Privacy Policy

Hidden Gems (findmyhiddengems.com) helps you find little-known places in Columbus, Ohio. It is operated by Waris Mazhar, an individual based in Ohio, United States. This page says plainly what we collect, what we do with it, and what we do not do.

The short version: we collect only what the app needs to work, we do not sell your data, we do not show ads, and you can ask us to delete your account and everything in it.

You can browse without an account

Searching for places and reading place pages needs no account. An account is only needed to save places, check in, rate a place or answer questions about it.

What we collect when you sign in with Google

If you choose “Continue with Google”, Google shares three things with us, and only these:

• your name
• your email address
• your profile photo

We use them to create your account, to recognize you when you come back, and to show your name in your own profile. We do not ask Google for your contacts, calendar, files or anything else, and we never see your Google password.

Our use of information received from Google is limited to providing and improving the features of Hidden Gems that you can see. We do not use it for advertising, we do not sell it, and we do not transfer it to anyone except the service providers listed below, who host the app for us.

If you sign in with an email link or code instead, we collect only your email address.

Location

We only get your location if you tap “Use my location” or “Check In” and your browser asks and you allow it.

• Finding gems near you. Your approximate position is sent to our server so it can work out which places are nearby. We do not save it to your account. Like any web address you visit, it can appear in short-lived server logs kept by our hosting provider.
• Checking in. When you check in, we save your position at that moment and how far you were from the place, alongside the check-in. This is how we confirm you were actually there.
• Typed addresses. If you type an address instead, the text you type is sent to OpenStreetMap’s address lookup to find it on the map.

We never track your location in the background, and you can use the app by picking a neighborhood instead.

What you create in the app

• the categories you say you love
• places you save
• your check-ins
• your ratings, and the private note you can add to a rating
• your answers when we ask whether a place is still open and still a hidden gem
• places you suggest to us, if you use that feature

Your ratings and answers may be shown to others in combined form, such as an average rating for a place. Your private notes, saved places and check-in history are visible only to you.

Cookies

We use a small number of cookies that are strictly needed: one keeps you signed in, and one remembers which page to return you to after sign-in. We do not use advertising cookies or third-party analytics trackers.

What we do not do

• We do not sell or rent your personal information.
• We do not show ads or build advertising profiles.
• We do not share your information with marketers.

Who helps us run the app

These providers process data on our behalf so the app can work:

• Supabase, which stores accounts and app data and handles sign-in
• Vercel, which hosts the website
• Google, for sign-in if you choose it, and for information about places
• OpenStreetMap and OpenFreeMap, which supply the map and look up typed addresses

When the map loads, your browser fetches map images directly from OpenFreeMap, which, like any website, sees your IP address. A “Directions” link opens Google Maps, which has its own privacy policy.

How long we keep it, and deleting it

We keep your account and what you created until you ask us to delete it. To delete your account and all data tied to it, or to get a copy of it, email findmyhiddengems.app@gmail.com from the address on your account. We will do it within 30 days.

You can also remove Hidden Gems’ access to your Google account at any time in your Google Account settings, under “Third-party apps with account access”.

Children

Hidden Gems is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect their information.

Changes

If we change what we collect or how we use it, we will update this page and the date at the top. For a significant change we will also say so in the app.

Contact

Waris Mazhar, Ohio, United States. Email findmyhiddengems.app@gmail.com.

See also our Terms of Service.