PastFinders Privacy Policy

Welcome to PastFinders, a map-based application that provides walking tours of historical artifacts in your city. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use our app. Please read it carefully. By using PastFinders, you agree to the terms in this policy.

Last Updated: January 19, 2025

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Account Information

When you create an account on PastFinders, we use Sign in with Apple. We may collect:

You can choose not to share your email. This information is used to save your progress, let you revisit your tour history, and ensure your data is backed up under your account.

1.2 Location Data

PastFinders is a location-based app. We request access to your device’s GPS location while you are actively using the app to:

In the future, we may also request location data in the background to alert you of nearby artifacts even when you are not actively using the app. This feature is optional but may enhance your experience. If you do not grant location access, certain features may be limited.

1.3 Device Information

We collect basic device information such as:

This helps us troubleshoot device-specific issues and improve app performance.

1.4 Usage Data

We use Google Analytics for Firebase to collect anonymized usage data, such as how you navigate the app and which features you use. This information helps us understand user engagement and improve our services.


2. How We Use Your Information


3. Sharing and Disclosure of Information

Currently, we do not share your personal data with any third parties. However, in the future, we may share aggregated or anonymized data with:

If and when we begin sharing any additional user information, we will update this Privacy Policy and notify you through the app. We do not serve any ads in the app and therefore do not share your data with advertisers.


4. Data Retention

We retain your information indefinitely or until you choose to delete your account. This includes your saved tours, artifacts visited, and any associated analytics data. If you delete your account, your personal data will be removed from our active databases.


5. Security Measures

We rely on Google Firebase for data storage and security. Firebase employs industry-standard security measures to protect your data. We also transmit data over secure channels (HTTPS). While we take steps to protect your information, no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure.


6. Children’s Privacy

PastFinders is not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. We do not collect user ages, and our content is generally safe for all ages. If you believe your child has provided personal information, please contact us so we can remove it.


7. International Users

PastFinders is currently available only in the USA. If you use the app from outside the USA, your information may be transferred to and processed in the USA. By using PastFinders, you consent to the transfer of your information to the USA.


8. User Rights and Controls

8.1 Account Deletion

You may delete your account at any time by navigating to the Settings screen and selecting “Delete Account.” This will remove all your stored personal data from our active databases.

8.2 Location Opt-Out

You can disable location access at any time through your device settings. However, core functionalities of PastFinders (such as providing nearby historical artifacts) may be limited or unavailable.

8.3 Notification Opt-Out

You can opt out of push notifications at any time through your device settings or within the app settings.


9. External Links

PastFinders may include links to external websites, such as official museum pages. We do not track or collect any data about your activity once you leave our app. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any external sites you visit.


10. Future Updates and In-App Purchases

We may introduce in-app purchases or subscriptions in the future, handled via Apple’s In-App Purchase system. Any billing or payment information is processed by Apple, and we do not collect or store your financial data.

We may also add disclaimers regarding location accuracy or walking directions in a future update.


11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. If there are significant changes, we will notify you via an in-app alert or other prominent means. Your continued use of PastFinders after the posting of changes constitutes your acceptance of those changes.


12. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at: harlan.shober@historyremains.com.