Privacy and Location Use in Sunnah Compass
Qiblah direction depends on your current location's cardinal relationship to Makkah (Mecca). Location is requested only for the compass flow, approximate fixes are clearly labeled, and the app remains usable if browser GPS is denied or unavailable.
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Why Does a Qiblah Compass Need Location?
The Qiblah direction is not the same everywhere. Your location is used to determine your relationship to Makkah (Mecca) by direction. Under the established Qiblah methodology, the direction is based on cardinal orientation, not a shortest-path calculation that may suggest a relative northeast direction in North America.
Precise or Approximate Location?
When your browser or operating system allows precise location, the compass can calculate with a more specific position. If only approximate location is available, that state is labeled so you understand the limitation.
What Happens If Browser GPS Is Unavailable?
If browser GPS is denied, unavailable, or times out, the compass can attempt approximate IP location. This is less precise than GPS, but it is useful when a device has no GPS sensor or a browser blocks the precise prompt. The web app currently tries `ipinfo.io` first and `ipapi.co` as a fallback for approximate IP-based location.
iOS and Android Apps
This policy also covers the Sunnah Compass apps for iOS and Android. The apps request foreground location through the operating system's permission prompt, and you can change or revoke that permission at any time in system Settings. The apps behave the same way as the web experience: precise location is used when granted, approximate location is clearly labeled, and the compass remains usable without it.
- Location permission: requested only while the compass is in use (foreground); no background location is collected. If permission is permanently denied, the app offers a shortcut to system Settings.
- Approximate fallback: if device location is denied or unavailable, the apps can estimate an approximate location from your IP address using the same providers described below, shown as an "(approx)" location.
- City name (reverse geocoding): to display your city, the apps convert your coordinates to a place name using the device platform's geocoder — Apple on iOS and Google on Android — which receives the coordinates for that lookup.
- Crash and diagnostics data (Firebase Crashlytics): the apps use Firebase Crashlytics (Google) to collect crash reports and diagnostic information — such as crash stack traces, device model and OS version, and a Crashlytics installation identifier — solely to diagnose stability issues. This is not used for advertising. The mobile apps do not load the website's Google Analytics.
Third-Party Services
Some features require third-party services. When those services are used, the service provider may receive technical information such as your IP address, user agent or device information, referrer, and request time.
- Google Maps: the map view loads Google Maps (web resources on the website, the Google Maps SDK in the apps) when map functionality is used. Google may receive map request details such as tile, pan, zoom, IP address, and device or browser information.
- Google Analytics (web only): production web builds can use Google Analytics to understand aggregate usage. For visitors in regions where analytics consent is required, the site asks for analytics consent before loading analytics cookies and events, using browser timezone and language signals to decide when to show the prompt. The iOS and Android apps do not use Google Analytics.
- Firebase Crashlytics (apps only): Google's Crashlytics receives crash and diagnostic data from the iOS and Android apps as described above.
- IP location fallback: if precise location is unavailable, the web app and the iOS/Android apps can call `ipinfo.io` or `ipapi.co` to estimate location from your IP address.
- Platform reverse geocoding: Apple (iOS) or Google (Android) receives your coordinates when the app looks up a human-readable city name.
- Google-hosted resources: the website's security policy allows Google-hosted scripts, map resources, and font resources needed by the web experience.
Analytics Consent
When analytics consent is required, Google Analytics does not load until you accept analytics. If you decline, the app remains usable. The consent choice is stored in your browser's local storage so the site does not ask on every visit.
Location Retention
No account is required to use the web app. The browser location prompt is used for the active compass experience. Analytics events, when enabled, should avoid exact latitude and longitude; app analytics round location-related values into coarse buckets where they are logged.
Practical Privacy Choices
- You can use the web app without creating an account.
- You can deny precise browser location and rely on approximate fallback when available.
- You can close the compass page to stop foreground location updates.
- You can clear browser site permissions from your browser settings at any time.
- You can reject analytics in the consent prompt where it is shown.
Privacy FAQ
Is precise GPS required?
Precise GPS improves the compass experience, but approximate IP location can be used when browser GPS is unavailable, denied, or times out.
Is Google Analytics used?
Production hosts can use Google Analytics. In regions where analytics consent is required, the site asks before loading analytics cookies and events.
Do the iOS and Android apps collect crash data?
The mobile apps use Firebase Crashlytics to collect crash reports and diagnostic information (such as crash stack traces, device model and OS version, and a Crashlytics installation identifier) solely to diagnose stability issues. It is not used for advertising, and the mobile apps do not run the website's Google Analytics.
Last reviewed: .