Location Access and Privacy

Overview

OuterSpatial uses location access to support nearby content, map location, check-ins, Adventure Mode, Area Alerts, and challenge location alerts. You can review location access from Location Settings in the app and manage the final permission level in your device settings.

For Adventure Mode details, see Adventure Mode.

Open Location Settings

1. Open OuterSpatial.
2. Go to the Me tab.
3. Tap the settings icon.
4. Tap Location Settings.

The Location Access row shows whether iOS currently allows OuterSpatial to use your location as Always Allow, While Using App, Not Determined, Denied, Restricted, or Unknown.

Tap Location Access to open the iOS Settings app for OuterSpatial.

Choose Location Access

OuterSpatial can browse published places without location access, but some features work better with it:

iOS

• While Using App supports current-location features while OuterSpatial is open.
• Always Allow is recommended for timely location-based alerts.
• Denied or Restricted turns off current-location and location-alert behavior that depends on location permission.

Tap Location Access to open iOS Settings for OuterSpatial. If Location Settings asks for more access, follow the prompt and choose the permission you want OuterSpatial to use.

When you start Adventure Mode or turn on a location-based alert, OuterSpatial may explain why background location is useful. Tap Continue to proceed or Not Now to leave the feature off. If iOS asks for access later, choose Always Allow for the most timely alerts.

If OuterSpatial cannot ask again, tap Open Settings, choose Location, and then choose Always. You can change this setting at any time.

Android

• While Using the App supports current-location features while OuterSpatial is open.
• Always is recommended for timely location-based alerts.
• Denied turns off current-location and location-alert behavior that depends on location permission.

If Location Settings asks for more access, tap Open Settings to review OuterSpatial permissions in Android system settings.

Location Data Preferences

Location Settings on iOS and Android includes two data preferences:

• Share Anonymous Usage Data controls whether Mapbox receives de-identified map usage and location data. Turning it off does not disable maps or location features.
• Personalized Location Updates controls whether OuterSpatial sends your precise location to Customer.io for relevant location-based messages. Turning it off does not disable maps, check-ins, Adventure Mode, Area Alerts, or challenge alerts.

When location is available, OuterSpatial also sends your precise location with usage analytics to Segment and PostHog to measure regional use and improve location features. The Mapbox and Customer.io preferences do not turn off these first-party analytics.

You can change either service-specific preference at any time. OuterSpatial explains these uses before its first Android location permission request and in Location Settings on both platforms.

Trails LA County shows the Mapbox preference but not Personalized Location Updates because it does not use Customer.io.

Area Alerts

Area Alerts can send location-based alerts when you are inside areas in your current community. Turning this on may require background location access so your device can deliver alerts while the app is closed.

On iOS and Android, arrival alerts normally appear after you remain inside a supported location for about two minutes. On iOS, opening OuterSpatial after arriving may recover a missed Area Alert immediately. OuterSpatial avoids repeating the same arrival alert within 24 hours.

Turn Area Alerts off if you do not want OuterSpatial to monitor community areas for these alerts.

Challenge Location Alerts

Challenge Location Alerts can remind you when you are near task places for challenges you are participating in. These task places can be areas, trails, outings, or points on the map. These alerts work best with background location access.

On iOS and Android, the same short arrival delay applies to challenge locations. On iOS, opening OuterSpatial after arriving may also recover a missed challenge location alert immediately.

Turn Challenge Location Alerts off if you do not want OuterSpatial to monitor challenge places for reminders.

Advanced Settings

Use Advanced Settings to clear registered geofences. This is mainly useful if location-based alerts seem stale after permissions, Adventure Mode, Area Alerts, or challenge participation changes.

Privacy Notes

Location permission is controlled by your device. You can change it at any time in iOS Settings or Android system settings.

OuterSpatial uses location access to support app features such as map location, nearby sorting, check-ins, Adventure Mode, Area Alerts, and challenge reminders. Turning location access off limits those features but does not prevent you from browsing published communities and places.

When you allow location access, precise location may also be sent with usage analytics as described above. Review OuterSpatial's Privacy Policy from Settings for the complete data-handling terms.