Last updated: May 13, 2026
We take the protection of your personal data very seriously. This policy explains what data we collect, why, and how you can exercise your rights.
The data controller for personal data collected through the Les Copains application is:
For any questions regarding the protection of your data, you can contact us at the address above.
When using the Les Copains application, we collect the following categories of data:
| Data | Description | Purpose | Legal Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Email address | Provided during registration or via Google Sign-In | Account creation and management, important communications | Contract performance |
| GPS location | Real-time geographic position during walks | Show nearby spots, detect arrivals/departures, community alerts | Explicit consent |
| Photos | Dog profile photos, spot photos | Display profiles and enrich spot listings | Explicit consent |
| Dog name | Provided when creating the dog profile | Social identification, friend search, community display | Contract performance |
| FCM token | Technical identifier of your device for notifications | Sending push notifications (friend walking, alerts) | Legitimate interest / Consent |
| Profile data | Dog breed, age, temperament; voluntary owner information | Personalise experience and facilitate encounters | Explicit consent |
| Chat messages | Messages exchanged during active walks | Real-time communication between owners at the same spot | Contract performance |
| Community alerts | Reports of hazards (foxtails, poison, etc.), lost dogs | Community safety, proximity alerts | Legitimate interest |
We never collect:
| Data | Retention Period |
|---|---|
| User account and dog profile | Until account deletion, then 30 days for archiving |
| Location history (walks) | 1 year from the walk date |
| Spot photos | Until deleted by the user or account closure |
| Chat messages | 30 days after the walk ends |
| FCM token | Until sign-out or app uninstallation |
| Community alerts | 90 days, unless kept active by the community |
| Technical logs | 90 days maximum |
We never sell your data. We only share data necessary for the application to function with the following service providers:
| Provider | Role | Data Shared | Policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Firebase | Database (Firestore), authentication, notifications (FCM) | Profile data, messages, location, FCM token (email is managed exclusively by Firebase Authentication and never persisted in the Firestore database that other users can read) | firebase.google.com/support/privacy |
| Cloudinary | Photo hosting (avatars, spots) | Uploaded photos only, via server-signed uploads | cloudinary.com/privacy |
| Vercel | Server API hosting (push notifications, Cloudinary signing, account cleanup) | API requests authenticated with a Firebase ID token | vercel.com/legal/privacy-policy |
| Google Sign-In | OAuth authentication via Google | Email and Google name (if Google login chosen) | policies.google.com/privacy |
| Apple Sign In | OAuth authentication via Apple ID | Apple email (or relay alias) and name (if Apple login chosen) | apple.com/legal/privacy |
These providers act as data processors and are contractually bound to protect your data in accordance with the GDPR.
Google Firebase and Cloudinary may store data on servers located outside the European Union (notably in the United States). These transfers are governed by the Standard Contractual Clauses of the European Commission, ensuring a level of protection equivalent to that required in Europe.
We implement the following technical and organisational measures:
Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR — EU 2016/679), you have the following rights:
| Right | Description | How to Exercise |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Obtain a copy of your personal data | Email to copainsapp@gmail.com |
| Rectification | Correct inaccurate or incomplete data | From the profile in the app or by email |
| Erasure | Request deletion of your account and data | From app Settings → "Delete my account" |
| Portability | Receive your data in a machine-readable format | Email to copainsapp@gmail.com |
| Objection | Object to certain processing (e.g. notifications) | Notification settings in the app or by email |
| Restriction | Restrict processing in certain circumstances | Email to copainsapp@gmail.com |
| Withdraw consent | Withdraw consent at any time (location, notifications) | App settings or your device settings |
We will respond to any request within a maximum of 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you can lodge a complaint with your national data protection authority. In France: CNIL — www.cnil.fr.
Les Copains is intended for people aged at least 13 years old. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with data, please contact us at copainsapp@gmail.com so we can delete it.
Les Copains is a mobile application. We do not use cookies in the web sense. The only technical identifiers used are:
These identifiers are not advertising tracking cookies.
We may update this policy at any time. In the event of a substantial change, you will be notified via the application. The last-updated date at the top of this document will be revised. Your continued use of the application after notification constitutes acceptance of the changes.
For any questions, requests or to exercise your rights:
Email: copainsapp@gmail.com
We are committed to responding within 30 days.