Legal

Privacy Policy

Last updated: September 29, 2026

River Rat Guide is a river-navigation app for the United States, operated by SmithLink Enterprises LLC ("we," "us"). This policy explains what we collect, why, and the control you have over it. The short version is below; the details follow.

The short version. Your precise location is used on your device for navigation and never leaves it. We don't require an email or a password — you sign in with Apple. We store only what's needed to run the app: your account, a coarse home region you choose, the marks you save, and your subscription status (Apple handles payment — we never see your card). We don't sell your data or use it for advertising. You can delete your account, and everything with it, from inside the app.

1. Information we collect

Account information

You sign in with Sign in with Apple. This gives us a unique identifier that represents your account. There is no username or password. Providing your email is not required, and Apple lets you hide it. If you choose to share your name on your first sign-in, we use it only to pre-fill an editable display name.

Home region (optional, and chosen by you)

In your profile you may set a coarse home region — a U.S. state and county. This is something you choose and type; it is not derived from your device's GPS or location. We use it for regional features and aggregate reporting. It is coarse by design, and you can change or remove it at any time.

Precise location — processed on your device, not collected

With your permission, the app uses your device's precise location for navigation, positioning on the map, and nearby features. This happens on your device. We do not collect, store, or transmit your precise location or any location history to our servers. If you decline location access, navigation features that need it simply won't function, but the rest of the app works.

Saved marks and waypoints

Places you save ("marks") are stored and synced to your account so they're available across your devices. They are private to you — no other user can see them.

Reports and community contributions

Issue reports you send us (bugs, data errors, feedback) are stored so we can respond and improve the app.
Hazard reports you submit to the community map (e.g., a strainer or obstruction) are shared with other users, shown as user-reported and unverified. Your display name may be associated with contributions you make.
Map corrections you submit (a missing ramp, incorrect data) are sent to us for review and are not shown to other users unless we incorporate them into the app's data.

Subscription information

Subscriptions are sold and processed by Apple through the App Store. We receive your subscription status (for example, whether you are in a free trial or active) and an Apple transaction identifier, which we use to grant access. We never receive or store your payment card or billing details — Apple handles all of that.

Anonymous usage analytics

To understand how the app is used, we collect anonymous, aggregate usage counts bucketed to a broad geographic region (roughly a state/county/basin level). These counts are increment-only and are not linked to your identity or account. They tell us "how many sessions happened in this broad area," never who did what.

2. How we use information

To provide the app and sync your account across your devices.
To grant and manage access based on your subscription status.
To power community and safety features (the hazard layer and reports).
To understand aggregate usage and improve the app.
To respond to reports and provide support.

3. How information is shared

Apple — for Sign in with Apple and for subscription payments.
Our hosting/database provider — we use a backend provider (Supabase) to store your account and synced data on our behalf, under access controls we configure.
Other users — hazard reports you submit to the community map are visible to other users (as unverified, user-reported information), and your display name may appear on contributions you make.
Legal — we may disclose information if required by law.

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use it for third-party advertising. We may use de-identified, aggregate statistics for our own business analysis.

4. Your choices and data deletion

Delete your account at any time from within the app. This removes your account and the personal data associated with it.
Edit or remove your display name, home region, and saved marks at any time.
Location permission is controlled in your device's Settings and can be revoked at any time.

We retain your data while your account is active. When you delete your account, associated personal data is removed; anonymous aggregate usage counts, which are not tied to you, may remain.

5. Security

Data is encrypted in transit. Your private data (your account, marks, and reports) is protected by per-user access controls so that it is accessible only to you and to us as needed to operate the app. No method of transmission or storage is perfectly secure, but we work to protect your information.

6. Children

River Rat Guide is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has provided us information, contact us and we will remove it.

7. Your rights

You may request to access, correct, or delete your personal information. Deletion is available directly in the app; for other requests, contact us at the address below. Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights under applicable privacy laws.

8. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as the app evolves. When we do, we'll revise the "Last updated" date above, and significant changes will be reflected here.

9. Contact

Questions about this policy or your data? Email us at support@riverratguide.com.