Privacy Policy

Last updated: 5 September 2026

The short version

Orma uncovers a map as you walk. To do that it records where you go, continuously, including while the app is closed. That location history is the core of the product — it is what draws your map — and it is stored on your device and in your account.

We do not sell your data. We do not run ads. We do not share your location with anyone except the friends you personally accept, and the parts of communities you personally post to.

You can delete your account, and everything in it, from inside the app at any time.


What we collect

Location — including in the background

This is the sensitive one, so it comes first.

Motion and activity

Used to detect when you are stationary so tracking can throttle down and save battery. Processed on your device by the location library. Not stored on our servers.

Your account

Email address (for sign-in), username, display name, and an optional profile picture.

Photos you take

Photos you choose to capture in the app, together with the coordinates where they were taken, and any caption you write. Photos you attach to a community comment are visible to every signed-in user.

Things you post

Friend relationships, comments and likes, beacons and postcards, community memberships, meetup RSVPs, and “explorers’ thoughts” left on places. Comments and thoughts posted in a community are visible to all signed-in users of the app.

Notifications

If you allow them, a push notification token so we can tell you when a friend sends you something.

Crash reports

Diagnostic data when the app crashes, so it can be fixed. This can include device model, OS version and a stack trace.


Who else receives data

We use these services to run the app. Each one is listed with what it actually receives.

ServiceWhat it receivesWhy
SupabaseYour account, explored areas, photos, and everything you postDatabase, file storage and authentication
MapboxMap requests for the area you are viewingDrawing the map
ExpoYour push notification tokenDelivering notifications and app updates
SentryCrash diagnosticsFixing crashes
OpenStreetMap (Nominatim, Overpass)Coordinates, to look up place names and nearby placesNaming where you are, and finding cafes and landmarks
ApplePurchase and installation data governed by Apple’s own policyDistribution via the App Store

We do not sell personal data, and we do not share it with advertisers or data brokers.


A note on how photos are served

Photos are stored with unguessable random filenames and served over HTTPS from public URLs, so the app can display them quickly. This means anyone who obtains the full URL of a photo can view it, even without an account. The URLs are not listed or discoverable anywhere, and cannot be browsed or enumerated.

We are telling you this because it is true, not because it is ideal. If you would not want a photo seen by someone who somehow obtained its link, do not post it.


How long we keep things

As long as your account exists. Delete your account and it goes.

Deleting your account

Settings → Safety & privacy → Delete account.

This removes your profile, explored areas, photos, comments, beacons, postcards, friendships, community posts and notification tokens, and deletes your stored image files. It is immediate and cannot be undone. Local data on your device is cleared at the same time.

Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, export or delete your personal data, and to object to certain processing. The delete-account button covers deletion in full. For anything else, email us and we will action it.

Legal bases, where UK/EU GDPR applies: consent for location, camera, photos and notifications (each requested explicitly, each revocable in your device Settings), and legitimate interests for security, abuse prevention and crash diagnostics.

Children

Orma is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect their data. If you believe a child has created an account, email us and we will remove it.

Changes

If this policy changes materially, we will update the date at the top and notify you in the app.

Contact

Orma is operated by Rayan Aman. Questions about this policy or your data:
rayan2004aman@gmail.com