Privacy Policy
Last updated: 20 August 2026
1. Who is responsible
The data controller is Mohamed Mahfoud, publisher of the Flinker mobile app, at mfd@flinker.fr.
Flinker is a family app: it lets a family build a private family tree together, on a phone. It is not genealogy research software, and it is not a public social network.
2. Data we process
2.1 Account
When you create an account or sign in, we process:
- email address (email/password sign-up, or supplied by Google or Apple) ;
- password, only for email/password sign-in (stored by Firebase Authentication, never in plain text on our side) ;
- an internal identifier (Firebase UID) ;
- display name and profile photo, if the sign-in provider sends them ;
- your marketing preference, if you opt in to product updates at registration ;
- the list of family spaces your account can access, and any saved tree-view preferences.
2.2 Tree and profiles
To provide the service we store information that you (or an authorised member of the space) enter about people in the tree, for example: names, dates, living or departed status, family relationships (including adoption, step-parents, recomposed families), places, contact details you add, education, jobs, languages spoken, custom fields, notes, and profile photos.
Blood type, height and eye colour are optional fields. Blood type, if you enter it, is health data under Article 9 GDPR. We process it only because you entered it, to show it on that profile and in insights visible to members of that space. We do not use it for medical, insurance or advertising purposes. You can delete it at any time by editing the profile.
2.3 Spaces, roles and invites
When you create or join a family space we process the space name, roles (owner, contributor, viewer), information needed to show members, and invite tokens (link, expiry, use count). An invited member sees the space's tree, not only "their" branch. An invite link can be forwarded by whoever receives it — treat it as confidential.
2.4 Notifications
If you allow notifications we may store a device token (FCM) and timezone, for example to send birthday reminders. You can turn them off in device settings.
2.5 Photos
Profile photos are hosted on Firebase Storage. Other members of the space may see them under the app's sharing rules.
2.6 Usage analytics
We use Google Firebase Analytics to understand how the app is used (which screens open, whether an invite was accepted, and similar). Events do not include names, dates of birth, places, or other information that identifies a person in a tree. We attach the account's internal identifier (UID) so usage is joined to the account, not to a civil identity. On Android we do not use the advertising ID. Google processes this as our processor.
The website flinker.fr does not use tracking cookies. The homepage may store a language flag in the browser so it can remember a FR/EN choice.
2.7 Invite links
When you open a flinker.fr?invite=… link we use it only to route you into the right space. On Android the token may pass through the Play Install Referrer for the duration of the install.
3. Why, and on what basis
- Contract (performing the service): account, tree, collaboration, invites, display.
- Consent: notifications, product emails if you asked for them, optional health fields, photos you upload.
- Legitimate interest: securing the service, diagnosing failures, usage analytics without civil-identity data. You may object by writing to us.
We do not sell family data. We do not aggregate it for resale, including in anonymised form. No public profiles, no "people you may know".
4. Who can see it
- Members of the space you invite, according to their role.
- Google (Firebase / Google Cloud), as processor: authentication, database, files, notifications, server functions, usage analytics. Google Sign-In, if you choose it.
- Apple, if you choose Sign in with Apple.
We disclose data to an authority only where the law requires it.
5. Where it is hosted
App data is hosted by Google Cloud (Firebase):
- Cloud Firestore: region eur3 (Europe multi-region) ;
- Cloud Functions: europe-west1 (Belgium).
That is European Union hosting. Some processing tied to Google or Apple sign-in, or to Google's global infrastructure, may involve a transfer outside the EU. In that case Google and Apple rely on standard contractual clauses and the mechanisms GDPR provides. By using Flinker you are informed of those transfers.
6. How long we keep it
We keep your data while the account is active, or as needed to provide the service. If you delete the account we delete or anonymise the personal data attached to it, subject to short-lived technical backups and legal obligations. Content you added to a shared space may remain visible to other members until an authorised member removes it or the space is deleted. Write to us if you need help.
7. Your rights
Under GDPR (and, in France, the Informatique et Libertés act) you may request access, rectification, erasure, portability, restriction, or object to certain processing. You may withdraw consent (notifications, product emails, optional fields) without affecting the lawfulness of processing already carried out.
To exercise these rights: in the app (account deletion, profile editing) or by email to mfd@flinker.fr. You may also lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority. In France that is the CNIL: www.cnil.fr.
Collaborative trees contain information about other people, entered by you or by fellow members. Some requests may need to go through the space owner.
8. Children
Flinker is not directed at children under 15 creating their own account (the digital-consent age in France). We do not knowingly collect an account from a child below that age. A parent or guardian may include a minor in a tree; they are responsible for having the authority to do so. If you believe a child has created an account, write to us.
9. Changes
We may update this policy. The date at the top of the page is the reference. For a material change we will notify you in the app when that is reasonably possible.
10. Contact
Email: mfd@flinker.fr
App: Flinker