Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Victorian Gold Maps (“Victorian Gold Maps,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) handles information when you use the Victorian Gold Maps Android application (“the App”).

Interpretation and definitions

For this Privacy Policy:

• App means the Victorian Gold Maps Android application.
• Device means the phone, tablet, or other Android device on which the App is installed.
• Personal Data means information relating to an identified or reasonably identifiable person.
• Service Provider means a third party whose software, APIs, data, or infrastructure is used to provide App functionality.
• Usage Data means technical or activity information generated when the App or an integrated service is used.
• You means the person using the App.

Information processed locally on your device

The App may create, access, or store the following information locally:

• Saved map markers, including marker names and coordinates
• Recorded GPS tracks and timestamps
• Imported GPX files
• Exported or imported App backups
• Removed-marker history
• App preferences and selected layers
• Downloaded offline maps and map tiles
• Cached government map datasets
• User-selected offline map regions
• Locally generated files and metadata

Victorian Gold Maps does not automatically upload these files or records to Victorian Gold Maps servers.

When GPS tracking is active, the resulting GPX track file is stored locally. However, individual location samples may separately be transmitted through Mapbox telemetry as described below.

Locally stored information remains on the Device until it is deleted through the App, cleared through Android settings, replaced by restoring a backup, or removed when the App is uninstalled.

Exporting and sharing local information

The App allows you to export tracks, markers, and backups using Android’s file picker or storage framework.

You choose where an exported file is saved. For example, you may choose local storage, removable storage, a cloud-storage provider, or another application.

Victorian Gold Maps does not control the destination you select. If you save or share information through another application or cloud provider, that provider’s privacy policy applies.

Location information

The App may request permission to access:

• Approximate location
• Precise location

Location is used for features including:

• Showing your position on the map
• Moving the map to your current position
• Creating a marker at your current position
• Recording a GPS track
• Displaying movement while tracking is active

Location permission is optional. The App requests permission when you choose a location-dependent feature. You may decline the request or withdraw permission through Android settings.

Android may also allow you to provide approximate location while withholding precise location.

If location permission is denied, location-dependent features will not work, but the general map, layers, offline maps, saved content, and non-location features remain available.

Mapbox services and telemetry

The App uses the Mapbox Maps SDK and Mapbox APIs to:

• Display interactive maps
• Download map styles and tiles
• Download offline map regions
• Display the Device’s position
• Perform online place searches
• Provide other mapping functionality

Depending on the features used and the Device’s settings, Mapbox may receive:

• Approximate or precise location
• De-identified location and movement telemetry
• Map usage and interaction information
• Map bounds, zoom levels, and tile coordinates
• Requested offline map regions
• Text entered into online place search
• IP address
• Device type and operating-system information
• App and SDK version information
• Rotating session, billing, or similar identifiers
• Network, performance, and diagnostic information
• The date, time, and contents of API or SDK requests

Mapbox states that its mobile Maps SDK sends unidentified location and usage data by default when the host application gathers location.

Mapbox may process this information to:

• Provide maps and location services
• Return place-search results
• Perform analytics
• Improve its maps and products
• Maintain service reliability
• Protect against fraud, abuse, and unauthorised access
• Calculate service usage and billing

Mapbox controls its processing, retention, de-identification, aggregation, and deletion of information received by its systems. This information is not guaranteed to be processed only temporarily in memory and may be retained beyond the immediate request according to Mapbox’s policies.

For more information, see:

• Mapbox Privacy Policy
• Mapbox Location Telemetry
• Mapbox Maps SDK for Android

Mapbox requires applications using its mobile Maps SDK to provide a telemetry opt-out option. This option is provided through the Mapbox attribution control associated with the map. You may also withdraw the App’s location permission through Android settings.

Online place search

When you enter a place name, address, or other text into the App’s online search, the search text is transmitted to the Mapbox Search Box API.

The search request may also contain:

• The Australian country restriction
• The current map centre as a search-proximity hint
• A random search-session identifier used by Mapbox
• Language and result-limit settings
• The App’s Mapbox access token
• Your IP address and ordinary network-request information

This information is used to return matching places and addresses.

Coordinates entered directly in latitude-and-longitude format may be interpreted locally without being submitted to online geocoding.

Do not enter confidential, personal, or sensitive information into the online search field.

Government maps and geographic datasets

The App retrieves geographic information from third-party government map and data services, including services operated by or on behalf of:

• The Victorian Government and DataVic
• Landgate
• Western Australia’s Shared Location Information Platform
• Western Australian geological and mining-data providers

When the App requests information from these services, the provider may receive:

• IP address
• Request date and time
• Requested map layer or dataset
• Map bounds and tile coordinates
• Dataset filters
• Pagination and result-limit parameters
• Device or application user-agent information
• Other ordinary network-request metadata

This information is transmitted to retrieve map images, geological information, mining information, LiDAR-derived information, geographic features, and other requested content.

These providers control their own server logs, security practices, retention periods, and legal obligations.

Google and Android services

The App uses Android and Google Play services location APIs to obtain location after permission is granted.

Google and the Device manufacturer may process device, network, diagnostic, or location-related information according to the Device’s configuration and their respective privacy policies.

Victorian Gold Maps does not receive your Google Account password or authentication credentials through these services.

For more information, see the Google Privacy Policy .

Types of data collected or shared

Under Google Play’s definitions, the App or its third-party SDKs and services may collect or share:

• Approximate location
• Precise location
• App interactions and Usage Data
• In-app search history
• Device or other identifiers
• IP address and network-request information
• Performance and diagnostic information

This disclosure includes information transmitted directly by third-party SDKs, even when Victorian Gold Maps does not receive or have access to that information.

Local tracks, markers, profiles, imported files, and backups are not collected by Victorian Gold Maps merely because the App processes them locally.

How information is used

App functionality

• Displaying maps and geographic information
• Showing the Device’s position
• Recording local GPS tracks
• Creating current-location markers
• Returning online place-search results
• Downloading map styles, tiles, and offline regions
• Retrieving government datasets and map layers

Analytics and product improvement

• Understanding Mapbox SDK usage
• Improving Mapbox maps and services
• Monitoring service performance and reliability
• Diagnosing technical problems

Security, compliance, and service administration

Third-party providers may process IP addresses, identifiers, and request records to:

• Protect their systems
• Detect abuse
• Enforce service limits
• Calculate usage and billing
• Comply with legal obligations

Victorian Gold Maps does not use information collected through the App for targeted advertising.

How information is shared

Information is transferred to Mapbox, Google, DataVic, Landgate, SLIP, and other geographic-data providers when necessary to provide online App functionality.

Victorian Gold Maps does not:

• Sell Personal Data
• Operate an advertising network
• Share Personal Data with advertisers
• Provide user accounts
• Provide public user profiles
• Automatically upload saved markers or GPX track files
• Make saved tracks or markers publicly visible
• Provide account-based cloud synchronisation

Information may also be transferred to a destination selected by you when you deliberately export, open, or share content.

If you contact us directly, we may disclose your communication where reasonably necessary to comply with applicable law, respond to a lawful request, investigate misuse, protect users, or protect our legal rights.

Data retention

Information stored locally

Tracks, markers, settings, imports, caches, and other local App information remain on the Device until you:

• Delete the relevant item through the App
• Clear the App’s storage through Android settings
• Replace the information by restoring a backup
• Uninstall the App

Exported files remain at the destination you selected and must be deleted separately.

Information held by third parties

Mapbox, Google, DataVic, Landgate, SLIP, and other providers determine their own retention periods for:

• Server logs
• IP addresses
• Identifiers
• Telemetry
• Location information
• Search requests
• Map and dataset requests
• Diagnostic information

Victorian Gold Maps does not control or have direct access to those systems. Refer to each provider’s privacy policy for its retention and deletion practices.

Support communications

If you contact us by email, we may retain your email address, message, and related correspondence for as long as reasonably necessary to:

• Respond to your request
• Maintain support records
• Resolve a dispute
• Protect our legal rights
• Comply with applicable law

Your choices and controls

You can control information associated with the App by:

• Denying location permission
• Withdrawing location permission through Android settings
• Choosing approximate instead of precise location where Android permits
• Using Mapbox’s telemetry opt-out control
• Avoiding online place search
• Avoiding network-dependent map features
• Deleting tracks and markers through the App
• Clearing the App’s storage through Android settings
• Uninstalling the App
• Deleting exported files from their selected destination

Because Victorian Gold Maps does not operate user accounts or a user-content server, we generally do not possess server-side copies of tracks, markers, or backups.

Requests concerning information held by a third-party provider may need to be submitted directly to that provider.

If you have sent Personal Data directly to us in a support communication, you may contact us to request access, correction, or deletion, subject to applicable legal requirements.

Accounts

The App does not provide:

• User accounts
• User registration
• Usernames or passwords
• OAuth or social sign-in
• Account-based cloud storage
• Online marker synchronisation

Security

External network requests made directly by the App use encrypted HTTPS connections.

The App also operates a local loopback server for certain on-device map-tile functions. This server uses localhost or 127.0.0.1. Its traffic remains within the Device and is not transmitted across the internet.

No method of transmission or electronic storage is completely secure. We use reasonable safeguards appropriate to the App, but we cannot guarantee absolute security for third-party services or destinations selected by users.

International processing

Mapbox, Google, and other providers may process information in Australia, the United States, or other countries where they or their service providers operate.

Privacy and data-protection laws in those countries may differ from the laws in your location. Consult each provider’s privacy policy for information about international processing and safeguards.

Legal disclosures

We may disclose information supplied directly to us when we reasonably believe disclosure is necessary to:

• Comply with a legal obligation or enforceable request
• Protect and defend our rights or property
• Investigate suspected wrongdoing
• Protect the safety of users or the public
• Protect against legal liability

If Victorian Gold Maps is involved in a sale, transfer, merger, or restructuring, information held directly by us may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to this Privacy Policy and applicable law.

Children’s privacy

The App is not specifically directed to children under 13.

We do not knowingly request names, email addresses, account information, or other direct identifiers from children through the App. However, third-party mapping services may process the technical, usage, and location information described in this Privacy Policy when the relevant permissions and features are enabled.

Parents and guardians should supervise a child’s use of location features and review the Device’s permission and telemetry settings.

If you believe a child has provided Personal Data directly to us, contact us so we can investigate and take appropriate action.

Links to other websites and applications

The App may open external websites or applications, including:

• Privacy policies
• Map-data sources
• Attribution and licensing pages
• External map or navigation applications

Once you leave the App, the destination’s privacy policy and practices apply. Victorian Gold Maps does not control third-party websites or applications.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy when the App’s features, Service Providers, legal requirements, or information-handling practices change.

The updated policy will be published at the same public address with a revised “Last updated” date. Where appropriate, material changes may also be communicated through the App or its store listing.

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