Privacy Policy – Maplity

This Privacy Policy explains how Maplity (“Maplity,” “we,” “us”) collects, uses, discloses, and safeguards information when you visit maplity.com and use our free browser-based mapping tools. By using the site, you agree to the practices described below. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of the site.

How Our Tools Handle Your Files

Most Maplity tools (GPX/KML/Shapefile viewers, the GPX-to-GeoJSON converter, the photo geotagger, and similar file-based tools) process your files entirely in your browser. Your GPX tracks, Shapefiles, KML files, and photos are never uploaded to a Maplity server for the core conversion, viewing, or editing logic — they stay on your device.

Information We Collect

We collect information in the following ways:

• Information you provide directly — if you contact us, subscribe to updates, or fill out a form, we collect what you submit (e.g. your email address and message).
• GPS & location data — only if you choose to use a “My Location” feature; see the dedicated section below.
• Automatically collected usage data — via Google Analytics, we collect standard analytics data such as pages viewed, approximate region (derived from IP address, not GPS), device/browser type, and referring site. See “Analytics” below.
• Cookies — small files used for preferences, analytics, and advertising. See “Cookies” below.

We do not require account creation or sign-up to use any Maplity tool.

GPS & Location Data

Several Maplity tools offer a “My Location” or “Use My Current Location” button, including the Map Elevation Finder, Postal Code Finder, EV Charging Stations Finder, World Time Zone Map, Distance Calculator, Radius Map, Area Calculator, and the photo Geotagger. These features use your browser’s built-in Geolocation API, which is only ever activated if you click that button.

• Permission-based: your browser will always show its own native permission prompt before sharing your location. We cannot access your location unless you explicitly allow it.
• Purpose-limited: your coordinates are used solely to complete the specific action you requested — for example, centring the map on your position, finding your postal code, or finding nearby EV chargers — and for no other purpose.
• Not stored or profiled: Maplity does not save your location history, does not build a profile of your movements, and does not link location data to your identity.
• Third-party lookups: to fulfil your request, your coordinates may be sent to the specific third-party data provider that powers that tool (for example OpenStreetMap Nominatim for address/postcode lookups, Open Charge Map for EV charger data, or the Valhalla/OSRM routing engines for travel-time and route calculations). These providers process the coordinates only to return the result to you; see “Third-Party Service Providers” below.
• Your control: you can decline the browser’s location prompt, and you can revoke a previously granted permission at any time in your browser’s site settings. Declining location access does not prevent you from using the rest of a tool — you can still search by address, postcode, or by clicking the map manually.

Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies for three purposes:

• Essential cookies — remember basic preferences (e.g. your cookie-consent choice) and keep the site functioning correctly.
• Analytics cookies — via Google Analytics, to understand how visitors use the site (see “Analytics” below).
• Advertising cookies — via Google AdSense, to show relevant ads (see “Advertising & Google AdSense” below).

You can manage or disable cookies at any time through your browser settings, and you can change your consent choice using the cookie banner shown when you first visit. Disabling cookies may affect how some features work. For more detail, see our Cookies Policy.

Analytics

We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use Maplity — for example, which tools are most popular and how the site performs. Google Analytics collects information such as pages visited, time on site, approximate location derived from IP address (not GPS), and device/browser type. This data is aggregated and is not used to identify you personally. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking across all websites using the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

Advertising & Google AdSense

Maplity uses Google AdSense to display advertising on this site. Google, as a third-party vendor, uses cookies (such as the DoubleClick cookie) to serve ads based on your prior visits to this website or other websites. Google’s use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to you based on your visit to this site and/or other sites on the Internet.

You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings. Alternatively, you can opt out of a third-party vendor’s use of cookies for personalized advertising by visiting www.aboutads.info/choices. You can find more about how Google uses data from sites that use its services at policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites.

Third-Party Service Providers

Depending on which tool you use, Maplity relies on the following third-party services to deliver results. Each processes only the specific data needed to fulfil your request (e.g. an address, postcode, or coordinate pair):

• Google Analytics — site usage analytics
• Google AdSense — advertising
• OpenStreetMap Nominatim — address and postcode search/geocoding
• Open Charge Map — EV charging station data
• Valhalla & OSRM (via OpenStreetMap.de / project-osrm.org) — driving routes and travel-time isochrones
• Map tile providers (CARTO, OpenStreetMap, Esri) — background map imagery

These providers operate independently and have their own privacy policies governing how they handle any data sent to them.

How We Share Information

We don’t sell or trade your personal information. We share information only in these limited circumstances: with the third-party service providers listed above (each limited to what’s needed to fulfil your specific request), with analytics and advertising partners (Google Analytics and Google AdSense, as described above), or where required by law.

Data Retention

We keep contact-form and newsletter information only for as long as needed to respond to you or provide the service you signed up for, or until you ask us to delete it. GPS coordinates used by “My Location” features are not stored by Maplity beyond the browser session needed to complete your request. Analytics data is retained by Google Analytics according to Google’s own retention settings.

Your Rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, delete, or export the personal information we hold about you, and to object to or restrict certain processing (including opting out of personalized advertising, as described above). To exercise any of these rights, contact us and we’ll respond promptly.

International Data Transfers

Some of the third-party services we use (including Google Analytics and Google AdSense) may process data on servers located outside your country of residence, including in the United States. These providers maintain their own safeguards for cross-border data transfers.

Children’s Privacy

Maplity is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you’re a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. The “Last updated” date at the top of this page indicates when it was last revised. Continued use of Maplity after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Questions about this policy or your data? Contact us anytime.