Privacy Policy
Last updated: October 16, 2025
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
Google Sign-In Data
When you sign in with Google, we receive and store:
- • Email Address: Used for account identification and notifications
- • Profile Name: Displayed as your username unless you change it
- • Profile Photo: Optional display picture for your account
- • Google Account ID: Unique identifier for linking your Google account
We only access this information with your explicit permission through Google's authentication flow. You can disconnect your Google account at any time through your account settings.
Device Information
To provide support and optimize app performance, we collect technical information about your device:
- • Device Model: Phone or tablet model (e.g., "Pixel 9a", "iPhone 14 Pro")
- • Manufacturer: Device maker (e.g., Google, Apple, Samsung)
- • Operating System: OS version (e.g., "Android 14", "iOS 17.1")
- • App Version: UFOBeep version you're running
- • Screen Resolution: Display dimensions for UI optimization
- • Device Memory: RAM capacity for performance tuning
- • Available Storage: Free storage space for media uploads
- • Network Type: Connection type (WiFi, 5G, 4G) for debugging
- • Language Preference: Device language for automatic localization
- • Timezone: Local timezone for accurate timestamp display
- • Battery Optimization Status: Android power management settings
- • Location Permission Type: Whether location is "Always", "While in Use", or denied
This information helps us troubleshoot issues, optimize performance for different devices, and ensure the app works correctly on your specific device configuration.
Analytics & Error Tracking
We use industry-standard analytics tools to improve the app:
- • Google Analytics: Website traffic, user acquisition sources, and feature usage
- • Firebase Analytics: Mobile app usage patterns, screen views, and user flows
- • Sentry Error Tracking: Crash reports, error logs, and performance monitoring
All analytics data is aggregated and anonymized. We use this information to identify bugs, improve performance, and understand which features are most valuable to users. You can opt out of analytics in your device settings.
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Our website uses cookies and similar technologies:
- • Essential Cookies: Required for website functionality, authentication, and security. These cannot be disabled.
- • Analytics Cookies: Google Analytics tracks page views, session duration, and navigation patterns to help us improve the website experience.
- • No Advertising Cookies: We do not use cookies for advertising or third-party marketing purposes.
You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings. Note that disabling cookies may affect website functionality.
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)
Third-Party Service Providers
We work with trusted service providers who process data on our behalf:
- • Google (Firebase, Analytics): Authentication, analytics, and push notifications
- • Sentry: Error tracking and performance monitoring
- • Cloud Infrastructure: Hosting and data storage providers
All third-party providers are required to maintain appropriate security measures and use data only for the purposes we specify. We carefully vet all service providers for GDPR compliance and data protection standards.
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 and account data
- • Delete individual reports
- • Adjust privacy settings
- • Disconnect Google Sign-In
- • Opt out of analytics (device settings)
Account Deletion
- • Permanently delete your account
- • Remove personal information
- • Delete device information
- • Remove Google Sign-In connection
- • Anonymous reports remain public
- • Comments on reports remain public
GDPR Rights
If you're in the European Economic Area, you have additional rights under GDPR:
- • Right to Access: Request a copy of all your personal data
- • Right to Rectification: Correct inaccurate personal data
- • Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data
- • Right to Portability: Receive your data in a machine-readable format
- • Right to Object: Object to processing of your personal data
- • Right to Restrict: Request restriction of processing
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at support@ufobeep.com
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: Current location only; precise coordinates discarded after jittering (within 24 hours)
- • Device Information: Updated when app version changes; deleted with account closure
- • Google Sign-In Data: Email and profile stored until account deletion or disconnect
- • Analytics Data: Aggregated and anonymized, retained for 26 months (Google/Firebase standard)
- • Error Logs: Sentry crash reports retained for 90 days
- • Cookies: Website cookies expire after 13 months (analytics) or session end (essential)
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