Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

SafeSpotter Network ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our service to report distracted or dangerous driving incidents.

Important: SafeSpotter Network is designed to be completely anonymous. We do not collect, store, or require any personal identifying information from users who submit reports.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Photos and Metadata

When you submit a report, we collect:

• Photos: License plate photos and supporting photos showing driver behavior
• GPS Coordinates: Location data embedded in photos (EXIF data) if available
• Timestamps: Date and time information embedded in photos (EXIF data) if available
• License Plate Numbers: Detected or manually entered license plate information
• Incident Type: The type of distracted driving behavior observed
• Optional Notes: Any additional information you choose to provide

2.2 What We Do NOT Collect

We do not collect:

• Your name, email address, phone number, or any personal identifying information
• Account information (no user accounts required)
• IP addresses (unless required for security/rate limiting)
• Device information or browser fingerprints
• Location data from your device (only from photo metadata)

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information you provide solely for the following purposes:

• Report Processing: To process and route reports to appropriate law enforcement jurisdictions
• Verification: To verify GPS proximity and timestamp consistency between photos
• License Plate Recognition: To automatically detect license plate numbers using third-party services
• Public Safety: To create aggregated, anonymized heatmaps showing incident patterns (no individual data is displayed)
• Administration: Authorized administrators may access reports for review and routing purposes

4. Data Storage and Retention

4.1 Photo Storage

• Photos are stored securely in Azure Blob Storage (or equivalent cloud storage)
• Photos are accessible only to authorized administrators
• Photos are retained for a configurable period (default: 30 days) and then automatically deleted
• Raw photos are never displayed publicly

4.2 Report Data

• Report information (plate numbers, incident types, locations) is stored in a secure database
• Reports are linked to jurisdictions and destinations for routing purposes
• No personal information is stored with reports

5. Public Data and Aggregation

We provide a public heatmap showing aggregated incident data. This heatmap:

• Shows only aggregated counts by geographic grid cells
• Does not display license plate numbers, photos, or any identifying information
• Uses k-anonymity protection (minimum aggregation threshold) to prevent identification of individuals
• Groups data by incident type, time of day, and location (rounded coordinates)
• Cannot be used to identify specific vehicles or individuals

6. Third-Party Services

6.1 OpenALPR (License Plate Recognition)

We use OpenALPR's API to automatically detect license plate numbers from photos. When you upload a photo:

• The photo image data is sent to OpenALPR's servers for processing
• OpenALPR returns detected plate numbers and vehicle information
• We do not send any personal information to OpenALPR
• Please review OpenALPR's Privacy Policy for their data handling practices

6.2 Mandrill (Email Service)

We use Mandrill to send email notifications to law enforcement jurisdictions:

• Report summaries are sent via email to authorized destinations
• Emails contain report details but no personal information about the reporter
• Please review Mandrill's Privacy Policy for their data handling practices

6.3 Azure Services

We use Microsoft Azure for hosting and storage:

• Application hosting on Azure App Service
• Data storage in Azure SQL Database
• Photo storage in Azure Blob Storage
• Please review Microsoft's Privacy Statement

7. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data:

• All data transmission uses HTTPS encryption
• Photos are stored in private, access-controlled storage
• Database access is restricted to authorized administrators
• Admin access requires authentication
• Rate limiting helps prevent abuse
• Regular security updates and monitoring

8. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We share report information only in the following circumstances:

• Law Enforcement Jurisdictions: Reports are routed to appropriate law enforcement agencies via email
• Authorized Administrators: System administrators may access reports for review and management
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law or to protect rights and safety

We do not:

• Sell or rent your data to third parties
• Share data with advertisers or marketing companies
• Disclose reporter information (as we don't collect it)

9. Your Rights

Since we do not collect personal identifying information, traditional data subject rights may not apply. However:

• You can submit reports anonymously without providing any personal information
• You can choose not to use the service if you do not agree with this policy
• If you have concerns about a specific report, contact the receiving jurisdiction directly

10. Children's Privacy

Our service is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect information from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided information to us, please contact us.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us through the appropriate channels. Since we do not collect personal information, we cannot respond to individual data requests, but we welcome general inquiries about our privacy practices.

13. Consent

By using SafeSpotter Network and submitting reports, you consent to this Privacy Policy and agree to its terms. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use our service.