Privacy Policy

Overview

Gone-Lost is a privacy-focused offline mapping and AI travel assistant application. We are committed to protecting your privacy and being transparent about how we handle your data.

Information We Collect

Location Data

• What: Your device's GPS location
• Why: To display your position on the map, enable navigation, and provide location-based travel recommendations
• How: Collected only when the app is in use (foreground location access)
• Storage: Processed locally on your device only; never transmitted to our servers
• Control: You can disable location access in iOS Settings at any time

Microphone and Speech Recognition

• What: Voice input for asking travel questions
• Why: To enable hands-free interaction with the AI travel assistant
• How: Used only when you tap the microphone button in the chat interface
• Storage: Audio is processed on-device by iOS speech recognition; we do not store or transmit audio recordings
• Control: You can disable microphone access in iOS Settings at any time

API Keys

• What: Optional API keys for third-party AI services (Google Gemini, Groq, or OpenAI ChatGPT)
• Why: To enable AI-powered travel recommendations and chat features
• How: You provide these keys voluntarily in the app settings
• Storage: Stored securely in your device's iOS Keychain; never transmitted to us
• Third-Party Communication: When you use the AI chat feature, your queries and location context are sent directly to your chosen AI provider (Google, Groq, or OpenAI) according to their privacy policies

Local Storage

What:

• Offline map tile cache
• Downloaded city databases (addresses and points of interest)
• Chat conversation history (last 6 messages)
• Saved locations and bookmarks
• App preferences (selected city, language, network settings)

• How: All data is stored locally on your device
• Storage Location: iOS app sandbox and UserDefaults
• Deletion: All data is deleted when you uninstall the app

In-App Purchases

• What: Purchase records for additional city map databases
• Why: To track which cities you have purchased and enable re-downloads
• How: Managed by Apple's StoreKit framework
• Storage: Purchase entitlements are stored in your Apple ID account and synced via iCloud
• Control: Managed through your Apple ID settings

Information We Do NOT Collect

How We Use Your Information

On Your Device

• Display your location on the map
• Calculate navigation routes
• Provide nearby points of interest
• Enable voice-to-text for chat queries
• Cache map tiles for offline use
• Save your preferences and bookmarks

With Third-Party AI Services (Your Choice)

When you use the AI chat feature with your own API key:

• Your question and approximate location context are sent to your chosen AI provider
• This communication is direct between your device and the AI provider
• We do not intercept, log, or store these conversations on our servers
• Third-party AI providers have their own privacy policies:
  • Google Gemini: https://policies.google.com/privacy
  • OpenAI ChatGPT: https://openai.com/privacy
  • Groq: https://groq.com/privacy-policy

Data Security

• API Keys: Stored in iOS Keychain with hardware-backed encryption
• Local Data: Protected by iOS app sandboxing
• Network: Map tiles downloaded over HTTPS; AI queries sent over encrypted connections
• No Cloud Storage: We do not operate servers that store your data

Third-Party Services

Map Tiles

• Provider: MapTiler and OpenStreetMap
• Data Sent: Tile coordinates (geographic region only, not your precise location)
• When: Only when downloading map tiles or city databases
• Privacy Policy: https://www.maptiler.com/privacy-policy/

AI Chat Services (Optional)

You choose which service to use by providing your own API key:

• Google Gemini: https://policies.google.com/privacy
• OpenAI ChatGPT: https://openai.com/privacy
• Groq: https://groq.com/privacy-policy

Apple Services

• StoreKit: Manages in-app purchases
• iCloud Key-Value Store: Syncs your free map choice and purchases across your devices
• Speech Recognition: On-device speech-to-text (part of iOS)

Children's Privacy

Gone-Lost does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. The app is designed for general audiences and does not require age verification. If you are a parent and believe your child has provided information to us, please contact us.

International Users

Gone-Lost is available worldwide. All data processing occurs on your device. If you use the optional AI chat features, data may be transmitted to AI service providers that may be located in different countries.

Your Rights and Choices

iOS Permissions

You can control app permissions in iOS Settings > Privacy:

• Location Services → Gone-Lost
• Microphone → Gone-Lost
• Speech Recognition → Gone-Lost

Data Deletion

• Clear chat history: Use "Clear Conversation" in the chat interface
• Remove saved locations: Delete items in the Saved Locations view
• Delete map cache: Use the Database Management settings
• Complete deletion: Uninstall the app to remove all data

API Keys

• View, change, or delete API keys in AI Provider Settings
• Deleting an API key disables the AI chat feature

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by:

• Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top
• Providing a notice within the app
• For major changes, requiring acceptance before continued use

Data Retention

• Location Data: Not retained; processed in real-time only
• Chat History: Last 6 messages stored on device; cleared manually or on app deletion
• Map Cache: Retained until manually cleared or app deleted
• Purchases: Managed by Apple; retained in your Apple ID account
• API Keys: Retained until manually cleared or app deleted

Contact Us

Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

For users in the European Union:

• Legitimate Interest: Processing location data to provide core navigation features
• Consent: Collecting voice input for optional AI chat features
• Contract Performance: Processing purchases to deliver purchased city databases
• Legal Obligation: Complying with Apple App Store requirements

California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

California residents have the right to:

• Know what personal information is collected (see "Information We Collect" above)
• Request deletion of personal information (uninstall the app)
• Opt-out of sale of personal information (we do not sell your information)

Compliance

This app complies with:

• Apple App Store Review Guidelines
• iOS Privacy Best Practices
• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
• California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)
• Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)