Privacy Policy

Last Updated: June 6th, 2025

Introduction

Welcome to Smultron ("we", "our", or "the app"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring you have a positive experience when using our mobile application. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you use our mobile application for discovering and sharing outdoor locations in Sweden.

By using the app, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree with any part of this policy, please do not use our app.

Data We Collect

We collect the following information when you use our app:

Account Information

• Email address (when signing up with email/password authentication)
• Authentication information (password hash for email/password login or authentication tokens for Apple Sign In)
• Full name (only when provided during Apple Sign In - this is optional)
• Account creation date and last activity timestamp
• Subscription tier status (free or premium)
• Your activity in the app (submitted and saved locations, ratings and comments)

User Preferences and Settings

• Setup completion status (whether you've completed onboarding)
• App interface preferences (sort preferences, display settings)
• Subscription and feature preferences

Location Data (Privacy-First Approach)

• Device Location: Your current GPS coordinates are only requested when you explicitly choose distance-based sorting or location-dependent features
• Rate-Limited Collection: Location requests are automatically limited to prevent excessive data collection (maximum 2 requests per 10 seconds)
• Privacy-First Caching: When you request location-based features, your device coordinates are temporarily stored on your device to minimize repeated GPS requests and preserve battery life
• User-Submitted Locations: Coordinates, photos, names, descriptions, and categories of outdoor locations you submit to the community
• Sweden Validation: All location submissions are validated to ensure they are within Sweden's borders
• Municipality Data: Automatically determined location municipality for organization purposes

Usage Information

• Locations you have viewed (view counts)
• Locations you have saved to your personal collection
• Locations you have submitted to the community database
• Location ratings you have provided (1-5 star ratings)
• App interaction patterns for service improvement

User-Submitted Content

• Location Submissions: Photos (up to 5 images per location), coordinates, names, descriptions, and categories of outdoor locations
• Photos: Images stored securely in Firebase Storage with automatic optimization
• Ratings and Reviews: Your ratings of community locations
• Submission Statistics: Number of locations submitted, views, and saves for achievement badges

Device and Technical Information

• Device type and operating system version
• App version and build information
• Network connectivity status
• Error logs and crash reports (anonymized)

How We Use Your Data

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

Core App Functionality

• Account Management: Create and maintain your account, authenticate your identity
• Location Discovery: Show you outdoor locations based on your preferences and optional location data
• Community Features: Enable saving, rating, and submitting locations to share with other users
• Personalized Experience: Customize content based on your preferences and usage patterns

Subscription-Based Features

• Free Tier: Submit 1 location, save unlimited locations, basic app functionality
• Premium Tier: Unlimited location submissions, all app features, priority support
• Achievement System: Track submission progress for community badges

Privacy-Conscious Operations

• On-Demand Location: Your device location is only accessed when you explicitly request distance-based features
• Intelligent Caching: We use temporary caching to minimize repeated location requests and preserve battery life
• Rate Limiting: Automatic limits prevent excessive location data collection and protect battery life

Service Improvement

• Analytics: Understand usage patterns to improve app functionality (anonymized where possible)
• Performance: Monitor and improve app performance and reliability
• Community Moderation: Ensure submitted content meets community guidelines

Data Sharing and Third Parties

Third-Party Services We Use

• Firebase Authentication: Secure user authentication and account management
• Firebase Firestore: Encrypted database storage for user data and location information
• Firebase Storage: Secure image storage for user-submitted photos with automatic optimization
• Firebase Analytics: Anonymized usage analytics for app improvement
• Expo Location Services: Device location access (only when explicitly requested)
• Apple Sign In: Optional Apple ID authentication service
• React Native IAP: Secure subscription management through Apple App Store

Data Sharing Policy

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We may share your information only in these limited circumstances:

• Service Providers: With Firebase and other technical service providers who help operate our app
• Legal Requirements: When required by law, legal process, or to protect our rights and users' safety
• Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets (with notice to users)
• Consent: When you explicitly consent to sharing specific information

Location Services and Privacy Controls

Location Permission Controls

• Device Settings: Control location permissions through your device's system settings
• App Settings: Manage location preferences within the app
• On-Demand Only: Location is never collected in the background or without explicit user action
• Distance Sorting: Location is only used for distance-based sorting when you select this option

Subscription and Feature Limitations

Subscription Tiers

• Free Tier: Submit 1 location, save unlimited locations, basic app functionality, view community content
• Premium Tier: Unlimited location submissions, all app features, priority support

Subscription Data

• Tier Status: We store your subscription tier (free or premium) to provide appropriate features
• Feature Usage: Track usage of premium features to ensure proper access control
• Billing Information: Handled securely through Apple App Store (we do not store payment details)

Feature Access Control

• Submission Limits: Free users can submit 1 location, premium users have unlimited submissions
• Commenting: Free users are not allowed to comment on locations, but may read them
• Achievement Badges: Earned based on submission count (1, 10, 25, 50, 100+ submissions) [COMING SOON]
• All Other Features: Available to all users regardless of subscription tier

Data Retention and User Rights

Data Retention Policies

• Active Accounts: Personal data is retained while your account is active
• Account Deletion: All account data is deleted when you delete your account, and additionally, your submitted locations are deleted.

Your Rights and Controls

You have comprehensive control over your data:

• Access: View all your personal data through the app interface
• Correction: Update your profile and preferences anytime in app settings
• Deletion: Delete your account and personal data through app settings
• Device Position: Revoke or deny access to your device position without breaking any functionality
• Data Export: Request data export by contacting us
• Subscription Management: Manage premium subscriptions through Apple App Store

Easy Account Deletion

Our app provides a simple account deletion process:

• Complete account deletion available in settings
• Automatic cleanup of personal data
• Reauthentication required for security
• Clear confirmation if the account deletion was successful

Children's Privacy

Our app is not directed to users below the age of 17. We do not knowingly collect personal information from users under 17. If we discover that a user under 17 has provided personal information, we will promptly delete it. Parents who believe we might have information from a user under 17 should contact us immediately.

Security Measures

We implement industry-standard security practices:

Technical Safeguards

• Encryption: All data transmission uses secure HTTPS encryption
• Firebase Security: Robust Firestore security rules protect user data
• Authentication: Secure authentication through Firebase Auth with Apple Sign In support
• Access Control: Strict database access controls and permission systems
• Rate Limiting: Automatic protection against excessive data requests (location: 2/10s, queries: 10/min)

Operational Security

• Limited Access: User data access is restricted to authorized personnel only
• Regular Audits: Periodic security reviews and updates
• Error Handling: Secure error handling to prevent data leaks
• Image Optimization: Automatic image compression and optimization for security and performance

Data Protection

• Secure Cloud Infrastructure: Using Google Cloud Platform's security infrastructure
• Backup Security: Encrypted backups with appropriate access controls
• Privacy by Design: Systems designed with privacy as a fundamental principle

Contact Information

This Privacy Policy is designed to be transparent and comprehensive. If you have any questions or concerns about how we handle your data, please don't hesitate to contact us.