Privacy policy
Last updated 10 September 2026
giveit connects people who are giving things away with people nearby who want them. This page explains what the app collects, why, and what you can do about it. It is written to describe how the app actually behaves.
What we collect
- Account details — email address, username, and a profile photo if you add one. Needed to sign you in and to show other members who they are dealing with.
- Location — your device position if you allow it, or a country you choose instead. Used to centre your feed and to show how far items are. Stored as a coarse geohash on your account so we can tell you when something new appears nearby.
- Your listings — the title, description, photos, and the location you set for each item.
- Messages — the conversations and images you exchange about an item.
- Reviews — the ratings and comments you leave, and those you receive.
- Notification token — a device identifier from Apple or Google so notifications can reach your device.
- Usage analytics — anonymous events such as screens opened and items viewed, through Firebase Analytics.
What other people can see
Your username, profile photo, review history, and donation count are visible to other members. Your listings show a street and a distance — never your exact address. Your email address is never shown to other members. What you choose to share inside a conversation is up to you.
What we do not do
- We do not sell your data.
- We do not show advertising.
- We do not track you across other apps and websites. iOS asks you about this; if you decline, analytics still works but without the advertising identifier.
Who processes it
The app runs on Google Firebase — authentication, database, file storage, notifications, and analytics. Data is stored in the European Union (europe-west1). Photos are passed through Google Cloud Vision to check for content that is not allowed. Google acts as our processor; see Firebase privacy.
How long we keep it
Your account data stays until you delete it. Donated items are removed automatically some time after the donation is completed. Backups are kept for up to 30 days, after which data is permanently gone.
Your rights
You can see and change your profile in the app at any time. You can delete your account and its data yourself — see account deletion. If you are in the EU or UK you also have the right to access, correct, export, or restrict the processing of your data; write to us and we will act on it.
Children
giveit is not intended for children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect their data.
Changes
If this policy changes in a way that matters, we will say so in the app before it takes effect.