Privacy Policy

At Disc-Connected, we are committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and how we keep it secure, particularly regarding our "Lost & Found" connection service.

1. Information We Collect

When you register or use our Service, we may collect the following:

• Account Information: Email address, Display Alias, Country, and Phone Number.
• Disc Listings: Information about lost discs (Brand, Mold, Color, Weight, Location Lost) and optional images.
• Usage Data: Login timestamps and interaction history (such as Pings sent/received).

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your data to:

• Create and manage your user account.
• Display your lost disc listings to other users (without revealing your direct contact info publicly).
• Facilitate the "Ping" system to connect owners with finders.
• Improve the functionality of the website.

3. How Your Contact Data is Shared (The "Ping" System)

We take a privacy-first approach to lost property:

• Public Visibility: Your "Alias" and disc details are public. Your Email Address and Phone Number are HIDDEN by default.
• Consent-Based Sharing: Your private contact details (Email/Phone) are stored securely in our database. They are only revealed to another user if you specifically click "Accept" on a contact request (Ping) sent by that user.
• We do not sell your personal data to third parties.
• Post-Sharing Disclaimer: Please note that once you consent to share your contact information with another user, Disc-Connected has no control over, and is not responsible for, how that user stores, uses, or shares your information.

4. Third-Party Services

We use trusted third-party services to operate our platform:

• Google Firebase: We use Firebase for authentication, database storage, and image hosting. Data stored in Firebase is subject to Google's security standards.
• Google Auth: If you sign in via Google, we access your basic profile info (Email/Name) to create your account.
• Google Ads (AdSense): We display advertisements provided by Google. Google may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to serve ads based on your prior visits to our website or other websites. You can opt out of personalised advertising at any time by visiting Google's Ad Settings. For more information on how Google uses data from our site, visit Google's Privacy & Terms.

5. Data Retention and Deletion

We retain your data as long as your account is active. You may delete your disc listings at any time via your Dashboard. If you wish to delete your account entirely, please contact us at disc.connected.nz@gmail.com. In the event of a data breach that is likely to cause serious harm, we will notify affected users and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner as required by New Zealand law.

6. Cookies and Local Storage

We use cookies and local storage to keep you logged in and to track which notifications (Pings) you have already viewed.

In addition, our third-party advertising partner (Google) may set cookies on your device to serve personalised advertisements based on your browsing activity. These cookies are set by Google, not by us, and are subject to Google's Privacy Policy. You can manage or withdraw your consent to advertising cookies at any time using the cookie settings banner on our site, or by visiting Google's Ad Settings.

8. Your Rights (NZ Privacy Act 2020)

Under the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020, you have the right to ask for a copy of any personal information we hold about you, and to ask for it to be corrected if you think it is wrong. If you'd like to ask for a copy of your information, or to have it corrected, please contact us at disc.connected.nz@gmail.com.

9. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at: disc.connected.nz@gmail.com