Privacy Policy — Synfo

As of: October 2026
Version: 1.06

1. Data Controller

This app is provided by a private individual. The data controller within the meaning of the GDPR is:

Patrick Zelger
Via Rasmo 81
39100 Bolzano (BZ), Italy

Email (privacy & support): support@synfoapp.com

2. Overview

Synfo is a mobile app for forwarding information from official sources (e.g. seismological services) and — depending on your settings — location-based advisories and traffic reports. We take privacy seriously and process as little personal data as strictly necessary for technical operation.

Core principle: Your precise location stays on your device. The server does not receive exact coordinates (latitude/longitude), only coarse area identifiers (Geohash) for delivering relevant information and maintaining the service.

Synfo does not use user tracking (no movement profile), does not use ad networks, and does not use third-party analytics tools (e.g. Google Analytics or Crashlytics). We count how often a report is opened — only the report ID, not who opened it. Individual report images may include a visible sponsor mark.

3. What data do we process?

3.1 Data on your device (local)

This data is stored locally in the app only and is not transmitted to our servers as precise coordinates:

Storage uses the device storage API (SharedPreferences). When you uninstall the app, this data is usually deleted by the operating system.

3.2 Data on our servers (Firebase / Google Cloud)

* Art. 6(1)(a) (consent), (b) (contract performance), (f) (legitimate interest) GDPR.

What is a Geohash?

A Geohash is a text code for a rectangular area on the Earth's surface. The longer and more precise the code, the smaller the area covered. Synfo uses:

A Geohash does not reveal your exact home address or precise location, but an approximate area — comparable to a district or municipality.

3.3 Data from third-party providers (sources)

Report content (text, map, coordinates of the event) comes from external official sources (e.g. USGS, PTWC). This data relates solely to the event itself, not your personal location. Synfo does not transmit user data to these sources. Exception: if you voluntarily say whether hail fell for a hail advisory, summaries of those votes may go to the provider of that specific hail advisory (section 3.4).

3.4 Voluntary hail feedback

If you say, for a hail advisory, whether hail fell where you are, the following applies:

• Only yes or no, tied to that one advisory. One vote per advisory.
• Your exact location stays on the device. The app checks there whether you are inside the advisory area or just beside it. If you are further away, you cannot vote.
• The server receives only the vote, the advisory number, the time and a coarse Geohash 6 cell (about 1 km). No GPS coordinates.
• We store the user ID only so the same advisory is not counted more than once and so your vote can be deleted when you delete your account.
• The legal basis is your consent by tapping. Without a tap, no feedback is created.
• The purpose is to check and improve hail advisories.
• Only summaries (counts of yes and no) leave Synfo. They may be split by Geohash 6 cells. The only recipient is the provider of that particular hail advisory — a public weather office or a weather service — and only if that has been agreed with that provider. A vote on a weather-office advisory therefore does not go to another weather service.
• Synfo may discard and not store obviously implausible votes.
• Feedback is voluntary. It is not an official confirmation and neither validates nor invalidates the advisory.
• We keep raw data for 12 months, then only totals with no link to a person.

4. How we use the data

We never sell data to third parties and do not use personalised advertising. Sponsor marks on individual report images are identifiable as such.

There is no automated decision-making within the meaning of Art. 22 GDPR (no profiling, no automated assessment of your behaviour).

5. Location — details & energy efficiency

On your device: Synfo uses your operating system's location services — in particular energy-efficient geofencing to detect area changes without permanent GPS tracking in the background. For the map, sync and location updates, GPS or network-based location (e.g. Wi‑Fi/cell towers) may be used depending on settings and situation. Exact coordinates are stored locally.

To the server: Only coarse Geohash codes are transmitted (see section 3.2), derived from the last known approximate location.

Permissions: You grant location and, where applicable, background location permission through your operating system. You can revoke these permissions at any time in device settings.

Consequences of revocation: Without location permission, you cannot receive location-based advisories or geofence updates. Global or supra-regional information reports may still be possible (depending on system settings).

6. Push notifications

• On first launch, the app asks for permission to receive push messages.
• The technical push token is stored pseudonymously on our server (users/{uid}).
• Message content: title and text of the report, plus category and technical metadata where applicable. Operational notices (e.g. inactivity) are delivered in the app language you chose.
• Deactivation: at any time via your smartphone settings (Notifications → Synfo).

7. Recipients & processors

To provide Synfo, we use selected service providers acting under strict instructions:

* For transfers to third countries (such as the USA), we rely on Standard Contractual Clauses (SCC) approved by the European Commission and the adequacy decision (Data Privacy Framework), where applicable.

When loading map tiles and operating cloud infrastructure, IP addresses and technical connection data may appear in server logs of the providers listed above. Synfo does not use these for marketing or profiling.

Google Firebase is used as a processor under the Firebase/Google Cloud terms of service.

Hail feedback: Summaries of voluntary yes/no votes may go to the provider of the particular hail advisory (a public weather office or a weather service). This happens only if an agreement exists with that provider, and only for that provider's own advisories. Firebase stores the raw data as a processor. The weather provider receives no GPS coordinates and no names.

8. Retention period

9. Your rights (GDPR)

You have the right to access (Art. 15), rectification (Art. 16), erasure (Art. 17), restriction of processing (Art. 18), data portability (Art. 20) and objection (Art. 21) to processing, where legally applicable.

Contact to exercise your rights: support@synfoapp.com

Right to lodge a complaint: You also have the right to complain to a supervisory authority. The authority responsible for this app is the Italian data protection authority:

Garante per la protezione dei dati personali (website: garanteprivacy.it)

Account deletion

Registered users can delete their account at any time directly in the app settings. Associated server data (users/{uid}, heartbeats/{uid} and any hail feedback still stored for this account) will be removed.

Guest users (anonymous sign-in without email) can delete their server data at any time directly in the app (menu → "Delete my data"). This removes the stored server entries (users/{uid}, heartbeats/{uid} and any hail feedback still stored) and the anonymous account; the app then continues as a new guest.

You can also request deletion via the website synfoapp.com/delete-account.html or by email to support@synfoapp.com. Web and email requests are processed only if the sender address matches the registered account email. Ongoing server processing also ends when you uninstall the app and no registered account remains — stored entries are then cleaned up within the retention periods above or deleted on request.

10. Minors

Synfo is not specifically aimed at children. In Italy, the minimum age for independent consent to data processing is 14 years. If you have not reached this age, you may not use Synfo without the express consent of your parent or guardian.

11. Changes to this privacy policy

We may update this privacy policy when there are technical or legal changes. The current version is available in the app under “Privacy Policy”. For material changes, we will inform you — where required — within the app.

12. Contact

For privacy questions, please contact:

Patrick Zelger
Via Rasmo 81
39100 Bolzano (BZ), Italy

Email: support@synfoapp.com

End of privacy policy