Privacy Policy for Around the World in 5K
This policy explains what data the Around the World in 5K mobile application (“the app”, “we”) handles and your choices. Around the World in 5K is a guided 9-week running program built around a Victorian-era around-the-world narrative.
Stays on your device
Around the World in 5K does not require an account. You do not give us your name, email, phone number, or address. Your workout history, achievements, Codex entries, and program progress are stored on your phone. We keep no copy on our servers.
If you have Android’s automatic backup enabled, an encrypted copy of this data is saved to your own Google account (Google Drive) and may be restored when you reinstall the app or switch device. This backup is controlled entirely by you in your Android settings — not by us, and we have no access to it.
What we collect during use
During an active workout, if you grant permission:
- Precise location (GPS) — to trace your route.
- Distance, pace, and duration — derived from that location data, or from a timer if you decline location.
- Step count and motion data — when you run indoors or decline GPS, distance and pace are estimated from your phone’s step / motion sensor (Activity Recognition).
This is used to advance you through the story (each session is a chapter) and to show your session summary. It stays on your device. With location off, the app falls back to a duration-only mode (“Just the time”).
Outside of a workout
Around the World in 5K does not access location, motion, or any other sensors when a workout is not active. We do not access your contacts, photos, calendar, microphone, or files.
Music
If you play music from another app (e.g. Spotify, Apple Music), it plays through your phone’s standard audio output. Around the World in 5K does not access, read, or transmit anything from your music app.
Sharing
Some screens (for example, the program-completion screen) offer a “Share your journey” button. When you tap it, your phone’s standard share sheet opens and you choose where to send a summary of your accomplishment. The destination app (Messages, email, social media, etc.) then handles that content under its own terms. Around the World in 5K does not send shared content anywhere on its own.
Third-party services
To keep the app working and to understand how it is used in aggregate, Around the World in 5K includes the following SDKs. Each provider acts as an independent data controller for what they collect and is governed by their own privacy policy.
| Service | Purpose | What it collects |
|---|---|---|
| Firebase (Google) Analytics, App Check, Sessions |
Core app platform, analytics, anti-abuse | App instance ID, device model, OS version, language/country, in-app events (screens, taps), session duration, approximate location (from IP), Play Integrity attestation token |
| Google Analytics (Google) | Usage analytics | Aggregated usage statistics (same backend as Firebase Analytics) |
| Crashlytics (Google) | Crash reporting | Device model, OS version, app version, stack trace, actions leading up to a crash |
| Sentry | Error and performance monitoring | Error events, stack traces, breadcrumbs of recent in-app actions, device and OS metadata |
| Bugfender | Remote diagnostic logging | Application log output, device model, OS version, app session identifier |
| Axiom | Aggregated usage & reliability analytics | The same in-app event data as Firebase Analytics: event names, screen, timings, device/build metadata, and a per-session correlation ID |
| Mapbox | Map rendering of your route | Map tile / style requests for the geographic area shown on screen, plus your IP address. In-app event/telemetry collection is disabled. |
These services receive data about your use of the app (events, device metadata, crashes) and, in Mapbox’s case, the approximate map area needed to draw your route. They do not receive your stored GPS coordinate history, your saved workout details, or your achievements — that data stays on your phone.
Beta feedback. Around the World in 5K is currently in beta. If you fill in the optional in-app feedback questionnaire, your answers — and a contact email only if you choose to enter one — are sent to our analytics providers (Firebase, Axiom) so we can improve the app during the beta. Leave the email blank if you prefer to stay anonymous.
Provider policies:
- Firebase, Google Analytics, Crashlytics — policies.google.com/privacy
- Sentry — sentry.io/privacy
- Bugfender — bugfender.com/privacy-policy
- Axiom — axiom.co/privacy
- Mapbox — mapbox.com/legal/privacy
Your rights
You can:
- Uninstall to stop all data collection from your device.
- Reset your Advertising ID in Android Settings → Privacy → Ads.
- Opt out of analytics by turning off “Personalised ads” and “Usage & diagnostics” in your Android device settings, where supported.
- Contact us at [email protected]. If you are in the EEA or UK you have rights under GDPR (access, rectification, erasure, objection); if in California, under the CCPA. We respond within 30 days.
Children
Around the World in 5K is not directed to children under 13 (or the equivalent minimum age in your country). We do not knowingly collect data from children. If you believe a child has used the app, contact us and we will assist.
Changes
We may update this policy. The effective date above will change, and material updates will be highlighted at the top of this page for at least 30 days. Continued use of the app after an update means you accept the revised policy.