Privacy Policy
Last updated: February 17, 2026
Introduction
Ever Been is designed with privacy at its core. The app helps you discover shared location history with friends and loved ones while keeping your data under your control. This policy explains how the app works, what data is accessed, and what happens to it.
Data Your Device Accesses
Ever Been accesses the following metadata from your photo library:
- GPS coordinates embedded in your photos (latitude, longitude)
- Timestamps indicating when each photo was taken
Your device reads only the metadata. The app never accesses, views, or processes your actual photos—only the location and time information already embedded in them.
Data Stored on Your Device
All location data extracted from your photos is stored locally on your iPhone:
- Your location history (coordinates and dates)
- Place names (looked up from coordinates)
- Comparison results with other users
- Your preferences and excluded locations
This data remains on your device until you choose to share it. Ever Been does not operate any servers—we have no way to access your data.
Apple Maps Integration
Important: To convert GPS coordinates into place names (like "Central Park, New York"), your device uses Apple's MapKit service. This means coordinates are sent to Apple's servers for geocoding. This is handled by Apple according to Apple's Privacy Policy.
This is the same service that powers the Maps app on your iPhone—no different from searching for a location in Apple Maps.
iMessage Sharing (iCloud)
When you share via iMessage, your location data is temporarily stored in Apple's iCloud (using CloudKit) to facilitate the transfer:
- Data is stored securely in Apple's CloudKit
- Only accessible via a unique link shared in your message
- Automatically deleted after your chosen expiration time (default: 24 hours), and also deleted immediately when the comparison completes
- Protected by Apple's security and encryption
- Ever Been cannot access this data—it's managed entirely by Apple
If you prefer not to use iCloud, you can share via Nearby Discovery instead, which is fully peer-to-peer with no cloud storage.
Bluetooth & Nearby Discovery
When you use Nearby sharing, the app uses Bluetooth and local networking to discover other Ever Been users in your vicinity. This broadcasts a random identifier only—never your location or personal data. Both users must manually initiate any data exchange. You can block any user to prevent future connections.
Sharing with Others
When you choose to compare location histories with another person:
- You can share via nearby discovery or iMessage
- Only the location data you explicitly choose to share is transmitted
- Nearby: Peer-to-peer—data goes directly between devices
- iMessage: Data is temporarily stored in Apple's iCloud (CloudKit) for transfer, then automatically deleted after your chosen expiration time (default: 24 hours) or immediately when the comparison completes
- No data ever passes through Ever Been servers (we have none)
Note: When sharing via iMessage, the recipient receives your full shared location history (all non-excluded places) to perform the comparison on their device. The comparison results show only matching places. After comparison, the raw location data is automatically cleared from the recipient's device—only the matching places are retained.
What Ever Been Does Not Collect
Ever Been does not collect, store, or have access to:
- Your actual photos or videos
- Your name, email, or any personal identifiers
- Analytics or tracking data about how you use the app
- Device identifiers or advertising IDs
We have no servers, no user accounts, and no way to access your data.
Your Controls
You have full control over your data:
- Exclude places: Mark any location as excluded so it won't appear in comparisons
- Block users: Block any user you've connected with to prevent future comparisons
- Map display consent: Choose whether matched locations are displayed on a map
- Delete all data: Use Settings → Delete All Data to remove everything
- Revoke photo access: Remove the app's photo library permission in iOS Settings
- Delete comparisons: Remove any saved comparison from the app
Children's Privacy
Ever Been is not directed at children under 13 years of age. Since the app doesn't collect any personal information, this applies universally.
Contact
If you have questions about this privacy policy, contact us at:
support@everbeen.app
Policy Updates
This policy may be updated from time to time. When it is, the "Last updated" date at the top will change. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.