Privacy Policy

AuroraWatch Pro

Last Updated: March 1, 2026

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Location Data

With your permission, we collect your precise location (GPS coordinates) to provide accurate aurora visibility forecasts for your area. Your coordinates are sent to our backend server and third-party weather APIs to fetch relevant forecast data. We do not store your location history on our servers. You may also manually set a location, which is stored locally on your device and optionally synced to our backend for convenience.

1.2 Device Information

We collect certain device information such as the operating system, device capability, and unique device identifiers (e.g., Advertising ID) to support app functionality and advertising.

1.3 Push Notification Tokens

If you enable push notifications, we collect and store your Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) device token on our server to deliver aurora activity alerts. Your notification preferences (e.g., alert thresholds) are stored alongside your token. You can unregister at any time via the app settings, which deletes your token and preferences from our server.

1.4 Usage Data

We collect anonymous data on how you interact with the app (e.g., features used, crash reports) to improve stability and performance.

1.5 Local Storage

The app stores certain preferences and data locally on your device, including: selected location, notification preferences, subscription status cache, and temporary Pro unlock status. This data never leaves your device unless explicitly synced.

2. No User Accounts Required

This application does not require you to create an account or provide personal information such as your name, email address, or password to use its core features.

3. How We Use Your Information

• Provide localized aurora forecasts, aurora probability calculations, and weather data for your location
• Send push notifications when aurora activity exceeds your chosen threshold
• Display relevant advertisements (via Google AdMob)
• Process Pro subscription purchases (via RevenueCat / Google Play Billing)
• Analyze app performance and fix crashes

4. Advertising

We use Google AdMob to serve advertisements, including app-open ads, interstitial ads, and rewarded video ads. AdMob may use device identifiers and general location data to show personalized ads. You can opt out of personalized ads by resetting your Advertising ID in your device settings. For more information, see the Google Privacy Policy.

5. Third-Party Services

We share limited data with the following third-party services to provide app functionality:

• Google AdMob — Advertising (device ID, general location)
• Firebase Cloud Messaging — Push notifications (device token)
• RevenueCat — Subscription management (purchase status via Google Play)
• Open-Meteo — Weather and cloud coverage data (receives your coordinates)
• NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center — Aurora and solar activity data
• Mapbox — Interactive aurora map display
• BigDataCloud — Reverse geocoding to show your city name (receives your coordinates)
• Sentry — Uptime monitoring of our backend service

We do not sell your personal data to any third party.

6. Data Retention

FCM notification tokens are stored on our server only while your notifications are active. When you disable notifications or uninstall the app, invalid tokens are automatically cleaned up. Location data is processed transiently and not stored on our servers. All locally stored data can be cleared by uninstalling the app.

7. Children's Privacy

This app is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

8. Your Rights

You can:

• Disable location permissions at any time via your device settings.
• Disable push notifications and delete your FCM token via the app settings or device settings.
• Reset your Advertising ID in your device settings to opt out of personalized ads.
• Manage or cancel your Pro subscription via the Google Play Store.
• Clear all locally stored data by uninstalling the app.

9. Changes to This Policy

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