Privacy Policy

Effective date: September 21, 2026

This Privacy Policy describes how ReefBay ("ReefBay", "we", "us", "our") collects, uses and shares information about you when you use the ReefBay mobile app, the Reef Tank ID app, the reefbay.com website and related services (together, the "Service"). By using the Service you agree to the practices described here. If you do not agree, please do not use the Service.

Information we collect

We collect the following categories of information, depending on how you use the Service:

Account information: Username, email address, password (stored hashed), display name, profile photo, bio and any details you add to your profile. If you sign in with Apple or Google, we receive the name and email address those services share with us.
Content you create: Photos, videos, captions, comments, tank profiles, tank logs, water parameters, livestock lists, reviews and anything else you post or upload.
Private messages: The messages, images and videos you exchange with other users through the Service. We store them so we can deliver them, and we process them for safety, moderation and automatic translation.
Location: An approximate location (country and region) derived from your IP address or your account settings, used to decide which features and stores to show you. With your permission, a more precise location for features such as the local marketplace and nearby reef stores. You can withdraw that permission in your device settings.
Purchases and payments: Order details, shipping addresses and transaction history. Payments are processed by Stripe, the Apple App Store or Google Play; we do not store full payment card numbers.
Seller information: If you sell on ReefBay, the business details, tax information and payout information you provide to us or to Stripe.
Device and usage data: IP address, device type and model, operating system, app version, language settings, identifiers such as push notification tokens, pages and screens you visit, features you use, crash reports and similar diagnostic data.
Communications: Messages you send us, for example support emails or feedback.

How we use your information

We use the information we collect to:

Create and manage your account and provide the features of the Service.
Deliver private messages, comments and other communication between users.
Operate the marketplace, process orders, arrange shipping and prevent fraud.
Train machine learning models and develop artificial intelligence systems for species identification, content classification, image recognition, recommendations and other features.
Automatically translate content and messages into the language of the person reading them.
Personalize your experience, including the content, products and recommendations we show you.
Send you push notifications and emails about your account, orders, messages, reminders and, where permitted, promotions. You can control these in the app settings.
Monitor, analyze and improve the Service, and compile aggregated or anonymized statistics.
Keep the Service safe, enforce our Terms of Service and comply with legal obligations.

Machine learning and artificial intelligence

ReefBay uses machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) to power features such as Reef ID, Zoa ID, DeepDive and automatic translation. This means:

Training data: Content you upload (images, videos, text) may be used to train ML models for species identification, content classification, image recognition and other features.
Persistent use: Once content has been incorporated into ML models or training datasets, it may continue to be used even if you delete the original content or your account.
Cross-product use: Models trained on your content may be used across all ReefBay products and services, including future applications.
Third-party AI providers: To provide identification, assistant and translation features, we send the relevant content (for example a photo, a question you type, or a message that needs translating) to third-party AI providers such as OpenAI and Anthropic under data protection agreements. We do not allow these providers to use your content to train their own models.
Accuracy: AI outputs, including species identifications, care information and translations, can be wrong. They are provided for information only and are not veterinary, medical or professional advice.

By using ReefBay you acknowledge and consent to these uses of your content. Because this processing is fundamental to how the Service works, you cannot opt out of it while continuing to use the Service. See our Terms of Service for the licenses you grant us.

Automatic translation

When another user reads your posts, comments, profile or private messages in a different language, the Service may translate that text automatically. The original text is always kept and can be viewed. Translations are produced by automated services, may be stored so they do not need to be produced again, and may be inaccurate.

How we share information

We do not sell your personal information. We share information only in these circumstances:

Service providers: Companies that provide services on our behalf, such as cloud hosting and storage (Amazon Web Services), payment processing (Stripe, Apple, Google), email delivery (Mailgun), push notifications (Firebase), analytics and crash reporting (PostHog, Firebase), subscription management (Superwall), shipping carriers and label services, and AI providers (OpenAI, Anthropic). They may only use your information to perform those services for us.
Other users: Your username, profile and anything you post publicly are visible to other users and may be shared, downloaded or redistributed by them. When you buy or sell, the other party receives the information needed to complete the order, such as a shipping address.
Sellers and vendors: Independent sellers on the marketplace receive your order and shipping details to fulfil your order. Their use of that information is governed by their own privacy practices.
Business transfers: If ReefBay is involved in a merger, acquisition, financing or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.
Legal reasons: When required by law, court order or government request, or when we believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, safety or property of ReefBay, our users or others.
With your consent: In any other case where you ask us to or agree.

Data retention

We keep your information for as long as your account exists and as needed to provide the Service. When you delete content or your account, we remove it from active systems within a reasonable time; copies may remain in backups for up to 90 days and, as described above, in ML models and training datasets.

We keep transaction records, seller records and communications for as long as required by tax, accounting, consumer protection and other laws, and we may keep limited information to prevent fraud, resolve disputes and enforce our Terms.

International transfers

ReefBay is operated from the United States and our servers and service providers are located there and in other countries. If you use the Service from outside the United States, your information will be transferred to and processed in the United States, where data protection laws may differ from those in your country. Where required, we rely on safeguards such as standard contractual clauses for these transfers.

Your rights and choices

Depending on where you live, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

Access and correction: View and update your account information in the app settings, or ask us for a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Deletion: Delete individual content in the app, or delete your whole account in Settings > Manage Account or by contacting us. Some data is retained as described under Data retention.
Portability: Ask us for your personal information in a commonly used, machine-readable format.
Objection and restriction: Object to, or ask us to restrict, certain processing, including direct marketing.
Notifications and marketing: Turn push notifications and emails on or off by category in the app settings, or use the unsubscribe link in any marketing email. We will still send you messages needed to operate your account.
Location: Withdraw location permission in your device settings at any time.
Complaints: If you are in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, Switzerland or Brazil, you may lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority. Residents of California and other US states may have additional rights under their state privacy laws, including the right to know, delete and correct, and the right not to be discriminated against for exercising those rights.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected]. We may need to verify your identity before responding.

Legal bases (EEA, UK and similar jurisdictions)

Where data protection law requires a legal basis, we process your information: to perform our contract with you (providing the Service you signed up for); based on our legitimate interests (improving and securing the Service, developing our ML features, preventing fraud, marketing our own products); to comply with legal obligations; and, where required, based on your consent, which you can withdraw at any time.

Children

The Service is not directed to children under 13, or under the minimum age at which a person can consent to data processing in their country (for example 16 in parts of the European Union). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children below that age. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, contact us and we will delete it.

Cookies and similar technologies

The reefbay.com website uses cookies and similar technologies that are necessary for it to work (such as keeping you signed in, remembering your language and protecting forms), and analytics cookies that help us understand how the site is used. You can control cookies through your browser settings; disabling necessary cookies may prevent parts of the site from working.

Security

We use administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect your information, including encryption in transit and access controls. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security. Keep your password confidential and contact us immediately if you suspect unauthorized access to your account.

Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated policy on reefbay.com and in the app and update the effective date above. If a change is material, we will give you additional notice, for example by email or an in-app message.

Contact us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or about how we handle your information, contact us at [email protected].