Privacy Policy
Utah News ("we", "us", "the app") is operated by App Launchers, LLC. This policy explains what data the Utah News iOS app and our backend services collect, how we use it, and the choices you have. By using the app, you agree to this policy.
1. What we collect
- Account data. If you sign in with Apple, we receive a stable Apple-issued user identifier, and (when you choose to share them) your display name and email. Sign-in is optional — you may also continue as an anonymous guest, in which case we store only an opaque device identifier.
- Location. If you grant location permission, we use your approximate coordinates to surface local news for your area and to receive geofenced alerts. Location is sent to our backend only when you have an active push subscription for a city area, and is stored against your device record rather than your personal identity.
- Device and push tokens. We store the Apple Push Notification Service (APNs) token for your installation so we can send the alerts you have subscribed to.
- Submissions and contributions. When you voluntarily submit a story tip, URL, photo, or audio, we store the content and metadata you provide. You can request deletion at any time via the in-app "Delete Account" action or by emailing support@utah.news.
- App analytics and crash reports. We collect anonymized usage and crash diagnostics through Apple's standard developer tooling (App Analytics) and, when configured, Firebase Crashlytics. These telemetry streams do not include the body of articles you read or your search queries.
2. What we do not collect
- Contacts, microphone audio, camera images, calendar entries, or photo-library content unless you explicitly grant access for a specific feature (AI Journalist interviews, witness reporting, calendar surfacing).
- Advertising identifiers (IDFA). The app does not request the App Tracking Transparency dialog and does not share data with third-party advertising networks.
- Payment information. Utah News is currently free; no in-app purchases or subscriptions are offered.
3. How we use your data
We use the data above only to operate the app: deliver local news for your area, send push alerts you have subscribed to, accept and process your editorial submissions, and improve reliability. We do not sell or rent personal data, and we do not share it with third parties except as required to run the service (e.g. Apple for push delivery, our Supabase database host, our hosting provider). All third parties we use are subject to confidentiality and data-protection agreements.
4. Children (COPPA / GDPR-K)
Utah News is intended for users 13 and older. The app does not offer kids-mode features, parental controls, or family accounts, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us information, please contact support@utah.news and we will delete it.
5. European users (GDPR)
If you access the app from the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, you have the right to access, correct, port, or delete personal data we hold about you, and to object to or restrict processing. Our lawful basis for processing is your consent (location, contributions) and our legitimate interest in operating the service (push delivery, basic analytics). To exercise any of these rights, email support@utah.news from the address associated with your account.
6. California residents (CCPA / CPRA)
We do not sell or share personal information as those terms are defined under California law. California residents have the right to know, delete, correct, and limit the use of sensitive personal information. Email support@utah.news to make a verifiable request.
7. Data retention and deletion
We retain account data while your account is active. Anonymous guest device records are retained for up to 12 months of inactivity and then purged. You can delete your account from Settings → Delete Account in the app at any time; this immediately erases your account record, push token, location history, and any submissions you made. Discussion posts you authored remain visible to the community but are shown as "[deleted]".
8. Security
All traffic between the app and our backend uses HTTPS / TLS. We do not bundle non-exempt encryption (ITSAppUsesNonExemptEncryption is declared false in the app's Info.plist). Our backend runs on infrastructure with restricted SSH access and per-service credentials.
9. Changes to this policy
We will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page when we make material changes. Significant changes will also be surfaced in the app on next launch.
10. Contact
Privacy questions, deletion requests, and complaints: support@utah.news.