Privacy Policy

FootSteps — GPS Trail Tracker

Last updated: July 12, 2026

Overview

FootSteps is a GPS trail tracking app. Your privacy matters to us. This policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and your rights.

Data We Collect

• Account information: Email address and name when you create an account, stored securely via Supabase Auth.
• Location data: GPS coordinates recorded only when you actively start trail recording. Recorded trails are stored locally on your device.
• Trail data: Trail names, distances, waypoints, and GPS points are stored locally in your device's database.
• Usage analytics: Anonymous event data (which features you use, app version, OS version, device model, install date) to help us improve the app.
• Crash diagnostics: Stack traces and device state when the app crashes, used to fix bugs.
• Push notification token: A device-specific token used to deliver notifications. The token contains no personal data.

Analytics & Crash Reporting

We use Firebase Analytics and Firebase Crashlytics (provided by Google) to understand how the app is used and to diagnose problems. Collected data includes:

• App version, iOS version, device model
• Anonymous event data (which features you use and when)
• Crash logs and stack traces
• Your account user ID and email, used to link crash reports to support requests

This data is processed by Google. We do not use it for advertising and do not share it with third-party advertisers. See Firebase Privacy and Google Privacy Policy.

Push Notifications

If you grant notification permission, we send you notifications for:

• When a friend you invited connects with you
• When a friend sends you a trail directly
• A welcome message on first sign-in
• Local "trail saved" confirmations on your device

To deliver these, we register your device with Firebase Cloud Messaging and store an opaque device token alongside your user ID in our Supabase database. You can disable notifications anytime in iOS Settings → FootSteps → Notifications.

Trail Sharing Between Friends

When you send a trail directly to another FootSteps user, the trail file is temporarily stored in a private Supabase Storage bucket (encrypted in transit). The recipient downloads it and:

• If they Import the trail → the file is deleted from our servers
• If they Decline the trail → the file is deleted from our servers
• If they ignore the trail for 30 days → the file is automatically deleted

Only the sender and the intended recipient can access a shared trail file. We do not view, analyze, or share the contents of your trails.

You can also share trails as .footsteps files via any app (Messages, WhatsApp, etc.) — those files never touch our servers.

Google Drive Backup

If you choose to back up your trails to Google Drive (a Premium feature), your trail data is uploaded to your own Google Drive account. We use the drive.file scope, which means FootSteps can only access files it created — not your other Drive files. You can disconnect Google Drive at any time from Settings.

Advertising (Google AdMob)

FootSteps may display advertisements served by Google AdMob to keep the app free. When ads are shown, AdMob and its partners may collect and process data to serve, personalise, and measure ads. This data can include:

• Advertising identifiers (IDFA on iOS, when you grant App Tracking permission)
• Non-personalised device identifiers, IP address, and coarse location
• Device information (model, OS version, language, time zone)
• Basic ad interaction events (impression, click)

You control ad personalisation via iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking. If you deny tracking, AdMob will serve non-personalised ads only.

For details on how Google uses this data, see Google's Advertising policies and the Google Partner Sites page.

Data We Do NOT Collect

• We do not track your location in the background unless you are actively recording a trail.
• We do not sell your personal data.
• We do not share your trail data, account data, or contacts with advertisers.
• We do not collect contacts, photos, health data, or browsing history.

Third-Party Services

• Supabase: Account authentication, trail sharing storage, family connections, push token storage. Supabase Privacy Policy
• Firebase (Google): Analytics, crash reporting, push notification delivery. Firebase Privacy
• Google AdMob: Displays advertisements in the app. AdMob Privacy Policy
• Google Maps SDK: Map rendering. Google Privacy Policy
• Google Sign-In: Optional sign-in method. Subject to Google's privacy policy.
• Sign in with Apple: Optional sign-in method. Subject to Apple's privacy policy.
• Google Drive: Optional Premium backup. Subject to Google's privacy policy.

Data Storage & Retention

Recorded trails are stored locally on your device using SwiftData. Your authentication session is stored in the iOS Keychain. Account data (email, name) is stored on Supabase servers. Analytics data is retained by Firebase per Google's standard retention policies. Shared trail files are deleted upon import, decline, or after 30 days of inactivity.

Account Deletion

You can delete your account at any time from Settings. When you delete your account, the following are removed:

• Your account and profile
• Family connections
• Your push notification token
• Any unimported shared trail files in transit to you

Trails that have already been imported by other users remain in their personal copies and are outside our control.

Children's Privacy

FootSteps is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect data from children.

Your Rights

You can:

• Access or export your trail data from within the app
• Delete your account and all associated data from Settings
• Disable notifications, location access, and analytics in iOS Settings
• Request a copy of the data we hold about you by emailing us

Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated date.

Contact

If you have questions about this privacy policy, contact us at: arslanbutt300@gmail.com