Privacy Policy

Last updated: June 2026

This Privacy Policy describes how Caravan Electric, LLC ("Switchboard", "we", "us") collects, uses, and shares information when you use the Switchboard mobile app and related services.

Looking for the plain-language version of what we do and why? See our Transparency page.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide

• Account info (name, email, phone, profile photo, password)
• Listing content (tool descriptions, photos, prices, contractor profiles)
• Messages sent through the in-app chat
• Payment information (handled by Stripe — we never see card details)
• Bank account and tax info for payouts (handled by Stripe — we never see it)

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Approximate location (with your permission) to surface nearby listings, calculate distances, and verify service area
• Background location (only if you explicitly opt into Mobile Contractor Mode) — see Section 1.3 below
• Device info (model, OS version, app version) for crash reporting
• Push notification tokens (Firebase Cloud Messaging) for delivery
• Usage analytics (which screens you visit, in aggregate)

1.3 Background Location (Mobile Contractor Mode — opt-in only)

Switchboard offers an optional feature called Mobile Contractor Mode for contractors whose tools travel in their truck during the workday. When you opt in to this mode, the app uses your phone's Significant Location Change API (iOS) or the equivalent Android API to update the map pins for the tool listings you own and have marked as "mobile." This happens only when you have moved roughly half a mile or more — not continuously.

Important properties of Mobile Contractor Mode:

• Opt-in. Background location is never collected unless you explicitly enable Mobile Contractor Mode in the app. A pre-prompt screen describes what will happen before any system permission dialog appears.
• Used only to update your own tool listings. Your location is used to set the obfuscated map pin for the tools you have personally marked mobile. It is not used to build a profile of you, target ads, or sell to third parties.
• No location history stored. Switchboard does not log historical breadcrumbs of where you've been. We only store the most recent obfuscated location on each of your mobile tool listings.
• Auto-shutoff after 8 hours of inactivity. If you forget to turn it off, it disables itself.
• Off by default and revocable any time from Profile → Mobile Contractor Mode, or by revoking the "Allow Always" location permission in your phone's system settings.

Background location is never used for advertising and never shared with third parties outside the infrastructure providers (Supabase, Google Maps) that the rest of the app already uses to render the map. For more details see our Transparency page.

2. How We Use Your Information

• To operate the marketplace (matching listings, processing transactions)
• To send transactional notifications (rentals, jobs, chat messages, payouts)
• To provide customer support
• To detect and prevent fraud or abuse
• To improve the app (crash diagnostics, usage analytics)
• To comply with legal obligations

3. How We Share Information

We share information only as needed to operate the Service:

• Other users — your public profile (name, photo, listings, ratings) is visible to other users. Messages are visible to the other party in a conversation.
• Stripe — payment and identity information for processing and Connect onboarding (see Stripe's Privacy Policy)
• Supabase — our database and authentication provider
• Firebase / Google — push notification delivery and crash reporting
• Law enforcement — when required by valid legal process

We do not sell your personal information.

4. Data Retention

We retain account and transaction data for as long as your account is active and for a reasonable period after deactivation to comply with legal and tax obligations (typically 7 years for transaction records). You may request deletion of your account at any time by emailing [email protected].

5. Your Rights

You may:

• Access, update, or correct your account information in the app
• Request a copy of your data
• Request deletion of your account
• Opt out of non-essential notifications in app settings

Washington residents and residents of states with comprehensive privacy laws (California, Colorado, etc.) may have additional rights under those laws. Email us to exercise any rights.

6. Children

Switchboard is not directed at children under 18. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 18. If we learn we have collected such information, we will delete it.

7. Security

We use industry-standard security measures including encrypted connections (HTTPS/TLS), encrypted data at rest, and secure authentication. No system is perfectly secure, but we work continuously to protect your data.

8. International Users

Switchboard is operated from the United States. If you use the Service from outside the US, your information will be transferred to and processed in the US.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be communicated through the app or by email.

10. Contact

Caravan Electric, LLC
Whidbey Island, WA
[email protected]