This Privacy Policy explains how HookID, an application published by Brainstorm Innovative Technologies LLC ("HookID," "we," "us"), handles information in connection with your use of the HookID mobile app (the "App").
Data HookID Does Not Collect
HookID itself does not collect, store, sell, rent, or share any personally identifiable information about you. We do not collect your name, email address, phone number, contacts, usage analytics, or crash logs, and we never use your catch journal, photos, or GPS location for advertising. The only data handling beyond your device is described in "Fish Identification," "Advertising (Free Version)," and "Purchases and Subscriptions" below.
Your Catch Journal
All catch journal entries — including photos, notes, locations, and fish data — are stored exclusively on your local device. This data is never transmitted to our servers, never uploaded to the cloud, and never accessible by HookID or any third party. It exists only on your device and is deleted if you uninstall the App.
Fish Identification
When you submit a photo for identification, the image is transmitted securely through our backend proxy to Fishial.AI for the sole purpose of species identification. Photos are not stored, logged, or retained by our servers after the identification result is returned to your device. Images are transmitted over encrypted HTTPS connections only.
Advertising (Free Version)
The free version of HookID is supported by banner advertising served by Google AdMob, a service of Google LLC. To serve and measure ads, Google may collect information from your device, such as your device's advertising identifier, IP address, approximate (coarse) location inferred from your IP address, and information about your interactions with ads. This collection is performed by Google under its own policies — see Google's Privacy Policy and How Google uses information from ads.
Your choices. On iOS, personalized ads are shown only if you allow tracking in the App Tracking Transparency prompt; if you decline, ads are non-personalized. Where required by law (for example, in the EEA/UK and certain U.S. states), a consent prompt is shown before any ads are served, and declining consent limits ads to non-personalized. You can also reset or limit your advertising identifier at any time in your device settings (iOS: Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking; Android: Settings → Google → Ads).
What advertisers never get: your catch journal, your photos, and your GPS location are never provided to advertisers by HookID.
Removing ads entirely: upgrading to the optional HookID Pro subscription removes all advertising from the App — and with it, all ad-related data collection described in this section.
Purchases and Subscriptions
HookID offers an optional auto-renewing subscription (HookID Pro). Payments are processed entirely by the Apple App Store or Google Play — we never receive or store your name, payment-card number, or billing address.
To unlock and maintain Pro on your device, the App sends the store's purchase identifier (an Apple transaction ID or a Google purchase token) and a randomly generated, app-specific identifier to our backend, which verifies the purchase directly with Apple or Google. That random identifier is created on your device, is not derived from your identity, your advertising ID, or your device hardware, and is never used for tracking or advertising. We store only the resulting subscription status (for example, active or expired, and the renewal date) associated with the store purchase — not with your name or contact information. This processing exists solely to provide and protect the paid feature. The random identifier is deleted when you use "Delete all my data."
Sharing
HookID does not sell your data, and other than the advertising described above, does not share any of your data with third parties. The only way data or content from the App is shared is through your own explicit action — for example, if you choose to share a catch photo using your device's native share functionality. We have no control over and bear no responsibility for data you voluntarily share through third-party platforms.
Third-Party Services
Fish identification is powered by Fishial.AI. When a photo is submitted for identification, it is processed in accordance with Fishial.AI's own terms and privacy policy, available at fishial.ai. Advertising in the free version is served by Google AdMob in accordance with Google's Privacy Policy (see "Advertising (Free Version)" above). We encourage you to review their policies.
Account Deletion
HookID does not require an account, and we do not store any user accounts or cloud data on our servers. To delete all HookID data on your device, open the App, go to Settings, and tap "Delete all my data," or simply uninstall the App. If you no longer have the App installed and would like to confirm we hold no data associated with you, you may submit a request at hookid.app/delete-account.
Children's Privacy
HookID is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect any information from children, and our advertising is configured as not child-directed. If you believe a child has provided us with information, please contact us immediately.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be reflected in an updated version of this page and the App. Continued use of HookID after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
Contact
Questions about privacy? Contact us at support@hookid.app.