Privacy Policy
Last updated: January 15, 2024
Privacy-First Approach
UFOBeep is designed with privacy as a core principle. We collect minimal data, protect your location through coordinate jittering, and use end-to-end encryption for all communications.
Our Commitment to Privacy
UFOBeep is built with privacy at its core. We understand the sensitive nature of sighting reports and are committed to protecting your personal information while enabling community verification and discussion.
Information We Collect
Location Data
- • Current Location: Used for proximity alerts when UFO sightings happen nearby
- • Background Monitoring: We monitor your location in the background to send accurate proximity alerts when you move
- • Movement Detection: Location is updated when you move more than 1km from your last known position
- • Battery Efficient: Uses intelligent geofencing technology with <3% battery impact
- • Rate Limited: Location updates are limited to once every 10 minutes maximum
- • Jittered Public Display: When you report sightings, coordinates are randomly offset by 100-300 meters for privacy
- • No Historical Storage: We only store your current location, not location history or movement patterns
Sighting Data
- • Photos and videos you choose to upload
- • Sighting descriptions and timestamps
- • Environmental data (weather, celestial information)
- • Metadata from uploaded media (camera settings, timestamps)
Account Information
- • Email address (optional, for notifications only)
- • Display name (pseudonym encouraged)
- • App preferences and settings
- • Push notification tokens
How We Use Your Information
Core Functionality
- • Calculating distances to sightings
- • Sending location-based alerts
- • Enriching reports with environmental data
- • Enabling community discussion
Never Used For
- • Advertising or marketing
- • Selling to third parties
- • Building user profiles
- • Tracking your movements or creating location history
Data Sharing and Disclosure
Public Information
Sighting reports, jittered coordinates, and chat messages are public by default. Photos/videos are only shared if you explicitly choose to upload them.
We May Share Data When:
- • Legal Requirements: Complying with valid legal process
- • Safety Concerns: Preventing harm to users or others
- • Service Providers: Third-party services that help us operate (with data processing agreements)
- • Business Transfer: In case of merger or acquisition (users will be notified)
Background Location Monitoring
🛸 Why We Monitor Location
UFOBeep monitors your location in the background to send you proximity alerts when UFO sightings happen near your current location, even when you're away from home or traveling.
How Background Monitoring Works
- • Intelligent Geofencing: Creates invisible 2km boundaries around your location
- • Movement Detection: Only activates when you cross geofence boundaries
- • 1km Threshold: Location updates only when you move more than 1km
- • Rate Limited: Maximum one update every 10 minutes to prevent server overload
- • Battery Optimized: Uses system-managed geofences with <3% battery impact
- • Always Permission: Requires "Always Allow" location permission for background operation
🔋 Battery & Privacy
- • No Continuous GPS: Uses system geofences instead of constant location polling
- • No Location History: Only your current location is stored, not where you've been
- • User Control: Can be disabled anytime in app settings
- • Transparent Operation: Location tracking status visible in app settings
Comments and Discussion
UFOBeep includes a commenting system for sighting discussions:
- • Public Comments: Comments on sightings are visible to all users
- • Moderation: Comments are subject to community guidelines
- • User Control: You can edit or delete your own comments
- • Data Storage: Comments are stored securely on our servers
Your Rights and Controls
Access & Control
- • View all data we have about you
- • Export your sighting reports
- • Delete individual reports
- • Adjust privacy settings
Account Deletion
- • Permanently delete your account
- • Remove personal information
- • Anonymous reports remain public
- • Comments on reports remain public
Data Security
🔐 Encryption
All data encrypted in transit and at rest using industry-standard protocols.
🛡️ Access Control
Strict access controls and regular security audits of our systems.
🔍 Monitoring
Continuous monitoring for unauthorized access or data breaches.
Data Retention
- • Sighting Reports: Retained indefinitely for research and community benefit
- • Account Data: Deleted within 30 days of account closure
- • Location Data: Precise coordinates discarded after jittering (within 24 hours)
- • Analytics Data: Aggregated and anonymized, retained for 2 years maximum
Contact Information
Questions about this privacy policy or your data? Contact us at:
- • Email: support@ufobeep.com
Changes to This Policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. When we do:
- • We'll update the "Last updated" date at the top
- • We'll notify users of material changes via email or app notification
- • Previous versions will be available in our GitHub repository
- • You'll have 30 days to review changes before they take effect