Privacy Notice

Last updated: 7 October 2026

MAPKA is operated personally by Alex Bezrodny. For privacy questions or requests, email abezrodx@gmail.com. This notice describes the features currently offered; hotel booking is not currently available.

What we process and why

• When you browse: our hosting service and map, terrain, imagery and font providers receive ordinary technical requests such as IP address, browser information and requested tiles. These are needed to deliver the website and map.
• When you create an account: Firebase Authentication processes your email, account identifier and authentication credentials. MAPKA can store your profile, preferences, recently opened resorts and saved rides in Firebase so you can use them across devices. Firebase handles the password; MAPKA does not display it.
• When you plan or save a ride: the route may include a resort, planned date and time, difficulty, start location, route steps and estimates. A saved ride is associated with your account. An unsaved plan can remain in the current browser session.
• When you enable My location: your browser asks for location permission. Unless you separately opt in to a ride group's live sharing, GPS preview and simulation process positions on your device for map display and route matching; MAPKA does not add those fixes to your account. Your browser or operating system controls permission. Third-party map requests still occur while the map is open.
• When you share a route or join a group: a public route-preview link can contain route details, planned date and start location; anyone who has that link can view them. A private friend invitation lets its holder request to join. Joining requires a verified MAPKA account and your explicit action. Group members can see each other's chosen display names and shared route, but not each other's email addresses.
• When you separately choose “Share live location”: the browser asks for location permission, and your current latitude/longitude and reported accuracy become visible to verified members of that private ride group only—not to people with a public route link. Sharing continues only while the MAPKA page is open and in the foreground. It pauses when the page is hidden; you can stop it at any time in the map controls. We overwrite one current position per participant rather than keeping a route history. Positions stop appearing to group members 90 seconds after the last update. Stopping normally deletes the current position immediately; if your device disconnects or closes unexpectedly, automated deletion after the position expires is asynchronous and may take longer. Do not treat shared GPS as precise, continuous or emergency tracking. Use this only with people you trust, and do not use it as a substitute for meeting arrangements or emergency services.
• Invitation and group expiry: treat invitation links as private: anyone who obtains an active link can view its route preview until it expires or the organiser revokes it. Group access expires after 30 days. Group, invite, membership, removal and live-location records are scheduled for deletion at their configured expiry; automated physical cleanup is asynchronous, so expired positions are no longer displayed even if physical deletion has not yet completed.

Storage and your choice

Essential browser storage supports account sign-in, the current session, recording your privacy choice, and remembering your accessibility toolbar settings, including its screen position. If you select “Accept optional storage,” MAPKA also saves your ride-planner preferences on this device. “Deny optional storage” prevents that preference saving and removes an earlier local copy; planning still works. You can reopen Privacy choices at any time. We do not currently use analytics or advertising cookies. If we add them, we will update this notice and ask for an appropriate new choice first.

Providers and transfers

Our website is hosted on a Hetzner server. Authentication, account, ride-group and opted-in live-location data use Google Firebase. Map and terrain views use external providers including Esri, Mapterhorn, MapLibre demo resources and OpenStreetMap-derived data. These providers may process requests outside Israel under their own policies and terms. We do not sell personal information. We do not currently offer in-app hotel booking.

Retention and control

Account records and saved rides remain while your account exists, unless you delete individual rides or your account. Account deletion is available in account settings and removes the account's saved MAPKA data, including groups it owns, its group memberships and its live-location documents; some provider logs and backups may persist temporarily under provider retention practices or legal requirements. Private ride-group and invitation records expire after 30 days. Live-position documents have a short expiry and are no longer visible after 90 seconds without an update; automated physical cleanup is asynchronous and may take longer than expiry. Server and third-party request logs are retained according to the relevant operator's policies. You can clear local browser data or change optional-storage choice here. You can also contact us to request access, correction or deletion of personal information, subject to applicable law and identity verification.

Security and children

We use account access controls and transport security, but no internet service is risk-free. Do not put sensitive information in shared route links. MAPKA is not designed for children to create accounts without a parent or guardian's involvement.

Changes and contact

We will update this page when our processing changes and show the revised date. For privacy rights or questions, contact abezrodx@gmail.com. See the Terms of Use.