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Privacy Policy

Last updated: 2026-04-17

Sherlocale is an Android app that lets you photograph a place and uses the Google Gemini API to identify the country and region. This policy describes what data we collect and what we do with it.

What we collect

  1. Photos you submit. When you tap "Guess location", the app sends the selected image to our backend, which forwards it to Google's Gemini API for analysis. When you are signed in we also store the photo (plus a small thumbnail) and the guess on our servers. We do this so you can see your history across devices and so we can investigate wrong guesses you flag, which helps us improve the service. You can delete individual entries, clear all history, or delete your account at any time from the app's Settings screen.
  2. Your Google account identifier. When you sign in with Google, we receive your Firebase user ID (UID) and email address. We store the UID to track how many free guesses you have used and whether you have an active subscription.
  3. Usage counters. We count the number of guesses you make for billing and abuse-prevention.
  4. Diagnostic data. Standard mobile app crash reports may be collected by Google Play Services and Firebase to help us fix bugs.

What we do not collect

  • We do not collect your device location, contacts, calendar, microphone, or any other personal information.
  • We do not sell or share your data with advertisers.
  • We do not use your photos to train AI models. Submitted photos are processed by Google Gemini under Google's API terms and are not used for model training.

Not a substitute for verified geolocation

Sherlocale provides AI-generated guesses about where a photo might have been taken. It is not a substitute for forensic geolocation, journalistic verification, or any process where being wrong has real consequences. Treat its answers as a fast hint, not a fact.

Third-party services

  • Google Firebase (Authentication, App Check, Firestore)
  • Google Cloud Run (backend hosting)
  • Google Cloud Storage (photo + thumbnail storage)
  • Google Gemini API
  • Google Play Billing (subscriptions)
  • Cloudflare Web Analytics (privacy-friendly, no cookies)

Data retention and deletion

  • Photos and guesses: retained until you delete them — per entry, via "Clear history" in Settings, or by deleting your account.
  • User account record: retained while your account exists.
  • Account deletion: use "Delete account" in the app's Settings screen. You can also email us at the address below.

Children

Sherlocale is not directed at children under 13 and does not knowingly collect data from children under 13.

Contact

Questions or deletion requests: [email protected]