Last updated: March 28, 2026
DiveBuddy.com ("we", "us", or "our") has created this privacy policy to clearly explain how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use our website and mobile applications (collectively, the "Service").
Information We Collect and How We Use It
We maintain a database of scuba divers. We collect the following types of information:
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Contact Information (e.g., email address): Used to manage your membership and to notify you of messages or important site updates.
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Demographic and Personal Information (e.g., city, zip code, age, gender, diving experience): Used to personalize your membership experience and help you connect with other divers.
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User-Generated Content (e.g., photos, forum posts, comments, messages, and dive logs): Used to display your content, enable community features, and monitor for safety, fraud, or violations of our Terms of Use.
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Certifications: Scuba diving certification information and C-card images you upload. C-card images are private and secured so that only you can view them when logged into your account.
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Location Information: City, state, country, and GPS coordinates (if provided) used to help you find dive buddies and locate dive sites.
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Technical Information: IP address, device type, operating system, and browser information collected for security and service improvement purposes.
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Subscription and Purchase Information: Details about your subscription plan and purchase history, managed through our payment processors (see Third-Party Services below). We do not store your credit card or payment method details.
Most of the information listed above will be either publicly available or viewable by other members. The exceptions are your email address, password, C-card images, and payment information, which remain private and are only accessible to you when logged into your account.
Device Permissions (Mobile Apps)
Our mobile apps may request the following device permissions. You can manage these permissions at any time through your device settings:
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Camera: Used to take photos for uploading to your profile, dive logs, or photo galleries.
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Photo Library: Used to select existing photos from your device for uploading.
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Location: Used to help you find nearby dive sites and dive buddies. Location access is optional and the app functions without it.
Data Selling and Sharing
We do not sell, rent, or give away any personal information that our members provide to us. Your data stays with DiveBuddy.com. We share data with third-party service providers only as necessary to operate the Service (see Third-Party Services below).
Safety, Security, and Legal Disclosures
We reserve the right to access, review, preserve, and disclose any information (including direct messages and account activity) if we reasonably believe it is necessary to:
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Investigate, prevent, or take action regarding suspected fraud, scams, spam, or violations of our Terms of Use;
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Protect the safety, rights, or property of DiveBuddy.com, our members, or the public; or
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Comply with legal obligations, including subpoenas or court orders;
Advertising and Tracking Technologies
We are committed to respecting your privacy regarding site activity:
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Advertising: We use non-targeted advertising on our website via Google AdSense. Advertisements are displayed based on the content of the page you are viewing, not on your personal information or browsing history. The mobile app displays ads that are not based on user tracking or behavioral profiles.
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Analytics: We do not use Google Analytics or other third-party tracking services to monitor or analyze your activity on DiveBuddy.com.
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Usage Monitoring: We track API usage locally on your device to detect and prevent abuse. This data is only sent to our servers if unusual activity is detected.
Third-Party Services
We use the following third-party services to operate the Service. Each service processes data according to its own privacy policy:
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Amazon Web Services (AWS Cognito): Used for user authentication and account management. Your email address and password are processed by AWS Cognito to securely manage sign-in and session tokens.
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Google Maps: Used for location features including interactive maps and dive site search. Your map interactions (viewport, search queries) are processed by Google.
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Google reCAPTCHA: Used on web signup to prevent spam and automated abuse. Google's privacy policy applies.
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Stripe: Used to process subscription payments on the web. When you subscribe, you are redirected to Stripe's secure hosted checkout page. We do not receive or store your payment card details.
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RevenueCat: Used to manage subscription entitlements across platforms. RevenueCat receives your anonymous user identifier and subscription status to synchronize your Pro membership across devices.
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Apple App Store / Google Play Store: In-app purchases on mobile devices are processed by Apple or Google respectively. These transactions are governed by Apple's or Google's privacy policies.
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Expo (EAS): Used to deliver over-the-air application updates. Standard update checks include your app version and platform; no personal data is shared.
Local Storage
We use local storage on your device (such as AsyncStorage on mobile and browser local storage on web) to store your authentication session, app preferences, and cached data. This data remains on your device and is not transmitted to third parties.
Data Retention
We retain your account data for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, we will permanently delete your personal data as described in the Account Deletion section below. Anonymized or aggregated data that cannot identify you may be retained indefinitely for service improvement purposes. Server logs containing IP addresses are retained for up to 90 days for security purposes.
External Links
This site may contain links to other websites. DiveBuddy.com is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.
Your Rights
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:
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Access: You can view your personal information through your account profile and settings at any time.
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Correction: You can update or correct your personal information through your account settings.
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Deletion: You can delete your account and associated data as described below.
To exercise any of these rights or if you have questions, please contact us at privacy@divebuddy.com.
Account Deletion
You have the right to delete your account at any time. When you delete your account, we will permanently delete your profile data, photos, certifications, topics, and dive logs. Shared content such as dive site contributions and comments on other members' content will be retained but will be attributed to an "Inactive Member". Account deletion cannot be undone. You can delete your account from your account settings page. Alternatively, you can request account deletion by emailing privacy@divebuddy.com from the email address associated with your account and using the subject line "Account Deletion Request."
Children's Privacy
DiveBuddy is intended for users who are 18 years of age or older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a person under 18, we will take steps to delete that information promptly. If you believe someone under 18 has provided us with personal information, please contact us at privacy@divebuddy.com.
Security
We have security measures in place to protect the information under our control. All data is transmitted using industry-standard encryption (HTTPS/TLS). Only representatives of DiveBuddy.com have access to our password-protected databases. Member passwords are encrypted using secure hashing algorithms and are never stored in plain text.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. When we make changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. For significant changes, we may notify you through an in-app notification or email. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns about this privacy policy or our data practices, please contact us at privacy@divebuddy.com.