This Privacy Policy describes how KinHound ("KinHound," "we," "us," or "our") handles information when you use the KinHound web app, mobile apps, and websites (together, the "Service"). KinHound is operated by ASPL. By using the Service you agree to this policy.
The short version
- Your family tree is invite-only and private — it is not public and not indexed by search engines.
- Sensitive contact details (phone, email) for a person stay private until that person consents to share them.
- We do not sell your personal information, ever.
- You can export or delete your account and your personal data at any time.
Information we collect
Information you provide
- Account information— your name and email address, and a password if you register with email. If you sign in with Apple, Google, or Facebook, we receive your name and email from that provider (see "Signing in with Apple, Google, and Facebook" below).
- Family tree content— the relatives, relationships, life events, places, notes, and optional photos you add. Some of this describes other people; please see "Information about other people."
- Profile details — an optional avatar and the contact details you choose to associate with your own person record.
- Communications — messages you send us for support, and invitations you send to relatives.
Information collected automatically
- Usage & device data — basic, privacy-respecting diagnostics such as app version, device type, and error logs, used to keep the Service reliable.
- Authentication data — secure session tokens that keep you signed in. We do not store your social-login passwords.
How we use information
- To provide, maintain, and secure your family tree and account.
- To power features you ask for — building the tree, searching for relatives, sending invitations, and duplicate detection.
- To authenticate you and protect against abuse and fraud.
- To respond to support requests and send service-related notices.
- To diagnose problems and improve the Service.
We rely on your consent and on our legitimate interest in running a secure, functional product. We do not use your family data for advertising, and we do not sell it.
Information about other people
A family tree inevitably contains information about relatives. KinHound is designed so that:
- Names and relationships are shared with members of that family tree so the tree can be built collaboratively.
- Personal contact details (phone, email) remain private until the person they belong to joins and consents to share them.
- Every person can have an owner and delegates who control that person's details, and can request correction or removal.
Please only add information about living relatives that you have a reasonable basis to share, and respect requests from family members to update or remove their information.
Finding relatives (Kinfinder)
KinHound's discovery feature can search publicly available genealogy sources (for example WikiTree and Geni) to suggest possible matches. We send the search terms you provide to those services to return results. Suggested matches are shown to you for review — a match is only added to your tree after you verify it. Those third-party services have their own privacy practices, which we do not control.
Signing in with Apple, Google, and Facebook
If you choose social sign-in, the provider tells us your name and email so we can create or access your account. We do not receive your password and do not post anything to your social accounts. With Sign in with Appleyou may use Apple's "Hide My Email" relay; KinHound works with the relayed address. Your use of these providers is also governed by their own privacy policies.
How information is shared
We share information only in these limited ways:
- With your family — tree content is visible to the members you invite to that tree, subject to the consent rules above.
- With service providers who process data on our behalf under contract, including:
- Supabase — authentication and database hosting (United States);
- Cloudinary — image storage and delivery, if you add photos;
- Apple, Google, and Facebook — only for the sign-in method you choose;
- map data from OpenStreetMap to render places.
- For legal reasons — if required by law, or to protect the rights, safety, and security of users and the Service.
- In a business transfer — if KinHound is involved in a merger or acquisition, with continued protection under this policy.
We do not sell your personal information and do not share it for cross-context behavioral advertising.
Data storage and security
Data is stored with our hosting provider on servers in the United States. We use industry-standard safeguards including encryption in transit, access controls, and row-level security so that members only access trees they belong to. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, but we work to protect your information.
Data retention
We keep your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Service. When you delete your account, we delete or anonymize your personal data, except where we must retain limited records to comply with legal obligations or resolve disputes. Note that relationship facts you contributed to a shared tree may remain part of that tree for other family members.
Your rights and choices
- Access & export — view and export your tree and profile data.
- Correction — update inaccurate information about you.
- Deletion — delete your account and associated personal data from within the app, or by contacting us.
- Consent — control whether your private contact details are shared, and withdraw that consent.
Depending on where you live (for example the EEA/UK under GDPR, or California under the CCPA/CPRA), you may have additional rights such as objecting to or restricting processing and lodging a complaint with your data protection authority. To exercise any right, email us at support@kinhound.com.
Children's privacy
KinHound is not directed to children under 13 (or the minimum age in your country), and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them for their own accounts. A family tree may reference minors as relatives; please only include such information with an appropriate basis and a guardian's involvement, and contact us to remove a minor's information on request.
International users
We are based in the United States and process data there. If you access the Service from outside the United States, you understand your information will be transferred to and processed in the United States.
The Kin family of apps
KinHound is the free family-tree app. KinCoffer is a separate legacy-management product with its own account and its own privacy policy; this policy covers KinHound only.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. When we make material changes we will update the "Last updated" date above and, where appropriate, notify you in the app.
Contact us
Questions about privacy or this policy? Email support@kinhound.com.