Privacy Policy
Effective Date: June 2026
FloraLebanon Collect (“the App”, “we”, “our”, or “us”) is a mobile application used to document plant observations and support biodiversity research in Lebanon. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, how we protect it, and how users can contact us or request deletion of their data.
1. Information We Collect
We collect only the information needed for the App to function.
Account Information
When you create or use an account, we may collect:
- Name
- Email address
- Password, stored securely as an encrypted or hashed value
- User role or account type
- Organization membership information, if applicable
We use this information to let you log in, manage your account, identify your submissions, and support app features such as organizations, leaderboards, and notifications.
Plant Observation Submissions
When you submit a plant observation, we may collect:
- Photos you take or select
- Submission notes or metadata you provide
- Date and time of submission
- Plant, village, or organization selected in the App
- Review status, such as submitted, under review, verified, or rejected
We use this information to review plant observations, support biodiversity research, and display verified plant information.
Location Data
The App may request access to your device location when you submit a plant observation. We collect location coordinates only to:
- Attach an approximate observation location to your submission
- Identify the relevant village or area
- Give proper contribution credit to villages when possible
- Support biodiversity mapping and research
If location is unavailable or permission is denied, the App may allow submission without a valid location. In that case, no village may receive credit for that submission.
We do not collect background location. Location is used only while you are using the App for submission-related features.
Camera and Photo Library Access
The App may request access to:
- Camera, to take plant observation photos
- Photo library, only when you choose to select an existing image
- Media storage, when saving or downloading images to your device
We use photos only for plant observation and app-related features.
Notification Tokens
If you allow push notifications, we collect a push notification token generated by Expo and Firebase. We use this token to send notifications such as submission updates, badges, organization invitations, request updates, and administrative messages.
You can disable notifications in your device settings.
Device and Technical Information
We may collect limited technical information needed for app operation, such as:
- Device platform, such as Android or iOS
- App version
- Error or network logs needed to diagnose issues
- A local device or session identifier used for notification token management
We do not use this information to track users across other apps.
2. How We Use Information
We use collected information to:
- Provide login and account features
- Allow users to submit plant observations
- Review, verify, or reject submissions
- Display leaderboards, badges, and contribution progress
- Support organization and village contribution tracking
- Send app notifications
- Improve app reliability and fix technical issues
- Support biodiversity research and educational purposes
3. Sharing of Information
We do not sell personal information.
We may share limited information only when necessary:
- With authorized administrators or staff who manage and review submissions
- With hosting, database, email, and notification service providers that help operate the App
- With research or project partners in aggregated or reviewed form, where appropriate
- If required by law or to protect the security and integrity of the App
Submitted plant photos and observation data may be reviewed by authorized staff and may be used to support FloraLebanon biodiversity research and educational content.
4. Data Security
We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect user data, including:
- Secure server communication
- Password hashing
- Access control for administrator features
- Restricted access to uploaded files and database records
- Use of trusted hosting and notification providers
No system is completely secure, but we work to protect user data from unauthorized access, loss, misuse, or alteration.
5. Data Retention
We keep user account data and submissions for as long as needed to operate the App, maintain research records, resolve disputes, and comply with legal or project requirements.
If an account is deleted or deactivated, some related records may be retained where necessary for audit, research integrity, or database consistency, but the account may be blocked from further app access.
6. Account and Data Deletion
Users may request deletion or deactivation of their account by contacting us at info@flora-lebanon.com or by following the instructions on our Delete Account page.
When we receive a deletion request, we will review and process it within a reasonable time. Some data may be retained if required for legitimate operational, legal, security, or research record purposes.
7. Children’s Privacy
The App is not intended for children under the age required by applicable law to consent to data processing. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child without appropriate consent, we will take steps to delete or restrict that information.
8. Third-Party Services
The App and server may use trusted third-party services for:
- Hosting and database storage
- Email delivery
- Push notifications through Expo and Firebase
- App distribution through Google Play or Apple services
These providers may process data only as needed to provide their services.
9. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make important changes, we will update the effective date and may notify users through the App or other appropriate means.
10. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or want to request access, correction, or deletion of your data, contact us at:
FloraLebanon
Email: info@flora-lebanon.com