Privacy Policy

1. Overview

My Valley Connection ("the app," "we," "us," or "our") is developed and operated by NMA Software. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect information when you use our mobile application on Android or iOS, or visit our website.

By using the app, you agree to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the app.

2. Information we collect

We collect only what's necessary to run the app. Here's a breakdown:

Information you provide voluntarily:

• Community content you submit — business and resource listings, events, deals and coupons, classified ads (items, housing, jobs), local sports scores, and road closure reports
• Maker & Performer profiles, which may include a name, bio, photo, contact email and phone number, and links to a website or social media — whatever you choose to share publicly
• Photos you attach to any submission
• Feedback you send us about a listing or about the app
• An email address and password, if you volunteer as a moderator

Information collected automatically:

• A randomly generated anonymous device ID. The first time you open the app, we create a random identifier and store it on your device. It is not tied to your name, email, or any account — we use it only to count app opens and screen views (so we can see which parts of the app people find useful) and to limit spam on community submissions
• The platform you are using (iOS or Android), recorded alongside that anonymous usage data
• Your IP address, which — as with any internet service — is seen automatically by the Google Firebase infrastructure that hosts our backend

3. How we use your information

We use the information we collect to:

• Display community listings, events, deals, makers, and other resources within the app
• Route submitted content to volunteer moderators for review before it is published
• Send push notifications about local news, events, and road closures, if you allow them
• Authenticate moderator accounts and protect the moderation dashboard
• Understand how the app is used — through anonymous, aggregate counts — so we can improve it
• Limit spam and abuse on community submissions
• Serve occasional local advertisement banners within the app

We do not use your information for automated decision-making, profiling, or targeted advertising beyond basic local ad placements. When you share a listing or event, the app simply opens your device's own share sheet — we do not see or track what you share or who you send it to.

4. Firebase & Google services

My Valley Connection uses Firebase, a platform provided by Google LLC, to power its backend infrastructure. Firebase services we use include:

• Cloud Firestore — stores submitted and approved community content, along with the anonymous, aggregate usage counts described above
• Firebase Authentication — manages moderator account login securely
• Firebase Storage — stores photos uploaded with listings, events, makers, and deals
• Firebase Cloud Messaging — delivers push notifications to your device

Data stored in Firebase is subject to Google's Privacy Policy, available at policies.google.com/privacy. Firebase data may be stored on servers located in the United States.

5. Push notifications

With your permission, My Valley Connection sends push notifications for things like local news, upcoming events, weekend roundups, and road closures. To deliver them, Firebase Cloud Messaging assigns your device a notification token, which we store so we can send alerts to people who have opted in.

You are always in control. You can turn notifications off at any time in your device settings, and you can choose which kinds you receive in the app's own settings. These tokens are not used to identify you personally.

6. Device permissions

The app asks for a few device permissions, and only when a feature needs them:

• Photos & camera — when you attach a photo to a submission, so you can choose an existing photo or take a new one. We only access the specific photo you select.
• Calendar — when you tap "Add to Calendar" on an event, so we can add that event to your calendar. We do not read anything else from your calendar.
• Notifications — to deliver the alerts described above, if you allow them.

You can grant or revoke any of these at any time in your device settings. Declining one simply turns off that single feature.

7. Moderation & submitted content

When you submit content, the information you provide is stored in our database and reviewed by a small team of trusted local volunteer moderators before it is published in the app.

Some submissions — such as Maker & Performer profiles or classified ads — are meant to include contact details so people can reach you, and that information becomes publicly visible in the app once approved. Please only include details you are comfortable sharing publicly, and avoid putting sensitive personal or financial information into any submission.

Moderators can see all submitted content for the purpose of review. Approved content becomes publicly visible within the app. Rejected content is marked as rejected in our database and is purged periodically rather than kept indefinitely.

8. Advertising

My Valley Connection may display advertisement banners from local businesses within the app. These advertisements are sold directly to local businesses and organizations and are not served through third-party ad networks at this time.

If we integrate a third-party ad network in a future version of the app, we will update this policy and notify users accordingly.

9. Data retention

We retain submitted content for as long as it is relevant to the community. Rejected submissions are purged periodically. The anonymous usage counts are kept in dated records that are not tied to your identity. Moderator account data is retained for as long as the account remains active.

You may request deletion of content you have submitted by contacting us at the address below.

10. Children's privacy

My Valley Connection is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has submitted personal information through the app, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.

11. Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have certain rights regarding your personal data, including:

• The right to access the personal information we hold about you
• The right to request correction of inaccurate data
• The right to request deletion of your data
• The right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent

Because most of the app can be used anonymously, in many cases we simply do not hold personal information tied to you. Where we do, you can exercise any of these rights by contacting us at the address below, and we will respond within a reasonable timeframe.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time as the app grows and new features are added. When we make changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. For significant changes, we will make reasonable efforts to notify users through the app.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of the app after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please reach out: