Privacy Policy
Last updated: January 2025
Earthquake Alert ("we", "our", or "the app") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application.
Summary: We only collect the minimum data necessary to send you earthquake alerts. We do not sell your data or share it with third parties for marketing purposes.
1. Information We Collect
We collect the following information to provide our earthquake alert service:
- Location Data: Geographic coordinates of locations you choose to monitor. This can be your current GPS location or manually selected locations.
- Device Token: A unique identifier provided by Apple Push Notification Service (APNs) to deliver push notifications to your device.
- Notification Preferences: Your settings for minimum earthquake magnitude and search radius for each saved location.
2. How We Use Your Information
Your information is used solely to:
- Calculate the distance between earthquakes and your saved locations
- Send push notifications when an earthquake matches your criteria
- Display relevant earthquakes on the in-app map
3. Data Storage
- On Your Device: Your saved locations and preferences are stored locally on your device using secure storage.
- On Our Servers: We store your device token and location coordinates on our secure servers to process earthquake alerts. This data is associated with an anonymous device identifier, not your personal identity.
4. Third-Party Services
We use the following third-party services:
- Firebase Cloud Messaging (Google): To deliver push notifications. Subject to Google's Privacy Policy.
- USGS (United States Geological Survey): We fetch earthquake data from USGS public APIs. No user data is shared with USGS.
- Apple MapKit: To display maps within the app. Subject to Apple's Privacy Policy.
5. Data Sharing
We do NOT:
- Sell your personal information to third parties
- Share your data with advertisers
- Use your data for marketing purposes
- Track your movements or create location profiles
6. Data Retention
Your data is retained only as long as necessary:
- If you uninstall the app or disable notifications, your device token becomes invalid and is automatically removed from our system.
- You can delete your saved locations at any time within the app settings.
7. Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data, including:
- Secure HTTPS connections for all data transmission
- Encrypted storage of device tokens
- Regular security updates and monitoring
8. Your Rights
You have the right to:
- Access your data stored in the app
- Delete your saved locations at any time
- Disable location services for the app
- Disable push notifications
- Request deletion of your data from our servers by contacting us
9. Children's Privacy
Our app does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. The app is rated 4+ and is suitable for all ages.
10. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any significant changes by posting the new policy in the app or on this page.
11. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:
Email: [email protected]