Privacy Policy

01. Your personal journal

Your explored areas, personal notes, photos and audio recordings are stored on your device. Foglyph does not upload this personal journal to our servers. Device backups and anything you deliberately share are handled by the services you choose.

With your permission, precise location reveals explored areas, places journal entries and provides direction guidance. An exploration session may continue while the screen is locked until you stop it. Camera, microphone and photo access support the features you choose. You can change these permissions in iOS Settings.

02. Accounts and public contributions

If you sign in with Apple, Apple and Firebase process your sign-in identifiers and credentials; Apple may provide your name. We store your account identifier and chosen public name. Foglyph does not request your email address from Apple or receive your Apple password.

When you upload or submit a treasure, we receive its title, text, selected photos and exact map coordinates. Comments, reports, timestamps and moderation records are also stored. Uploaded photos are processed to remove embedded metadata; the treasure’s separately selected coordinates remain.

Published treasures, coordinates, comments and public names are visible to other users. Unpublished submissions and reports are available to authorized moderators. Do not submit information you do not have permission to share. Viewing treasures sends the map area you request to our servers; it does not upload your exploration history.

03. Why we process data and who receives it

We use this data to provide accounts and community features, review contributions, respond to reports and support requests, and prevent abuse. Firebase and Google Cloud provide authentication, database, file storage, server functions and website hosting. Apple App Attest and Firebase App Check verify app authenticity. These services process technical information such as IP addresses, request details, authentication tokens and attestation data.

Maps are downloaded from OpenFreeMap, which receives your IP address and requests for the map areas you view. See OpenFreeMap’s policy, Firebase’s privacy information and Apple’s policy.

We do not sell personal information, use advertising trackers or add analytics cookies to this website. We may disclose information when legally required. Providers may process data outside your country, subject to their applicable data protection terms and transfer safeguards. Where required by law, our processing relies on providing the service you request, permission for optional device access, legitimate interests in security and support, or legal obligations.

04. Retention and deletion

Local journal data remains until you remove it or delete the app and its device data. Deleting your online account does not erase that journal or copies you saved or shared elsewhere.

We keep account and contribution data while needed to provide these features. Use Account → Delete account in Foglyph to initiate removal of your account, treasures, comments and associated personal records. Removal runs in the background and is not instantaneous. Reports and moderation records are removed when the associated account is erased. Contact us for other deletion requests.

Operational backups rotate on a short cycle configured for about seven days; cleanup can take longer during service interruptions. Anonymous deletion-completion records expire after 90 days. Provider retention is separate: Firebase states that deleted authentication data is removed from its live and backup systems within 180 days and Hosting IP data is retained for a few months. Copies already downloaded by other people cannot be recalled.

05. Your choices and rights

You can use personal exploration without an account, stop location tracking, revoke device permissions, and request access, correction or deletion of personal data by emailing us. Depending on your location, you may also have rights to a portable copy, restriction of or objection to processing, withdrawal of consent, and a complaint to your data protection authority. We may need to verify your identity to fulfill a request.

Foglyph is not specifically directed at children. Contact us if you believe a child has provided personal data without any required parental permission. We use access controls and encrypted connections to protect server data, but no system is completely secure.

Updates to this policy will appear here with a revised date. Material changes will be communicated as required by applicable law.