Data Used By The App #data
Lightning Alerts uses only the data needed to show lightning, manage ads and Pro access, send optional alerts, and keep the app reliable.
- Location is used to show nearby lightning. The app may store selected places on the device. Ordinary map viewing does not send your precise location. If you separately enable exact alert areas, the app sends the information described in Alert Areas and Lightning Notifications.
- Google AdMob, Google User Messaging Platform, Firebase, Google Maps, and Google Play Billing may process device identifiers, app interactions, diagnostics, ad data, ad privacy status, map usage, cloud messaging tokens, and subscription status.
- Firebase Crashlytics receives crash logs and diagnostics so we can find and fix app problems.
- If you send feedback or a privacy request, your email app opens a draft addressed to support. The draft can include app version, device, system, and locale details, and you can edit or remove those details before sending.
Alert Areas and Lightning Notifications #alert-areas
A future version of Lightning Alerts may let you choose an exact alert distance. This section will apply only after you choose an alert distance and enable radius alerts. Before you accept the in-app disclosure, this feature does not upload precise alert centers.
If you enable an alert area, the app will send the selected center coordinates and radius to Lightning Alerts. For My Location, it will also send the location observation time and horizontal accuracy. Registration metadata will include the Firebase Installation ID. Lightning Alerts will hash the FID for the Firestore document key and retain the raw FID only in a consented active registration as the Firebase Cloud Messaging delivery address. Direct v4 delivery will not store a separate cloud-messaging registration token. Other metadata will include the platform and app build, configuration revision, disclosure version and acceptance time, and update or last-seen timestamps. Saved Place names are kept on the device and are not sent.
Lightning Alerts and its Google Firebase and Google Cloud service providers use this data to maintain the alert registration, match detected lightning against the selected circle, deliver and update notifications, and prevent stale requests from restoring an older configuration. The registration is linked to an app installation, not to a Lightning Alerts account, name, email address, or advertising identifier. It is used for app functionality, not cross-app tracking.
Exact alert centers and radii are not sent to weather-data providers, advertising services, or analytics.
An active alert registration has a 365-day logical lease that the app refreshes when relevant settings, location, FID, or app activity changes. Uninstalling the app cannot immediately notify the server, so an active precise registration, including its raw delivery FID, may remain until the lease expires or Firebase reports the FID as invalid. Invalid-FID cleanup removes it only after the server verifies that the failed delivery still matches the current active registration.
Turning alerts off stops direct-alert intake in the app and sends a disable request. If the device is offline, server removal completes after a later successful sync or lease expiry. After the server confirms the disable request, the raw FID and precise alert centers and radii are removed. In coordinate-free legacy-only and disabled records, Lightning Alerts retains only the FID hash as the installation identifier. The disabled record remains for up to 30 days to prevent an older retry from silently restoring the registration, and then expires. For help with privacy or deletion, contact lightning.alerts.live@gmail.com.
Ads #ads
Lightning Alerts may show Google AdMob ads when ads are enabled. On iOS, free mode uses non-personalized ads only. The app does not request App Tracking Transparency permission and does not access IDFA.
- iOS ad requests are sent as non-personalized ads.
- Google User Messaging Platform may be used to check ad privacy status and to present Google's European regulations consent or privacy-options form where required (EEA, UK, and Switzerland). This iOS version does not present a US-state sale/sharing UMP prompt.
- Google Mobile Ads may process IP address, general location, device identifiers, ad interactions, and diagnostics to serve ads, measure ads, prevent fraud, and comply with policy.
- To report an ad issue, use Settings > Feedback in the app and include the ad details, or use any report controls shown in the ad.
- If ad serving is not allowed based on your settings or region, ads may be limited or unavailable.
Analytics #analytics
Lightning Alerts uses Firebase Analytics to understand anonymous usage patterns and app stability. On iOS, Analytics is configured without IDFA collection or ad-personalization support.
- Analytics events are anonymous and are not used to identify you.
- We do not send direct personal identifiers such as your name or email in analytics events.
- On iOS, analytics stays off until you choose whether to enable anonymous analytics during onboarding or in Settings.
- On Android, the app shows the regional analytics state during onboarding and lets you change anonymous analytics in Settings.
- The in-app anonymous analytics toggle controls Firebase Analytics collection.
In-App Privacy Controls
On iOS, free mode uses non-personalized ads. When Google requires a European regulations privacy-options form, Settings > Ads & privacy shows Manage ad privacy choices. The app does not show a US-state sale/sharing prompt.
Settings > Ads & privacy > Anonymous analytics
Use this toggle to enable or disable anonymous analytics at any time.
Ad-Free Option (Pro)
Lightning Alerts Pro is available as an optional monthly subscription. The App Store or Google Play purchase screen shows the current localized price before you buy. Pro removes ads from the app while active.
Data Deletion #data-deletion
You can request deletion of developer-controlled support records and server-side records that we can reasonably identify by emailing lightning.alerts.live@gmail.com.
Uninstalling the app removes local app data stored on your device. It does not delete data that was already sent to us or to service providers.
Some data is controlled by Google services such as AdMob, Firebase, Google Maps, and Google Play Billing. You can manage that data through your Google account, Android advertising ID, Google Play, and device settings.
Support Contact
For support, feedback, privacy, and ads questions, contact: lightning.alerts.live@gmail.com