Privacy Policy

Last Updated: December 5, 2025

At HiSeas, we take your privacy seriously. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our mobile application and website.

1. Information We Collect

We collect information that you provide directly to us, such as when you create an account, update your profile, post notices, or communicate with other users.

• Personal Data: Name, email address, and profile information.
• Location Data: We collect your precise location data to provide essential maritime services, such as showing nearby notices, vessels, and hazards. This collection occurs while the app is in use. You can control this in your device settings.
• Content: Photos, comments, notices, chat messages, and other content you upload.
• Device Information: We collect device identifiers (such as Firebase Cloud Messaging tokens) to send you push notifications and safety alerts.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to provide, maintain, and improve our services, including:

• To create and manage your account.
• To provide location-based maritime safety features.
• To facilitate communication between users via chat and notices.
• To send you technical notices, updates, security alerts, and support messages.
• To monitor and analyze trends, usage, and activities in connection with our Service.

3. Sharing of Information

We may share information as follows or as otherwise described in this privacy policy:

• With other users: Your public profile (name, avatar) and posted notices are visible to other users. Chat messages are visible to the recipients.
• With Service Providers: We use third-party vendors to perform services on our behalf:
  • Cloudinary: For secure image storage and optimization.
  • MapLibre & OpenStreetMap/OpenSeaMap: For map data and rendering.
  • Firebase (Google): For authentication and push notifications.
• For legal reasons: We may disclose information if we believe disclosure is in accordance with any applicable law or legal process.

4. Data Security

We use reasonable measures to help protect information about you from loss, theft, misuse and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration and destruction. However, no internet transmission is completely secure.

5. Your Rights and Choices

Account Information: You may update, correct, or delete your account information at any time by logging into your online account settings. You have the right to delete your account entirely via the "Delete Account" option in the Settings menu. This will permanently remove your personal data and profile.

Location Information: You can stop the collection of location information at any time by changing the preferences on your mobile device.

Blocking and Reporting: You can block other users or report content that violates our terms directly through the app interface.

6. Data Retention

We store the information we collect about you for as long as is necessary for the purpose(s) for which we originally collected it. We may retain certain information for legitimate business purposes or as required by law.

7. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at privacy@hiseas.app.