Privacy Policy

TripPing is operated by GlobalHashtag. For the processing described in this policy, GlobalHashtag is the controller unless a third party independently acts as a controller under its own privacy notice.

This policy applies to the TripPing app, related support communications, and product pages that specifically link to this policy. It does not replace the privacy notices of Apple, Google, Firebase, Google Play, the App Store, device manufacturers, telecommunications providers, or other third-party services that may process information under their own terms.

Depending on the features you use, TripPing may process the following categories of information:

• Account and authentication data such as user identifiers, display name, account email, login timestamps, and authentication state.
• Trip data such as trip name, trip membership role, invite code state, trip status, itinerary-related timestamps, and timeline records.
• Location and safety event data such as latitude, longitude, accuracy, event timestamps, check-in records, SOS event records, and member safety status fields.
• Notification and device-related data such as push tokens, token update timestamps, platform, app version, and limited device metadata needed for app operations, diagnostics, fraud prevention, or abuse mitigation.
• Optional SOS supporting media such as photos, audio recordings, or related file references where those features are enabled.
• Support request information that you send to us, such as your email address, country or region, and the contents of your message.

TripPing may collect or receive information when:

• You sign in and create or join a trip.
• You choose to use current location, send a check-in, or trigger SOS.
• You invite or authorize other participants and watcher roles within a trip.
• The app registers, refreshes, or removes push notification tokens.
• You upload optional SOS supporting media.
• You contact support or use linked support channels.

TripPing is not intended to perform continuous always-on background location tracking as a general app mode. Location use is tied to feature-specific actions described in the app and in the TripPing Location-Based Service Notice.

TripPing uses authenticated access so that trips, members, watchers, alerts, and safety records can be associated with the relevant user and trip context.

When you create, join, or participate in a trip, information you enter or generate may be visible to authorized participants according to their role, the trip state, and the feature used. You are responsible for inviting only participants you are authorized to include and for understanding the visibility implications of check-ins, watcher alerts, and SOS features.

• To authenticate users and maintain trip membership state.
• To record check-ins, member status changes, and SOS events.
• To notify watchers about trip status, missed check-ins, and emergency alerts.
• To operate optional SOS supporting media flows and related storage where enabled.
• To secure, troubleshoot, and improve the reliability of the service.
• To prevent abuse, unauthorized access, fraud, or misuse of safety features.
• To respond to support requests, enforce terms, and comply with legal obligations.

If you are located in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or another jurisdiction that requires a legal basis for processing, we generally rely on one or more of the following:

• Performance of a contract or steps requested by you, for example to create trips, manage participation, record check-ins, or deliver alerts that you request through the app.
• Legitimate interests such as securing the service, maintaining reliability, preventing abuse, investigating incidents, and supporting users, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights.
• Consent, where we ask for it under applicable law, platform policy, or device permission rules, including certain location, camera, microphone, or notification uses.
• Legal obligations, where processing is required to comply with applicable law, lawful requests, accounting duties, disclosure obligations, or safety and enforcement requirements.

TripPing may request or rely on the following permissions or system capabilities when relevant:

• Location to use current location for check-ins, map display, and SOS-related functions.
• Notifications to deliver watcher alerts, check-in notices, and related app messages.
• Camera where needed for invite QR scanning or SOS media capture.
• Microphone where optional SOS audio recording is enabled.
• Photos or media access where needed to attach, save, or share SOS supporting media.

You can change device-level permissions through your operating system settings, but some TripPing features may not function correctly if the required permission is not available.

TripPing may use third-party providers to support app operations, including the following categories:

• Apple and Google platform services for app distribution, sign-in, billing, notifications, and device features.
• Firebase Authentication for authentication support.
• Cloud Firestore, Cloud Functions, Firebase Cloud Messaging, and related Google infrastructure for backend operations.
• Firebase Storage or related cloud storage support for optional SOS media flows where enabled.
• Email and customer support tools that may process information you send when contacting support.

These providers may process categories such as account identifiers, trip records, notification tokens, limited device information, location event data, SOS event data, IP address, and support correspondence needed to provide their services. Depending on the service and applicable law, they may act as our service providers, processors, sub-processors, independent controllers, or a combination of these roles.

TripPing is designed for trip participation and watcher visibility. As a result, some data may be shared within the trip environment.

• Authorized trip participants may see trip information, member status changes, check-in events, or SOS-related information according to their role and the feature used.
• Watchers or other authorized trip members may receive notifications that include trip status or safety-event context.
• Service providers may receive data needed to host, secure, troubleshoot, or operate the service.
• We may disclose information where required by law, court order, lawful process, safety obligations, fraud prevention needs, or to protect users, our business, or other persons.
• If we reasonably believe disclosure is necessary to address an imminent threat to life, safety, or serious harm, we may make disclosures permitted by applicable law.

TripPing retains information only as long as reasonably necessary for app operations, support, security, fraud prevention, and legal obligations.

• Account and trip records may be retained while the related account or trip remains active in the service.
• Check-in, SOS, member status, and watcher-related records may remain in service records while the related trip or account data is maintained.
• Push tokens may be removed on logout, token invalidation, or account deletion.
• Support records may be retained for follow-up, legal, anti-abuse, or operational reasons.
• Third-party providers may keep their own records for longer periods under their own policies and legal requirements.

Depending on the product state, app version, and applicable law, you may be able to request deletion, correction, or access by contacting us.

Some records may remain in retained backups, security logs, or provider-controlled systems for a limited time where reasonably necessary for legal, security, fraud-prevention, disaster-recovery, or compliance purposes. If a request relates to data controlled by a platform provider or other third party, we may direct you to that provider's request channel where appropriate.

We and our service providers may process information in multiple countries. If you are located in a jurisdiction that regulates international transfers, we will rely on the transfer mechanism required or permitted by applicable law, such as adequacy decisions, contractual safeguards, or other approved measures where relevant.

Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have rights that can include the right to request access to personal data, correction of inaccurate data, deletion, restriction, objection, withdrawal of consent, portability, and information about recipients or categories of recipients.

If you are a California resident or another resident of a jurisdiction with consumer privacy laws, you may also have rights that can include the right to know, delete, correct, opt out of certain sale or sharing activity, limit certain uses of sensitive personal information, or receive equal service without unlawful discrimination for exercising your rights, subject to applicable exceptions.

Rights are not absolute and may depend on the jurisdiction, the nature of the data, the role we play, and applicable exceptions. For privacy questions or rights requests, contact support@globalhashtag.com and identify the TripPing product and your country or state where relevant. We may ask for additional information reasonably necessary to verify your request.

• Authentication-based access control for user and trip data.
• Membership and role-based restrictions for trip visibility and alerts.
• Encryption in transit through HTTPS and TLS where supported.
• Backend access controls, service-side validation, and security rules where applicable.
• Operational monitoring, abuse review, and incident response measures where appropriate.

No system is perfectly secure. We use reasonable technical and organizational measures intended to protect information processed through TripPing, but we cannot guarantee absolute security.

TripPing is a supplementary safety utility. It does not guarantee emergency rescue, medical care, direct legal response, or successful delivery of every alert.

TripPing is not intended to be used as a substitute for public emergency services, medical care, professional rescue systems, or mandatory workplace or institutional safety tools. If you are in immediate danger, contact local emergency services.

TripPing is not directed to children who cannot validly consent under applicable law. If you believe a child has provided information to us in a way that requires action, contact us and we will review the request.

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect product changes, legal requirements, or changes in providers or processing practices. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date on this page. If material changes are required by applicable law to be communicated differently, we may provide additional notice through the app, the website, or another reasonable method.