Privacy policy

Information we handle

We use account identifiers and profile information from your sign-in provider to authenticate you and connect you to your tree. This can include your name, profile photo and verified email address. You can also provide profile details in Passing Tree.

We store the content you choose to add: memories, stories, dates, places, people, photos, videos, audio, documents, links, journals, comments and contributions. This may include information about other people. Share only material you have permission to use.

We also handle sharing choices, invitations, notification preferences, assistant permissions and technical records needed to operate and protect the service, such as request, error and security logs.

Independent accounts are for adults age 18 and older. At signup we record your age-eligibility confirmation, the Terms and Privacy Policy versions you acknowledge, and the time of acknowledgment. This does not require a public birthday. An adult-managed tree about a child is separate from an account the child can use.

If you use email sign-in, we process your email address and a short-lived verification challenge. Codes are stored as hashes, limited in attempts and tied to the browser that requested them. Verification records are cleared on a rolling basis after they are no longer needed for short-term abuse prevention.

How we use information

We use this information to provide your account and tree, organize and display your content, deliver sharing and invitation features, respond to support requests and maintain the security and reliability of Passing Tree.

Your email identifies your account and supports account communications and invitations you send or receive. Passing Tree does not use it for marketing.

Your tree and sharing

Your tree starts private. You choose what to share and with which audience. A Grove post can share selected words and media without sharing your entire tree. People who can view or contribute to a shared memory are governed by that memory’s sharing and contribution settings.

Public posts can be viewed by others. People who receive shared content may save copies outside Passing Tree; changing permissions cannot remove copies they already made. Your profile visibility and discovery choices can also affect how other members find you.

Optional Google Contacts picker

Where available, you can choose a person from Google Contacts when preparing an invitation. This is optional and separate from signing in or connecting an assistant. Google asks you to allow read-only access to your contacts. Passing Tree requests names and email addresses to help you find the person you want to invite; it does not change your Google contacts.

The contact list is fetched directly from Google into temporary browser memory. Passing Tree does not upload the list to its servers, save it in browser storage or automatically synchronize it. Closing the picker or leaving the page clears the list from the picker. The Google access token is used in memory for this request and is not saved to Passing Tree’s servers or browser storage.

Choosing a contact fills their name and email into the editable invitation form. When you explicitly prepare or send an invitation, those selected details are stored as part of that invitation. Choosing a contact does not send anything. You can instead type an email yourself, and you can revoke Google’s saved permission in your Google account’s connections settings.

Optional connected assistants

Connecting an assistant through BringMy is optional. You sign in to Passing Tree and review the requested permissions before approving access. Depending on what you approve and which features are enabled, permissions may cover reading memories or journals, preparing drafts, adding private files, or preparing and sending invitations. These are separate permissions; connecting does not grant unrestricted access.

To establish an approved connection, our server sends BringMy your account identifier, display name and a short-lived credential for the permissions you approved. Access credentials expire after up to 15 minutes. If you explicitly choose a renewable connection, credentials can be renewed within the approved period, up to 30 days. Renewal does not expand your permissions or selected trees. You can review and revoke connections in Connected assistants.

Information returned to an assistant is also handled under that provider’s policies. Revoking access stops further authorized requests with that credential; it does not erase information the provider already received. Passing Tree does not automatically publish assistant-created drafts.

Service providers and external content

Passing Tree relies on service providers for hosting and database infrastructure, authentication, file storage and transactional email. These include Render, Firebase, Cloudflare and Resend. BringMy participates when you choose to connect an assistant. Providers process the information needed for their respective functions.

Optional features such as external media links, embedded content, maps and file pickers may connect your browser to another provider. That provider may receive technical information such as your IP address and apply its own privacy policy.

Cookies and browser storage

We use session cookies to keep you signed in and browser storage for preferences such as your selected theme. Our sign-in provider may use its own cookies during authentication. Clearing browser data may sign you out or reset preferences.

Retention, deletion and your choices

We retain account information and saved content to provide your account and the features you use. You can edit or delete supported content, change sharing choices, adjust notification preferences and revoke assistant access within Passing Tree.

For account deletion, a copy of your information, corrections you cannot make in the app, or privacy questions, contact us below. We may need to verify that a request comes from the account holder. Deletion may not immediately remove information from backups, security records or copies others have already received. We may retain information where needed for security, resolving disputes or legal obligations.

Security

We use authenticated sessions, access controls and scoped assistant permissions to protect information. No online service can guarantee absolute security. Keep your sign-in account secure and review the audience before sharing sensitive content.

Contact and updates

Privacy and account-deletion contact: hello@passingtree.com.

This mailbox is being set up. It is not yet a verified support channel. Please do not send sensitive information until contact availability is confirmed.

We will update this page when our practices change and show the revision date above.