Privacy Policy
Last updated: February 25, 2026
Overview
Phenomenon Tracker ("we", "our", "the app") helps users discover, track, and plan trips to see natural phenomena such as auroras, eclipses, meteor showers, wildlife migrations, and more. This privacy policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding that data.
Information We Collect
Account Information
When you create an account using Google Sign-In, Apple Sign-In, or email/password, we store:
- Email address
- Display name or username
- Authentication provider (Google, Apple, or email)
- Profile photo URL (if provided by your sign-in provider)
You may also use the app without creating an account. In this case, a random anonymous identifier is generated and stored locally on your device.
Location Data
With your permission, we collect your device's GPS coordinates to:
- Show phenomena near your current location
- Calculate distances to viewing sites
- Determine light pollution levels at your location (Bortle scale)
- Provide location-specific viewing conditions and scores
Location data is sent to our servers only when actively using location-based features. We do not track your location in the background.
User-Generated Content
When you log sightings or interact with the app, we store:
- Sighting records (phenomenon name, date, location, rating, notes)
- Photos you upload of phenomena you've witnessed
- Bucket list saves (phenomena you want to see)
- Alert subscriptions and notification preferences
- Phenomenon suggestions you submit
Device and Technical Data
To deliver push notifications and improve stability, we collect:
- Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) device token
- Crash reports and diagnostic data via Firebase Crashlytics (includes device model, OS version, and crash stack traces)
Data We Do Not Collect
- We do not collect advertising identifiers (IDFA/GAID)
- We do not run any advertising or ad tracking
- We do not sell your data to third parties
- We do not track your browsing activity outside the app
How We Use Your Data
- Personalization: Show phenomena relevant to your location, interests, and saved preferences
- Notifications: Send push alerts when phenomena you track are approaching peak season, have excellent viewing conditions, or are happening soon
- Scoring: Calculate real-time viewing condition scores based on weather, moon phase, space weather, and your location
- Community features: Display your public sightings in the activity feed (only if you choose to share them)
- App stability: Identify and fix crashes using anonymized crash reports
Third-Party Services
We use the following third-party services to operate the app:
| Service | Purpose | Data Shared |
|---|---|---|
| Firebase (Google) | Authentication, database, file storage, push notifications, crash reporting | Account info, user content, FCM tokens, crash data |
| NOAA Space Weather | Aurora and geomagnetic data | No user data sent |
| Open-Meteo | Weather forecasts for viewing conditions | Approximate location coordinates |
| iNaturalist | Wildlife observation data for scoring | No user data sent |
| eBird | Bird migration data | No user data sent |
Each third-party service operates under its own privacy policy:
Data Storage and Security
- All data is stored in Firebase (Google Cloud) servers located in the United States
- Data in transit is encrypted via HTTPS/TLS
- Firestore security rules restrict access so users can only read and modify their own data
- Photo uploads are restricted to authenticated users and limited to image files under 10 MB
- We do not store passwords directly; authentication is handled by Firebase Auth with Google and Apple's secure sign-in systems
Data Retention
- Your data is retained as long as your account exists
- Crash reports are retained by Firebase Crashlytics for 90 days
- When you delete your account, all your data is permanently removed (see below)
Your Rights
Access and Export
You can view all your data within the app: your profile, sightings, saved items, and alert settings.
Account Deletion
You can permanently delete your account and all associated data at any time:
- Open the app
- Go to Settings > Account
- Tap Delete Account
- Confirm twice
This will permanently delete:
- Your user profile and account credentials
- All sighting records and uploaded photos
- Saved items and bucket list
- Alert subscriptions and notification settings
- Device registrations
- Username reservation
- Activity feed entries
This action cannot be undone.
Notification Control
You can disable push notifications at any time through your device's system settings or by removing alert subscriptions within the app.
Location Control
You can revoke location access at any time through your device's system settings. The app will continue to work but location-dependent features (distance calculations, condition scores) will be unavailable.
Children's Privacy
Phenomenon Tracker is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We will notify users of material changes by updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact
If you have questions about this privacy policy or your data, contact us at: