🌍 Privacy Policy

Introduction

Welcome to Earthquake Alerts ("we," "us," "our," or "the App"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring you have a positive experience on our app. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application.

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our App.

Information We Collect

2.1 Device Location Data

• Fine Location (GPS) - Collected only when you explicitly grant permission
  • Used to calculate distance to earthquake epicenters
  • Used to filter earthquakes near your location
  • Used to set up and monitor custom alert zones
• Coarse Location (Network-based) - Collected only with your permission
  • Used as a fallback when GPS is unavailable
  • Used to display approximate location on maps

Collection Method: Permission-based - collected only when you grant location access through your device settings.

2.2 Notification Preferences

• Your notification settings (enabled/disabled)
• Preferred notification sound
• Alert magnitude thresholds
• Priority-based notification preferences

Storage: Stored locally on your device in app preferences.

2.3 Saved User Data

• Favorite earthquakes (bookmarks)
• Custom alert zones
• User-selected countries and regions for monitoring
• Preferred language selection

Storage: Stored locally on your device - never sent to our servers.

2.4 Device Information

• Device model and operating system version
• App version number
• Unique device identifier (Android ID)
• Device language and locale settings

Collection Method: Automatically collected for app functionality and performance monitoring.

2.5 Earthquake Data (From Public Sources)

• Magnitude, depth, and coordinates
• Epicenter location
• Time of occurrence
• Technical seismic data

Source: All earthquake data comes from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and other international seismic monitoring networks. This is publicly available data.

Information We Do NOT Collect

We explicitly do NOT collect or store:

How We Use Your Information

We use collected information for the following purposes:

4.1 Core App Functionality

• Display earthquake data on interactive maps
• Send earthquake alert notifications
• Calculate distances to earthquake epicenters
• Filter earthquakes based on your preferences
• Manage custom alert zones
• Store your favorites and preferences

4.2 App Improvement

• Monitor app performance and stability
• Identify and fix bugs
• Improve app features and user experience
• Optimize earthquake data delivery (30-second polling)

4.3 Push Notifications

• Send real-time earthquake alerts
• Notify you of earthquakes in your custom alert zones
• Alert you to seismic activity matching your magnitude thresholds

4.4 Legal Compliance

• Comply with applicable laws and regulations
• Respond to legal requests from authorities

Data Storage & Security

5.1 Local Storage

• All user data is stored locally on your device
• Your favorites, alert zones, and preferences are never sent to external servers
• No cloud synchronization of personal data (unless you choose to sync through Android backup)
• Data remains on your device even if you uninstall the app (until you clear app data)

5.2 Server Communication

The only data sent from your device to external servers is:

1. Earthquake API Calls → USGS servers
   • Request: Your filter preferences, location
   • Response: Publicly available earthquake data
   • Frequency: Every 30 seconds
2. Push Notifications → Firebase Cloud Messaging
   • Message: Earthquake alert notifications
   • Your location (if monitoring custom zones)
   • No personal identifying information
3. Ads → Google Mobile Ads
   • Ad requests with device identifiers
   • Non-personalized ads only
   • See Section 8 for more details

5.3 Security Measures

• Data transmitted over HTTPS encrypted connections
• No passwords or sensitive credentials stored
• No unencrypted transmission of location data
• Regular security audits and updates
• Compliance with industry security standards

5.4 Data Retention

• User preferences: Retained until app is uninstalled
• Favorites and alert zones: Retained until deleted by user
• Notification history: Not stored (real-time only)
• Location data: Not stored; used only for real-time calculations

Third-Party Services

6.1 Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM)

• Purpose: Deliver push notifications
• Data Shared: Device notification token, earthquake data
• Privacy Policy: https://firebase.google.com/support/privacy
• Data Retention: Firebase retains notification logs for 30 days

6.2 USGS Earthquake Hazards Program

• Purpose: Provide real-time earthquake data
• Data Shared: Your location (optional), filter preferences
• Public Data: All earthquake data is publicly available
• Privacy Policy: https://www.usgs.gov/privacy

6.3 Google Mobile Ads SDK

• Purpose: Display non-personalized banner advertisements
• Data Shared: Device identifier, location (if enabled)
• Ad Type: Non-personalized ads only
• Opt-out: See Section 8 for ad preferences
• Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

6.4 Mapbox (if using Mapbox for maps)

• Purpose: Display interactive earthquake maps
• Data Shared: Your map interactions, location
• Privacy Policy: https://www.mapbox.com/privacy/

Permissions Required

The Earthquake Alerts app requests the following permissions:

Advertising & Tracking

8.1 Banner Advertisements

• Displayed on certain screens of the app
• Non-personalized ads only - not based on your behavior
• No tracking of individual ad clicks or impressions
• Served by Google Mobile Ads

8.2 Interstitial Advertisements

• Full-screen ads shown at certain transitions
• Frequency-limited (maximum 4 ads per session)
• 60-second cooldown between ads
• Non-personalized ads

8.3 Ad Identifiers

• Google uses Android Advertising ID (GAID) for ad serving
• You can reset your GAID in device settings
• You can opt out of personalized ads in Google Settings
• Location data shared with ads is non-personalized

8.4 Opting Out

To opt out of personalized ads:

1. Go to Settings → Google → Manage your Google Account
2. Tap "Data & Privacy"
3. Scroll to "Ad personalization"
4. Turn off "Personalization"

User Rights & Data Control

9.1 Access Your Data

• You can view all your stored data (favorites, alert zones, preferences)
• Open app Settings to see your saved information

9.2 Delete Your Data

• Delete Favorites: Swipe left on any saved earthquake
• Delete Alert Zones: Long-press on any zone and tap delete
• Clear All Preferences: Go to Settings → Reset App or uninstall the app
• Clear App Data: Settings (Android) → Apps → Earthquake Alerts → Storage → Clear Data

9.3 Data Portability

• You can export earthquake data in CSV or JSON format
• Use the "Export Data" feature in the app
• Data is exported directly to your device storage

9.4 Location Permissions

• You can revoke location permissions at any time
• Go to Settings → Apps → Earthquake Alerts → Permissions → Location
• The app will continue to function with limited features

9.5 Right to Be Forgotten

• Uninstall the app to remove all locally stored data
• Clear app data from device settings
• Send us an email to request deletion of any Firebase data

Children's Privacy

The Earthquake Alerts app is suitable for all ages (3+). However:

• Parental Consent: We recommend parental supervision for children under 13
• No Targeted Advertising: No ads are targeted at children
• No Data Collection from Children: We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13
• COPPA Compliance: If you believe we have collected data from a child under 13, contact us immediately

International Users

11.1 GDPR Compliance (European Users)

For users in the European Economic Area:

• We process location data on the basis of your consent
• You have the right to access, correct, delete, or restrict processing
• You can lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority
• Data is processed in accordance with GDPR principles

11.2 CCPA Compliance (California Users)

For California residents:

• You have the right to know what data is collected
• You have the right to delete personal information
• You have the right to opt-out of "sale" of information (we don't sell data)
• You have the right to non-discrimination for exercising your rights

11.3 Data Localization

• No data is transferred outside your device unless sent to Firebase/USGS/Google
• These services comply with international data protection standards

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect:

• Changes in our practices
• New features or services
• Legal requirements
• User feedback

How We Notify You:

• Significant changes will be announced in app notifications
• Updated policy will be posted in app Settings
• Continued use of the app after updates constitutes acceptance

Last Updated: March 28, 2026
Previous Version: Version 1.0

Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:

Data Protection Officer

If you have privacy concerns or wish to lodge a complaint:

• Email: dpo@earthquakealerts.com
• Mailing Address: [Your Company Address]

Additional Resources

• Android Privacy & Security
• How to Manage App Permissions
• Google Privacy Policy
• Firebase Privacy
• USGS Privacy Statement

Our Privacy Commitments