Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

AnimateMyRoute is made by Ember Oak Studios, an independent app publisher based in Ireland ("we", "us" or "our"). When we decide how and why your personal data is used, Ember Oak Studios is the data controller, which means we are responsible for that use.

Some of the companies that help us run the app decide for themselves how they use certain information. Their own privacy policies explain this in more detail.

2. Information that stays on your device

You do not need an account, and AnimateMyRoute does not keep an online copy of your projects.

The following information is stored and used on your device:

• project names and dates, route details, and your map and animation choices;
• GPX files and Google Maps routes you choose to add;
• Recorded Journeys you choose to record and edit;
• vehicle photos you choose and edit;
• drafts and temporary files created while making a video;
• videos and project backups you choose to save; and
• app choices such as your theme, whether you finished the introduction and whether ads are removed.

This information stays on your device and is not uploaded by AnimateMyRoute. The app does not ask for camera, microphone or contacts access.

Journey recording and reminders

Location access is requested only when you choose to record a journey. Recording can continue while the app is minimised or the screen is locked, and Android shows a notification while it is active. AnimateMyRoute does not silently start location recording, track you throughout the day or upload your journey history.

Optional journey reminders use activity recognition on your device to suggest when you may want to record a journey. They do not collect your route or start location recording. You can turn reminders off in Settings.

Finished videos are saved to your Android media library. A video or project backup is sent to another app only when you choose where to share or save it. That app's privacy policy applies once it receives the file.

3. Information used by online features

Opening a Google Maps route

If you add a Google Maps route, Google receives the connection information needed to open the link. AnimateMyRoute uses the locations in the link to create a journey and is not affiliated with Google.

Finding places and building a route

When you search for a place or ask the app to build a route, your search words, chosen locations and whether you are driving, cycling or walking are sent securely to the AnimateMyRoute online service and the service providers needed to complete your request.

We do not keep your searches or route locations as a history. Service providers also receive ordinary connection information, such as your IP address and the time of the request.

Checking the app and preventing misuse

A security service helps us check that online requests come from a genuine copy of the app. This uses app, device, security and network information.

We use IP addresses, a random app-installation identifier and basic request records to protect the service, limit excessive use and investigate problems. These security records do not contain your search words or route locations. The identifier is not an advertising ID and is not linked to an account.

Crash reports and diagnostic logs

AnimateMyRoute automatically sends crash reports and selected unexpected non-fatal errors to Firebase Crashlytics so we can find and fix stability problems. Reports may include when the problem happened, app and device information, random installation or session identifiers, recent diagnostic events and technical details about the error. We do not add your name, email address, advertising ID, routes, photos or project contents to these reports.

The app also keeps limited diagnostic information on your device. It stays there unless you choose to share it with support. Diagnostic information is designed to exclude routes, photos, imported file contents, payment information and security credentials.

Map display

Our map provider receives ordinary connection information when the app displays a map.

4. Ads, privacy choices and Google Play purchases

Advertising

The free version uses Google AdMob. Before ads start, Google's privacy service checks whether it needs to show you a message or ask for a choice. When ads are turned on, the app may show a full-screen ad before it starts creating your video.

Depending on where you live and the choices on your device, Google and its advertising partners may use an advertising or device ID, your IP address and general area, device and app details, privacy choices, ad activity and error information. They may use this to show, limit, personalise and measure ads and prevent fraud. Even non-personalised ads need some basic information, such as an IP address, so they can be delivered.

When available, you can revisit these choices under Privacy & ad choicesin Settings. You can also reset your Android advertising ID or change ad privacy choices in your device and Google settings. AnimateMyRoute does not use a separate behavioural analytics service; the Crashlytics stability reporting described above is not used to build an advertising profile.

AnimateMyRoute Plus

Google Play handles payment for the optional monthly or yearly AnimateMyRoute Plus membership. AnimateMyRoute receives the offer, purchase and subscription details it needs to complete, change or restore your purchase. We do not receive your full card details. Plus features remain available and ads stay off while Google Play says the membership is active.

5. This website and support

This website has no accounts, contact form, advertising code or visitor analytics, and it does not use marketing cookies. The company that hosts and protects the site receives normal web details such as your IP address, browser, the page you open, the time and security signals needed to show you the site safely.

If you email support, we receive your email address, message and any files you attach. We use them to reply, look into the issue, protect the service and keep records where the law requires it. Please do not send private routes, photos or other sensitive information unless we need them to help you.

6. Why we are allowed to use personal data

Under EU and Irish data-protection law, we use personal data for these reasons:

• To provide what you ask for: for example, opening a route link, finding a place, building a route, showing a map, handling a purchase or replying to support.
• Your consent: for personalised ads and access to device information where the law requires your permission. You can change your mind through the available privacy choices. This does not make earlier use of the information unlawful.
• Our legitimate interests: to run and protect the website and online route service, check that the app is genuine, keep usage fair, fix problems, prevent fraud and misuse, and handle legal claims. We balance these needs against your rights.
• Legal duties: when the law requires us to keep or share a record.

The companies that help provide ads, payments and fraud protection may have their own legal reasons for using information they control.

7. How information is shared

We share only the information needed with these categories of recipients:

• hosting and security providers that operate and protect our online services;
• place-search, routing and map providers that deliver features you request;
• Google services that open shared links, provide advertising and handle purchases;
• Firebase, which provides app security and crash reporting; and
• professional advisers or public authorities receive information when reasonably needed or required by law.

We do not sell your projects or create a data-broker profile about you. Google may share ad information with the advertising partners named in its privacy message, based on your choices and their privacy policies.

Some of these companies work around the world, so they may process information outside Ireland or the European Economic Area. Where the law requires it, information is sent only to a country approved as providing adequate protection, protected by standard data-protection contracts or covered by another lawful safeguard.

For information about Google services, read the Google privacy policy and Firebase privacy and security.

8. How long information is kept and how to delete it

• Projects and private app files stay on your device until you delete them, clear the app's storage or uninstall it. You can clear temporary video files in Settings.
• Saved videos and project backups stay where you saved them until you delete them. Deleting the project in AnimateMyRoute does not delete these separate copies.
• The online route service uses your place or route details only to answer your request. It does not intentionally keep them as a route history.
• Limited security and reliability records are kept for up to three months and do not include your searches or route locations.
• We may keep a blocked installation ID for as long as the block is needed. Send us the ID shown in Settings if you want us to review or delete it where the law allows.
• Diagnostic information stored on your device remains until it is replaced, you clear the app's storage or you uninstall the app. Firebase keeps Crashlytics reports and associated identifiers for 90 days before beginning deletion.
• We keep support emails until your request is resolved, then only as long as reasonably needed for follow-up, security or legal records.

Google, Cloudflare and other providers follow their own rules for how long they keep data. See our data deletion guide for step-by-step help.

9. Your choices and privacy rights

You can take these steps yourself:

• trim private start/end points and delete individual Recorded Journeys or projects;
• clear the app's storage or uninstall it to remove private app data;
• delete saved videos and backups from their saved location;
• use Privacy & ad choices when displayed in Settings;
• manage or cancel the subscription in Google Play; and
• contact us about an installation ID or your support emails.

Depending on the law that applies to you, you may ask to see, correct, delete, restrict or receive a portable copy of your personal data. You may also object to some uses or withdraw consent. These rights can be limited in certain situations. Because we do not have accounts or an online project library, we may need your installation ID or other details that help us find the right record.

You may lodge a complaint with the Irish Data Protection Commission or your local supervisory authority. We would appreciate the opportunity to address your concern first.

Automatic limits can temporarily refuse excessive requests, and a security rule can block an app installation if it detects misuse. These checks protect the service; they do not make a legal or similarly important decision about you. Contact support if you think a block is a mistake.

10. Children and security

AnimateMyRoute is not directed to children under 16. If you are under 16, do not use the online features or ads without help from a parent or guardian. Contact us if you believe a child has given us personal data so we can look into it and take the right action.

We use appropriate technical and organisational safeguards to protect information. No system is completely secure, so protect your device and avoid putting sensitive personal information in route names, searches or support messages.

11. Changes and contact

We may update this policy when the app, the companies we work with or the law changes. We will post the new version here and change the effective date. If an important change affects your choices in the app, we will also provide a suitable notice there.

For a question or privacy request, email [email protected]. Put "Privacy" in the subject line and only include the information we need to reply.