Privacy Policy

Effective Date: May 31, 2025

About Aurora Watch NZ

Aurora Watch NZ is a free app designed for users in New Zealand to monitor real-time aurora activity, KP index, solar wind data, AI forecasts, and aurora visibility using trusted public data sources.

What Data We Access

Location: Your device’s location is used to show local aurora visibility, weather, and AI summaries. This data is never stored or shared. You can disable location access in iOS settings, but some features may be limited.
Camera: Accessed only while using the AR Compass feature to orient toward the aurora. No photos or video are recorded, stored, or transmitted.
Network: The app fetches real-time data from external sources (NOAA, OpenWeatherMap, OpenAI). No personal data is sent. Some forecast data may be cached on your device.
Notifications: Used to send alerts for aurora activity and KP spikes. You can manage or disable notifications in app or through iOS Settings.
Sign-In Info: If you log in with Apple or Google, we only access your email and basic profile info for account management. No other data is stored or shared. You may delete your account in the app at any time.
AI Summaries: When generating AI aurora summaries, only public environmental data (KP Index, solar wind speed, Bz, cloud % and city name) is sent to OpenAI. No personal or GPS data is included.

Data Storage

Aurora Watch NZ does not store personal data on our servers. Temporary data such as weather or aurora summaries may be saved locally on your device for offline use. No analytics or tracking tools are used.

Third-Party Services

This app uses trusted third-party APIs:

NOAA SWPC: For KP index, solar wind, and space weather alerts.
OpenWeatherMap: For cloud coverage and temperature data.
OpenAI: For AI-generated forecast summaries using public data only.
Firebase: For sign-in and push notifications (if enabled).

These services only receive the minimal data required for their function.

User Controls

You can disable location, camera, and notifications at any time via iOS Settings.
You can delete your account and all associated sign-in data within the app.
AI summaries can be turned on/off from the app's settings menu.

Children's Privacy

This app is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from minors.

Data Security

Aurora Watch NZ uses industry-standard security to protect user data. We do not store, sell, or transmit sensitive or personal data.

Policy Updates

We may occasionally update this privacy policy. Any major changes will be reflected in the app and on this page.

Contact

For questions or privacy concerns, please contact us at support@aurorawatchnz.com.