Privacy Policy

Hakan Silek (“Service Provider,” “I,” “me,” or “my”) provides Trip Journal: Travel Stories (“Trip Journal” or the “Application”). This Privacy Policy explains what information the Application handles, why it is needed, where it is stored, and the choices available to you.

1. Information You Choose to Create

Trip Journal handles information only when you create or select it for the features you use. This may include:

• Journey titles, stories, dated entries, highlights, reflections, ratings, moods, favorites, dates, places, addresses, map coordinates, and trip stops.
• Photos selected from your photo library or captured with the camera, including optional captions.
• Voice recordings and their generated transcripts.
• Handwriting and drawings created with Apple Pencil or touch.
• App preferences, including whether optional iCloud backup is enabled.

Trip Journal does not require you to create an account with me. An Apple Account is required only if you choose to use iCloud backup or shared trips.

2. How Your Information Is Used

The Application uses this information only to provide the features you request: creating and displaying your journal, organizing trips and places, playing voice notes, producing a transcript, showing your atlas, synchronizing your data through iCloud, or sharing a trip with people you choose.

I do not sell, rent, or use your journey content for advertising, profiling, or training artificial intelligence models.

3. Local Storage

Your journey content is stored locally on your iPhone or iPad by default. Local content remains on the device until you delete the relevant content or remove the Application. Removing the Application deletes its local data, but it may not delete a copy that you previously chose to store in iCloud.

4. Optional iCloud Backup

iCloud backup is off by default. If you enable it in Trip Journal’s settings, the Application stores your journey content in your private CloudKit database in the iCloud container used by Trip Journal. This can include text, dates, places, coordinates, photos, voice recordings, transcripts, and drawings. The purpose is to back up your journal and keep it synchronized across devices signed in to the same Apple Account.

Private CloudKit data is handled by Apple under its Privacy Policy. I do not operate a separate server for your journal and do not have direct access to the content in your private iCloud database.

Turning iCloud backup off stops automatic synchronization but does not remove an existing iCloud copy. If backup is enabled when you delete a journey, Trip Journal also sends that deletion through iCloud. You can additionally manage iCloud data through the controls Apple provides on your device and Apple Account.

5. Shared Trips

Shared trips are separate from personal iCloud backup. Trip Journal creates a CloudKit share only when you deliberately choose to share a specific trip. The people you invite may be able to view or edit the shared trip according to the permissions selected for that share. Shared content can include the same types of journey data described above.

Apple manages the invitation, participant identity, permissions, and CloudKit infrastructure. A shared copy remains available according to the share owner’s settings until the owner stops sharing, removes a participant, deletes the shared trip, or a participant leaves the share. Do not include sensitive information in a shared trip unless you intend the invited participants to receive it.

6. Device Permissions and Apple Services

Trip Journal requests access only when you use a related feature. You can deny or later change these permissions in iOS or iPadOS Settings.

• Photos: used to import only the photos you select for your journal.
• Camera: used to capture a photo you choose to add to a journey.
• Microphone: used to record a voice note. Recordings are stored with your journey.
• Speech Recognition: used only after permission is granted to create a transcript. Trip Journal currently uses Apple’s Speech framework, which sends the chosen audio recording to Apple’s speech recognition service for processing. The returned transcript is stored with the voice note.
• Apple Maps and geocoding: place searches, selected coordinates, and address lookups may be sent to Apple to return map and place results. Trip Journal does not request continuous or background device location access.
• Apple Pencil: drawings are handled through PencilKit and stored as part of your journey.

Apple’s processing of iCloud, Maps, Speech, Photos, camera, and related platform services is governed by Apple’s terms and privacy practices.

7. Analytics, Advertising, Tracking, and Cookies

Trip Journal contains no advertising SDK, no third-party analytics SDK, and no cross-app tracking technology. The Application does not use cookies. I do not receive your IP address, advertising identifier, or browsing history through the Application.

Apple may process App Store, device, performance, or diagnostic information according to your device settings and Apple’s privacy practices. Apple may provide developers with aggregated performance information or crash reports that are not used to identify you.

8. Disclosure of Information

I do not disclose your journey content to third parties. Information is transmitted only as needed for an Apple service you choose to use (including iCloud, CloudKit sharing, Maps, geocoding, and Speech) or to the people you intentionally invite to a shared trip. Information may also be disclosed if required by applicable law; however, because I do not operate a server containing your private journal, I generally do not possess that content.

9. Retention, Deletion, and Your Choices

• You can edit or delete journey content inside the Application.
• You can keep iCloud backup disabled or turn it off at any time.
• You can manage photo, camera, microphone, and speech permissions in Settings.
• Share owners can manage participants or stop sharing; participants can leave a shared trip using Apple’s sharing controls.
• You can remove local Application data by deleting the Application. Existing iCloud data must be managed separately.

Because private iCloud content is associated with your Apple Account and is not directly accessible to me, requests to access, export, correct, or erase that content are ordinarily fulfilled through the Application and Apple’s account and iCloud controls. You may contact me for assistance.

10. Security

Trip Journal uses Apple platform storage, permission controls, code signing, and CloudKit infrastructure. No method of electronic storage or transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Protect access to your device, Apple Account, and any shared-trip invitations you send.

11. Children’s Privacy

Trip Journal is not directed to children under 13, and I do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has contacted me directly or provided personal information to me, please use the contact address below so I can take appropriate action.

12. International Use and Privacy Rights

Apple may process information in locations described in its own privacy policy. Depending on where you live, you may have legal rights relating to personal information, including rights to access, correct, delete, or restrict certain processing. Trip Journal does not sell personal information and does not share it for cross-context behavioral advertising.

To exercise choices for data stored by the Application, use the controls described above. For a question or request directed to me, contact silekhakan@gmail.com.

13. Changes to This Policy

I may update this Privacy Policy when Trip Journal’s features or legal requirements change. The revised policy will be posted on this page with a new “last updated” date. Material changes will be communicated through an appropriate channel when required.

14. Contact

If you have questions or suggestions about this Privacy Policy, contact: silekhakan@gmail.com.