Privacy Policy for MyBuddy Family Friends Safety

Last updated: March 6, 2026

MyBuddy Family Friends Safety is a location utility designed for privacy. Unlike other apps, we do not track you 24/7. We only access your location when a specific event occurs:

• You tap "Send Location Now"
• A trusted buddy taps their magic link to request your location
• You arrive at or leave a Place Alert you've set up

The app sleeps at all other times. Your battery lasts. Your privacy stays intact.

1. Information We Collect

• Precise Location:
  • Permissions: ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION, ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION
  • Why: To determine your coordinates when you choose to share them. Background access is required for "Place Alerts" and "Buddy Requests" so the app can detect arrival or reply to a request even when your phone is in your pocket.
  • When: Only when you initiate sharing or when a trusted buddy uses their magic link (you approve each request).
• SMS (Send Only):
  • Permission: SEND_SMS
  • Why: To send text alerts with your location to the people you choose. We cannot read your incoming messages or access your SMS history.
• Device Identifiers:
  • Why: We generate an anonymous token (FCM) to send silent notifications to your phone when a trusted buddy uses their magic link to request your location.
• Contacts:
  • Permission: READ_CONTACTS
  • Why: To let you pick phone numbers from your address book when adding buddies. We do not upload your contact list to our servers. This happens entirely on your device.

2. How We Share Information

• With Your Trusted Buddies: Your location is sent directly via SMS or email only to the people you have explicitly approved as buddies.
• With Our Server (Temporarily): When you use "Place Alerts" or a buddy requests your location, a one-time location snapshot is sent securely to our UK-based server long enough to relay it to your authorized contact. It is not stored permanently.
• No Third Parties: Your location is never sold to advertisers, data brokers, or shared with Google or any other third party. We are not in the data business.
• No Network Sharing: Unlike other tracking apps, your phone is never used to help locate strangers' devices. MyBuddy is private, one-to-one sharing only.

3. Your Control

• You approve every buddy: No one can request your location without your explicit permission.
• Remove anyone anytime: Delete a buddy and they can no longer request your location.
• Choose what to share: You decide which place alerts to set up and who receives them.
• No 24/7 tracking: The app sleeps until you or a trusted buddy initiates a check.

4. Data Deletion

You are in full control. You can delete your account and all associated data at any time:

• In the app: Tap "Manage Account on Web" and follow the instructions, or use the in-app deletion options.
• No longer have the app? Use the web form linked above.

Deletion removes all your location history, buddy lists, place alerts, and account information from our servers immediately.

5. Children's Privacy

MyBuddy Family Friends Safety is not intended for children under 13 without parental involvement and consent. A parent or guardian must set up and approve any buddy relationships involving children.

6. Changes to This Policy

If we make material changes to this privacy policy, we will notify you via email or through the app before they take effect.

7. Contact Us

Built in the UK by a family software engineer. Questions about your privacy?

Email: apps@placemeguardian.com

Terry Mechan
Engineer & Developer

MyBuddy Family Friends Safety – Simple location sharing. No 24/7 tracking. No data selling. Built in the UK 🇬🇧