Privacy Policy

The Bark Run Project ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). This policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information when you use thebarkrun.com.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect the following personal information:

• Email address:when you voluntarily provide it via our "Suggest a Listing", "Suggest a Resource", or any other community submission forms. Providing your email is optional on all forms.
• Submission content:the details you enter when suggesting a trail, cafe, service, event, or resource (name, location, description, website).
• Account information:if you create an account, we collect your email address and any profile details you provide.
• Usage data:with your consent, we collect anonymised analytics data (pages visited, time on site, device type) via Google Analytics 4. No personally identifiable information is sent to Google Analytics.
• Technical data:standard server logs may include your IP address, browser type, and referring URL. This data is not linked to your identity.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information only for the purposes for which it was collected:

• To review and respond to listing or resource suggestions you submit
• To notify you (if you provided an email) when your suggestion is approved or published
• To send transactional emails related to your account or submissions
• To understand how visitors use the site so we can improve it (analytics only with consent)
• To maintain the security and integrity of the platform

We will never sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

3. Cookies

We use two types of cookies:

• Essential cookies:required for the site to function (e.g. remembering your cookie preferences, authentication session). These cannot be disabled.
• Analytics cookies:placed by Google Analytics 4 to help us understand how visitors use the site. These are only set if you click "Accept" on our cookie banner. You can withdraw consent at any time by clearing your browser cookies and declining on your next visit.

We do not use advertising cookies or any third-party tracking beyond Google Analytics.

4. Third-Party Services

We use the following trusted third-party services to operate the site:

• Supabase (supabase.com):our database and authentication provider. Data is stored on servers located in Australia (Sydney region).Privacy policy →
• Vercel (vercel.com):our hosting and deployment platform.Privacy policy →
• Google Analytics 4:website analytics (only with your consent).Privacy policy →
• Resend (resend.com):transactional email delivery. We use Resend to send notification emails when suggestions are submitted. Emails are sent from hello@thebarkrun.com.Privacy policy →

5. Data Storage & Security

Your data is stored securely in Supabase's Australian (Sydney) data centre. We apply industry-standard security measures including encrypted connections (HTTPS), row-level security policies on our database, and restricted admin access. While we take reasonable precautions, no internet transmission is 100% secure and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Data Retention

• Suggestion submissions:retained indefinitely for our records. Email addresses associated with suggestions are kept for correspondence purposes only.
• Account data:retained while your account is active. You may request deletion at any time.
• Analytics data:retained by Google Analytics for 14 months (our configured retention period).

7. Your Rights

Under the Australian Privacy Act, you have the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal obligations)
• Withdraw consent for analytics cookies at any time
• Lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at oaic.gov.au if you believe we have breached the APPs

8. Children's Privacy

The Bark Run Project is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has submitted personal information to us, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated date. Continued use of the site after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact us at: