Privacy Policy
Last updated: March 2026
What GoldenHour Collects
GoldenHour is designed with privacy in mind. All data stays on your device. We do not operate any backend servers, databases, or user accounts. There is nothing to hack because we store nothing about you.
Data Stored on Your Device
The following data is saved in your browser's local storage (never sent to us):
- Your selected location — latitude, longitude, and city name so the app remembers your preferred location between visits
- Custom viewing spots — locations you add with your notes and ratings
- Sky Stories photos — images you upload, compressed and stored locally in your browser
- Theme preference — dark or light mode setting
You can clear all stored data at any time by clearing your browser's local storage for this site.
External Services
GoldenHour connects to the following third-party services to function:
Open-Meteo (Weather & Geocoding)
Your latitude and longitude are sent to Open-Meteo's API to fetch weather forecasts and air quality data. When you search for a location, your search query is sent to their geocoding service. Open-Meteo is a free, open-source weather API.
Open-Meteo Privacy Policy →OpenStreetMap (Map Tiles)
Map tiles are loaded from OpenStreetMap's tile servers to display the Viewing Spots map. Your browser makes standard HTTP requests for map images which include your IP address.
OSM Privacy Policy →Browser Geolocation
If you click “Use My Location,” the app requests your browser's geolocation permission. This is handled entirely by your browser — we never receive your GPS coordinates on any server. Your coordinates are only used locally to compute celestial event times and fetch weather data.
Image Processing
Photos uploaded to Sky Stories are processed entirely on your device:
- Images are compressed and resized to save storage space
- EXIF metadata (GPS coordinates embedded in photos, camera info) is stripped during compression
- Automated content moderation runs locally in your browser — no images are sent to any external service for review
- Photos are stored as compressed data in your browser's local storage only
Cookies & Tracking
GoldenHour does not use cookies, tracking pixels, analytics services, or any form of cross-site tracking. We do not serve ads. We do not share data with any third parties beyond the weather and map services listed above.
No Accounts
GoldenHour does not require or support user accounts, passwords, email addresses, or any personal identification. You are anonymous.
Children's Privacy
GoldenHour does not knowingly collect any personal information from children under 13. Since we don't collect personal information from anyone, this applies universally.
Changes to This Policy
If we change how data is handled (for example, by adding user accounts or a backend service), this policy will be updated and the date above will change.
Contact
Questions about privacy? Reach out via the project's GitHub repository.