Privacy Policy

Last updated: April 22, 2026

1. Who We Are

SafeStop ("we," "us," or "our") is a web-based safety navigation tool available at trysafestop.com and safestop.app. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding that information.

2. Information We Collect

Location Data
When you use SafeStop's map or navigation features, your browser requests access to your device's GPS location. This location data is processed entirely on your device and is used only to show nearby stops and provide turn-by-turn directions. We do not transmit, store, or log your GPS coordinates on our servers.

Anonymous Usage Data
When you interact with community features (such as rating a location or submitting a safety report), we assign your browser an anonymous identifier using Firebase Anonymous Authentication. This identifier:

• Is generated randomly and is not linked to your name, email, or any personal account
• Is stored in your browser's local storage
• Is used solely to prevent duplicate votes and maintain data integrity
• Cannot be used to identify you personally

Community Ratings and Reports
If you submit a traveler rating or community safety report for a location, we store the following in Firebase Firestore:

• The anonymous identifier described above
• The rating value or report type (safe / unsafe)
• A server-generated timestamp
• The Google Maps place ID of the rated location

We do not collect your name, email address, or any information that could identify you personally in connection with a rating or report.

Email Address (Optional)
If you sign up for SafeStop updates via our email signup form, we collect your email address to send you product news and updates. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in any email we send. We do not share your email address with third parties for marketing purposes.

Automatically Collected Data
Like most websites, our hosting infrastructure may automatically log standard technical information such as your IP address, browser type, referring URL, and pages visited. This information is used solely for security monitoring and service reliability and is not used for advertising or sold to third parties.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Display safety-scored nearby locations on the map
• Provide turn-by-turn navigation directions
• Record and aggregate community safety ratings and reports
• Prevent duplicate or fraudulent community submissions
• Send product updates to users who opt in via email
• Monitor and improve the reliability and security of our service

We do not use your information for advertising, profiling, or any purpose beyond operating and improving SafeStop.

4. Third-Party Services

SafeStop uses the following third-party services to operate:

• Google Maps Platform — for map display, place search, and turn-by-turn directions. Google's use of data is governed by the Google Privacy Policy.
• Firebase (Google) — for anonymous authentication and Firestore database storage of community ratings. Data is stored in Google's cloud infrastructure.
• FBI Crime Data Explorer — we query publicly available FBI and NIBRS crime data APIs to compute safety scores. No personal data is shared with this service.

5. Data Retention

Community ratings and reports stored in Firestore are retained indefinitely to maintain the accuracy of aggregated safety scores. Your anonymous identifier is stored in your browser's local storage until you clear your browser data. Email addresses are retained until you unsubscribe.

6. Your Rights and Choices

You have the following choices regarding your data:

• Location: You can deny or revoke location access at any time in your browser settings. SafeStop's core search features work without GPS; navigation features require it.
• Anonymous ID: You can reset your anonymous identifier at any time by clearing your browser's local storage and site data for SafeStop.
• Email: You can unsubscribe from SafeStop emails at any time using the unsubscribe link in any email we send, or by contacting us at privacy@trysafestop.com.

If you are a resident of California or the European Economic Area and have specific data rights requests, please contact us at privacy@trysafestop.com and we will respond within 30 days.

7. Children's Privacy

SafeStop is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has submitted personal information to us, please contact us at privacy@trysafestop.com and we will delete it promptly.

8. Security

We take reasonable technical measures to protect your information, including HTTPS encryption for all data transmission and Firestore security rules that restrict access to community data. However, no method of electronic storage or transmission is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Your continued use of SafeStop after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact us at:

Phillip Rogers
Sarasota, Florida
privacy@trysafestop.com