Privacy Policy

Who we are

Ways is operated by Artem Karzakov, an independent developer based in Russia. If you have questions about this policy or your data, contact us at hello@ways.is.

The short version

• We do not sell your content and do not use it for advertising.
• Analytics is pseudonymous and not linked to your account; we do not collect advertising identifiers.
• You can delete your account in the app at any time.
• On mobile, guest mode keeps your data on your device until you create an account.

What we collect and why

Account data. When you create an account, we collect your email address, display name, and sign-in details from Apple or Google if you choose those options. We use this to authenticate you, sync your content, and communicate about your account.

Content you create. Ways stores the ways, steps, moments, and photos you add to your account so you can access them across devices. On iOS and Android, photos are typically re-encoded before upload, which removes camera metadata such as location. The web app may upload the file you select as-is.

Invite forms. If you request an invite on ways.is/account, we collect your email and your consent to contact you. This form does not create an account and does not take payment.

Request logs. Our servers record basic request information, including your IP address, to keep the service secure and diagnose problems.

Analytics and diagnostics. We collect pseudonymous usage analytics on our website and mobile apps, and crash and performance diagnostics on mobile. Analytics is not linked to your account. Crash reports on iOS may include your account identifier when you are signed in, so we can fix issues that affect signed-in users.

We process this data to provide the service you asked for (contract), to keep Ways secure and improve it (legitimate interest), and where required, based on your consent (for example, marketing emails from invite forms).

Using Ways without an account

On iOS and Android, guest mode keeps your data on your device only, and nothing is synced to our servers until you create an account. When you do create an account, a one-time upload transfers your local data to your new account.

The web app requires an account and an internet connection; it does not support offline guest use.

What we don't collect

We do not request device location, health data, contacts, or calendar access. We do not collect advertising identifiers. We do not sell your data or share it with data brokers. Photos you choose to upload may still contain embedded metadata, depending on how they were uploaded.

Who we share data with

We use service providers to run Ways. Depending on what you use, your data may be processed by providers in these categories:

• Hosting and file storage
• Email delivery
• Analytics and crash diagnostics (including Firebase Analytics, Crashlytics, Firebase Performance, and Google Analytics)
• Apple and Google sign-in
• Infrastructure monitoring

Some of these providers may process data outside your country, including in the United States. We share only what is needed for them to perform their role.

How long we keep data

We keep your account data and content for as long as your account is active. When you request deletion, we begin a 30-day grace period. Signing in again before it ends cancels the deletion. After 30 days, deletion is permanent.

Analytics data is retained for a limited time: Google Analytics 4 events for 2 months, and BigQuery export for 90 days.

Your choices

Delete your account. On iOS, Android, and web, go to Profile → Account → Delete account. Your sessions end immediately; permanent deletion happens after 30 days. Sign in again before then to cancel.

Analytics cookies on ways.is. In the EEA, UK, and Switzerland we ask before storing analytics cookies. You can change your choice anytime: clear site data for ways.is (or remove the ways_landing_consent entry) and reload the page to see the banner again. Declining keeps analytics cookieless. Outside those regions, analytics cookies are on by default; you can still object by email.

Other requests. To access, correct, export your data, object to analytics processing, or withdraw consent, email hello@ways.is. We aim to reply within 30 days.

Children

Ways is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has provided us data, contact us and we will delete it.

Security

Data in transit is protected with TLS. Passwords are stored hashed. Authentication tokens on mobile devices are kept in the platform's secure storage.

Changes and contact

We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date at the top of this page.

Questions or concerns? Email hello@ways.is.