# Privacy and Location Use for Qiblah (Qibla) Compass | Sunnah Compass

Canonical page: https://qiblah.one/privacy-and-location.html

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.

## Plain-English Summary

The compass needs your location to determine your cardinal direction in relation to Makkah (Mecca). It requests foreground location while the compass is open and can fall back to approximate IP location if precise GPS is not available.

## 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.

## Third-Party Services

Because this is a browser app, some features require third-party services. When those services are used, the service provider may receive technical information such as your IP address, browser user agent, referrer, and request time.

- Google Maps: the map view loads Google Maps resources from Google domains when map functionality is used. Google may receive map request details such as tile, pan, zoom, IP address, and browser information.
- Google Analytics: production builds can use Google Analytics to understand aggregate app 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.
- IP location fallback: if precise browser GPS is unavailable, the app can call `ipinfo.io` or `ipapi.co` to estimate location from your IP address.
- Google-hosted resources: the app'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.

## Related Guides

- Qiblah compass overview: https://qiblah.one/qiblah-compass.html
- How to find Qiblah direction online: https://qiblah.one/how-to-find-qiblah-direction.html
- Qiblah cardinal-direction methodology: https://qiblah.one/qiblah-cardinal-direction.html
- Compass calibration and accuracy: https://qiblah.one/compass-calibration.html
- Traditional Qiblah methodology: https://qiblah.one/methodology.html

Last reviewed: May 6, 2026.