Effective date: April 10, 2026 · Last updated: April 10, 2026
Guidera is developed and operated by Mehmet Selim Çetin, an individual developer ("we", "us", "our").
Contact for privacy inquiries:
Email: mehmetselim692@icloud.com
Address: Güzelyalı Mahallesi, 21. Sokak, No. 3, D. 5, Konak, İzmir, Türkiye
For the purposes of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Turkish Personal Data Protection Law (KVKK, Law No. 6698), we act as the data controller for personal data processed through the app.
We collect and process the minimum data necessary to provide the app's features. We categorize this data as follows:
We access your device's precise GPS location to display your position on the map, find nearby places, provide walking directions during tours, and enable Walkman mode (background location for continuous narration). Your location data is processed in real-time on your device and is never stored on any server we control. Coarse location context (such as city or neighborhood names) may be included in requests to our AI providers to generate relevant descriptions.
When you generate an AI description, ask a follow-up question, or create a custom tour, the text of your request — along with place names and contextual information — is sent to third-party AI providers (Google Gemini API, OpenAI API) for processing. These providers process your request and return a response; we do not store your queries on any server we control. Generated descriptions are cached locally on your device for offline access.
For free-tier users, we display advertisements through Google AdMob. The Google Mobile Ads SDK integrated in the app may collect device identifiers (including the Identifier for Advertisers, or IDFA, if you grant permission), IP address, and ad interaction data. This data is collected and processed by Google, not by us. Premium users see no advertisements and no advertising data is collected.
In-app purchases are processed entirely by Apple through StoreKit. We do not collect, process, or have access to your payment information (credit card numbers, billing address, etc.). We store only the expiry date of your premium pass locally on your device to determine your subscription status.
We use Google Firebase Analytics and Firebase Crashlytics to understand how the app is used and to identify and fix technical issues. Firebase automatically assigns an anonymous app instance identifier to your device — this is not tied to your identity. We log anonymous events such as which features are used (e.g. "description generated", "tour started"), selected app settings (guide persona, language, response length), subscription status (free or premium), and crash reports with technical stack traces. We do not log your location coordinates, chat question text, or any personally identifiable information to Firebase. Place names may appear in error reports when an AI request fails. Firebase processes this data on Google's servers under Google's data processing terms.
The following data is stored only on your device and is never transmitted to us or any third party:
| Data | Storage | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| User preferences (persona, language, response length) | UserDefaults | App personalization |
| Cached AI descriptions and Quick Facts | SQLite database | Offline access, reducing API calls |
| Cached TTS audio files | File system (Caches) | Offline audio playback |
| Tour progress and custom tours | UserDefaults | Resuming tours, saving custom routes |
| Premium pass expiry date | UserDefaults | Determining subscription status |
We do not collect: your name, email address, phone number, or any other contact information; photos, videos, or biometric data; browsing history outside the app; contacts or address book data; health or fitness data; or any personally identifiable information. The app has no user accounts, no registration, and no login.
| Data | Purpose | Legal Basis (GDPR) |
|---|---|---|
| Precise location | Map display, place discovery, tour navigation, walking directions, Walkman mode | Consent (iOS location permission) |
| Text queries & place names | AI description generation, follow-up Q&A, custom tour creation, text-to-speech | Contractual necessity (providing the service you requested) |
| Advertising identifiers | Serving personalized or non-personalized ads (free tier only) | Consent (ATT prompt + GDPR consent) |
| Analytics data | Understanding app usage, identifying bugs, improving the app | Legitimate interest (service improvement) |
| Purchase status | Unlocking premium features | Contractual necessity |
| Device preferences | Remembering your settings between sessions | Legitimate interest (app functionality) |
We use the following third-party services that may receive data from the app. Each service processes data according to its own privacy policy:
Used for generating AI descriptions, follow-up Q&A, and tour content. Receives place names, user queries, and contextual information (such as city name, selected persona, language). Does not receive your precise GPS coordinates. Google's privacy policy: policies.google.com/privacy
Used for text-to-speech audio generation. Receives only the text of AI-generated descriptions — no personal information, location data, or user identifiers. Per OpenAI's API data usage policy, data sent via the API is not used to train their models. OpenAI's privacy policy: openai.com/policies/privacy-policy
Used to display banner advertisements and rewarded video ads to free-tier users. The Google Mobile Ads SDK may collect device identifiers, IP addresses, and ad interaction data. For users in the European Economic Area (EEA) and the UK, we request consent before serving personalized ads in compliance with the Google EU User Consent Policy. If you deny consent or deny the App Tracking Transparency prompt, you will receive non-personalized ads. Premium users see no ads. Google AdMob privacy: AdMob & Privacy
Used for anonymous app usage analytics and crash reporting. Firebase assigns an app instance identifier (not tied to your identity) and collects anonymous usage events, app settings (persona, language, response length, subscription status), and crash reports including device model, OS version, and stack traces. Place names may appear in error context when AI requests fail. Firebase does not receive your location coordinates, chat text, or any personally identifiable information from the app. We do not set a Firebase user ID. Firebase data processing: firebase.google.com/support/privacy
We use Apple MapKit (maps and directions), StoreKit (in-app purchases), CoreLocation (GPS), ActivityKit (Live Activity), and WatchConnectivity (Apple Watch). Data processed by these frameworks is governed by Apple's Privacy Policy.
When you use features that require AI processing, when ads are served, or when analytics data is collected, data may be transmitted to servers located in the United States operated by Google and OpenAI. These transfers are necessary to provide the app's core functionality and to improve the service. Both Google and OpenAI maintain data processing agreements and Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) to ensure an adequate level of data protection as required by the GDPR. No personal data is stored on these servers beyond the time needed to process and return your request.
On iOS 14.5 and later, we request your permission through Apple's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework before allowing Google AdMob to access your device's advertising identifier (IDFA) for personalized advertising. You may deny this request at any time, and you can change your preference in the iOS Settings app under Privacy & Security → Tracking. Denying tracking does not affect app functionality — you will simply receive non-personalized ads.
If you are located in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, we will present a consent dialog before serving ads, in compliance with the Google EU User Consent Policy and the IAB Transparency and Consent Framework (TCF). You may choose to consent to or decline personalized advertising. You can change your consent preferences at any time through the app's Settings.
Since we do not operate a backend server, we do not retain any of your personal data. All data is stored locally on your device. You can delete all app data at any time by:
Using the "Delete All My Data" option in the app's Settings, which clears all cached descriptions, audio files, tour progress, custom tours, and preferences; or by deleting the app from your device, which removes all associated data from your device's storage.
Data processed by third-party services (Google, OpenAI) is subject to their respective retention policies. API requests are processed transiently and are not stored permanently by these providers. Anonymous analytics data collected by Firebase is retained according to Google's data retention policies and can be managed through the Firebase console.
We take reasonable measures to protect data processed by the app. API keys are stored in the iOS Keychain, which provides hardware-backed encryption. All network communications use HTTPS/TLS encryption. Locally stored data is protected by iOS's built-in data protection (file-level encryption tied to your device passcode). However, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Guidera is not directed at children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided personal information through the app, please contact us at mehmetselim692@icloud.com and we will take steps to remove such information. Note: because the app does not collect personal information or require accounts, there is no mechanism through which a child could provide us with personal data directly.
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:
The right to access your personal data; the right to rectification of inaccurate data; the right to erasure ("right to be forgotten"); the right to restrict processing; the right to data portability; the right to object to processing; the right to withdraw consent at any time; and the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority. For users in Bavaria, Germany, the competent supervisory authority is the Bayerisches Landesamt für Datenschutzaufsicht (BayLDA). For other EU member states, please contact your local data protection authority.
The right to learn whether your personal data is processed; the right to request information about processing; the right to learn the purpose of processing; the right to know third parties to whom data is transferred; the right to request rectification of incomplete or inaccurate data; the right to request erasure or destruction of personal data; and the right to object to automated processing. To exercise any of these rights, contact us at mehmetselim692@icloud.com.
You have the right to know what personal information is collected, the right to request deletion, and the right to opt out of the sale of personal information. We do not sell your personal information.
Because Guidera does not collect personal information, does not have user accounts, and stores all data locally on your device, most of these rights are already satisfied by the app's design. You can exercise your right to erasure at any time by using the "Delete All My Data" feature in Settings or by deleting the app.
When you activate Walkman mode during a guided tour, the app uses your location in the background to provide continuous narration as you walk between tour stops, detect arrival at the next stop, and update the Live Activity on your Lock Screen with distance and route information. Background location access is used solely for active tour navigation and stops when the tour ends. You can revoke background location permission at any time in iOS Settings → Guidera → Location → While Using the App.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this page periodically. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy. For significant changes, we may provide additional notice within the app.
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, your data, or wish to exercise any of your rights, please contact us at:
Mehmet Selim Çetin
Email: mehmetselim692@icloud.com
Address: Güzelyalı Mahallesi, 21. Sokak, No. 3, D. 5, Konak, İzmir, Türkiye