Privacy Policy
Effective date: March 3, 2026 · Last updated: March 3, 2026
Smoke Signal does not collect, store, or transmit your data to any server. All data stays on your device.
Overview
Smoke Signal is an off-grid communication and navigation app for iOS. It is designed with privacy as a core principle. There are no user accounts, no cloud services, and no data collection by Smoke Signal or its developers. Your data belongs to you and remains on your device.
Data We Access on Your Device
Smoke Signal accesses the following data locally on your device to provide its core functionality. None of this data is transmitted to Smoke Signal servers (there are none).
Location Data
GPS coordinates from your device are used to display your position on the map, record routes, and share your location with nearby peers over local wireless connections. Location data is stored on-device only and is never sent to external servers by the app.
Bluetooth & Wireless Identifiers
Smoke Signal uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to connect to compatible LoRa radio devices, and local peer-to-peer networking to discover nearby group members. Device identifiers used for pairing are stored locally and not transmitted externally.
Messages
Chat messages and SOS alerts are exchanged directly between devices over local wireless connections (Bluetooth and peer-to-peer). Messages are stored on each device locally and are not routed through any central server.
Routes & Waypoints
Route recordings, GPX imports/exports, and waypoints are stored locally on your device. You control when and how to export or share this data.
Data Storage
All data is stored locally on your device using iOS on-device storage. There is no cloud backup, no remote database, and no server-side storage. If you uninstall Smoke Signal, all app data is permanently deleted by iOS.
Data Sharing
Smoke Signal does not share your data with any third party. Data exchanged between group members travels directly between devices over local wireless connections — not through Smoke Signal's infrastructure (there is none).
When you share your location or send messages, that data is transmitted directly to nearby peers using Bluetooth and local networking. Only devices in your immediate proximity can receive this data.
Third-Party Services
Smoke Signal integrates with a small number of third-party services for specific features:
- OpenWeatherMap — Weather data is fetched directly from your device to the OpenWeatherMap API. This request includes your approximate location (coordinates) to provide local weather. OpenWeatherMap's privacy policy applies to this data.
- OpenStreetMap Tile Servers — Map tiles are loaded from OpenStreetMap tile servers. Standard web request data (IP address) is sent as part of these requests. Tiles can be cached locally for offline use.
No analytics, advertising, or tracking services are used in the app.
Permissions
Smoke Signal requests the following iOS permissions, each of which you can grant or deny:
- Location (Always/When In Use) — Required for map display, route recording, and location sharing with your group.
- Bluetooth — Required to connect to compatible LoRa radio devices.
- Local Network — Required to discover and communicate with nearby Smoke Signal users.
- Notifications — Used for SOS alerts, message notifications, and background activity alerts.
You can revoke any permission at any time through iOS Settings. Some features may not function without the required permissions.
Children's Privacy
Smoke Signal does not knowingly collect data from children under 13. The app does not require account creation or personal information of any kind.
Your Rights
Since all data is stored locally on your device and Smoke Signal has no access to it:
- Access — Your data is available directly on your device within the app.
- Export — You can export routes as GPX files and share them as you choose.
- Deletion — Uninstalling the app permanently deletes all associated data. You can also clear specific data (routes, messages) within the app's settings.
These rights apply equally under GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy regulations.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this privacy policy as features are added. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page will reflect any changes. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact
Questions about this privacy policy? Contact us at privacy@smokesignal.app.