Privacy Policy

Introduction

Beat the Sweep ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application.

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By using Beat the Sweep, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

Information We Collect

Information You Provide

• Account Information: When you sign in via Google Sign-In or Apple Sign-In, we collect your name, email address, and profile picture as provided by the sign-in provider.
• Photos: Images of parking signs that you capture are sent to Google Cloud Vision for text extraction, then discarded. Photos are not stored in the cloud.
• Location Names: Custom names you assign to saved parking locations.

Information Collected Automatically

• Location Data: With your permission, we collect your device's foreground location to associate parking reminders with specific locations. We do not collect location data when the app is not in use.
• Device Information: We may collect basic device information for notification delivery.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve the Beat the Sweep app
• Process parking sign images via Google Cloud Vision to extract street sweeping schedules
• Send you push notifications and reminders about street sweeping times
• Associate reminders with your parking locations
• Sync your reminders and saved locations across devices (for signed-in users)
• Respond to your comments, questions, and support requests

Data Storage and Security

We use industry-standard security measures to protect your information. Your data is stored securely using:

• Firebase Cloud Services: For user authentication and data synchronization
• Encrypted Storage: Sensitive location data is encrypted on your device
• Secure Transmission: All data transmitted between the app and our servers is encrypted using TLS

Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services:

• Google Cloud Vision: To analyze parking sign images and extract text
• Firebase: For authentication, database, and push notifications
• Google Maps / OpenStreetMap: For location services and mapping
• Apple App Store / Google Play Store: For processing in-app purchases

These services have their own privacy policies, and we encourage you to review them.

In-App Purchases

Beat the Sweep offers a one-time in-app purchase to unlock unlimited reminders. When you make a purchase:

• All payment processing is handled by Apple (for iOS) or Google (for Android)
• We do not collect, store, or have access to your payment information (credit card numbers, billing addresses, etc.)
• We only receive confirmation that a purchase was completed and the associated product ID
• Your purchase status is stored locally on your device and synced with the respective app store

Your Rights and Choices

You have the following rights regarding your data:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Deletion: Request deletion of your account and associated data (see our Delete Account & Data page)
• Location Permissions: You can enable or disable location services through your device settings
• Notifications: You can manage push notification preferences in the app or device settings
• Account Deletion: You can delete your account at any time through the app settings or by visiting our Delete Account & Data page for instructions

Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you services. If you delete your account, we will delete your personal data within 30 days, except where we are required to retain it for legal purposes.

Children's Privacy

Beat the Sweep is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.