Roadside Strange Privacy Policy

Effective: September 1, 2026 · Operator: Roadside Strange by DivineApps

This policy explains what Roadside Strange handles, why it is used, who may process it, and how to make a privacy or deletion request.

1. Scope and age

This Privacy Policy applies to Roadside Strange, operated as Roadside Strange by DivineApps. The app is intended for users age 18 and older. Ordinary browsing does not require an account. Contributor accounts, comments and community submissions are limited to adults age 18 and older.

2. Information stored locally

Theme choice, saved cases, found/check-in history, road-trip stop lists, optional road-trip start/end text, filter choices and legal/safety acknowledgements are stored primarily in local app/browser storage on your device. Roadside Strange / DivineApps does not intentionally receive those local preferences merely because you browse the app.

3. Device location, Follow Me and temporary search pins

If you grant location permission, Roadside Strange uses your current device location to center nearby results and verify eligible GPS check-ins. When you enable location-based browsing, the optional Follow Me feature can continue reading device location while the app is visible so the map can follow your movement; manual map movement can pause following, and the location watch is stopped while the app is in the background. You can also place a temporary search pin on the map to explore a different bounded area without sharing your current location. Roadside Strange / DivineApps does not intentionally store ordinary nearby-search coordinates, Follow Me coordinates, temporary search-pin coordinates, or check-in coordinates on its servers. You can deny or revoke location permission and continue browsing by placing a search pin. Your device/platform and network services used to provide maps may process related technical data under their own policies.

4. Community comments and submissions

If you post a case comment, Roadside Strange stores the case identifier/title, your public nickname, an opaque contributor key, the comment text and timestamp in the public comment record. A separate private owner record links the comment to your Firebase UID so you can delete your own comment and moderators can enforce abuse actions without publishing your UID. If you submit a community report, Roadside Strange receives the location name, city, country/region, description, category, optional source link, your Firebase user identifier, verified email address, public nickname, submission time/status and, only if you deliberately choose the precise-location button, device latitude/longitude. Your email address and raw Firebase UID remain private to authorized moderation records. If a report is approved, your chosen public nickname may be displayed with the public case. Raw precise submission coordinates are not automatically published.

5. Reports, blocks and legal requests

If you report a comment or other community content or submit a privacy/legal request, Roadside Strange / DivineApps receives the information you enter, a Firebase-generated technical identifier, relevant case/report identifiers and timestamps. A legal request can optionally include an email address if you want a reply. Local blocking/hiding choices are stored on your device. Public community cases may contain an opaque contributor key so the app can block future public reports from the same contributor without displaying the contributor's Firebase UID.

6. Authentication

Roadside Strange uses Firebase Authentication. Ordinary browsing does not require an account. Case comments, community submissions and community-content reports require an email/password account with a verified email address and a public nickname. Firebase processes authentication information for that purpose. Privacy/legal requests may use a temporary technical authentication identity so they can be securely submitted without requiring a contributor account. Administrator sign-in uses email/password authentication and is restricted to authorized moderators.

7. Service providers, subscriptions and advertising

Google Firebase provides authentication/database infrastructure and processes data needed to provide those services. Google Play on Android or the Apple App Store on iOS processes Roadside Strange subscription purchases and entitlement information. Free-version users on supported mobile platforms may receive one small Google Mobile Ads banner; subscribers do not receive the Roadside Strange banner ad. Google User Messaging Platform may present advertising/privacy choices where required before ads are requested. Google and its advertising partners may process device, network, consent and advertising-related information according to their policies and the choices available to you. OpenStreetMap supplies map tiles and may receive normal network request information such as IP address and client/request metadata. If you use the subscriber Auto-Plan Strange Stops feature, Roadside Strange sends the start/destination place text you entered to OpenStreetMap Nominatim so those places can be converted to coordinates; matching against eligible Roadside Strange case pins is then performed locally on your device. Google Maps opens separately when you choose Directions or a Road Trip route. External source links open third-party websites. Those third parties control their own data practices.

8. Purposes

Information is used to provide requested app functions, display nearby results, verify eligible check-ins, process and restore subscriptions, determine whether the Roadside Strange banner ad should be shown, present required advertising/privacy choices, receive/display/moderate case comments, receive/moderate/publish community submissions, prevent abuse, process reports and legal/privacy requests, maintain security, troubleshoot the service and comply with legal obligations. Roadside Strange / DivineApps does not sell personal information. Depending on region, consent and Google advertising settings, the free-version banner may be personalized or non-personalized by Google.

9. Retention and deletion

Community submissions are retained as an account-visible submission history with a moderation status (Pending, Approved or Denied). After moderation, any optional precise coordinates and stored submitter email are cleared from the retained history record. Approved public community cases can remain public until removed by moderation or no longer needed. Case comments and approved community content can remain public until deleted by the user, removed by moderation, or no longer needed. Community abuse reports and legal/privacy requests are retained as reasonably necessary to resolve the issue, enforce rules, document compliance, prevent abuse or establish/defend legal claims. Local device data remains until you clear app data or uninstall.

10. Security

Roadside Strange / DivineApps uses Firebase authentication and Firestore security rules to restrict private moderation records. Network services use HTTPS where supported. No method of electronic storage or transmission can be guaranteed completely secure.

11. Choices and requests

You can deny/revoke device location permission, avoid submitting precise coordinates, and clear locally stored app data through your device. You may request access, correction or deletion of personal information or submitted content through the in-app Privacy / Legal Request form or the Roadside Strange support page. Roadside Strange / DivineApps may need enough information to verify and locate the relevant record and may retain information where required by law or reasonably necessary for security/legal claims.

Account deletion

Contributor-account users may request deletion from the in-app contributor account screen or from the public Roadside Strange account deletion page. When a verified deletion request is completed, the contributor account and associated personal data are deleted or anonymized as applicable, except for limited information that may be retained where reasonably necessary for fraud/security prevention, legal compliance, or establishing or defending legal claims.

12. EEA / UK legal bases and rights

Where the GDPR or UK GDPR applies, Roadside Strange / DivineApps acts as controller for information submitted directly to Roadside Strange. Depending on the activity, processing is based on performing the service you request, Roadside Strange / DivineApps' legitimate interests in operating, securing and moderating the app, consent where required for optional precise-location submission or advertising technologies, and compliance with legal obligations. Google User Messaging Platform may be used to collect or manage required advertising consent choices. Applicable rights may include access, correction, deletion, restriction, objection and data portability, as well as the right to complain to your local data-protection authority.

13. U.S. state and other privacy rights

Where applicable law gives you rights regarding access, correction, deletion, targeted advertising, sharing or use of personal information, you may submit requests through the same Privacy / Legal Request process and use any advertising privacy options presented in the app where available. Roadside Strange / DivineApps does not sell personal information. The free-version banner is supplied by Google Mobile Ads, and where applicable law treats personalized advertising as targeted advertising or sharing, required choices are provided through Google's consent/privacy mechanisms.

14. International processing

Roadside Strange can be used in multiple countries. Information may be processed in countries where Roadside Strange / DivineApps or its service providers operate, including the United States. Privacy protections and government-access rules can differ between countries.

15. Teen users and children

Roadside Strange is intended for users age 18 and older. Do not submit sensitive identifying information about a minor. Roadside Strange does not knowingly seek personal information from children or minors.

16. Changes

This policy may be updated when the app, service providers or legal requirements change. Material changes may cause the app to request renewed acknowledgement.

17. Contact

Privacy inquiries can be submitted through the Privacy / Legal Request form inside Roadside Strange or through the Roadside Strange support page.