Sanjay Gangwar ("we", "us", "the developer") built mFamily as a freemium Android application. This privacy policy explains how the app collects, uses, stores, and protects your data.
The short version: mFamily tracks your real-time GPS location and shares it with your linked family members. Location data is sent to our servers every 5 minutes and stored so your family can see where you are. We do not sell your data. Free-tier users see ads served by third-party ad networks; premium subscribers see no ads.
Data We Collect
Account information
- Authentication credentials — email address and hashed password (if using email sign-up), or profile information provided by Google Sign-In via Firebase Authentication.
- Subscription status — managed through RevenueCat to determine your Free or Premium tier.
Location data
mFamily collects precise GPS location data from your device, including when the app is running in the background. This is the core functionality of the app. The following data is collected with each location update:
- Latitude and longitude — your precise geographic coordinates.
- Accuracy — the GPS accuracy radius in meters.
- Timestamp — the date and time of each location reading.
- Battery percentage — your device's current battery level.
- Collection frequency — location data is collected and transmitted to our servers approximately every 5 minutes while the app is installed and background location permission is granted.
- Foreground location — collected while you are actively using the app.
- Background location — collected when the app is not in the foreground, so your family can see your location even when you are not actively using the app.
- Location history — your past location data is stored on our servers so family members can view your recent whereabouts.
Family account data
- Family links — records of which accounts are linked as family members (created via email invite and accept/reject flow).
- Device information — device name and battery status, shared with linked family members.
Safety features data
- SOS alerts — when you trigger an SOS alert, your current location and timestamp are sent to all linked family members.
- Ring requests — when a family member rings your device remotely, a notification is delivered to your device.
Device and usage data
- Push notification token — a Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) token used to deliver push notifications (SOS alerts, ring requests, family invites).
- Advertising identifiers — collected by third-party ad SDKs (Google AdMob, Facebook Audience Network) for free-tier users only. Premium users have no ad SDKs loaded.
How We Use Your Data
| Data | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Authentication credentials | Create and secure your account |
| GPS location (lat/lng, accuracy) | Show your real-time location to linked family members |
| Location history | Allow family members to view your recent whereabouts |
| Battery percentage | Display your device battery status to family members |
| Family links | Determine who can see your location and send you alerts |
| SOS alert data | Notify family members of your emergency and location |
| FCM token | Deliver push notifications (SOS, ring, invites) |
| Subscription status | Determine Free vs. Premium tier (ads vs. no ads) |
| Advertising identifiers | Serve ads to free-tier users |
Location Permissions
mFamily uses ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION, ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION, and ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION permissions to track your location continuously, including when the app is not in the foreground. Background location access is essential for the app's core purpose: keeping your family informed of your whereabouts at all times. Without background location, your family would only see your location while you have the app open.
You can control location access at any time:
- To stop all location sharing: revoke location permissions from Android system settings (Settings > Apps > mFamily > Permissions > Location), or set location permission to "Only while using the app" to stop background tracking.
- To stop sharing with specific people: unlink a family member from within the app.
- To delete your account entirely: contact us to request full account and data deletion.
Who Can See Your Location
Your location data is visible only to:
- Family members you have explicitly linked by accepting their invite (or whose invite you sent and they accepted).
- The developer, solely for debugging server issues if necessary (access is logged and restricted).
Your location is never visible to other mFamily users who are not linked to your account, and is never sold or shared with any third party for advertising, analytics, or any other purpose.
Data Storage and Security
Your location data and account information are stored on our privately hosted backend infrastructure:
- Backend: Node.js server with MongoDB database, hosted on our own private infrastructure — not on AWS, Google Cloud, or any third-party cloud platform.
- Data is transmitted over HTTPS (TLS encryption in transit).
- Server-side authentication is verified using Firebase Admin SDK on every request.
- Your data is not accessible to any third-party hosting provider because we do not use one.
- Passwords are never stored in plain text (handled by Firebase Authentication).
No method of electronic storage or transmission is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Third-Party Services
The app integrates the following third-party services:
- Firebase Authentication — for user sign-in (email/password, Google). Firebase Privacy Policy.
- Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) — for push notifications (SOS alerts, ring requests, family invites). Firebase Privacy Policy.
- RevenueCat — for subscription management. RevenueCat receives your anonymised app user ID and purchase receipts. RevenueCat Privacy Policy.
- Google AdMob (free tier only) — serves ads and may collect device identifiers, IP address, and ad interaction data. Google Privacy Policy.
- Facebook Audience Network (free tier only) — serves ads and may collect device identifiers and ad interaction data. Meta Privacy Policy.
Premium subscribers have ad SDKs (AdMob and Facebook Audience Network) completely disabled — they are not loaded at all, so no data is collected by these services for premium users.
Data Sharing
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data, including your location data. Your data is shared only in the following limited circumstances:
- Linked family members — your real-time location, location history, battery status, and SOS alerts are shared with family members you have explicitly linked to your account.
- Third-party ad networks — advertising identifiers and ad interaction data are shared with AdMob and Facebook Audience Network for free-tier users only, solely for the purpose of serving ads. Location data is never shared with ad networks.
- Legal requirements — if required by law, regulation, or legal process.
Data Retention and Deletion
- Local data is deleted when you uninstall the app or clear app data.
- Server-side location history and account data are retained as long as your account exists.
- You may request complete deletion of your account and all associated server-side data (including all location history) by contacting us at the email below. We will process deletion requests within 30 days.
- Unlinking a family member stops future location sharing with that person but does not retroactively delete location history already stored on the server. To delete all stored location data, request full account deletion.
Children's Privacy
mFamily is intended for use by families, including parents tracking minor children's locations. Parents or legal guardians are responsible for setting up and managing accounts for children under 13. We do not knowingly allow children under 13 to create accounts independently. If you believe a child has created an account without parental consent, please contact us so we can address it.
Your Rights
You have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you, including your stored location history.
- Request correction of inaccurate data.
- Request deletion of your account and all associated data (including all location history).
- Revoke location and other permissions at any time via Android system settings.
- Unlink family members to stop sharing your location with them.
- Opt out of personalized ads via your device's ad settings.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy when features change. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact
For questions or concerns about this privacy policy, contact:
Sanjay Gangwar
Email: contact@sanjaygangwar.dev
Website: sanjaygangwar.dev