Privacy Policy
This privacy policy applies to the Qibla Finder app for mobile devices, together with any related services operated by Packet Bracket (collectively, the "Application"). Packet Bracket is hereby referred to as the "Service Provider".
Information Collection and Use
The Application does not require you to create an account and does not collect or transmit your name, email address, phone number, contacts or location to the Service Provider. The Service Provider operates no server for the Application and never receives your position, your compass readings or your tasbeeh counts.
The Qibla direction is calculated entirely on your device. The Application takes your current latitude and longitude, works out the great-circle bearing and distance to the Kaaba in Makkah, applies the local magnetic declination so that the compass points to true north, and compares that bearing with the heading reported by your device's orientation sensors. None of these values are stored in a history, sent to the Service Provider or shared with anyone.
The following information is stored only on your device, in the Application's private storage, and is never sent to the Service Provider:
- Manual location: if you choose to type a location by hand instead of using GPS, the latitude, longitude and optional place name you enter are saved so that the Application can use them the next time it opens. You can switch back to GPS at any time in Settings, which stops the saved location from being used.
- Tasbeeh counter: the current count, completed rounds, selected dhikr, chosen target and your all-time total. These can be reset at any time from the Tasbeeh screen.
- Preferences: your theme, light or dark mode, vibration, "buzz on the Qibla", "count with volume buttons", "keep the screen on" settings, and whether the welcome screens have already been shown.
Your position obtained from GPS or network location is held in memory only while the Qibla screen is open and is discarded when you leave the screen or close the Application. It is not written to a history.
The Application does not display advertisements, does not contain an advertising SDK, and does not use any analytics or crash-reporting service.
Device features and permissions
The Application uses the following device features only to provide its core functionality:
- Location (ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION and ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION): to obtain your current position so that the Qibla bearing, the distance to Makkah and the magnetic declination can be calculated. The Application uses the standard Android location service and does not use Google Play Services location. Location is requested only while the Qibla screen is visible and never in the background. If you deny the permission or switch location off, you can still use the Application by entering a location manually in Settings.
- Place name lookup: to show the name of your city next to the compass (for example "Lahore, Pakistan"), the Application asks the Android system Geocoder to translate your coordinates into a place name. On most devices this system service is provided by Google Play services, which may send your approximate coordinates to Google to resolve the name; that request is handled under Google's privacy policy and the Service Provider never receives it. If no geocoding service is available or the device is offline, the Application simply shows your coordinates instead. Manual locations are never geocoded.
- Orientation sensors (rotation vector, magnetometer and accelerometer): to determine which way your device is facing so that the compass can turn. Sensor readings are processed in the moment on your device and are never stored or transmitted.
- Vibration: to give a short buzz when you line up with the Qibla, when you count a bead on the tasbeeh, and when a round is completed, if you have enabled it.
- Volume buttons: when "Count with volume buttons" is enabled, pressing a volume key on the Tasbeeh screen counts one bead instead of changing the volume. Key presses are not recorded.
- Internet: used only to open the privacy policy link in your browser and, where available, by the system Geocoder described above. Finding the Qibla and using the tasbeeh do not require an internet connection.
The Application does not use the camera, microphone, photos, contacts, notifications, Bluetooth or any background service.
Links to external services
When you tap "Privacy policy" inside the Application, or a similar link, the Application hands the web address to the browser you choose on your device. From that point on, the page is handled by that browser and website under its own privacy policy, and the Service Provider does not receive any information about it.
Cookies and tracking technologies
The Application does not use cookies, advertising identifiers, pixels or similar tracking technologies. Where required by applicable law, the Service Provider will obtain consent before introducing any non-essential tracking technology in a future version.
Your Rights
You may request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal data held by the Service Provider. To exercise these rights, or to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent, contact the Service Provider at packetbracket@gmail.com. Because the Service Provider does not receive your location, tasbeeh counts or preferences, these can only be deleted by you, on your device, as described in this policy.
Your California privacy rights (CCPA/CPRA)
If you are a California resident, you have the right to know what personal information is collected, the right to delete personal information, the right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information, and the right to non-discrimination for exercising these rights. The Service Provider does not sell personal information. To exercise your CCPA/CPRA rights, contact the Service Provider at packetbracket@gmail.com.
The Application does not require you to provide any personally identifiable information in order to use it. Any information you choose to send to the Service Provider, for example by email, will be retained and used only to respond to you as described in this privacy policy.
Third Party Access
The Application itself does not transmit your data to the Service Provider or to any external service. The only data that may leave your device through the Application is:
- Your approximate coordinates sent by the Android system Geocoder to the geocoding provider on your device (on most devices, Google) in order to display your city name, as described above.
- The privacy policy web address, passed to your browser when you choose to open it.
The Service Provider may share your information with third parties only in the ways that are described in this privacy statement.
International Data Transfers
The Service Provider or its third-party service providers may transfer personal data to countries outside your country of residence, including outside the European Economic Area (EEA). Where applicable law requires safeguards for international transfers, the Service Provider will use appropriate mechanisms.
- Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission
- Adequacy decisions or other legally recognized transfer mechanisms
- Your consent, where required and legally permitted
Data protection laws in other countries may differ from those in your jurisdiction. Where required by law, the Service Provider will apply appropriate safeguards and obtain any consent required for the transfer.
Please note that the Application relies on system services that have their own Privacy Policy about handling data. Below is the link to the Privacy Policy of the provider of the geocoding service on most Android devices:
- [Google Play Services](https://policies.google.com/privacy)
The Application also relies on Android Backup (only when backups are enabled on your device). When enabled, Android may include the Application's preferences, tasbeeh counts and any manual location you have saved in the encrypted backup of your device stored in your own Google account, under Google's privacy policy; the Service Provider has no access to that backup. The Application does not use Google Analytics for Firebase, Firebase Crashlytics, AdMob or any other advertising, analytics or crash-reporting service.
The Service Provider may disclose User Provided and Automatically Collected Information:
- as required by law, such as to comply with a subpoena, or similar legal process;
- when they believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect their rights, protect your safety or the safety of others, investigate fraud, or respond to a government request;
- with their trusted services providers who work on their behalf, do not have an independent use of the information the Service Provider discloses to them, and have agreed to adhere to the rules set forth in this privacy statement.
Opt-Out Rights
You can stop further collection of information from your mobile device by uninstalling the Application. Uninstalling deletes the preferences, tasbeeh counts and any manual location stored on your device.
You can revoke the location permission at any time in your device's app settings; the Application will then show the compass without a Qibla bearing until you either grant the permission again or enter a location manually in Settings. You can also switch off vibration, the volume-button counter and "keep the screen on" inside the Application.
To request deletion of your personal data, to withdraw consent, or to exercise any of your rights, contact the Service Provider at packetbracket@gmail.com.
Data Retention Policy
The Service Provider retains personal data based on its necessity for the stated purposes:
- Your current GPS or network position: Held in memory only while the Qibla screen is open and discarded afterwards. Never stored in a history and never held by the Service Provider.
- Manual location, tasbeeh counts and preferences stored on your device: Retained only for as long as the Application is installed, or until you reset or change them inside the Application. The Service Provider never holds a copy.
- Aggregated and Anonymized Data: The Application does not generate any.
- Data required for legal compliance: Retained as long as required by applicable law.
You may request deletion of your personal data, subject to any legal obligation to retain it. If you want the Service Provider to delete any information you have submitted, please contact them at packetbracket@gmail.com.
Children
The Application is not intended for children under 16 years of age, or such higher age as required by applicable law. The Service Provider does not knowingly solicit data from children or market the Application to them.
Where parental or guardian consent is required under applicable law, the Application is not intended for use without that consent. The Service Provider does not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from children under 16 years of age in violation of applicable law. In the event the Service Provider discovers that a child has provided personal information, the Service Provider will immediately delete this from their records. If you are a parent or guardian and you are aware that your child has provided the Service Provider with personal information, please contact the Service Provider (packetbracket@gmail.com) so that they will be able to take the necessary actions.
Security
The Service Provider is concerned about safeguarding the confidentiality of your information. Because the Application keeps your manual location, tasbeeh counts and preferences only on your device, that data is protected by your device's own security features, such as your screen lock and device encryption. The Service Provider provides physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards to protect any information it processes and maintains, such as emails you send.
Data Breach Notification
If a data breach occurs that affects your personal data, the Service Provider will notify you in accordance with applicable legal requirements, including, where required, providing information about the nature of the breach and the steps being taken to address it.
Changes
The Service Provider may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The Service Provider will notify you of material changes by posting the updated Privacy Policy with an effective date. Where required by law, the Service Provider will seek your consent to material changes before they take effect.
Previous versions of this Privacy Policy will be maintained and made available upon request by contacting the Service Provider at packetbracket@gmail.com.
This privacy policy is effective as of 2026-09-14
Your Consent
Where processing is based on consent, you provide that consent by affirmatively opting in to the relevant feature or action, for example by granting the location permission when asked. You may withdraw consent at any time without affecting processing carried out before withdrawal. Processing based on other lawful bases is carried out as described above.
Contact Us
If you have any questions regarding privacy while using the Application, or have questions about the practices, please contact the Service Provider via email at packetbracket@gmail.com.