Privacy Policy

Who we are

Looqate is operated as an independent project. For privacy requests, contact [email protected].

What we collect

• Account data. Name, email address, and linked sign-in provider details from Apple or Google (including OAuth tokens needed to keep that provider linked), or your email when you choose “Continue with email” (magic-link sign-in). You can edit your display name in Account; it is stored for your account UI only and is not shown to other users on the map or on contributions. We only create or sign you in when the email is verified — Apple or Google must report it as verified, or you must open the one-time link we email you. Apple may share a private relay email and only sends your email/name on the first authorization. We also store your role in the Service (for example user, contributor, or admin) and any ban status set by operators. In the Looqate iOS app, “Continue with Apple” and “Continue with Google” may use Apple’s and Google’s native Sign-In SDKs on your device (which can use accounts already on the device) and then send an ID token to our servers to create your session. The Android app opens the same Service in a Trusted Web Activity (Chrome) and uses the web sign-in flows (Google, Apple, or email magic link), not those native iOS SDKs.
• Android beta waitlist. You can join an optional Play Store beta waitlist from the public waitlist page, from Account on Android (signed in), or from the map (email only, no account required). We store the invite email you provide and, when you are signed in, link it to your user id. Joining creates a membership row; leaving (while signed in) or an operator remove deletes that row. Operators may mark membership pending, active (invite sent / on the tester list), or inactive, and may email you a Google Play closed-testing invite link when a spot is ready (via Resend, to the waitlist email you gave). We do not sell this list. Deleting your account removes linked memberships. Guests (and anyone) can email [email protected] to ask to be removed.
• Session data. Session tokens, expiry, and technical session metadata such as IP address and user agent when provided by the auth stack.
• Map contributions. Toilet (location) records you create, suggest, or edit, including name, description, address text, map coordinates, and who-can-use types when set (for example men’s, women’s, unisex, and disabled — one or more). Signed-in users may suggest a new toilet; until an admin approves it, that place and any attributes you add on it (for example access codes and costs) are visible only to you and to operators. You may permanently delete (withdraw) your own pending suggestion before it is approved, and you may delete a rejected suggestion that still appears only to you. After approval it appears on the public map like other toilets. Contributors and admins may add toilets that go live immediately. Signed-in users may also suggest who-can-use types and mark them accurate or inaccurate (same accuracy checks as other attribute suggestions). Operators may update name, address (including refreshing address text from map coordinates via Photon), override who-can-use types, promote or demote type suggestions, and approve or reject pending toilet suggestions. You may also submit other attribute suggestions (for example access codes and costs). These are associated with your account.
• Reviews. Ratings and related review scores you submit about locations, linked to your account. This includes accuracy checks on attribute suggestions (including who-can-use types), problem reports you submit from a toilet (selected issues and optional details), stored with your account against that place.
• Map filters. Preferences for which location attributes to show on the map (for example who can use a toilet, access code, and cost). When you are signed in, these preferences are stored on your account and also kept in local storage on this device so they still apply offline. Without an account, filters you choose apply only for the current visit and are not saved on our servers or in local storage.
• Device location (optional). If you allow geolocation in the browser, the iOS app, or the Android app, your device may share precise GPS location with the Service so we can centre the map on first load (when already allowed), follow your position, and show nearby places. Permission is controlled by your browser or device (on Android, the system location dialog may be used via location delegation); we may remember locally that you previously granted it.
• Default map centre. If device location is unavailable or denied, the map centres on a default area (London). This does not use IP-based geolocation or the browser geolocation prompt.
• Device motion / compass (optional). If you turn on compass / heading mode on the map, the Service may read device orientation and motion sensors on your device so the map can rotate with your heading. On the iOS app this uses the system motion permission; in a browser or the Android Trusted Web Activity it uses the site motion-and-orientation permission. Heading data stays on your device for map display and is not uploaded to our servers.
• Address and place lookup (Photon). When you or an operator look up or refresh an address from map coordinates, the Service sends those coordinates to the Photon reverse geocoder (hosted by Komoot at photon.komoot.io). When you search for a place in the map search bar (for example a station or neighbourhood), the Service sends your typed query and optional map-bias coordinates to Photon’s forward geocoder at the same host. Photon may process the request (including technical metadata such as IP address) under its own policy. Returned address text from reverse lookups may be stored on the toilet record. Place-search results are used to move the map and are not stored as your search history.
• Local preferences. On your device we may store theme preference, offline-map preference, signed-in map filters, a “your locations” map filter (when signed in), an admin-only unpublished filter (when you have the admin role), and similar UI settings in local storage (see Cookies and similar technologies).
• Offline map cache (opt-in). If you turn on Save map offline in Your data, we may store on your device (1) a snapshot of toilet pins (ids, names, coordinates, addresses, who-can-use types, and related map-filter fields from the last successful sync) in IndexedDB, and (2) map tiles, sprites, and fonts you have already viewed (from OpenFreeMap) in the browser’s Cache Storage. This data can become stale until you are online again. You can turn the setting off (stops new caching) and Clear offline cache from Your data, or clear site data in your browser.
• Error and problem reports. In production builds we use Sentry to capture application errors. Reports can include technical details such as stack traces, browser information, and the page or action that failed. When you choose Report a problem on a toilet, we may also send a copy of that report to Sentry for operator triage (selected issues, optional details, and toilet identifier and name/URL), along with device or browser context Sentry attaches. From Account you can also choose Send feedback and submit a short message in the app; we may send that message to Sentry for operator triage together with your account name and email so we can follow up. We do not intentionally send authentication secrets in these Sentry reports.
• Product analytics (PostHog). We use PostHog to understand how the Service is used and to capture some client-side errors (for example page views and product events such as starting sign-in, requesting map location, waitlist actions, toilet problem reports, Account feedback, or suggesting a toilet). On first visit we ask whether to allow analytics cookies. If you choose Accept analytics, PostHog may use cookies and/or local storage for an analytics id and session data, and when you are signed in we may link events to your account id and basic account properties (such as email, display name, and role). If you choose Essential only, PostHog runs in cookieless mode: it does not set analytics cookies or store an analytics id on your device, and visitors are counted with a privacy-preserving server-side hash without linking to your account identity. We do not use PostHog for advertising.
• Map tiles and assets. The map loads tiles, sprites, and fonts from third-party map infrastructure (currently OpenFreeMap). Those providers may process technical request data such as IP address under their own policies. When Save map offline is on, copies of tiles you view may also be kept on your device as described above.

How we use data

• Create and secure your account and sessions
• Show the map, search, and location summaries to signed-in and signed-out visitors (including an approximate map centre from precise device location when allowed, or from IP as a fallback)
• Resolve address text from coordinates when you or operators look up or refresh an address
• Show full location details (including access codes), ratings, and contribution tools to signed-in users
• Show the map offline when you have opted in and previously synced toilets / viewed map tiles on this device
• Open Google Maps directions when you choose Directions on a toilet
• Publish and moderate community toilet data and reviews
• Review toilet problem reports you submit (stored on your account and optionally triaged via Sentry)
• Read optional Send feedback from Account (message plus account name and email), which we may triage via Sentry
• Enforce roles, bans, and Service integrity
• Diagnose and fix production errors
• Measure product usage and improve reliability and usability of the Service (including via PostHog, with cookies only if you accept analytics)

We do not sell your personal data. We do not run third-party advertising trackers in the app today.

Legal bases (where GDPR/UK GDPR applies)

We process personal data where needed to:

• Perform the contract — provide the account, map, and contribution features you request
• Legitimate interests — secure the Service, prevent abuse, understand production failures, measure product usage with cookieless analytics when you decline analytics cookies (PostHog), and centre the map using approximate IP-based location when device location is unavailable
• Consent — for optional device GPS geolocation and similar device permissions you control, and for PostHog analytics cookies when you choose Accept analytics
• Comply with law when we must respond to lawful requests

Retention

We keep account and contribution data while your account exists and as needed to operate the Service. Sessions expire according to auth settings. Error reports, problem-report feedback copies, and Account Send feedback submissions are retained according to our Sentry project settings. Product analytics events are retained according to our PostHog project settings. Operators may permanently delete toilet locations (and related attributes and ratings) from the Service. You may also permanently delete your own pending toilet suggestion before it is approved, and permanently delete a rejected suggestion that remains visible only to you. You can delete your account from Account & data in the app, or request deletion on the delete account page. Deletion removes your profile, sessions, linked sign-in providers, ratings (including problem reports), and saved filters. Public map contributions (toilets and attribute suggestions) are retained on the Service without your identity so the map stays useful for others. For other retention questions, email [email protected].

Your choices and rights

• Update your display name in Account
• See which sign-in providers are linked to your account in Account & data
• Turn Save map offline on or off, and Clear offline cache, from Your data
• Export a copy of your account data from Your data
• Delete your account from Account, or request deletion on the delete account page (public map contributions stay anonymised as described above)
• Revoke device GPS geolocation in your browser or device settings
• Block or clear site data / use network controls if you do not want your browser to contact geocoding or map tile providers used by the Service
• Sign out to end the current session
• Clear cookies / local storage / site data in your browser
• Request correction, restriction, or other privacy rights where applicable law gives you those rights

For privacy rights that are not available in the app, or if you need help with export or deletion, email [email protected].

Children

The Service is not directed at children under 16. If you believe a child has created an account, contact us so we can delete it.

International transfers

Depending on where we host the app, database, Sentry, PostHog, map tiles, IP geolocation, or geocoding providers, data may be processed in the UK, EEA, United States, or other countries. Where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards offered by those providers.

Changes

We may update this policy when the product or our practices change. The “Last updated” date at the top will change when we do. Continued use after an update means you accept the revised policy.

Related

Use of the Service is also governed by our Terms of Service. Cookie and local-storage details are in Cookies and similar technologies above.