Privacy Policy
MicDrop is a location-based audio app: people leave short audio "drops" tied to real places, and others can discover and listen to them when they're nearby. This policy explains what we collect, why, and your choices. We've tried to keep it plain and honest.
Who we are
MicDrop is operated by Guy Hudson ("we", "us"). Contact: guy@findmicdrop.com.
The short version
- We don't require your name, email, or a password to use the app.
- We collect your location to show and unlock nearby drops, and your microphone only while you're recording.
- Audio you drop is public to other users at that location.
- We don't sell your data and we don't show ads.
What we collect and why
Location. With your permission, the app uses your device location to:
- show audio drops near you and unlock them when you're physically close;
- (optionally) send your approximate coordinates to our server so it can find and create short stories about nearby real-world places;
- optionally notify you when you're near a drop (only if you turn that on).
When you create a drop, the location you choose for it is stored and shown to other users, because that's the whole point of the app.
Microphone and audio recordings. When you record a drop, we access the microphone and store that audio. Audio you publish is public — other people can hear it at that location. Don't record anything you wouldn't want shared.
Account. You can use MicDrop as a guest — a random anonymous identifier with no personal details — or create an account with your email address, or via Sign in with Apple or Google (in which case we store the email your provider shares). Optionally you may add a display name and a profile picture; if you do, those are stored and shown with your drops.
Activity. We store which drops you've heard, saved, marked "worth hearing", or reported, linked to your account, so the app works across your devices. We also record a small number of usage events (for example that a story was played or an area was seeded) and crash reports (via Apple's MetricKit) so we can fix problems — these are linked to your account identifier but never include your precise location, and are deleted after 90 days.
"Seeded" stories
Some drops are created automatically by MicDrop from openly licensed sources — public Wikipedia articles (licensed CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open Plaques commemorative-plaque records (public domain) — about nearby places. To do this, your approximate location is sent to our server, which queries those sources, uses an AI model to write a short script, and a text-to-speech service to voice it. This process uses public information about places, not your personal data. These drops are clearly labelled and link to their source and licence.
Who we share data with (service providers)
We use trusted services to run the app. They process data only to provide their service to us:
- Supabase — hosts our database, file storage, and accounts (data stored in the Asia-Pacific / Sydney region).
- Anthropic (Claude) — writes story scripts from public Wikipedia text.
- ElevenLabs — converts story scripts to speech.
- Microsoft Azure — converted some earlier story scripts to speech.
- Apple — distributes the app and (for the test phase) TestFlight.
We do not sell your personal information.
Your choices and rights
- You can deny or revoke location and microphone access in iOS Settings (some features won't work without them).
- You can turn proximity notifications off at any time in the app.
- You can delete your account and all associated data directly in the app: Profile → “Delete account & data”. This permanently removes your drops, recordings, profile and activity from our servers. You can also email guy@findmicdrop.com for help.
Data retention
We keep your content and activity until you ask us to delete it or your account is removed. Anonymous accounts and their data may be removed after extended inactivity.
Children
MicDrop is not directed to children under 13 (or the minimum age in your country), and we don't knowingly collect their data.
Changes
We may update this policy; we'll change the "Last updated" date above and, for significant changes, let you know in the app.
Contact
Questions or requests: guy@findmicdrop.com.