Privacy Policy

This policy explains how Idea Heron's apps handle your information. It applies to Tremor and to this website.

Data Idea Heron collects

Tremor has no user accounts, and its earthquake-feed requests carry no app-level identifier. Idea Heron's servers keep standard access logs: the request's IP address, the time, the file requested, and whether the request succeeded. Idea Heron uses these logs solely to operate, secure, and troubleshoot the service. Feed delivery logs are kept in a private, encrypted store for up to 90 days; alert-service logs for 30 days. The logs contain no cookies, and none of this is joined to an identity, used to profile you, or used to track you across apps or websites.

If you create saved alerts, Tremor also stores the alert data described under Notifications below.

Location

Tremor can use your location to center the map on you, show your distance and bearing from an earthquake, and deliver alerts for quakes near you. This is entirely optional; the app works without it.

When you allow location access, Tremor uses it privately on your device. If you save a Near Me alert, Tremor sends Idea Heron's servers an approximate area (your alert location rounded to a wide zone) so it can notify you about nearby earthquakes. That area remains fixed and does not follow you as you move or identify an address. You can turn off location access at any time in iOS or macOS Settings.

Notifications

When you save an alert, Tremor stores your alert preferences and the delivery address Apple assigns your device for notifications. This information is used only to deliver the alerts you request and does not identify you personally. Deleting your last saved alert removes the associated information from Tremor's servers. Your device credentials remain securely stored on that device.

Alerts are informational. Delivery is not guaranteed. They are not earthquake early warning and must not be relied on for safety-critical decisions.

Earthquake data

To show seismic activity, Tremor retrieves earthquake information from Idea Heron's services. These requests do not include your location or an app-specific identifier. Standard service logs may be collected as described under 'Data Idea Heron collects.'

On-device storage

Tremor stores your app preferences (such as filters, units, and alert settings) and a local cache of recent earthquake events on your device, so the app works quickly and remembers your choices. This data stays on your device and is removed if you delete the app.

Purchases

Tremor's subscription is purchased through Apple and verified on your device. Apple processes the payment under its own privacy policy; Idea Heron receives no payment details and stores no purchase records on its servers.

Data retention

Feed delivery logs are retained for up to 90 days and alert-service operational logs for 30 days, in each case solely to operate, secure, and troubleshoot the service; both are stored in encrypted form. Alert subscription records are kept only while you have at least one saved alert and are deleted when you remove the last one. Retained data is never used for advertising, marketing, product personalization, or tracking.

Tracking and third parties

Idea Heron does not track you across apps or websites, and never sells or shares your data. Tremor contains no advertising, no analytics, and no third-party tracking software, and the data described above is never used to build a profile of you. This website uses a privacy-first analytics service (see This website below) that measures aggregate traffic without cookies and without identifying you.

Children's privacy

Idea Heron's apps are not directed at children and collect no personal information beyond what is described above, from anyone.

This website

IdeaHeron.com uses Cloudflare Web Analytics to see aggregate traffic, such as page views and which sites link here. It's privacy-first: no cookies, no device identification tricks, no tracking across websites, and nothing that identifies you personally or builds a profile of you. Because it sets no cookies, you still won't see an annoying cookie prompt.

Visitors in the EU are excluded entirely: the analytics script is never loaded for them, so no data about EU visitors is collected.

Changes to this policy

If this policy is updated, Idea Heron will revise the "Last updated" date above and describe the change on this page.

Contact

Questions about privacy? Contact Support.