Privacy Policy

Effective September 18, 2026

NoiseWatch is an independent community reporting service focused on helicopter noise. We collect only the information needed to record reported activity, display approximate geographic patterns, operate the service, and limit misuse.

Information we collect

• Approximate location: when you choose to report noise, your browser may ask for location permission. Coordinates are rounded to two decimal places before the report is submitted. This is approximately a neighbourhood-scale location, not a street address.
• Report information: report time, rounded location, source type, and a pseudonymous reporter fingerprint.
• Browser identifier: a random identifier is stored in local storage and a first-party cookie so repeat submissions from the same browser can be recognised. The server derives a fingerprint from this identifier; the raw identifier is not stored in report records.
• Saved map location: a rounded location may be stored in your browser to restore the map centre. If permission has already been granted, the app may refresh this location when the page loads. Map centring does not submit a report.
• Administrative accounts: administrators authenticate through Supabase Auth using email and password. Public reporting does not require an account.
• Technical information: hosting, database, map-tile, font, and content-delivery providers may process IP addresses, browser information, request logs, and service diagnostics when your browser connects to them.

How information is used

Reports support maps, timelines, grouped noise windows, and public awareness. Repeat activity is grouped to avoid treating repeated taps as verified distinct people. We may review or remove records to correct errors or respond to misuse.

What is public

The public interface shows activity at rounded locations and by time. It does not publish your name, email address, street address, or raw browser identifier. Public activity may be filtered or aggregated. Your own browser may display your submissions before they appear to other visitors. Rounded coordinates are not a guarantee of anonymity, especially in sparsely populated areas.

Service providers and location of processing

NoiseWatch uses Cloudflare for hosting and email forwarding, Supabase for data storage, authentication and server functions, OpenStreetMap tile services for maps, Google Fonts, and external content-delivery networks for application libraries. These providers receive the technical information required to deliver their services. Data may be processed outside Canada, including in the United States, and may be subject to the laws of those jurisdictions.

Storage and retention

Report records are retained to support the historical public record unless removed through administration or a valid privacy request. An automatic deletion schedule is not currently implemented. Browser local storage remains until you clear it; the identifier cookie has a one-year lifetime and may be refreshed. Backups and provider logs may retain information separately under provider retention practices.

Your choices and requests

You can decline browser location permission, revoke it in browser settings, or clear this site's cookies and local storage. Clearing browser data does not delete reports already submitted and may prevent us from linking earlier reports to your browser. Contact [email protected] to request access, correction, deletion, or information about our privacy practices. Include enough context to locate the record, but do not send passwords, authentication tokens, or unnecessary sensitive information. We may need to verify that a request relates to your records.

Security and changes

We use encrypted connections and access controls, but no online service can guarantee absolute security. We may update this policy as the service changes; the effective date will be updated here. Contact our privacy contact at [email protected] with concerns.