Privacy Policy for Dots of Life
Effective date: March 30, 2026
Dots of Life ("the App", "we", "our", or "us") is designed to help you record, visualize, and manage your personal travel and location history. This Privacy Policy explains what information the App may access, how that information is used, when it may be shared, and what choices you have.
1. Summary
Dots of Life is primarily a local-first app. Your core records, such as location history, markers, visit records, flight records, train records, and most settings, are stored on your device.
We do not operate our own advertising network and we do not see evidence in this app of third-party behavioral analytics SDKs such as Firebase Analytics.
Some features rely on Apple services, Mapbox, or your iCloud account. If you enable those features, the relevant data may be processed by those providers as described below.
2. Information the App May Access
Depending on which features you use, the App may access the following categories of information:
A. Precise location and background location
The App may access your precise location, including while the app is in the background, in order to:
- record your travel path and location history
- calculate visit records and statistics
- show your current position on the map
- support optional location sharing features
Location-related data stored by the App may include:
- latitude and longitude
- timestamp
- speed, altitude, heading, and accuracy information
- motion-derived state used for recording logic
B. Photos and photo metadata
If you grant Photos permission, the App may access selected items from your photo library to:
- show photos on the map
- read photo timestamps
- read photo location metadata when available
- read EXIF metadata used by photo-related features
- save user-requested exports or shared images back to your photo library
The App requests photo access only for these features and does not require photo access for core location recording.
C. In-App Purchase information
If you purchase or restore a subscription, the App uses Apple's StoreKit / App Store infrastructure to:
- load subscription products
- verify entitlement status
- restore purchases
We do not process your payment card details directly. Payments are handled by Apple.
D. Game Center data
If you use Game Center features, the App may submit gameplay- or stats-related leaderboard scores through Apple's Game Center services.
E. User-generated content
The App may store information you manually create or import, such as:
- markers and notes
- visit edits
- imported flight records
- imported train records
- imported GPX / CSV / other supported files
- custom settings and preferences
3. How the App Uses Information
The App uses information to:
- record and display your location history
- generate statistics, maps, visualizations, and visit summaries
- place photos on maps and timelines when you enable that feature
- import, export, and organize travel records
- support optional friend/location sharing
- determine subscription entitlements and unlock paid features
- support optional Game Center leaderboard submissions
- maintain app functionality, performance, and user settings
4. Where Data Is Stored
Local on-device storage
Most core app data is stored locally on your device, including:
- recorded location points
- visit data
- markers
- imported flight and train records
- most cached and computed statistics
- local settings and feature preferences
Apple iCloud / CloudKit
If you use optional sharing features, relevant sharing data may be stored in Apple's iCloud / CloudKit services tied to your Apple account.
User-directed exports
If you choose to export data, files may be written to locations you select, including Apple's Files app or iCloud Drive.
5. Third-Party and Platform Services
The App may interact with the following third-party or platform services:
Apple
Apple services may process data when you use:
- Core Location
- Photos
- CloudKit / iCloud sharing
- StoreKit / in-app purchases
- Game Center
- local or platform reverse geocoding
- system notifications
Apple's handling of your data is governed by Apple's own privacy terms.
Mapbox
The App uses Mapbox for map display and certain map-related services. When you use map functionality, Mapbox may receive technical and usage information necessary to deliver map content. Some map search or reverse geocoding features may also send location or coordinate-based requests to Mapbox.
6. Data Sharing
We do not sell your personal information.
Your data may be shared only in the following limited circumstances:
- with Apple when you use Apple platform services such as iCloud, StoreKit, Photos, Game Center, Core Location, or geocoding
- with Mapbox when map or map-based geocoding services are used
- if required by law or valid legal process
7. Data Retention
Because Dots of Life is primarily local-first, data is generally retained on your device until you delete it, remove the app, clear app data, or overwrite it through your own actions.
Exported files remain wherever you save them unless you delete them.
8. Your Choices and Controls
You can control your privacy through:
- iOS Location permissions, including denying or revoking background access
- iOS Photos permissions
- enabling or disabling the App's optional location sharing feature
- not signing in to Game Center
- not purchasing subscriptions
- deleting local data in the app
- deleting exported files from Files / iCloud Drive / Photos
- uninstalling the app
If you revoke permissions, some features may stop working or may work with reduced functionality.
9. Children's Privacy
Dots of Life is not intended for children under the age at which personal data processing requires parental consent in your jurisdiction. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children through a dedicated child-directed service.
10. Security
We use the storage and security mechanisms available through iOS and Apple's platform services where applicable. However, no method of electronic storage or transmission is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
11. International Processing
If you use Apple, Mapbox, or other connected platform services, data may be processed in countries outside your own, subject to those providers' infrastructure and legal terms.
12. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we do, we will update the effective date above. Continued use of the App after an update means the revised policy will apply to your use of the App.
13. Contact
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, you may contact:
- Email: yinqicai02@gmail.com
Terms of Use for Dots of Life
Effective date: March 30, 2026
These Terms of Use ("Terms") govern your use of Dots of Life (the "App"). By downloading, accessing, or using the App, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use the App.
1. The App
Dots of Life is a personal travel and location-recording app that lets you record, visualize, manage, and export your own travel history, map data, and related content.
2. Eligibility and Account Services
You must use the App in compliance with applicable law and the rules of the platform through which the App is distributed.
Some App features may rely on Apple services, including the App Store, StoreKit, Photos, Game Center, and system location services. Use of those services may also be subject to Apple's terms and policies.
Some map-related features may rely on Mapbox or other mapping and geocoding infrastructure. Your use of those features is also subject to the applicable third-party service terms.
3. License
Subject to these Terms, we grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable, revocable license to download and use the App for your personal, non-commercial use on devices you own or control, as permitted by Apple's usage rules.
You may not:
- copy, modify, or create derivative works of the App except as permitted by law
- reverse engineer, decompile, or attempt to extract the source code of the App except where prohibited restrictions are unenforceable under applicable law
- use the App in a way that violates law, infringes rights, or interferes with the App's operation
- use the App to upload, import, export, or distribute material you do not have the right to use
4. Your Content and Responsibilities
You are responsible for the data and content you create, import, export, or store through the App, including location records, notes, markers, photos, flight records, train records, and other user-generated content.
You represent that you have the necessary rights and permissions to use any content you import into or export from the App.
You are solely responsible for:
- reviewing exported or shared files before distributing them
- maintaining backups of important data where appropriate
- configuring permissions and privacy settings on your device
- complying with any laws that apply to your use of location, photo, or travel data
5. Subscriptions and In-App Purchases
The App may offer paid subscriptions or other in-app purchases through Apple's App Store.
If you purchase a subscription:
- payment will be charged through your Apple ID account
- subscription management, renewal, cancellation, refunds, and billing are handled by Apple under Apple's policies
- access to paid features depends on your current entitlement status as determined through Apple's StoreKit infrastructure
We do not directly process payment card information.
6. Availability and Changes
We may update, modify, suspend, or discontinue all or part of the App or any feature at any time, including free and paid features, to improve the product, address legal or technical issues, or reflect product direction.
We are not obligated to continue supporting any specific feature, integration, or third-party service indefinitely.
7. Privacy
Your use of the App is also governed by the App's Privacy Policy:
8. Third-Party Services
The App may display maps, geocoding results, system content, or other outputs made available through Apple, Mapbox, or other third-party providers.
We are not responsible for:
- the availability, accuracy, or continued operation of third-party services
- third-party outages, policy changes, pricing changes, or service limitations
- content or results returned by third-party mapping, geocoding, storage, or platform services
9. No Safety-Critical Use
The App is provided for personal recording, visualization, and informational purposes only. It is not intended for emergency response, dispatch, navigation safety, aviation safety, medical, legal, or other high-risk use.
You should not rely on the App as the sole source of truth for real-time safety-critical decisions.
10. Disclaimer of Warranties
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the App is provided "as is" and "as available," without warranties of any kind, whether express, implied, or statutory, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, non-infringement, accuracy, and uninterrupted availability.
We do not guarantee that:
- the App will always be available, error-free, or secure
- any location, map, geocoding, statistics, or imported data will be complete, accurate, or up to date
- the App will meet your specific requirements or preserve your data without interruption or loss
11. Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, we will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, or for any loss of profits, revenues, goodwill, use, or data, arising out of or related to your use of or inability to use the App.
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, our total liability for any claim arising out of or relating to the App will not exceed the amount you paid for the App or related in-app purchases in the 12 months before the claim arose, or USD $50 if you paid nothing, whichever is greater.
Some jurisdictions do not allow certain warranty disclaimers or liability limitations, so some of the above may not apply to you.
12. Termination
These Terms remain in effect until terminated. Your rights under these Terms will automatically terminate if you fail to comply with them.
You may stop using the App at any time by discontinuing use and deleting the App from your devices.
13. Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the developer is based, without regard to conflict of laws principles, unless otherwise required by applicable consumer protection law.
If you reside in a jurisdiction that grants you mandatory consumer rights, nothing in these Terms limits those rights.
14. Changes to These Terms
We may update these Terms from time to time. If we do, we will update the effective date above. Your continued use of the App after updated Terms take effect means you accept the revised Terms.
15. Contact
If you have questions about these Terms, you may contact:
- Email: yinqicai02@gmail.com