**Privacy Policy - TV Tracker**

**Last updated:** July 10, 2026

TV Tracker ("we", "us", "our") explains in this policy how we collect, use, share, and protect personal data when you use the TV Tracker mobile app and related services.

**1. Data Controller**
The service is operated by the TV Tracker team. For privacy requests, contact us via the in-app **Support** section (Settings) or the official channels listed on the app store page.

**2. Data We Collect**

**2.1 Account and authentication data**
- Username, email address, password hash, optional profile photo and banner.
- Bio, preferred language (Italian/English), app settings and display preferences.
- Session token and user identifier required for sign-in.
- If you use **Google Sign-In**, we receive from Google the profile data you authorize (typically email and basic profile information) to create or link your account.
- OTP codes sent by email during registration or password recovery.

**2.2 Content tracking data**
- Followed series and movies, watched episodes, viewing progress (including partial progress), and watch status.
- Ratings, custom lists (public or private), activity history, and derived statistics.
- Associated metadata (titles, posters, genres, release dates) from metadata providers.

**2.3 Social and community data**
- Follow relationships, follow requests, and friends lists.
- Comments, reviews, reactions, spoiler reports, per-episode chat, and threaded replies.
- **Stories** you publish (images, series/movie cards, stickers, views, and related information).
- Blocked users, content/user reports, moderation outcomes (including temporary or permanent bans), and appeal submissions.
- Optional **auto-publish stories** setting when you mark episodes or seasons as watched.

**2.4 Watch Groups**
- Groups you create or join, invited members, invite status, and shared progress required for group features.

**2.5 Missions and Wrapped**
- Mission/medal progress (e.g., completing series, sharing stories, creating lists), stored locally and synced to the cloud.
- Statistical data used for the annual **Wrapped** recap and, if you share it, content uploaded to stories or external sharing.

**2.6 Notifications**
- Device push token (Firebase Cloud Messaging) and associated language preference.
- Notification history and read state (social, watch groups, support, Wrapped, episode reminders).

**2.7 Support**
- Support tickets, messages, category (feedback, bug, account issue, other), and related conversations.

**2.8 Technical and usage data**
- App version, user identifier (when signed in), technical logs for diagnostics, security, and abuse prevention.
- Local cache of images and metadata to improve performance.
- Limited background activity (e.g., notification checks and episode reminders) via operating system services.

**2.9 Advertising (non-Plus users)**
- If you do not have **TV Tracker Plus**, the app may show ads via **Google AdMob**.
- Google may process advertising identifiers and technical data under its own policies, subject to consent where required through **Google UMP** (User Messaging Platform).
- You can manage ad privacy choices in Settings or App Info.

**2.10 Import and backup**
- If you import from **TV Time**, we process the export file you select on your device (series, episodes, movies, and related identifiers).
- If you export a manual backup, the JSON file is saved **only** to the path you choose on your device; we do not automatically store it on our servers.

**2.11 Widgets (Android only)**
- Home screen widgets read **local database data only** on your device to show next episodes and upcoming content. They do not independently transmit data to the cloud.

**3. Purposes of Processing**
- Provide app features: tracking, cloud sync, search, social, watch groups, missions, Wrapped, widgets (Android).
- Authentication, account security, and abuse prevention.
- Send service and social notifications.
- Community moderation and report handling.
- Customer support and technical troubleshooting.
- Show personalized or non-personalized ads (non-Plus users), subject to consent.
- Manage **TV Tracker Plus** subscriptions (ad-free experience).
- Improve reliability, performance, and service quality.

**4. Legal Basis (where applicable)**
- Performance of contract / provision of the requested service.
- Legitimate interest (security, anti-abuse, product improvement, legal defense).
- Consent, where required (e.g., push notifications, ad consent, optional device permissions).
- Legal obligations.

**5. Data Sharing**
- We do **not** sell your personal data.
- We share data only with providers necessary to operate the app:
  - **TV Tracker servers** (backend hosting and account database).
  - **Google** (Firebase Cloud Messaging, Google Sign-In, AdMob/UMP, Google Play for in-app purchases and updates).
  - **Apple** (App Store for in-app purchases and push notifications on iOS).
  - **TheTVDB** and metadata providers for titles, images, and content information.
- Other users may see content you make public (public profile, public lists, stories, comments) according to your privacy settings.
- With a **private profile**, content is primarily visible to approved followers.

**6. Retention**
- We retain data while your account is active and, where necessary, for limited periods related to security, fraud prevention, or legal obligations.
- When you delete your account, we remove or anonymize personal data from active systems, except where retention is legally required or needed for temporary security backups.

**7. Security**
- We use encrypted connections where supported and industry-standard protections for stored data.
- No system is completely risk-free; we periodically update security measures.

**8. International Transfers**
- Some providers (e.g., Google, Firebase) may process data outside the European Economic Area, with appropriate safeguards under applicable law.

**9. Your Rights**
- Under GDPR and local law, you may request access, correction, deletion, portability, restriction, or objection to processing, and withdraw consent where applicable.
- You can manage profile privacy, lists, blocked users, ad consent, and **delete your account** from in-app settings.
- You may lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

**10. Children**
- The service is not intended for users under 16 (or the minimum age required by local law). We do not knowingly collect data from children below that threshold.

**11. Changes**
- We may update this policy. The "last updated" date at the top indicates the current version. Continued use of the app after changes means you have reviewed the new version, where permitted by law.

**12. Contact**
- For privacy requests: in-app **Support** (Settings) or official app store contact channels.