Data Deletion Request - ForageFiends

1

How to Request Data Deletion

To request deletion of your personal data, please follow these steps:

Send an email to privacy@forage-fiends.com with the subject line "Data Deletion Request"
Include your account email address (the email you use to log into ForageFiends)
Specify your request:
- Full account deletion - Delete your account and all personal data
- Partial deletion - Specify which data you want deleted (e.g., profile photo, location history)
We will verify your identity by sending a confirmation to your registered email
Your request will be processed within 30 days of verification

2

What Data Gets Deleted

When you request full account deletion, the following data will be permanently deleted:

Data Type	Status	Details
Account credentials	Deleted	Email, password hash, authentication tokens
Profile information	Deleted	Display name, profile photo, bio
Location history	Deleted	GPS coordinates associated with your account
Profile photo	Deleted	Your profile picture
Messages	Deleted	Direct messages sent to other users
Points and achievements	Deleted	Your score, badges, and leaderboard ranking
User preferences	Deleted	App settings, notification preferences

3

What Data May Be Retained

Certain data may be retained for legitimate purposes as outlined below:

Data Type	Status	Reason & Retention Period
Foraging find records	Anonymized	Botanical observations are anonymized and retained for citizen science research. Your name and personal identifiers are removed. Retained indefinitely for research value.
Plant photos	Donated	Photos of plants you upload are donated to the ForageFiends community research database. By uploading, you grant a perpetual, royalty-free license for scientific and educational use. Photos become shared community property and are retained indefinitely.
Aggregated analytics	Anonymized	Non-identifiable usage statistics (e.g., feature popularity) may be retained for app improvement. Cannot be traced back to you.
Legal records	Retained if required	If required by law, court order, or to protect legal rights. Retained for the legally mandated period.
Payment records	Retained 7 years	Premium subscription transaction records for tax and accounting compliance. Does not include full payment details.

Note on Citizen Science Contributions: By using ForageFiends, you consent to donating your plant photos and botanical observations to support citizen science research. Find records (plant type, location, date, phenology data) are anonymized, and plant photos become shared community property under a perpetual, royalty-free license for scientific and educational use. Your personal identifiers are removed, but these contributions remain to help track plant populations, seasonal patterns, and advance botanical knowledge.

4

Processing Timeline

Acknowledgment: Within 48 hours of receiving your request
Identity verification: 1-3 business days
Data deletion: Within 30 days of verification
Confirmation: You will receive an email confirming deletion is complete

You may continue using the app until deletion is complete. Once processed, you will be automatically logged out and will need to create a new account if you wish to use ForageFiends again.

5

Alternative: Delete Account In-App

You can also delete your account directly within the ForageFiends app:

Open the ForageFiends app
Go to Profile tab
Tap Settings (gear icon)
Scroll to Danger Zone
Tap Delete Account and confirm

The in-app deletion follows the same data handling policy as email requests.

6

Contact Us

If you have questions about data deletion or this policy:

Email: privacy@forage-fiends.com
Response time: Within 48 hours

ForageFiends is committed to your privacy. We will never ignore a valid data deletion request.