Privacy Policy

ScoutRun ("we", "us", "our") is operated by ScoutRun LLC, a New York limited liability company. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you use scoutrun.app and our related services (the "Service"), how we use it, who we share it with, and what rights you have. We've tried to write this in plain English so you can actually understand it.

1. Information We Collect

Information you provide

• Account info: name, email address, password (hashed, never stored in plain text), and ZIP code
• Profile info: role (Customer or Scout), membership tier (Single Hunt, Member, or VIP)
• Scout application details: ZIP code (for hunt matching), reasons for interest, any additional info you choose to provide
• Scout payout info: chosen payout method (Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, or PayPal) and the corresponding handle or username
• Hunt details (Customers): item descriptions, item photos or links, delivery or shipping addresses, special instructions, item budget, and fulfillment preference
• Communications: messages between Customers and Scouts, support requests, and any feedback or ratings you submit
• Payment info: processed and stored by Stripe — we receive only a payment method ID, the last four digits of the card, and the card brand. We never see or store full card numbers

Information collected automatically

• Technical info: browser type, operating system, device type, IP address (used for rough location and fraud prevention), and timestamps of your visits
• Usage data: pages visited, features used, hunt history, and interaction patterns within the Service
• Approximate location from ZIP: when you provide your ZIP code, we convert it to approximate latitude/longitude coordinates to match Customers with Scouts in their area. This is not precise GPS — it's the centroid of your ZIP code

Information collected during a hunt

• Scout verification photo: when a Scout claims a hunt, they take a photo of the item at the retail store. This photo is associated with the hunt and visible to the Customer for that specific hunt
• Verification GPS coordinates: the GPS location of the Scout's device at the moment they submit a verification photo, used to confirm the Scout was physically at a retail location. This is collected for that single moment, not continuously
• Scout live location (opt-in, local delivery only): for local "Scout delivery" hunts, a Scout may optionally toggle on live location sharing during an active hunt. When enabled, the browser collects approximate GPS coordinates approximately every 60 seconds and shares them with the Customer to whom the Scout is delivering. This feature is OFF by default and requires the Scout to (1) tap a toggle in the app and (2) grant browser-level location permission. Scouts can turn it off at any time. Location is never collected outside an active hunt.
• Delivery photos (local hunts): when a Scout completes a local delivery, they take a confirmation photo
• Package photos (shipping hunts): when a Scout marks a hunt as shipped, they take a photo of the package with the shipping label visible
• Tracking number and carrier: for shipping hunts, the Scout enters tracking information that is shared with the Customer

What we do NOT collect

• Continuous or background GPS location of any user (location sharing requires active opt-in per hunt and only runs while you're actively in the app)
• Browsing activity outside of scoutrun.app
• Contacts, photos, or files from your device beyond what you actively upload
• Biometric information
• Information about your race, religion, political views, or other sensitive categories
• Customer location at any point

2. How We Use Your Information

Purpose	Data Used
Operate the marketplace (match Customers and Scouts, route notifications)	Account info, ZIP code, hunt details, fulfillment tier
Process payments	Payment info via Stripe, transaction amounts
Pay Scouts	Payout method and handle (Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, or PayPal); 1099 reporting info if earnings exceed $600/year
Notify users about hunt status	Email address, hunt details
Verify Scout location at retail (single-moment verification)	GPS coordinates submitted with verification photo
Show Customers hunt status and tracking	Verification photo, package photo, tracking number, carrier
Customer support and dispute resolution	Account info, hunt history, messages, photos
Improve the Service	Aggregated usage data, error logs
Prevent fraud and abuse	IP address, account activity patterns, payment patterns
Comply with legal obligations	As required by law or court order

3. Hunt Verification Photos and GPS

The verification mechanic is core to how ScoutRun works. When a Scout claims a hunt, they must be physically at a retail store with the item. They take a photo of the item, and the photo is uploaded together with the GPS coordinates of their device at that moment. Here's how this data is handled:

• Visibility: The verification photo is visible to the Customer who submitted the hunt and to ScoutRun administrators. Other users cannot see it
• GPS coordinates: Stored as part of the hunt record solely to confirm verification authenticity. Not used for tracking, marketing, or any other purpose
• Retention: Verification photos and associated GPS coordinates are retained for up to 12 months after hunt completion for dispute resolution, then deleted
• No continuous tracking: Verification GPS is collected at a single moment only — it is not continuous tracking

4. Scout Live Location Sharing (Optional)

For local "Scout delivery" hunts, ScoutRun offers an optional feature that lets a Scout share their real-time location with the Customer they're delivering to. This is strictly opt-in:

• Off by default. A Scout must affirmatively turn on location sharing per-hunt by tapping a toggle in the app AND granting browser location permission
• Active hunts only. Location is collected only while the hunt is in an active status (hunting, found, purchased, or shipped) and only while the toggle is on
• Approximate location. Coordinates are updated approximately every 60 seconds while sharing is active
• Limited audience. Only the Customer whose hunt is active can see the location, and only while the Scout has it turned on
• Scout can turn it off any time. Disabling stops new location updates immediately and clears the most recent stored coordinates from the hunt record
• Auto-cleanup. When the hunt is completed or cancelled, location data is no longer accessible via the live map
• Customer obligations. Customers who view Scout location agree to use it only for tracking their delivery, not to record, share, or attempt to physically intercept Scouts. Misuse is grounds for account termination under our Terms of Service
• Map technology. Live maps are rendered using Mapbox. Map data may transmit coordinates to Mapbox solely for the purpose of map rendering

Scouts who do not wish to share location can complete hunts normally without using this feature. Declining does not affect Scout standing, hunt eligibility, or earnings. Live location sharing is only available for local Scout-delivery hunts. Shipping hunts and pickup hunts do not use live location.

5. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We do not use your information to train AI models. We share information only as described below:

• Between Customers and Scouts on a shared hunt: When a Scout claims your hunt, the Customer sees the Scout's first name and customer rating. The Scout sees the Customer's first name, item details, and delivery or shipping address. Photos uploaded for that hunt are visible between the parties. Email addresses and phone numbers are not shared between parties; communication happens through the in-app messaging system.
• Service providers: We use a small set of trusted third-party providers to run the Service. Each one processes data only as needed to provide their service:
  • Stripe — payment processing
  • Supabase — hosted database and file storage (running on AWS)
  • Netlify — web hosting and serverless functions
  • Resend — transactional email delivery
  • Mapbox — geocoding ZIP codes to coordinates and displaying maps where applicable
• Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, valid court order, or government request, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.
• Business transfers: If ScoutRun is acquired, merged, or its assets are sold, your information may be transferred to the successor entity, subject to this Privacy Policy.

6. Data Storage and Security

Your data is stored on Supabase (hosted on Amazon Web Services in the United States) with row-level security policies that restrict access based on user roles. Passwords are hashed using industry-standard algorithms and never stored in plain text. All data in transit is encrypted via HTTPS/TLS.

While we implement reasonable security measures, no online service is 100% secure. If we become aware of a security incident affecting your data, we will notify you in accordance with applicable law. You are responsible for keeping your account password confidential.

7. Photos and Media Retention

Photos uploaded as part of hunts (verification, delivery, package) are stored in encrypted cloud storage. Access is limited to the Customer and Scout involved in that specific hunt and to ScoutRun administrators. Photos are retained for up to 12 months after hunt completion for dispute resolution and platform integrity, after which they are subject to deletion. Backup copies may persist for a short period as part of routine system backups.

8. Your Privacy Rights

Regardless of where you live, you have the following rights:

• Access — request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correct — fix inaccurate information in your profile
• Delete — request deletion of your account and associated personal data
• Export — receive your hunt history and account information in a portable format
• Opt out of non-essential emails — note that hunt status notifications are required for active hunts and cannot be opted out of

To exercise any of these rights, email us at scott@scoutrun.app. We respond within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before processing certain requests. If we deny a request, we'll explain why and let you know your appeal options.

State-specific rights

If you live in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, or Virginia, your state has a comprehensive privacy law that gives you the rights listed above plus, in some cases, additional rights:

• Right to opt out of "sale" or "sharing" of personal information — we don't sell or share for cross-context behavioral advertising, but you have the right to confirm this
• Right to limit use of sensitive personal information — we don't use sensitive information for advertising or profiling
• Right to non-discrimination — we won't discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights
• Right to appeal — if we deny your request, you may appeal by replying to our denial email

California residents: Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), you have the rights described above. We do not sell personal information and have not in the preceding 12 months. Verification GPS coordinates are considered "sensitive personal information" under CPRA. We collect and use them only for the limited purpose of verifying Scout location at retail.

9. Cookies and Local Storage

ScoutRun uses minimal cookies and browser local storage for:

• Session management (keeping you logged in)
• User preferences (such as dismissed banners)
• Cached map data for performance

We do not use third-party advertising cookies. We do not track you across other websites. We may use basic analytics to understand how the Service is used in aggregate, but we do not build advertising profiles.

10. Children's Privacy

ScoutRun is not intended for use by anyone under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we learn that we have collected information from someone under 18, we will delete that information and terminate the account. If you believe a child has provided us with information, please contact us at scott@scoutrun.app.

11. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as your account is active and as needed to provide the Service. Specific retention periods:

• Account information: for the life of your account, plus 1 year after deletion for fraud prevention and legal compliance
• Hunt records: 12 months after completion, then anonymized
• Hunt photos (verification, delivery, package): up to 12 months after hunt completion
• Payment records: 7 years (per IRS recordkeeping requirements)
• Communications: 12 months

If you delete your account, we remove your personal data within 30 days, except where retention is required by law (such as tax records) or for legitimate fraud-prevention purposes.

12. International Users

ScoutRun is operated from and intended for use within the United States. If you access the Service from outside the US, you are responsible for compliance with local laws. By using the Service, you consent to the transfer and processing of your information in the United States.

13. AI and Automated Decision-Making

ScoutRun does not use your personal information to train artificial intelligence or machine learning models. We do not make solely automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects on you. The matching of Customers and Scouts is based on objective factors (ZIP code proximity, fulfillment tier, Scout availability) and not on automated profiling.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you by email or through the Service at least 14 days before changes take effect. The "Last updated" date at the top reflects when this policy was last revised.