. Everyone: usage events such as opening hunts and artworks, and taps on find or directions buttons. Messages you send us through Contact us (and the name and email you choose to add), and reports about artworks. Players under 13 are never asked for a name or email. Businesses: the email address of a person invited to manage a partner business is kept until they accept or 14 days pass, and the managers of each partner business are listed by account. We send ourselves an email notice that a message or report arrived, but the notice never includes what you wrote. When you are signed in, your usage events are linked to your account, and we keep a sign-in record (the time it was last used) so you stay signed in. Our hosting and security providers handle network addresses (IP addresses) to deliver the app and protect it from abuse. Photos you upload are resized, and their hidden details (such as the GPS position and camera information stored inside the file) are removed before they are saved. Anyone who scans a KatByrd QR code at a partner venue: the time, which code, and the kind of device (iPhone, Android or computer). We do not store the IP address or the device's own description with a scan, and partners see only totals.
Location
KatByrd needs your location to work. Distance to artworks and confirming a find both depend on GPS, so without location permission you can browse hunts but you cannot verify finds or earn points. Your live location is used on your phone. While you use KatByrd, your phone also sends its position, rounded to about 11 meters, with its requests so the app can show what is near you and which venue you are at (for example a zoo that opens its own hunts only when you are there); this position is not stored, except as described next. When you view an artwork, attempt a find or make a find, we record the approximate spot (rounded to about 11 meters) with your device ID to learn which artworks are being discovered and to improve the app. We do not track your movements between those moments. You can turn location off in your phone settings at any time.
Children
KatByrd is for a general audience. We do not allow accounts for children under 13. Guests who say they are under 13 get a generated username, and we do not record usage events or approximate locations tied to their device.
How we use it
To run the app and leaderboards, review artist claims, keep KatByrd safe, understand which places and artworks people enjoy, and report anonymous totals to arts partners and funders. We do not send marketing messages, we do not sell your personal information, and we do not show ads.
What is public
Your username and score on leaderboards. For artists: the artist name, bio, links and "what I make" on your claimed artworks. Nothing else is shown to other users.
Who we share with
Service providers that host and secure KatByrd, and authorities when the law requires it. Partner venues receive only anonymous, combined statistics, unless you separately agree to something more.
How long we keep it
Deleted accounts are hidden right away and permanently erased after 30 days, together with their messages, reports and usage events; the public artist credit on an approved artwork may remain without your email or personal details. Deleted hunts and artworks are removed after 30 days. Usage events and QR code scans are kept for up to one year. Messages we have answered and reports we have closed are erased after one year. Partner businesses we remove are erased after 90 days. Proof photos and text from denied or withdrawn artist claims are erased after 90 days. If you ask us to delete a guest player, that player's scores, usage events, reports and messages are erased. Safety backups are kept for a limited time (database copies about 30 days, photos up to about 90 days after removal) and then erased.
Your choices
You can edit your profile, delete your account in the app (Profile, then Delete my account), or email us to ask for a copy of your data or its deletion. You can turn off location in your phone settings.
Security
Passwords are stored hashed, sign-in tokens are stored hashed, and access to admin tools is restricted. No system is perfectly secure, so please use a strong, unique password.
Changes and contact
We will update this page if our practices change. Questions or requests: [email protected].