Privacy Policy
1. Introduction
This Privacy Policy describes how Innealta LLC (“we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, and protects information when you use Boater Briefer™ (“the App”) and the innealta.com website. By using the App or the website, you agree to the practices described in this policy.
We are committed to respecting your privacy and being transparent about the data we collect and how we use it.
2. Information We Collect
We collect the following categories of information to provide and improve the App and the website:
| Data Type | Details | Storage |
|---|---|---|
| Location Data | GPS coordinates sent to our server to retrieve weather, tide, and marine condition data for your location. Queried coordinates also appear in server logs (see Server Logs below). | Transmitted for real-time lookups; not stored independently. Coordinates in server logs are retained for up to 90 days. |
| Background Location | On the mobile app, with your permission, location data may be collected while the app is in the background to provide continuous marine weather updates and safety alerts while you are on the water. | Same as Location Data above; not stored independently. |
| Device Information | Browser type, operating system, and screen size collected via analytics and crash reporting. | Retained per analytics provider’s policy. |
| Usage Data | Pages visited, features used, session duration, and interaction patterns. | Retained per analytics provider’s policy. |
| Error Data | Crash reports and error logs including device and browser context to help us diagnose and fix issues. | Retained for debugging purposes. |
| Server Logs | IP addresses, coordinates queried, request timestamps, and API endpoints accessed. | Retained for 90 days for operational and debugging purposes. |
| Local Storage | User preferences (briefing verbosity, voice selection, saved waypoints) stored in your browser or on your device. | Client-side only; never sent to our servers. |
The App does not currently require user accounts, and we do not collect names, email addresses, or other directly identifying personal information unless you voluntarily provide it (for example, by contacting us via email).
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Provide the service — Retrieve and display weather, tide, and marine conditions for your location
- Generate briefings — Send location-specific data to AI models to produce safety briefings
- Improve the App and website — Analyze usage patterns to enhance features and user experience
- Debug and maintain — Diagnose errors, monitor performance, and ensure service reliability
- Respond to inquiries — Address support requests and feedback you send us
4. Cookies, Analytics & Consent
The innealta.com website uses Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to understand how visitors use the site. We operate GA4 with Google Consent Mode v2: analytics cookies and identifiers are loaded only after you affirmatively accept them via our cookie banner. If you reject, GA4 receives only cookieless pings used for aggregate measurement, and no persistent identifier is stored on your device.
You can change your consent choice at any time by clearing your site data or by using the consent controls in the site footer. You can also block analytics via your browser’s Do-Not-Track settings, a Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal, or browser extensions such as the Google Analytics Opt-out Add-on.
The Boater Briefer mobile app does not use Google Analytics cookies in its in-app WebView. The mobile app uses Firebase Analytics (provided by Google) to collect anonymized usage data such as feature interactions and app events. Firebase Analytics does not use advertising identifiers (IDFA) and operates independently from the website’s GA4 analytics. See Google’s Firebase privacy information for details on how Firebase processes data.
5. Data Sharing
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We share data only with the following categories of third-party service providers, solely to operate and improve the App and website:
- Weather and marine data providers — Your coordinates are sent to services like Open-Meteo, NOAA, and Apple Weather to retrieve conditions data
- Geocoding providers — Your coordinates may be sent to OpenCage and GeoNames for place name resolution
- AI providers — Aggregated weather, tide, and marine condition data for your location (such as wind speed, wave height, and tide times — not your raw GPS coordinates) is sent to AI models to generate safety briefings
- Text-to-speech providers — Briefing text (not personal data) is sent to OpenAI to generate audio versions of safety briefings
- Analytics and error reporting — Anonymized usage and error data is shared with analytics and crash reporting services, including Google Analytics 4 (website, subject to your consent per §4) and Firebase Analytics (mobile app)
- Hosting and infrastructure — Server logs are processed by our hosting provider as part of normal operations
We may also disclose information if required by law, legal process, or governmental request, or to protect our rights, property, or safety.
6. Data Retention
Server logs (including IP addresses and queried coordinates) are retained for up to 90 days and then automatically purged. Analytics and error reporting data is retained according to each provider’s standard data retention policy. Client-side data (such as saved waypoints and preferences) remains on your device until you clear it.
7. Children’s Privacy
The App and website are not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. In accordance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), if you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child under 13, please contact us at support@innealta.com and we will promptly delete such information.
8. Data Security
We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect the information we collect against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
9. Your Rights
You have the right to:
- Access — Request information about the data we hold about you
- Deletion — Request deletion of any data we have collected
- Opt out — Opt out of analytics data collection via the cookie banner (website) or by contacting us
- Location — Revoke location permissions at any time through your device or browser settings
Residents of California, Virginia, Colorado, and other U.S. states with consumer-privacy laws may have additional rights under applicable statutes. To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at support@innealta.com. We will respond to your request within 30 days.
10. Third-Party Links
The App and website may contain links to third-party websites and services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be reflected by updating the “Last updated” date and version number at the top of this page. Your continued use of the App or website after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
12. Contact
The data controller for the purposes of this policy is Innealta LLC. If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at support@innealta.com.