Privacy Policy

Effective Date: May 17th, 2026

1. Introduction

Babelo ("VistaSpots", "we", "us", or "our") provides a mobile application that helps users discover scenic spots, verify proximity using location-based logic, capture or upload photos, and unlock collectible postcard-style cards. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, how we share it, and the choices available to users.

This Privacy Policy applies to the VistaSpots iOS application, our related websites or support pages, and any services that link to this policy. It does not apply to third-party apps, operating systems, websites, maps, or sharing destinations that you access through the service.

2. Information We Collect

We collect different categories of information depending on how you use the service:

Account and sign-in information

  • Email address and authentication details when you sign in with email magic link.
  • Basic account information made available by Apple or Google if you choose those sign-in methods, such as an Apple relay email address, email address, display name, or account identifier.
  • Support communications and any information you provide when contacting us.

Guest mode

You can browse and try most of the app without an account. In guest mode, your collected cards, preferences, and progress are stored locally on your device and are not associated with a server-side account until you choose to sign in. If you sign in later, we may migrate this local data to your account.

Photos and user content

  • Photos you capture or upload for spot verification, troubleshooting, or in-app use.
  • Important: the collectible card you receive after a successful check-in uses a pre-designed illustration for that spot, not your captured photo. Your photo is used to verify the check-in and is stored only as needed to operate the service.
  • Generated cards, saved collections, progress status, and related in-app content tied to your account or device.
  • Any captions, feedback, or messages you choose to submit.

Location information

  • Precise or approximate location data, including GPS-derived information, when you grant permission. We use this to determine whether you are close enough to a designated spot, to power nearby spot features, and to improve spot accuracy.
  • We currently request location only when the app is in use. If VistaSpots later adds background proximity alerts (for example, "Nearby Spots" notifications when the app is closed), we will request the additional system permission required before collecting any background location.

Device and technical information

  • Device model, operating system, app version, language, time zone, IP address, crash logs, diagnostics, and app event data.
  • Identifiers reasonably necessary to operate the service, prevent abuse, maintain security, or measure product performance.
  • Specific third-party SDKs we use for analytics or crash reporting, if any, will be listed here before launch.

Permissions and optional information

  • Camera permission to let you capture images in the app.
  • Photo library permission if you choose to upload an image from your device or save a generated card back to your library.
  • Notification permission for optional reminders, nearby-spot alerts, or service messages.

3. Why We Use Information

We use personal information to:

  • Create and manage your account or guest profile.
  • Operate core app features such as spot discovery, geofence verification, photo capture or upload, postcard generation, progress tracking, collections, and save/share actions.
  • Provide nearby spots and location-aware content.
  • Analyze performance, debug issues, prevent fraud or misuse, and improve the service.
  • Respond to support requests, enforce our Terms of Use, and protect users, the public, and our business.
  • Comply with legal obligations and maintain appropriate records.

4. When Providing Information Is Required

Some information is necessary for specific features. For example, we need an email address if you choose email sign-in, camera access if you want to capture a photo in-app, and location access if you want to use on-site verification or nearby features. If you do not provide required information or permissions, some features may not work or may work only in a limited way.

5. How We Share Information

We may share personal information with the following categories of recipients, only as reasonably necessary:

  • Service providers that help us host the service, store content, authenticate users, monitor performance, prevent abuse, send support emails, or provide customer support.
  • Analytics, crash-reporting, or infrastructure providers that are part of our service stack.
  • Other users or third parties when you choose to share a card, image, or link through your device or another platform. You control card and collection visibility through in-app privacy settings.
  • Authorities, advisers, courts, or transaction counterparties when required by law, needed to protect rights and safety, or in connection with a merger, financing, reorganization, or sale of assets.

6. Sale, Sharing, and Advertising

We do not sell personal information and we do not share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising.

7. Retention and Account Deletion

We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, including to maintain your account, preserve your collections and generated cards, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.

You can delete your account at any time from Profile → Account → Delete Account. The flow requires you to type "DELETE" to confirm, and the action is irreversible. After deletion we will delete or de-identify personal information associated with your account within a commercially reasonable period, except where we need to retain specific information for legal, security, fraud-prevention, backup, or accounting reasons.

8. Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect personal information. However, no security measure is perfect or impenetrable, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. International Transfers

Babelo and the service providers we use may process data in the United States and other jurisdictions where they operate. By using the service, you understand that your information may be transferred to and processed in jurisdictions that may have different data protection laws from the place where you live.

10. Your Choices and Rights

Depending on where you live and the laws that apply, you may have the right to request access to, correction of, deletion of, or a copy of certain personal information. You may also have the right to appeal a denial, opt out of certain advertising-related practices, or limit certain uses of sensitive personal information where required by law.

To exercise rights, contact us at support@babelo.io or use the in-app tools we make available (for example, Profile → Account → Delete Account, or device-level permission controls). We may need to verify your request before processing it.

You can also manage device-level permissions for camera, photos, location, and notifications in iOS Settings.

11. California Notice

California law may provide additional rights to California residents, including rights to know, delete, correct, opt out of sale or sharing, and non-discrimination, if our business is subject to the California Consumer Privacy Act as amended. Precise geolocation is treated as sensitive personal information under California guidance, and we minimize this data category to what is reasonably necessary to operate spot verification and nearby features.

12. Children

The VistaSpots service is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without any legally required parental process. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us personal information, contact us and we will investigate and, where appropriate, delete the information.

13. Third-Party Services

The service may link to or rely on third-party services such as Apple, Google, maps, cloud infrastructure, crash-reporting tools, analytics tools, or social sharing destinations. Those third parties have their own terms and privacy notices, and we are not responsible for their independent practices.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will post the updated policy, update the Effective Date above, and provide any additional notice required by law.

15. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or want to exercise privacy rights, email support@babelo.io.