Privacy Policy

Local scanning and history. Optional community sharing.

This policy describes how the Near iOS app handles information. Bluetooth detection and personal history are processed and stored on your device. Near does not include advertising or third-party analytics SDKs, or automatically upload its local diagnostic logs. Optional community sharing and Apple map services can send information off your device, as described below.

1. Detection History and Local Logs

Near uses Bluetooth advertisements to identify possible smart glasses and show nearby activity. It can save the following information locally for history, maps, device tracking, and reports:

• Detection details: Device names, iOS-provided Bluetooth identifiers, inferred device types and manufacturers, signal strength, detection times, threat assessments, and available advertisement data or serial information.
• Location: When location access is allowed and a recent location is available, detection records can include latitude and longitude from your phone. These are observation locations, not verified locations of the detected glasses.
• Preferences: Trusted or starred device information, scanning preferences, language and appearance choices, and Safe Zone settings.
• Local logs: Detection details and app activity messages used for troubleshooting and CSV exports. Device identifiers in these logs are used for detection history, not analytics.

Near does not automatically send this personal history or these logs to the developer. If you choose to export or send a report, its contents leave the app through the destination you select. Apple may separately handle system diagnostics according to your iOS analytics settings and Apple's privacy policies.

2. How We Use Bluetooth

Bluetooth permission is required for scanning real nearby devices.

• Passive detection: Near listens to Bluetooth Low Energy advertisement packets broadcast by nearby devices.
• No pairing for detection: Near does not pair or connect to the smart glasses it detects.
• Local matching: Advertised names and manufacturer data are checked against on-device signatures. iOS provides peripheral identifiers; Near does not obtain Bluetooth MAC addresses through this scanning API.

3. Why We Need Location Permissions

Location is used for your map position, recording observation locations in detection history, walking routes, local proximity and movement checks, and Safe Zones. Bluetooth permission and location permission serve separate purposes.

• Observation history: Latitude and longitude may be stored with detections on your device when a suitable location fix is available.
• Safe Zones: A location you choose and its radius are saved locally so Near can pause scanning in that area. "Always" location authorization supports background Safe Zone monitoring when enabled.
• Your choice: You can change location access, including Precise Location, in iOS Settings. Revoking permission stops future authorized location use; it does not erase previously saved coordinates. Location-dependent features may be unavailable or less accurate.

4. Optional Community Zones

Community Zones is off by default. Enabling the layer allows Near to fetch shared zones from Apple's CloudKit public database and receive zones from nearby Near users using encrypted Apple Multipeer Connectivity connections. Received zones are cached on your device. Enabling the layer does not automatically publish your detection history.

Publishing a zone requires a Share action and your confirmation. The shared record contains the zone's latitude and longitude, radius, device count, threat level, timestamp, and a randomly generated zone identifier. It is sent to CloudKit's public database and can be sent to nearby peers. Previously confirmed shares may be sent again when peers connect.

Near does not include detected device IDs, names, serial numbers, raw Bluetooth advertisements, your full history, or a personal profile in a community zone record. However, shared coordinates can reveal a precise place and time; a random zone identifier does not guarantee anonymity. Apple may process iCloud account and record metadata as part of operating CloudKit.

Shared zones leave Near's community map after one week. The app attempts to delete expired CloudKit records it created when it performs expiry cleanup; this depends on the app running and the service being reachable. This is not a guarantee that all server or recipient copies are erased after seven days. Turning the layer off stops its active fetching and peer connection, but does not retract zones already shared or delete the local cache.

5. Apple Maps and Other Services

Near uses Apple MapKit for maps, walking directions, and map imagery. These features may contact Apple; route requests include origin and destination coordinates. They are separate from Near's local detection storage. CloudKit and local peer discovery are used for the optional community features described above. Local-network access may be requested for peer discovery.

Apple's handling of information by its services is described in its privacy policy. Recipients of exports and community shares may retain their own copies. Near does not use this information for advertising, cross-app tracking, or sale to data brokers.

6. Storage, Retention, and Deletion

Detection history uses local SwiftData storage with CloudKit synchronization disabled. Preferences, Safe Zones, trusted devices, community caches, and generated log or report files use on-device storage. iOS device backups may include app data depending on your backup settings; Near does not implement cloud synchronization of your personal history.

History records remain until you delete them in History or remove the app's local data. You can remove your saved Safe Zone in Geofence & Safe Zones and manage trusted devices in Trusted Device. Deleting history does not also erase the separate diagnostic CSV log or previously generated reports. Removing the app deletes its local app data; offloading the app can preserve that data.

Deleting local data does not remove exports saved elsewhere, backups, or zones already shared with the community. You must manage copies in the destination app or backup service. For questions or deletion requests concerning a community zone, contact us with the zone identifier if available, or its location and approximate share time. Do not include your full detection history unless needed for your request.

7. Exports and Support

CSV logs, PDF reports, and device evidence reports are generated locally. Sharing uses the iOS share sheet and the app or recipient you choose; Near does not automatically upload these files. Review them before sharing because they can contain device identifiers, detection times, signal information, and raw advertisement data. If you email support or send feedback, we receive your email address, message, and any attachments you send to help address your request.

8. Local Notifications and Permissions

Detection, tracking, and zone alerts are local notifications scheduled on your phone. They do not use a remote push notification server. You can disable notifications, Bluetooth access, location access, or local-network access in iOS Settings, and stop scanning or disable Community Zones in the app. Features that require a denied permission will be unavailable. Changing permissions does not delete existing history or retract prior shares.

9. Changes to This Policy

We will update the "Last Updated" date when we revise this policy to reflect changes in Near's features or data handling. Please review this page periodically.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact us at hello@nearglasses.com.