AROUND Privacy Notice

Operated by XtraOptions
Privacy contact: [email protected]
Effective date: October 2, 2026

This notice describes information handled by the AROUND mobile app and its invite-only beta service.

Information we handle

When you create an account, AROUND uses your email address, password, display name, and chosen hometown. Your display name is shown with your reports and may appear on your reporter profile to other signed-in beta users. Supabase Authentication processes your sign-in credentials; AROUND does not store a readable copy of your password.

When you create a report or add an update, AROUND stores the text, category, selected event location, and submission time, along with any photo or video you attach. The service also handles account-linked records needed for report editing, follows, confirmations, story links, content flags, and reporter blocks. A story link is a connection created by a user; it does not verify a report.

AROUND can use your device location when you choose a location feature. You can also search for a place or set a report location manually. AROUND does not continuously collect background location. The event location you select is attached to your report and shared as described below. We do not use photo metadata to choose a report location.

How information is used and shared

AROUND uses this information to sign you in, personalize Feed, Map, and Today around your chosen hometown, show reports and media, support story updates and safety controls, and operate the service. In the invite-only beta, reports and attached media are visible to signed-in beta testers. Reports may not be independently verified or reviewed before other testers see them. Clearly labeled sample stories are illustrative.

Reporters can mark a photo or video as sensitive. Marked media is obscured and remains paused and muted until a viewer deliberately presses and holds to reveal it. This relies on the reporter identifying the content, so a warning may be missing. User-submitted material may include emergencies, injuries, violence, or other distressing scenes.

AROUND uses Supabase for account authentication, the shared database, and private media storage. It sends coordinates to Open-Meteo to request weather for the displayed area. Place searches and reverse address lookups use Photon, which uses OpenStreetMap data. Map views may also send requests to the relevant map-tile provider; the provider can vary by map style and platform. Apple processes TestFlight distribution and beta diagnostics. These providers process information under their own privacy notices.

Retention and account deletion

We do not currently set an automatic expiration period for accounts, reports, or uploaded media. They remain in the service until you delete your account or we remove them under our safety or operational processes.

You can request permanent account deletion in the app. When deletion completes, it removes your sign-in, profile, reports and uploaded media, and account-linked activity from the live service. If other people have contributed to a story you started, the app is designed to preserve the remaining story for them while removing your contribution and media and generalizing its location. Stories with no remaining contributions or account activity are removed. Account deletion cannot be undone; a new account will not restore deleted material.

Provider systems may retain limited operational logs or backup copies for a period under their own retention practices. Those copies are not used to reactivate your account. If the in-app deletion option is unavailable, contact [email protected] from the email address on your account.

Your choices and safety

You choose whether to use device location and whether to submit a report or media. You can sign out or delete your account. Avoid including home addresses, private identifying details, or material that could put you or someone else at risk. Do not approach danger or record while driving. User reports and media represent contributors’ accounts and are not necessarily verified.

Age and sensitive content

AROUND is intended for people age 13 and older and is not directed to children under 13. People under 18 should use AROUND with a parent or guardian’s guidance. Some reports and media may be unsuitable for younger users; viewer discretion is advised. A content warning is not a guarantee that every sensitive item has been identified.

Changes and contact

We may update this notice as AROUND changes. The current notice and its effective date will appear on this page. For privacy questions or account-deletion help, contact [email protected].

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