Youhere.org - Privacy Policy

Youhere consists of two parts, the website used to administer attendance, and the app used for "checking-in." Here's how privacy works with each.

The App

  • Our app is not a person-tracker. It does not somehow stay active on a phone 'tracking' its location.
  • Our app stays frozen on a phone until its "Check me in" button is tapped by the person using the app.
  • Want proof? Run our app and look at the very top. Both iOS and Android phones have a built in icon that appears when an app is using location information (a phone internally controls this; apps cannot). Note how with our app, this is only on when you tap the "check me in" button. (Be sure no other apps are running, like a mapping app; they may be using your location information.)
    A view of a phone showing when its location information is being used.
  • For map-based attendance, a phone's location is used for less than 1 second, then discarded.
  • A phone's location is never stored on our server. Never.
  • The only use of our app is to confirm presence of a phone within a location (like a classroom, practice field, etc.), when "Check me in" is tapped.
  • When a person first runs the app, it'll ask for their name, which is only used to build an attendance roster for the group's leader.
  • Tap through the app. It never asks for any contact information. (No email addresses, no phone numbers, no signups, no passwords, no acccounts, nothing.)
  • The app does not try to confirm a participant's identity with any kind of email or texts.
  • Participants are never asked to verify their identities.
  • Worried about privacy? Participants can use pseudonyms (like person001, person002, etc.) that only you can decode.
  • If a participant tries to check-in outside of your location, their location is ignored and discarded.
  • The app is free, simple, small, and does not contain any ads, spyware, or "in-app" purchases.
  • When the app, you'll see data-privacy message on each screen. You'll always know what it's doing.

The Website

  • The website is used only by a group leader to administer attendance. Those checking in do not use the website at all.
  • All communication with Youhere.org is encrypted with https. This is the same technology that protects your credit card when you buy something online.
  • When a person enrolls in a class, their name is sent to group leader's account at Youhere.org, to compile an attendance roster that only the group leader can see.
  • Names of your participants are only viewable by the group leader, when looking at the attendance roster. Names are never publicly posted.
  • We store one cookie when a group leader uses Youhere.org, so we know that they are logged in properly. No other cookies are ever issues.

Youhere: From us to you

  • Dealing with someone's whereabouts is sensitive information. We understand this.
  • It is possible to offer a reputable app that respects the privacy of its users and does only what it says. This is what we're doing here.
  • We stand by this privacy policy.
  • If you are hesitant about using GPS for checking in, consider using our beacon-based check-in instead.
  • Automated attendance with maximum privacy: Use a beacon and pseudonyms. (Beacon: no one knows where you are; Pseudonyms: no one knows who you are.)
  • Consider giving Youhere a try. Imagine taking care of attendance by meeting your group and saying 'check-in please.'
  • We have had around 1 million problem-free check-ins to date.

Youhere: The bottom line

  • Aside from a simple welcome message, unless you contact us first (asking for help, etc.) you are not going to hear from us.
  • If some third party contacts you, they did so on their own. We didn't help them.
  • The only data we have is an attendance roster: a list of (unverified) names paired with a number of check-ins.
  • We have no way of knowing or contacting those checking in.
  • Look again: no email address, no phone numbers, no addresses, no IDs, no schedules, no school names, no photos, etc. are ever requested.
  • Compare the amount of personal information you might give to other web-services you frequent: Youhere likely requires far less information.
  • Here is a more candid outlook on our privacy.