Privacy Policy

Welcome to Explore More! Your privacy is important to us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application ("App"). Please read this privacy policy carefully. If you do not agree with the terms of this privacy policy, please do not access the App.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Personal Information

When you create an account with Explore More, we collect the following information:

• Full Name: To personalize your experience and identify your account
• Email Address: For account authentication and essential communication
• Password: Stored securely (hashed and encrypted) for account security

1.2 Location Information

To help you discover nearby tourist attractions and points of interest:

• Real-time Location Data: We request access to your device's location (latitude and longitude) when you use the map or search for nearby places
• Address Information: We convert your coordinates into a readable address (city, district, region) for display purposes only
• Search Radius Preference: Your chosen search radius (500m, 1km, 5km, or 10km) is used to filter nearby places

IMPORTANT Location access is optional. You can deny location permissions and still use the App with limited functionality. Your location data is used only for real-time searches and is not persistently stored on our servers.

1.3 Usage Information

We collect information about how you interact with the App:

• Favorite Places: When you bookmark places, we store the place name, category, image, city, coordinates, and address
• Travel Statistics: We calculate statistics from your favorites (number of places visited, cities explored, favorites saved)
• Place Detail Requests: When you view place details, we record which places you're interested in along with any additional context you provide
• Language Preference: Your selected language (English or Vietnamese) is stored to personalize content

1.4 Device Information

We collect minimal device information:

• Device Language: Automatically detected to set default language preference
• User-Agent: Standard HTTP header sent with all requests (browser/app version)

WE DO NOT COLLECT Device identifiers (IDFA, UDID, Android Advertising ID), device model, OS version, IP addresses, or any tracking identifiers.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

Purpose	Data Used
Account Management	Full name, email, password, account creation date
Finding Nearby Places	Real-time location data, search radius preference
Personalized Recommendations	Favorites, place detail requests, language preference
Content Localization	Language preference, device language
Travel Statistics	Favorites data (calculated statistics)
AI-Generated Content	Place names, additional context, language preference

3. Third-Party Services

3.1 Google Maps

We use Google Maps API to display tourist attractions on an interactive map. When you use the map feature:

• Your location data may be sent to Google Maps to display your position on the map
• Place photos are retrieved from Google Maps using their photo API
• Google's privacy policy applies to their services: https://policies.google.com/privacy

3.2 No Analytics or Tracking

PRIVACY FIRST We do NOT use:

• Analytics services (no Firebase Analytics, Amplitude, Mixpanel, etc.)
• Advertising networks or ad tracking
• Third-party tracking pixels or SDKs
• Crash reporting with personal data collection
• Social media plugins that track users

4. Data Storage and Security

4.1 Local Storage

The following data is stored locally on your device using secure storage (AsyncStorage):

• Authentication token (for staying logged in)
• User profile (name, email, user ID)
• Language preference
• Favorites list
• Last synchronization timestamp

4.2 Server Storage

We store the following data on our secure servers:

• Account information (name, email, hashed password)
• Favorites and travel statistics
• Authentication tokens

4.3 Security Measures

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information:

• Encryption: All data transmitted between the App and our servers uses HTTPS/TLS encryption
• Password Security: Passwords are hashed using secure algorithms and never stored in plain text
• Access Control: Only authorized personnel have access to backend systems
• Secure APIs: All API endpoints require authentication tokens

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide you with the App's services:

• Account Data: Retained until you delete your account
• Location Data: Used only for real-time searches and not persistently stored
• Favorites: Retained until you remove them or delete your account
• Authentication Tokens: Valid until you log out or they expire

6. Your Rights and Choices

6.1 Access and Update

You can access and update your personal information at any time:

• View and edit your profile (name) in the Profile section of the App
• View your email address and account creation date
• Manage your favorites list
• Change your language preference

6.2 Location Permissions

You have full control over location access:

• Grant or deny location permissions through your device settings
• Revoke location access at any time without affecting other App features
• The App will prompt you for permission only when location is needed

6.3 Data Deletion

You can request deletion of your data by contacting us at brianle.itw@gmail.com. Upon receiving your request, we will:

• Delete your account and associated personal information within 30 days
• Remove all favorites and travel statistics
• Revoke all authentication tokens
• Send you a confirmation email once deletion is complete

6.4 Data Portability

You have the right to request a copy of your personal data in a structured, machine-readable format. Contact us to exercise this right.

7. Children's Privacy

Explore More is intended for users aged 13 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately, and we will take steps to delete such information.

8. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and maintained on servers located outside of your country of residence. By using the App, you consent to the transfer of information to countries that may have different data protection laws than your country.

Our servers are located in secure data centers, and we ensure that all data transfers comply with applicable data protection regulations.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. When we make changes:

• We will update the "Effective Date" at the top of this policy
• For material changes, we may notify you via email or in-app notification
• Your continued use of the App after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated policy

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

10. Do Not Sell My Personal Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for monetary or other valuable consideration.

We do not:

• Share your data with advertising networks
• Sell user profiles or behavior data to data brokers
• Use your information for third-party marketing purposes
• Allow third parties to track you across websites or apps

11. Legal Disclosure

We may disclose your personal information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court order, government agency, or law enforcement). We will only disclose information when legally obligated and will notify you when legally permitted to do so.