Privacy Policy
Last updated: 5 July, 2026
My Finds (“the App”), also known as Metal Detecting Tracker, is developed by Hugo Heriz-Smith. The App is available for iPhone, and for Android (currently in early-access testing). This policy covers both versions; where they differ, the difference is noted under “On iPhone” / “On Android”.
Summary
The App is designed with privacy in mind. Your session data, finds, and photos are stored locally on your device. The App does not use analytics or advertising SDKs, does not track your behaviour, and does not share your personal information with third parties. The only data that leaves your device is described below: map-area requests for optional map features, anonymous crash reports, and (on Android) the technical information Google’s map component collects in order to display the map.
Information We Collect
Location Data
When you start a hunt session, the App records your GPS coordinates to map your path and log where you make finds. To ensure accurate tracking, the App continues recording your location in the background while a session is active — for example, if you switch to another app or lock your device. Background location tracking only occurs during an active hunt session that you have started, and stops immediately when you end the session. The App does not track your location at any other time.
Photos
You may use the camera to photograph your finds.
On iPhone: these photos are stored locally within the App and also saved to your device’s Photos library. If you have iCloud Photos enabled on your device, photos in your library may sync to iCloud according to your device settings — this is controlled by iOS, not by this App.
On Android: photos you take for a find are stored within the App’s private storage on your device. The App does not save them to your device’s photo gallery.
Hunt and Find Records
The App stores details about your detecting sessions and finds, including locations, timestamps, categories, notes, and depth information. All of this data is stored locally on your device.
How We Use Your Information
Your data is used solely to provide the App's functionality:
Displaying your hunt paths on the map
Recording and organising your finds
Calculating session statistics (distance, duration)
Showing optional map layers such as public rights of way, historic maps, historic sites, protected areas, and LiDAR terrain
Subscriptions
On iPhone: the App offers an optional Pro Access subscription (monthly or annual). All payments are processed by Apple through the App Store. We do not collect, store, or have access to your payment information. Subscription management, including cancellation, is handled through your Apple ID settings. Subscriptions auto-renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period.
On Android: the App is free while it is in testing. There are no purchases in the Android version, and no payment information is involved.
Cloud Sync and Backups
The App does not currently offer cloud sync — your data stays on your device. You can create a backup file from within the App at any time; that file is saved where you choose and never leaves your device unless you share, upload, or transfer it yourself. If a future version adds cloud sync, this policy will be updated before it launches.
Third-Party Services
Map data services (both versions)
Several optional map features fetch data for the area of the map you are looking at. When you use one of these features, the App sends the visible map region coordinates to the relevant service. No personal information, no identifiers, and none of your finds or session data are transmitted in these requests, and the fetched data is cached on your device:
Overpass API (part of OpenStreetMap) — public rights of way. See the Overpass API documentation and OpenStreetMap Foundation Privacy Policy.
MapTiler Cloud — the Historic Maps overlay (historic map imagery from the National Library of Scotland). See MapTiler’s Privacy Policy.
Environment Agency — the LiDAR Terrain overlay (elevation data for England).
Historic England and Natural England data services — the historic sites and protected areas overlays (scheduled monuments, listed sites, SSSIs and similar designations).
Crash reporting (both versions)
The App uses Firebase Crashlytics, a crash reporting service provided by Google LLC, to collect anonymous crash reports. When the App encounters a technical error, Crashlytics receives diagnostic information including the device type, operating system version, and the state of the App at the time of the crash. These reports do not contain your personal data, location history, photos, or find records. For more information, see the Firebase Crashlytics documentation and Google’s Privacy Policy.
Google Maps (Android only)
The Android version displays its maps using the Google Maps SDK for Android, provided by Google LLC. While the map is on screen, Google’s map component communicates with Google’s servers and collects certain technical information on Google’s behalf: request and device information (such as operating system and SDK versions), your IP address, a pseudonymous identifier tied to the Maps SDK, map interaction events (such as panning and zooming), and crash diagnostics from within the SDK itself. This collection is carried out by Google and governed by Google’s Privacy Policy. The iPhone version uses Apple Maps, which is provided by iOS itself and covered by Apple’s privacy terms.
Data Storage and Security
All your data is stored locally on your device, in the App’s private storage. The App does not transmit your personal data to any external servers — the only network traffic is the map-area requests and crash reports described above.
Analytics and Tracking
The App uses Firebase Crashlytics (both versions) to collect anonymous crash reports, which help us identify and fix technical issues. These reports contain device type, operating system version, and the state of the app at the time of a crash. They do not contain your personal data, location history, photos, or find records. No other analytics, behavioural tracking, or advertising SDKs are used. On Android, the Google Maps component collects the technical information described above as part of displaying the map; the App itself adds no analytics.
Data Retention and Deletion
Your data remains on your device until you delete it. You can delete individual finds, hunt sessions, or photos within the App. Uninstalling the App will remove all locally stored data. Backup files you have created remain wherever you saved them, and are yours to keep or delete.
Children's Privacy
The App does not knowingly collect information from children under 13. The App does not require account creation and stores all data locally on the device.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be reflected in the "Last updated" date at the top of this page.
Contact
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your data, please contact:
Hugo Heriz-Smith
Email: hugo@heriz-smith.com