Privacy Policy

Quick summary

PlayArounds helps people find playgrounds and family-friendly events. We do not provide user accounts, sell personal information, or use advertising or third-party analytics SDKs. Most preferences and saved app content stay on your device.

Privacy contact: privacy@playarounds.com

Why this policy exists

This policy explains the information PlayArounds uses, what is stored on your device, what may be sent to external services when you use particular features, and how to contact us about privacy.

Information stored on your device

• Your saved playground and event favourites, recently viewed playgrounds, and event read/hidden state
• App preferences, such as appearance, selected region, map settings, and preferred directions app
• Downloaded playground and event data, plus cached playground and event images, to support faster and offline-first browsing
• Local Assistant conversation state while you use the feature

Information used when you choose a feature

Location

If you grant location permission, PlayArounds uses your location to show nearby playgrounds, recenter the map, calculate directions or travel details, and provide relevant Assistant results. You can use much of the app without location access and can change permission in iOS Settings at any time.

Weather, maps, and directions

When you view weather for a playground, the playground's location is used to request a forecast through WeatherKit. Map browsing, place search, route calculations, and directions use MapKit and the maps app or service you choose. These Apple and maps-provider services handle information under their own privacy terms.

PlayArounds Assistant

On eligible devices where Apple Intelligence is enabled, PlayArounds can offer an optional Assistant. Your question, recent Assistant conversation, and relevant local app context (such as the selected playground, event, date, weather, or location when available) are used to generate a response. The app currently uses Apple's on-device Foundation Models framework for Assistant text generation and does not send Assistant conversations to the PlayArounds update service. The Assistant can use MapKit or WeatherKit when needed to answer a question; those requests are handled by Apple services.

Calendar

If you choose Add to Calendar, PlayArounds requests write-only access to your calendar and opens Apple's calendar editor with the event details. PlayArounds does not request permission to read your calendar events.

Issue reports and contributions

If you choose to report an issue or contribute information, PlayArounds prepares an email that you review and send yourself. The email may include the relevant playground or event details, its public location or coordinates, the issue type, app version and build number, device model, operating-system version, dataset version (for playground reports), and the time of the report. Any additional comments are chosen by you. Once sent, the email is handled by your email provider and the recipient's email system.

Event and playground websites

Playground and event listings may include images, links, publisher icons, and other content from public council, government, event, venue, or organiser sources. Displaying remote images can connect your device to the relevant source website. Opening a website, sharing a link, or using a third-party directions app is governed by that service's privacy practices.

Service requests and external processing

When required by the features you use, information may be processed by:

• PlayArounds update service: to check for and download playground, region, and event data. Update requests include the app version and requested/installed dataset region and version information; they are not used to create user accounts or advertising profiles.
• Apple services: including MapKit for maps, search, and routes; WeatherKit for playground forecasts; and Apple's on-device Foundation Models framework for the optional Assistant. Apple services may also be involved when you use Apple Maps or Calendar.
• Source and publisher websites: when remote playground or event images and publisher icons are displayed, or when you choose to open an official website.
• Your chosen directions and email providers: when you open directions or choose to send an issue-report email.

What we do not do

• We do not require account registration or maintain user profiles.
• We do not use advertising or third-party analytics SDKs.
• We do not sell personal information.
• We do not use your location for advertising or track it between requests.

Playground information sources

Playground listings in PlayArounds are compiled from public information sources, including government and council-published data and related public references.

Even when sourced from public records, information can change over time. If you spot outdated or incorrect details, you can report them from inside the app.

Events information sources

Event listings in PlayArounds are compiled from public information sources, including official event pages and related public references.

Event images and links may come from official event, venue, or organiser websites.

If you spot outdated or incorrect details, you can report them from inside the app.

Data sources and attribution

Playground information is compiled from publicly available council, government, and related public sources. Event information is compiled from publicly available official event sources. Information can change over time and may not always be complete or current. PlayArounds is independent and is not endorsed by councils, government agencies, venues, or organisers.

If you believe information or attribution details are incorrect, contact privacy@playarounds.com.

Your choices

• You can allow or deny location access at any time in iOS Settings.
• You can allow or deny Calendar write-only access at any time in iOS Settings.
• You can use the app without location access, but nearby, map, directions, weather, and Assistant convenience features may be reduced.
• You can clear cached app content and recent history in the app's Settings, or remove app data by uninstalling the app.

Data retention

• On-device favourites, preferences, downloaded data, and caches remain on your device until you clear them, remove them through Settings where available, or uninstall the app.
• If you send an email report/contribution, retention is governed by the email systems involved.

Security

We use practical safeguards for app data flows, including secure networking mechanisms, certificate-pinning configuration where enabled, and checksum verification for downloaded dataset updates.

Children

PlayArounds is family-oriented, but it does not provide account registration and we do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children through an account system.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. If we do, we will update the effective date above.

Contact

For privacy questions or requests, contact privacy@playarounds.com.