Better Streets Privacy Policy
Better Streets (“we”, “us”) makes the Better Streets app for reporting street problems to the City and County of Denver’s 311 service. This policy explains what information the app collects, how we use and share it, and how you can delete it.
In short: we collect what we need to send your reports to the city and to sync them across your devices. Your real name and email stay private. A report becomes public only if you choose to share it, and then it shows your username, not your name. We don’t sell your data, show ads or use third-party tracking. You can delete your account in the app at any time.
Information we collect
Account information
- First and last name and email address. These are required to create an account and fill the contact fields on reports you send to Denver 311. They are never shown publicly.
- Username. A unique public name you choose at signup. It appears on reports you share publicly and cannot be changed.
- Password. If you set one, our authentication provider stores only a secure hash of it. You can also sign in with one-time email codes.
You can submit a report to the city without an account. The report still contains any contact details you enter, because the city receives them.
Reports
- The problem description, category, your answers to the city’s questions and any tags you add.
- Location: the Denver address or intersection you pick by searching or by placing a map pin. If you allow it, the app can use your device’s location to center the map. The report uses the location you confirm, not a continuous record of where you are.
- Photos: the photo you attach. The app re-encodes it and removes embedded metadata such as GPS coordinates. The exact image sent to the city stays on your device; we store a resized copy and a thumbnail.
- The case number the city returns, the city’s responses you add, and the status you record.
- A copy of the contact details as they were when you submitted the report.
Technical information
Our hosting provider records standard server logs, such as IP addresses and request times, to operate and secure the service. We don’t use advertising identifiers, analytics SDKs or cross-app tracking, and the app keeps personal details out of its diagnostic logs.
How we use your information
- To submit your reports to Denver 311 on your behalf.
- To sync your reports and receipts across your signed-in devices.
- To show reports you choose to share on the public map and list.
- To send account emails such as sign-in codes, password recovery and moderation notices.
- To review content that other users flag and to keep the service safe and working.
What is public
Reports are private unless you choose to share one. Before sharing, you review exactly what will be published. A shared report shows your username, the city, category, description, location, tags, the answers you select, the date, your recorded status, a resized copy of your photo, and any city responses you have added to that report. Your real name, email, phone number and the city case number are never published. You can stop sharing a report at any time.
Who we share information with
- The City and County of Denver. When you submit a report, the city receives it with your contact details and photo. The city’s own policies govern what it does with that information, and a report already sent can’t be withdrawn from the city through our app.
- Service providers. We use Supabase to host our database, file storage and sign-in, and an email delivery provider to send account emails. On iOS, Apple’s map services help look up addresses. These providers process data only to provide their service to us.
- Legal requirements. We may disclose information if the law requires it or to protect the safety of people or the service.
We do not sell or rent your personal information.
Moderation
Signed-in users can flag a shared report. Our staff review flagged content and may hide reports or restrict accounts that break the rules. We keep moderation records, including copies of the flagged content, to handle reviews and appeals, and we email you about actions that affect your account.
Retention and deletion
We keep your account data while your account exists. Older revisions of edited city responses are removed about 90 days after they are replaced.
You can delete your account in the app. Deletion removes your profile, sign-in identity, synced reports, photos and public posts, usually immediately. We keep a minimal deletion record containing internal identifiers and timestamps, with no report or contact content. Copies may remain briefly in provider caches and backups until they expire. Deleting your account does not remove reports already submitted to the city or files stored only on your device.
If you can’t use the in-app option, email us at the address below and we will delete your account for you.
Security
Data is encrypted in transit. Private photos are stored in private storage and can only be opened through short-lived authorized links. No system is perfectly secure, but we work to protect your information.
Children
Better Streets is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has given us information, contact us and we will delete it.
Your choices and rights
You can view and correct your name and email in the app, stop sharing any report and delete your account. Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights to access, correct or delete your data. Contact us to use them.
Changes to this policy
If we change this policy, we will post the new version here and update the effective date. We will notify you in the app for significant changes.
Contact
Questions or requests: david@better-streets.org