Privacy Policy¶
Effective date: June 3rd, 2026 App: Presidential Sites Developer: Stephanie Kang Contact: hello@presidentialsites.org
Presidential Sites ("the app") helps you browse U.S. presidential historic sites and keep a personal checklist of the places you've visited and want to visit. We built it to respect your privacy: we do not have accounts, we do not track you, and we do not collect your personal information on our servers.
This policy explains what data the app handles, where it lives, and the limited third‑party services it relies on.
The short version¶
- No account is required to use the app.
- Your visits, favorites, notes, photos, ratings, and dates stay on your device and sync only to your own devices through your private iCloud account. We never receive or store this data.
- We don't run analytics, ads, or any cross‑app/website tracking, and we don't sell or share your data.
- The app downloads a public, read‑only catalog of presidents and sites from our server. Those are normal web requests and don't require any personal information.
Information you create (stays on your device / your iCloud)¶
When you log a visit or mark a favorite, the app may store:
- Whether you've visited a site, and an optional visit date
- An optional note, star rating, and photos you attach
- Which sites you've marked as favorites ("want to go")
This information is stored locally on your device using Apple's on‑device database (SwiftData). If you are signed in to iCloud and iCloud sync is enabled, it also syncs across your own Apple devices through Apple's CloudKit. This data is associated with your private iCloud account, is handled by Apple under Apple's Privacy Policy, and is not accessible to us.
We do not upload your visits, notes, or photos to our servers, and we have no way to read them.
Information we receive¶
None that personally identifies you. The app has no login and no developer analytics.
To show site and president information, the app makes standard, read‑only
network requests to our backend at api.presidentialsites.org over a secure
(HTTPS) connection. Like virtually all web servers, our hosting may process
basic technical request metadata (such as IP address, timestamp, and device
type) transiently for security, abuse prevention, and reliability. We do
not use this metadata to build user profiles, link it to your in‑app activity,
or sell it.
Photos and the photo picker¶
If you add photos to a visit, the app uses Apple's system photo picker. The app only receives the specific photos you choose; it does not get access to your photo library. Selected photos are stored with your visit data as described above and are never sent to us.
Maps and directions¶
The app uses Apple MapKit to display a map of sites and Apple Maps for "Get Directions." When you use these features, your interaction is handled by Apple and is subject to Apple's privacy policy. The app does not request or collect your device location.
Site images¶
Photos of historic sites are loaded directly from public sources, primarily the U.S. National Park Service (nps.gov) and Wikimedia/Wikipedia. When an image loads, your device contacts those services directly, so they may receive your IP address as part of serving the image. We do not control those services; see their respective privacy policies. Image credits are shown in the app.
Family Sharing (when available)¶
A future version may let you share your visit checklist and favorites with family members through Apple's CloudKit sharing. If you choose to use it, that data is shared only with the people you explicitly invite, through your iCloud account and Apple's infrastructure. We do not receive or store the shared data. This policy will be updated when the feature ships.
Analytics, advertising, and tracking¶
We do not include third‑party analytics or advertising SDKs, and we do not track you across other apps or websites. Per Apple's requirements, the app includes a privacy manifest declaring that it does not collect data and does not track.
Children's privacy¶
The app is rated suitable for all ages and is safe for children to use. Because we collect no personal information, the app does not knowingly gather data from anyone, including children under 13.
Data retention and your choices¶
- You can delete an individual visit at any time within the app.
- Deleting the app removes the data stored on that device.
- iCloud‑synced data can be managed or removed through your device's iCloud settings (and, when iCloud sync is enabled, removing it there removes it from your synced devices).
Security¶
Network requests use encryption in transit (HTTPS). Your personal visit data stays on your device and in your private iCloud account, protected by your device and Apple ID security.
Changes to this policy¶
We may update this policy as the app evolves (for example, when Family Sharing launches). Material changes will be reflected here with an updated effective date.
Contact¶
Questions about this policy? Contact us at hello@presidentialsites.org.