Privacy Policy

01 — Overview

Our commitment to your privacy

Spectrum Explorer is a free app that helps families find autism-friendly parks, ABA therapy centers, sensory spots, and inclusive events near them. We take privacy seriously and operate on a simple principle: collect only what is necessary for the app to function, store it locally on your device, and never sell or share it.

02 — Data We Collect

What we collect and why

Spectrum Explorer collects only the minimal data needed to show you relevant places and remember your preferences between sessions. All data is stored locally on your device using the operating system's secure local storage (AsyncStorage).

• Your first name: Entered voluntarily on the welcome screen. Used only to personalize the greeting inside the app. Stored locally on device only — never transmitted.
• Selected city: The city you choose (manually or via GPS). Stored locally so the app opens to your city on the next launch. Never shared.
• Accessibility preferences: High-contrast mode and large-text settings. Stored locally on device only.
• Anonymous crash reports: If the app crashes, an anonymous report (no personal data, no device identifiers) may be sent to help diagnose and fix the issue.

03 — Location Data

How we use your location

Spectrum Explorer can request access to your device's location to automatically detect the nearest supported city and show you relevant places without requiring manual selection. This is entirely optional.

• Location access is requested only when you tap "Use My Location" on the welcome screen or city picker. The app never requests location silently in the background.
• Your GPS coordinates are used only on-device to calculate the nearest city from our built-in city list. The coordinates are never transmitted to our servers or any third party.
• Once the nearest city is identified, only the city name is retained locally. Your raw GPS coordinates are discarded immediately.
• You can decline location access at any time and pick your city manually from the in-app list — the app is fully functional without location permission.
• You can revoke location permission at any time in your device's Settings → Privacy → Location Services → Spectrum Explorer.

04 — Data We Do NOT Collect

What we never collect

• We do not collect email addresses, phone numbers, or any contact information.
• We do not store or transmit your GPS coordinates to any server.
• We do not use advertising networks, tracking pixels, or behavioral profiling.
• We do not track users across other apps or websites.
• We do not access your camera, microphone, contacts, or photo library.
• We do not collect biometric data of any kind.
• We do not share data with data brokers or marketing companies.
• We do not require account registration or login of any kind.

05 — Local Storage

How data is stored on your device

Spectrum Explorer uses AsyncStorage — the standard secure local key-value store provided by the React Native platform — to persist your name, selected city, and accessibility settings between sessions. This storage is:

• Sandboxed inside the app's container — no other app on your device can access it.
• Not synced to the cloud or any external server.
• Completely removed when you uninstall the app.

The place listings shown in the app (parks, therapy centers, events, etc.) are bundled directly inside the app package and sourced from OpenStreetMap community data. No personal data is required to browse them.

06 — Third-Party Services

Third-party services we use

• Apple App Store / Google Play: Distribution platforms. Their own privacy policies govern data collected during app download and installation. We receive only aggregate, anonymized install statistics.
• Apple Maps / MapKit: Used to render the in-app map and the "Get Directions" feature. When you open directions, Apple Maps receives the destination address. Apple's privacy policy applies to that interaction.
• OpenStreetMap: Place listing data (parks, therapy centers, etc.) is sourced from OpenStreetMap and is bundled inside the app. No live queries are made to OSM servers during normal use.
• Expo / React Native platform: The app is built with the Expo framework. Standard platform diagnostics may be collected anonymously as part of the runtime environment.

We do not integrate Facebook SDK, Google Analytics, or any advertising or marketing tracking libraries.

07 — Data Security

How we protect your data

Because all personal data is stored locally on your device, its security is protected by your device's built-in security mechanisms — including device encryption, passcode and biometric locks, and the iOS/Android app sandbox. We never transmit personal data over the network.

• All local data is stored within the app's isolated sandbox, inaccessible to other apps.
• We follow Apple App Store and Google Play security guidelines and platform best practices.
• Any future network features will use TLS 1.2+ encryption.

08 — Data Retention

How long we keep data

Since all data is stored locally on your device, you are in full control of retention.

• Your name, city, and preferences persist on the device as long as the app is installed.
• Uninstalling the app removes all locally stored data permanently.
• Anonymous crash reports, if sent, are retained for up to 90 days for debugging purposes only, then deleted.

09 — Your Rights

Your privacy rights

Regardless of where you are located, you have the right to:

• Access any personal data we hold about you (in practice, none is held on our servers).
• Delete your locally stored data by uninstalling the app, which removes everything permanently.
• Withdraw location consent at any time in your device Settings — the app remains fully usable without it.
• Contact us with any privacy concern and receive a response within 30 days.

California residents (CCPA) and EU/UK residents (GDPR) may also have additional rights. Contact us to exercise them.

10 — Policy Changes

How we handle policy updates

We may update this Privacy Policy as the app evolves. When we make material changes we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and notify users via an in-app notice on next launch. Continued use of the app after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.