Privacy Policy

Last updated: February 18, 2026

1. Introduction

Welcome to Gather. We are committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we handle
information when you use our iOS birthday tracking and sharing application.

 

2. Information That is Synced With iCloud

Birthday and Contact Data

Gather allows you to create birthday entries for people you know. For each entry, you may provide:

• Name
• Birthday date
• Photo
• Personal notes
• Interests and hobbies
• Gift ideas (including title, notes, price range, and URL)

This data is stored locally on your device using Core Data and synced to your personal iCloud account via Apple’s CloudKit service.

User Profile

When you set up your Gather profile, you provide:

• Your name
• Your email address
• Your birthday (optional)
• Your photo (optional)
• Your interests (optional)

Your profile is stored in iCloud and is only visible to people you explicitly invite to connect or share groups with.

Group and Sharing Data

When you create or join groups, the following data is stored in iCloud:

• Group name, description, icon, and color
• Group membership information
• Chat messages within groups (including message text, sender name, and timestamp)
• Events created within groups

Calendar Data

If you enable calendar sync, Gather creates a dedicated “Gather” calendar on your device and syncs birthday dates and events to it. This data stays within the iOS Calendar system on your device.

Purchase Information

Gather offers optional tips through Apple’s in-app purchase system. We store the number of tips you have given locally and in iCloud Key-Value Store for cross-device sync. We do not have access to your payment information, billing address, or any other financial data – all transactions are processed entirely by Apple.

Application Settings

Your preferences (such as theme settings and calendar sync options) are stored locally on your device.

What We Do NOT Collect

• We do not access your iOS Contacts – all birthday entries are created manually
• We do not use analytics or tracking services
• We do not display advertisements
• We do not create user profiles for marketing or tracking purposes
• We do not collect device identifiers, IP addresses, or usage statistics
• We do not use third-party SDKs that collect data

 

3. How Your Data is Used

Your data is used solely to provide the features of the app:

• Display and manage birthday entries and events
• Sync your data across your own devices via iCloud
• Share birthday information with people you invite
• Send and receive group invitations via email addresses
• Enable group chat between shared group members
• Sync birthdays and events to your iOS Calendar (if enabled)
• Send push notifications for invitations, chat messages, and shared data updates

 

4. Data Sharing

Gather is designed around sharing – but only with people you choose:

• Explicit sharing only – Data is only shared with users you explicitly invite via email
• Group sharing – When you share a group, all members can see the birthday entries, events, and gift ideas within that group
• Profile sharing – Your profile is visible only to people you have accepted a connection with
• Invitation-only – All shares are private and invitation-only; there is no public sharing

We do not sell, rent, or share your data with any third parties for marketing, advertising, or any other commercial purpose.

 

5. Third-Party Services

The only third-party services involved are:

• Apple iCloud (CloudKit) – For data storage, syncing, and sharing between users. Apple’s privacy policy governs their handling of your iCloud data.
• Apple App Store – For app distribution and in-app purchase processing. Apple’s privacy policy governs their handling of your purchase data.
• Apple Push Notification Service (APNs) – For delivering real-time notifications about invitations, chat messages, and data updates.

Gather does not integrate with any analytics services, advertising networks, social media platforms, or external cloud providers.

 

6. Data Storage and Security

• Local storage – Birthday data, photos, and settings are stored locally on your device using Core Data
• iCloud storage – Data is synced to your personal iCloud account via CloudKit, protected by Apple’s security measures
• Keychain – Sensitive identifiers are stored in the iOS Keychain, encrypted and accessible only after device unlock
• No external servers – We do not operate any servers. All data processing and storage is handled by Apple’s iCloud infrastructure

Your data is protected by Apple’s built-in security features, including device encryption and iCloud encryption.

 

7. Data Retention

• Your data remains on your device and in iCloud as long as you use the app
• When you leave a shared group, the shared data is removed from your device
• Uninstalling the app removes all local data from your device
• iCloud data can be managed through your iCloud account settings

 

8. Children’s Privacy

Gather is a general-purpose utility application. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. Since all data is stored in the user’s own iCloud account and we have no access to it, no personal information is transmitted to us.

 

9. Your Rights

You have full control over your data:

• Access and edit – View and modify all your data directly within the app
• Delete data – Delete individual entries, groups, or uninstall the app to remove all local data
• Manage sharing – Add or remove participants from shared groups at any time
• Revoke permissions – Revoke calendar access and notification permissions through iOS Settings
• Manage iCloud data – Control your iCloud data through your Apple ID settings
• Leave groups – Leave any shared group to remove shared data from your device

 

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top
of this page. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

 

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:

support@danielhouben.nl