Privacy Policy

1 Introduction

Welcome to Hiking Explorer ("the App"), operated by Malek Tubaishat / jo-app ("we", "us", or "our"). We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy.

This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you use the Hiking Explorer mobile application (package ID: com.sport.hiking_explorer), how we use it, with whom we share it, and the choices you have about it.

2 Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

When you create an account or update your profile, we collect:

• Full name
• Email address
• Mobile / phone number
• Date of birth (used to verify you are at least 18 years old)
• City and country of residence
• Gender
• Fitness level (self-reported)
• Profile description (optional bio)
• Profile photo (optional)
• Password (stored encrypted)

When you use app features, we also collect:

• Posts, comments, and trail stories you publish to the community feed
• Event registrations and ratings you submit
• Tour and route data you create or contribute (including GPX track data)
• Photos you upload to albums

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Precise GPS location — collected when you use the live route tracking or GPS map features. You can deny this permission; the map features will be limited.
• Background location — requested only while a route tracking session is active and running in the foreground.
• Step count / physical activity — collected via your device's pedometer sensor when you use the step-tracking feature.
• Device token — a Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) token used solely to deliver push notifications.
• App usage data — crash logs and diagnostic information collected automatically via Firebase to help us fix bugs.

2.3 Information from Third Parties

• Google Sign-In: If you choose to sign in with Google, we receive your Google account name, email address, and profile photo as provided by Google. See Google's Privacy Policy.
• Google Mobile Ads: The App displays ads provided by Google AdMob. Google may collect device identifiers and usage data for ad personalization. See Google's Advertising Privacy Policy.

3 How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Create and manage your account and authenticate your identity.
• Display your public profile (name, photo, fitness level, country) to other app users.
• Enable community features such as posts, event listings, team pages, and photo albums.
• Provide location-based features such as showing event map pins and live route tracking.
• Send push notifications about events, team activity, and community updates.
• Count steps and track hike progress using your device sensors.
• Improve the App by analyzing crash reports and usage patterns.
• Display advertisements through Google AdMob.
• Comply with legal obligations as required.

4 How We Share Your Information

4.1 Public Information

The following profile data is visible to all registered users of the App:

• Name, profile photo, city, country, fitness level, description
• Posts, event ratings, and comments you publish
• Hiking tours and routes you create
• Badges and achievements earned

4.2 Third-Party Service Providers

We share limited data with the following service providers solely to operate the App:

Provider	Purpose	Data Shared
imgbb	Image hosting for photos & avatars	Uploaded image files
Firebase (Google)	Push notifications & crash reporting	Device FCM token, crash logs
Google AdMob	In-app advertising	Device ad ID, app usage signals
Google Sign-In	Optional social login	Google account email & name
jo-app API server	App backend / database	All account and content data

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of our users or the public.

5 Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal data within 30 days, except where retention is required by law.

Content you have published (posts, event ratings) may remain in anonymized form after account deletion.

6 Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures including encrypted transmission (HTTPS) and secure credential storage. Passwords are stored in hashed/encrypted form. However, no method of electronic transmission is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7 Children's Privacy

The App is not intended for users under 18 years of age. We require users to enter their date of birth during registration and reject registrations from users under 18. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a minor, please contact us immediately at maltub9@gmail.com and we will delete it.

8 Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you.
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete data via the Profile Editor in the App.
• Delete your account and associated data by contacting us.
• Withdraw consent for location or sensor access at any time via your device settings.
• Opt out of personalized ads via your device's ad settings (Google Ad Settings).
• Data portability — request a copy of your data in a portable format.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at: maltub9@gmail.com

9 Location Data

The App requests:

• Fine location (GPS): Required for live route tracking during hikes.
• Background location: Used only while an active tracking session is running.

You may revoke location permissions at any time in your device settings. The map and route tracking features will not function without location permission, but the rest of the App remains available.

10 Push Notifications

We send push notifications for events, community activity, and announcements. You can disable notifications at any time in your device settings or through the App's notification preferences.

11 Third-Party Links

The App may contain links to external websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties. Please review their privacy policies before providing any personal data.

12 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 above and, where appropriate, by in-app notification. Continued use of the App after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

13 Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact us:

• Developer: Malek Tubaishat
• Organization: jo-app
• Email: maltub9@gmail.com
• Location: Irbid, Jordan