Introduction
BlinkAlerts ("we," "our," or "us") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application BlinkAlerts (the "App").
Information We Collect
Personal Information
- Account Information: Email address, display name, and profile picture when you create an account
- Authentication Data: Login credentials and authentication tokens from third-party providers (Google, Apple)
- User-Generated Content: Alert preferences, custom alert descriptions, and feature requests you submit
Automatically Collected Information
- Device Information: Device model, operating system version, app version
- Usage Data: App usage patterns, feature interactions, and performance metrics
- Technical Data: IP address, device identifiers, and crash logs for debugging purposes
Third-Party Data
- News Articles: We fetch news articles from external APIs (NewsData.io, NewsAPI) based on your alert preferences
- Financial Data: Stock prices and market data from financial APIs for stock alerts
- Weather Data: Weather information from weather APIs for weather alerts
How We Use Your Information
We use your information to:
- Provide Core Services: Create and manage your personalized alerts
- Send Notifications: Deliver relevant notifications based on your alert preferences
- Improve the App: Analyze usage patterns to enhance features and performance
- Customer Support: Respond to your inquiries and provide technical assistance
- Feature Development: Review feature requests to prioritize new functionality
Information Sharing and Disclosure
We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share information in the following circumstances:
Service Providers
- Firebase/Google Cloud: For authentication, database storage, and push notifications
- News APIs: To fetch relevant news content (no personal data shared)
- Analytics Services: Anonymized usage data for app improvement
Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information if required by law or to:
- Comply with legal processes or government requests
- Protect our rights, property, or safety
- Prevent fraud or security threats
Data Storage and Security
Storage
- Location: Your data is stored on secure servers provided by Google Firebase
- Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit and at rest
- Retention: We retain your data while your account is active and for a reasonable period afterward
Security Measures
- Industry-standard encryption protocols
- Regular security audits and updates
- Access controls and authentication requirements
- Secure API communications
Your Rights and Choices
Account Management
- Access: View and update your profile information in the app
- Export: Request a copy of your data through the Account Settings
- Deletion: Delete your account and associated data through the app or by contacting us
Communication Preferences
- Notifications: Control which types of alerts you receive
- Frequency: Adjust notification frequency and quiet hours
- Opt-out: Disable specific alert types or all notifications
Third-Party Services
Our app integrates with third-party services:
- Google Sign-In: For authentication (Google Privacy Policy applies)
- Apple Sign-In: For authentication (Apple Privacy Policy applies)
- Firebase: For backend services (Google Privacy Policy applies)
- News APIs: For content delivery (respective provider policies apply)
Children's Privacy
BlinkAlerts is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected such information, we will take steps to delete it.
International Users
If you are located outside the United States, please note that your information may be transferred to and processed in the United States where our servers are located.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by:
- Posting the updated policy in the app
- Sending you a notification through the app
- Updating the "Last Updated" date
Data Protection Rights (GDPR/CCPA)
If you are a resident of the European Union or California, you have additional rights:
- Right to Access: Request information about the personal data we hold
- Right to Rectification: Correct inaccurate personal data
- Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data
- Right to Portability: Receive your data in a portable format
- Right to Object: Object to certain processing activities
To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information provided below.