Privacy Policy

1. Our approach

pass/path staff (the “Operator”) handles information relating to users and other individuals in accordance with applicable law when providing pass/path, a service for recording and sharing item ownership history (the “Service”).

2. Information we collect

• Email address, display name, authentication and session information
• Item names, categories, product information, photos and files, descriptions, ownership history, transfer signatures, and visibility settings
• Country, prefecture or state, and locations selected by users
• Names, display names, and email addresses of previous owners entered by users
• Feedback, inquiry content, and optional reply addresses
• Requests for PRO availability notifications, registration times, and the account email address used for notification
• Payment identifiers, support amount and currency, the email address used for support, coupon issuance and redemption status, and refund status
• Information about affiliate-link clicks, referrers, qualifying actions, and commissions
• Anti-abuse identifiers derived from IP addresses or email addresses, cookies, access times, error logs, and other technical information

When entering another person’s information, users must have the necessary authority or consent. Please do not upload sensitive or unnecessary personal information in photos, descriptions, or other fields.

Camera video used to scan a barcode is processed on the device and is not saved or transmitted to the Operator’s servers.

3. How we use information

• To authenticate users, administer accounts, and provide the Service
• To manage item information, ownership history, transfers, and user-selected visibility
• To send login codes, ownership-related notices, and other operational emails
• To respond to inquiries, improve quality, investigate failures, and understand service usage
• To measure demand for PRO features and notify interested users when they become available
• To confirm support payments, issue thank-you coupons, prevent duplicate processing, and handle refunds
• To measure affiliate-link activity, confirm qualifying actions, and administer commissions
• To detect and prevent abuse, excessive sending, and security threats
• To comply with law, the Terms of Service, and lawful government requests

We do not sell information for third-party advertising.

4. Visibility and sharing with other users

Depending on visibility settings selected by a user, item information and ownership history may be shown to current, past, or future owners or to Service users. When a transfer is completed, basic item information and permitted ownership history pass to the new owner. Information identified as private, such as detailed locations, is not displayed beyond its configured audience.

5. Disclosures and service providers

We do not disclose personal information to third parties except with consent, as required by law, or when necessary to protect life, safety, or property. The following providers and other parties may process information in connection with operating the Service and affiliate links:

• Amazon Web Services: application hosting, file storage, DNS, and logs
• Neon: PostgreSQL database
• Resend: delivery of login codes, notifications, and coupon emails
• Buy Me a Coffee and its payment providers: accepting support, processing payments and refunds, and sending payment-completion notifications
• Awin and participating advertisers: redirecting affiliate links, measuring clicks and qualifying actions, and processing commissions
• OpenStreetMap Nominatim: location search suggestions

These providers may process information in locations outside Japan. We review their contractual terms and safeguards and use them only as needed. A location search string and the connection’s IP address are sent directly from the user’s browser to Nominatim when a search is performed.

6. Cookies

The Service uses cookies to maintain login sessions, provide security. We do not serve behaviorally targeted advertising within the Service. If you click an affiliate link, Awin or the destination advertiser may use cookies or similar technologies to measure the click and a qualifying purchase or other action. Those technologies are governed by the respective provider’s policies. Disabling essential cookies may prevent login and other features from working.

7. Retention and deletion

We retain information for as long as reasonably necessary to provide the Service, operate it securely, resolve disputes, and comply with law. Users can use in-product controls to correct account information, delete photos and files, end ownership, hide past ownership records, and export data. To preserve the integrity of an item’s ownership history, we may retain some records after ownership ends and hide or de-identify them instead of deleting them.

8. Security

We use reasonable safeguards designed to prevent unauthorized disclosure, loss, or damage, including HTTPS, access restrictions, private storage, expiring verification codes, sending rate limits, and encryption for databases and storage.

9. Access, correction, and other requests

To request access, correction, suspension of use, deletion, or other action concerning your information, contact us below and provide information reasonably necessary to verify your identity. We may be unable to fulfill a request where retention is required by law, the request affects ownership history or another user’s rights, or identity cannot be verified.

10. Contact

Operator: pass/path staff
Contact: Feedback form

11. Changes

We will publish changes to this policy through the Service. We will provide reasonable advance notice of changes that materially affect users.