Privacy Policy

We collect only what we need to run the lost-and-found service:

• Account information: your name and email address. If you sign in with Google, we receive your name, email and profile photo from Google.
• Pet reports: photos, descriptions and the locations you choose to share when you report a missing or found pet.
• Sightings: notes, optional photos and locations you add when reporting a sighting.
• Saved alert areas & preferences: the areas you save and your notification settings.
• Approximate location: only when you tap “Use my location”, we request a single device location to place a pin or compute distances. Beacon never tracks your location continuously or in the background.

• To publish and display lost and found pet reports to your neighbourhood.
• To match found pets against nearby missing pets and notify likely owners.
• To send the alerts you opt into, based on your saved areas and filters.
• To operate, secure and improve the service.

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use it for advertising.

If you choose to opt in - by ticking the box when you sign up, or subscribing on our website - we will send you occasional Beacon updates, safety tips and reunion stories. This is entirely optional and separate from the essential service emails we send to run your account, such as sign-up confirmation and password resets.

You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in any marketing email, or by emailing us at support@usebeacon.co.za. We store your opt-in so we can honour and evidence your consent, as POPIA requires.

Beacon is a community board, so pet reports and sightings are visible to other users - that is how neighbours help bring pets home. Your contact details are kept private until you choose to share them through the app. Please avoid including sensitive personal information in free-text fields or photos.

We rely on a small number of processors to run Beacon:

• Supabase - authentication, database and photo storage.
• Google - optional sign-in.
• OpenStreetMap / Nominatim - maps and place search. Location text you search may be sent to the geocoding provider to return results.
• Vercel - application hosting.

• You can mark reports as reunited and edit or remove content you created.
• You can delete your account and associated data at any time from Profile → Delete my account, or by contacting us at the address below. We remove it within a reasonable period, subject to legal obligations.
• You can turn alerts off at any time in the app’s settings.

Beacon operates from South Africa and processes your personal information in line with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA). We are the responsible party for the information you share with us. We only process personal information that is adequate, relevant and necessary to run the lost-and-found service.

Under POPIA you have the right to:

• ask what personal information we hold about you, and request a copy;
• ask us to correct or update information that is inaccurate;
• ask us to delete your information (including via the in-app account deletion);
• object to processing, and withdraw any consent you gave, at any time.

To exercise any of these, email us at support@usebeacon.co.za. If you believe we have not handled your information lawfully, you may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator (South Africa) at inforegulator.org.za.

Beacon is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them.

We may update this policy from time to time. Material changes will be reflected by the “Last updated” date above.

Questions or requests? Email us at support@usebeacon.co.za.