Privacy Policy

Last updated: June 13, 2026

Pothole Reporter is built to be private by design. The short version: we don't run a server, we don't have accounts, and we don't collect, store, or sell your personal data. Everything happens on your own device or goes directly to the City of Portland. Here's the detail.

1. What the app handles

• Photos. Photos you take or import stay on your device. The app reads each photo to display it and to extract its embedded GPS location, if any.
• Location. The app uses location data either from a photo's embedded GPS metadata or, if you allow it, your device's live location — solely to fill in where the pothole is. This happens on your device.
• Report contents. The description, location, and photo you put into a report.

2. Where your data goes

Web app (PWA): the web version builds a report draft on your device and hands it off through your own share sheet or email to the City. We never receive it.

iOS app: the native app submits your report directly to the City of Portland's PDX Reporter service under your own City account, by replaying the same request the PDX Reporter website makes when you submit by hand. Your report goes to the City, not to us.

In both cases, once you choose to submit, your report and its contents become subject to the City of Portland's / PDX Reporter's own privacy practices, which we do not control. Reports filed with a government agency may be public records. Please review the City's policies for how they handle submissions.

3. What we collect: nothing

We have no servers, no database, no user accounts, and no login with us. We do not collect, receive, store, or transmit your photos, location, reports, or any personal information to ourselves or to any third party other than the City of Portland when you submit. We do not sell or share your data, because we don't have it.

4. Stored on your device

To work, the app keeps some data locally on your device only:

• Drafts, imported photos, and report history you haven't cleared.
• iOS: your PDX Reporter login cookie, stored on-device so you don't have to sign in every time. This stays on your device; we never see it.
• Web: standard PWA caching (service worker) so the app loads and works offline.

You can clear this at any time by deleting drafts in the app, clearing your browser data, or uninstalling the app.

5. Permissions we ask for

• Camera / Photos — to take or import photos of potholes.
• Location — to auto-fill the pothole's location. Optional; you can decline and enter or adjust the location yourself.

You can change or revoke these permissions anytime in your device or browser settings.

6. Third parties

• City of Portland / PDX Reporter — receives the reports you choose to submit. Subject to their own policies.
• Map tiles — the web app loads map imagery from a third-party tile provider to show your pin. Your IP address is visible to that provider as part of loading the map, as with any website that shows a map.
• Your share sheet / email app (web hand-off) — handled by your own device and the app you pick.

We don't use advertising networks, and we don't run analytics or trackers on your report data.

7. Children

The app is intended for general audiences reporting road conditions and is not directed at children.

8. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The "last updated" date above reflects the current version. Continued use after an update means you accept it.

9. Contact

Questions about privacy? Email paulfrazier@gmail.com.