Public Herb

COMMUNITY FIRST

Policies and guidelines.

The commitments that help keep Public Herb respectful, useful, and safe for everyone.

Effective 14 August 2026

Privacy policy

This policy explains how Public Herb collects, uses, stores, and shares personal information when you use our app or website. We do not sell personal information or use it for targeted advertising.

Information we collect

  • Account information: your email address and the name details you provide when you create or update an account.
  • Listings and community activity: listing names, descriptions, photos, map locations, availability details, collection or observation logs, ratings, comments, saved listings, and name suggestions.
  • Location information: with your permission, the app may use your device location to centre the map or help you choose a listing location. Location access is optional. A location attached to a published listing is visible to people using Public Herb.
  • Support and safety information: reports, feedback, correspondence, and any screenshots or proof images you choose to submit.
  • Payment and payout information: collection payment amount, payment status, settlement information, and a Stripe Connect account identifier for people receiving collection payments. Stripe collects and processes payment card and identity-verification information; Public Herb does not store full card numbers or Stripe identity documents.
  • Security and service records: authentication, rate-limit, moderation, and technical records needed to prevent abuse, keep the service secure, and investigate issues.

How we use information

We use information to provide map and account features; publish and maintain community listings; process collection payments and payouts; respond to requests and reports; enforce our rules; prevent fraud and misuse; and meet legal obligations. We do not use photos, contacts, or location data to build advertising profiles.

Who receives information

Community content is shared with other Public Herb users as part of the service. We use Firebase and Google Cloud to provide authentication, database, file storage, hosting, and server operations; Stripe to process payments and manage payout accounts; and Resend to send password-reset emails. These providers process information only to deliver their services to us. We may also share information when required by law, to protect people or our service, or in connection with a business transfer.

Storage, retention, and your choices

Information is stored in Firebase and Google Cloud services. We keep it while your account is active and afterwards only as needed for the purposes above, including security, dispute handling, legal, or record-keeping requirements. You can update account details in the app and can decline device-location permission in your device settings.

To delete your account, use Settings > Delete Account in the app. This removes your account profile, personal activity, submitted reports and suggestions, and associated uploaded files. You can choose whether to delete your own herb listings. We may retain limited information where necessary for completed payments, disputes, fraud prevention, legal obligations, or anonymised service records. For access, correction, or privacy questions, contact us at info@publicherb.com.au.

Community guidelines and safety

Public Herb is community-supplied information, not a guarantee that a plant is correctly identified, safe, available, or lawful to collect. Use your own judgement before visiting a location, identifying a plant, collecting anything, or consuming any item.

  • Only list locations, plants, and surplus you are authorised to share.
  • Respect private property, collection instructions, local laws, and cultural sites.
  • Take only what is clearly offered and leave no rubbish or damage behind.
  • Do not post misleading, dangerous, unlawful, abusive, or infringing content.
  • Do not use Public Herb to coordinate commercial activity, scams, or harassment.
  • Do not rely on Public Herb for medical, dietary, allergy, botanical-identification, or safety advice.

Content and moderation

Users can report listings and other issues in the app or through our Contact page. We use automated checks and human review to help prevent harmful content and may review, edit, archive, restrict, or remove content or accounts that are inaccurate, unsafe, misleading, unlawful, infringing, or inconsistent with these policies. Repeated or serious misuse may result in restricted or terminated access.

We aim to review reports promptly, but cannot guarantee an immediate response. If there is an immediate threat to safety, contact local emergency services rather than relying on Public Herb.

Surplus collection payments, payouts, and tax

Every surplus-produce listing can be collected for free. When the lister has payouts enabled, a collector can instead choose what to pay for the listed surplus produce when they collect it in person. A payment is optional: choosing $0 records a free collection. A positive payment is processed by Stripe and may be refunded or reversed where it is refunded, disputed, fraudulent, or otherwise cannot be completed.

How a recipient payout is calculated

The lister payout equals the gross payment less the platform fee. The platform fee is the greater of 12% of the gross payment, rounded up to the nearest cent, and the Stripe processing fees actually charged for that payment. In other words:

lister payout = gross payment - max(ceil(gross payment x 12%), Stripe processing fees)

Stripe processing fees are not deducted a second time from the lister payout. When the Stripe processing fee is less than 12%, it is paid from Public Herb's platform fee; when it is higher, the platform fee is increased to cover it. The applicable amounts are calculated in cents and shown through the payment and earnings flow. A payment does not guarantee that a listing remains available, and users should confirm the produce in person before paying.

Your tax responsibility

Collection payments received through Public Herb may be taxable income depending on your circumstances and region. Public Herb is not a tax specialist, and nothing in the app or these policies is tax advice. You are responsible for determining, reporting, and paying your own tax and other obligations. Consider seeking advice from a qualified local tax professional.

Terms of use

By using Public Herb, you agree to these policies and to use the service lawfully and responsibly. You remain responsible for your actions, including travel, access to land, collection, consumption, listings, collection payments, and compliance with applicable laws. Public Herb provides community information as available and does not verify every listing or guarantee its availability, quality, safety, ownership, legality, or accuracy.

To the extent permitted by law, Public Herb is not liable for loss, injury, damage, or disputes arising from community content, third parties, locations, plants, surplus items, payments, or use of the service. Nothing in these terms excludes rights or guarantees that cannot lawfully be excluded. We may update these policies from time to time by posting the revised version here.