Privacy Policy

Effective Date: February 2026  Last Updated: February 2026  Developer: Abdalla Dabes, P.E, PSP, PMP

Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how the KML-KMZ-GeoJSON-MapViewer Visual for Microsoft Power BI ("the Visual") handles data and protects your privacy. We are committed to transparency and to protecting your information.

Data Collection and Usage

What Data the Visual Accesses

The Visual only accesses data that you explicitly provide:

•       Geospatial Files: KML, KMZ, GeoJSON, and GPX files you upload directly to the visual for map display

•       Feature Customizations: Colours you assign to points, lines, and polygons

•       Visibility Settings: Show/hide states for individual features

•       Drawing Data: Lines, polygons, rectangles, circles, and waypoints you draw on the map

•       Map Configuration: Selected tile-layer base map

•       View Settings: Zoom level, pan position, and map bounds

•       Layer Panel State: Open/closed state and feature organisation

•       Appearance Settings: Line thickness, toolbar visibility, button visibility, colours, and font preferences

•       Control Settings: Zoom, pan, control visibility preferences

What Data We Do NOT Collect

✗ No Personal Information — the visual does not collect, store, or transmit any personal information

✗ No User Analytics — we do not track user behaviour, usage patterns, or viewing analytics

✗ No External Transmission — no data is sent to external servers or third parties

✗ No Browser Data — we do not access cookies or browser history

✗ No System Information — we do not collect device info, IP addresses, or system specifications

✗ No Location Tracking — we do not track the user's physical location or GPS coordinates

✗ No Geospatial Analysis — we do not analyse, index, or monitor the content of your files

✗ No Usage Metrics — we do not track feature interactions or engagement

Data Processing

Local Processing Only

All data processing occurs locally within your Power BI environment:

•       KML/KMZ/GeoJSON/GPX parsing and feature extraction happen entirely within Power BI Desktop or Service.

•       Map rendering is performed by the Leaflet library client-side.

•       Geospatial content is stored using Power BI's built-in property persistence mechanism.

•       No data leaves your Power BI tenant or organisation boundaries.

•       Map tile loading uses publicly available tile servers but does not transmit your file content.

Data Storage

Geospatial Files

•       Stored locally within your Power BI report using Microsoft's persistence framework.

•       Files within the Max Persist Size limit (default 100 MB) are embedded in the report permanently.

•       Files exceeding this limit can still be viewed in the current session but are not saved to the report.

Feature Customizations & Drawings

•       Feature colours, visibility states, and drawings are stored within your Power BI report.

•       Drawings are persisted via Power BI's property storage and restored on every report open.

Map Settings

•       Selected tile layer, line thickness, control configurations, and appearance preferences are saved with the report.

No External Storage

•       No data is stored on external servers, databases, or cloud services.

•       Temporary blob URLs created for file handling are automatically cleaned up and revoked.

Important: Object URLs are temporary. They are created in browser memory during the session and are revoked when the visual is removed or the session ends.

Data Security

Security Measures

✓ Power BI Security: the visual operates within Power BI's security framework

✓ No Network Transmission: no file content or user data is transmitted to external services (except anonymous map tile requests)

✓ Isolation: the visual operates in isolation from other applications and services

✓ Standard Compliance: follows Microsoft Power BI custom visual security standards

✓ Memory Management: efficient processing to prevent memory-related security issues

Access Control

•       Data access is controlled entirely by Power BI's permission system.

•       Users can only view maps within reports they have been granted access to.

•       The visual respects all Power BI row-level security (RLS) configurations.

•       Embedded geospatial data is subject to the same security controls as the Power BI report.

Third-Party Services

Microsoft Power BI

This visual operates as a component within Microsoft Power BI, subject to Microsoft's Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Data handling is governed by your organisation's Power BI configuration.

Map Tile Providers

The visual uses publicly available map tile services for base maps. Tile requests are based on the visible map bounds only — no KML/GeoJSON/GPX content or user information is transmitted.

Provider

Usage & Notes

Google Maps

Road, Satellite, Hybrid, Terrain tiles. Anonymous tile requests only. Subject to Google's mapping terms of service.

Esri

World Street, Imagery, Topographic, and other tile layers. Anonymous requests. Subject to Esri's usage policies.

OpenStreetMap

Humanitarian and CyclOSM tile layers. Open-source. Subject to OpenStreetMap usage policies.

OpenTopoMap

Topographic tile layer. Open-source. Subject to OpenTopoMap usage policies.

Carto

Positron, Dark Matter, and Voyager tile layers. Subject to Carto's terms of service.

USGS

US Topo and US Imagery tile layers. US federal public data. No usage restrictions.

Leaflet Library

Open-source JavaScript mapping library. Runs entirely client-side. No external data transmission.

Data Retention

Visual-Specific Data

Data Type

Retention Behaviour

KML/KMZ/GeoJSON/GPX

Retained within the Power BI report until manually removed or replaced. Files within the Max Persist Size limit persist permanently with the report.

Feature Customizations

Persist with the report indefinitely. Can be reset by uploading a new file or changing settings.

Drawings

Persisted with the report. Cleared when the visual is deleted.

Map Settings

Current tile layer, line thickness, and configuration persist with the report. Reset to defaults when the visual is removed.

Session Data

Temporary session data cleared when the Power BI session ends. Files exceeding Max Persist Size are cleared from memory on session end.

Note: The visual does not maintain historical records, logs, viewing history, or version history of uploaded files.

User Rights and Control

Data Control

You maintain complete control over your data:

•       Upload / Replace: Upload new KML/KMZ/GeoJSON/GPX files or replace existing ones at any time.

•       Delete Visual: Remove the visual and all associated content from reports at any time.

•       Customise Features: Change colours, visibility, and drawing annotations of all features.

•       Reset Settings: Return to default settings through the Format pane.

•       Clear Drawings: Use the Draw tool's Clear All button to remove all drawn annotations.

•       Export: Standard Power BI export functions work normally with the visual.

International Data Transfers

The Visual does not transfer geospatial data internationally. All processing occurs within your local Power BI environment. Map tiles are loaded from public servers (which may be international) but contain no user data. Data residency follows your Power BI tenant configuration.

Compliance

Standards and Regulations

The visual is designed to support compliance with the following frameworks:

GDPR (European General Data Protection Regulation)

✓ No personal data collection

✓ User control over all data

✓ Right to deletion supported

✓ Data minimisation principles followed

✓ Processing occurs locally (no cross-border transfers by the visual)

✓ Transparency in data handling

CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act)

✓ No sale of personal information

✓ Transparent data practices

✓ User rights respected

HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)

The visual can be used with non-PHI geospatial content. Organisations must ensure appropriate use; no protected data is transmitted by the visual.

Important: Compliance responsibility remains with your organisation. The visual supports but does not guarantee regulatory compliance. Organisations should assess usage within their specific compliance requirements.

Sensitive Content Guidance

Do NOT upload KML/GeoJSON files containing:

✗ Classified or restricted location information

✗ Sensitive infrastructure locations (without authorisation)

✗ Protected facility coordinates

✗ Personal home addresses or private locations

✗ Confidential business locations without proper security controls

✗ Military or security-sensitive geographic data

Best Practices for Sensitive Reports

✓ Review Power BI sharing settings before distributing reports containing maps

✓ Use Power BI's built-in security features (RLS, workspace permissions)

✓ Consider using generalised locations rather than precise coordinates for sensitive data

✓ Apply appropriate access controls for reports containing location data

✓ Regularly review shared reports containing geospatial information

✓ Document geographic content and obtain appropriate approvals

Transparency Report — Data Flow Summary

Step

Description

1. Upload

User selects KML/KMZ/GeoJSON/GPX file from local system.

2. Processing

File parsed and features extracted entirely client-side within Power BI.

3. Storage

Geospatial data stored in Power BI properties (if within Max Persist Size) or session memory.

4. Display

Map rendered using Leaflet library client-side; drawings recreated from persisted JSON.

5. Map Tiles

Base map images loaded from public tile servers. No user data transmitted.

6. Persistence

Files, drawings, and settings saved with Power BI report on each change.

7. Deletion

User removes data by uploading a new file, clearing drawings, or deleting the visual.

External Connections Summary

✓ Map tile servers (Google, Esri, OpenStreetMap, Carto, USGS) — base map imagery only

✗ No user data or file content transmitted to any external service

✗ No analytics services

✗ No tracking services

✗ No third-party APIs beyond map tile providers

Updates and Changes

Changes to this privacy policy will be communicated through visual updates and release notes. Material changes to data handling will require explicit user consent. No new data collection will be introduced without notification.

Privacy Contact Information

Developer: Abdalla Dabes, P.E, PSP, PMP

Email: AbdallaDabes@AbdallaAIsolutions.onmicrosoft.com

Organisation: Abdalla AI Solutions

Inquiry Type

Response Time

Privacy inquiries

Within 2 business days

Data handling questions

Within 3 business days

Compliance support

Available for organisational requirements

Security assessments

Consultation available for enterprise deployments

Disclaimer

The visual is provided 'as-is' without warranties regarding data security. Users are responsible for appropriate data handling within their organisations. Security depends on proper Power BI configuration and organisational policies. The developer is not liable for inappropriate use or data breaches resulting from organisational security misconfigurations.