Privacy Policy

Overview

Spotter Tools Pro ("the App") is a storm spotting tool designed for certified storm spotters. This privacy policy explains what data the App collects, how it is used, and your choices regarding that data.

Data We Collect

Location Data

The App collects your GPS location (latitude, longitude, altitude, speed, and heading) when you activate the beacon feature. Location data is collected in the foreground and background while the beacon is active.

Purpose: Your location is transmitted to Spotter Network (spotternetwork.org) so that the National Weather Service and other spotters can see your position during severe weather events. This is the core function of the App.

You control this:The beacon must be manually started. You can stop it at any time. When the beacon is off, no location data is collected or transmitted for beaconing. (Sharing your location with other Spotter Tools Pro users is a separate, optional feature — see "Location Sharing with Other Users" below.)

Spotter Network Credentials

The App stores your Spotter Network application ID locally on your device using encrypted storage. This credential is used solely to authenticate your position uploads and storm reports with Spotter Network.

Spotter Tools Pro Account (Optional)

The App offers an optional Spotter Tools Pro account, which is separate from Spotter Network. Creating one is entirely optional — the App's core features work without it, in guest mode or with a Spotter Network sign-in. If you choose to create an account, we collect and store:

• Your email address, used to sign in and, if enabled, to send a confirmation email.
• A password, stored only in hashed form by our authentication provider (Supabase). We never see or store your raw password.
• An optional username you choose, your selected map avatar, and any special-avatar access granted to your account.
• If you sign in with Google or Apple, that provider shares your name and email address with us to create your account.

Purpose: to let you sign in across devices and unlock optional features such as special map avatars.

Where it's stored: account data is held by Supabase, a third-party backend provider, on servers located in the United States. See the Third-Party Services table below.

You control this: accounts are optional, and you can permanently delete your account and its data at any time from within the App (Settings → Spotter Tools Pro Account → Delete).

Location Sharing with Other Users (Presence)

If you have a Spotter Tools Pro account, you can optionally turn on "Show me on the map" in Settings. It is off by default. While it is on and the app is open, we share the following with other Spotter Tools Pro users who have also turned it on, and display it on their map:

• your current location (latitude / longitude, and heading when you're moving),
• your chosen map avatar,
• your username, and
• your optional bio, if you set one.

Where it's stored: presence data is held by Cloudflare, a third-party infrastructure provider, on servers in the United States, and only briefly — entries older than about 10 minutes are removed, so no location history is retained.

Purpose: to let Spotter Tools Pro users see one another on the map during severe weather.

You control this: presence is opt-in and off by default, requires a Spotter Tools Pro account, and is separate from the Spotter Network beacon. Turning off "Show me on the map" removes you from other users' maps immediately.

Storm Reports

When you submit a storm report (tornado, hail, wind, etc.), the report details — including type, description, location, and time — are transmitted to Spotter Network. Reports are also stored locally on your device for your records. The App does not capture or attach photos.

Device Information

The App accesses basic device manufacturer information solely to provide device-specific battery optimization instructions. This data is not transmitted or stored.

Crash & Diagnostic Data

To help us find and fix bugs, the App uses Sentry, a third-party error-reporting service, to collect anonymous crash reports and diagnostic data (such as the error, a stack trace, the app version, and basic device/OS type) when the App encounters a problem. This data is used solely to improve stability. It is not linked to your identity, is not used to track you, and is never sold.

Data We Do NOT Collect

• We do not collect your phone number.
• We do notrequire an account to use the App's core features — guest mode or a Spotter Network sign-in is enough. An email address is collected only if you choose to create an optional Spotter Tools Pro account (described above).
• We do not use analytics, tracking, or advertising SDKs.
• We do not sell, share, or monetize any user data.

Third-Party Services

Data Storage

• On-device. Your Spotter Network credentials are stored in encrypted device storage, and storm reports in a local SQLite database.
• Account data. If you create an optional Spotter Tools Pro account, your account data (email, username, and map-avatar access) is stored by Supabase on servers in the United States, as described above.
• Presence data.If you turn on "Show me on the map," your shared location, avatar, username, and bio are held briefly by Cloudflare (United States) and removed after about 10 minutes — no location history is kept. Aside from Supabase (accounts) and Cloudflare (presence), all other network communication goes directly to the third-party public data services listed above.
• Uninstalling. Locally stored data is permanently deleted when you uninstall the App. If you created a Spotter Tools Pro account, uninstalling does not delete your server-side account data — use the in-app account deletion described below.

Permissions

Account Deletion

If you create an optional Spotter Tools Pro account, you can permanently delete it — and all associated account data (email, username, and map-avatar access) — at any time from within the App: Settings → Spotter Tools Pro Account → Delete. This action is immediate and irreversible. Your Spotter Network sign-in and any on-device data are separate and unaffected.

Children's Privacy

The App is not directed at children under 13 and does not knowingly collect data from children.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be reflected by the "Last updated" date at the top of this document. Continued use of the App after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, contact:

Dustin Garner
spottertoolspro@gmail.com