Privacy Policy for Earthquake Today

1. Information We Collect

1a. Mobile App (Account Users)

When you create an account in our mobile app, we collect:

• Email Address & Name: Used to create and manage your account via Firebase Authentication (Google).
• Profile Information (Optional): Including your display name, gender, and general location (city/country) that you voluntarily provide in your profile settings. This is stored securely in Google Firestore.
• Push Notification Token (FCM): If you enable push notifications, we receive a device token from Firebase Cloud Messaging to deliver earthquake alerts to your device. This token is not shared with third parties.
• Alert Preferences: Your chosen alert threshold magnitude, email alert preference, and push notification preference are stored in your cloud profile.

1b. Location Data

• On-Device GPS (Optional, On-Demand): The mobile app may request GPS access when you tap the "Locate Me" button on the map. This is used only to centre the map on your position. We do not store or transmit your GPS coordinates to our servers.
• IP-Based Location (Approximate): We use a third-party IP geolocation service (ip-api.com) to automatically suggest your city/country in the profile setup. This is approximate and not stored without your confirmation.

1c. Website

• Browser localStorage: Used solely to save your theme preference (light/dark mode). Not transmitted to our servers.
• Usage Analytics: We may collect anonymised usage data via analytics tools to improve the service.

2. How We Use Your Information

• To provide and maintain your account and profile.
• To send you real-time earthquake push notifications and email alerts that you have opted into.
• To sync your settings and preferences across devices via Cloud Sync.
• To display relevant seismic data near your location, only when you explicitly request it.
• To improve and optimise our services based on anonymised usage patterns.

3. Data Storage & Security

Account data is stored securely using Google Firebase (Firestore and Firebase Authentication), which complies with industry-standard security practices. We use Firebase Security Rules to ensure that users can only access their own data. Your password is never stored by us — it is managed entirely by Firebase Authentication.

4. Third-Party Services

• Google Firebase (Authentication, Firestore, Cloud Messaging) — Firebase Privacy Policy
• USGS & EMSC-CSEM — Public earthquake data providers. No personal data is shared with them.
• ip-api.com — Used for approximate location detection during profile setup only.
• Google AdSense — Used on the website to serve relevant advertisements. Google may use cookies to personalise ads. You may opt out at Ads Settings.

5. Data Deletion

You may delete your account and all associated data at any time by contacting us through the link in the footer. Upon request, all your stored profile data will be permanently removed from our Firestore database within 30 days.

6. Children's Privacy

Our service is not directed to individuals under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us personal information, please contact us immediately.

7. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any significant changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date above. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

8. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data rights, please reach out to us via the contact link in the footer of our website.