Spot

Privacy Policy

Updated September 18, 2026

Who we are

Spot is an iPhone app that searches for real places and can open the matching Instagram location page. It is published by Mike Shobes. Contact: mikeshobes718@gmail.com.

What stays on your iPhone

Saved places, recent places, recent searches, lookup cache, and settings (radius, units, theme, pinned city) are stored locally with iOS UserDefaults. Spot does not create an account and does not run a Spot server for your list.

Location and search

If you allow When In Use location, Spot uses it to find places near you and to sort by distance. You can instead pin a city and search there without using GPS. Search text and coordinates are sent to Apple MapKit so Apple can return places. If MapKit returns too few results, Spot may send the same kind of query (place type and an area around the origin) to the public OpenStreetMap Overpass API. Spot does not sell location data and does not use it for ads.

Instagram in the app

Core search works without Instagram. If you open a location page, Spot loads Instagram in an in-app browser. If you sign in there, that login is with Instagram, not with Spot. Instagram then applies its own privacy policy to that session. Spot does not receive your Instagram password.

Optional web lookup

A store build of Spot does not include a third-party search API key. Instagram location ids are not looked up on the web in that configuration. The app still works as a MapKit place finder.

What we do not collect

No Spot account, no advertising ID, no tracking across other apps
No analytics SDKs and no crash reporters that identify you
No contacts, photos, microphone, or camera

Children

Spot is a maps and places tool. It is not directed at children under 13.

Retention and deletion

Deleting the app from your iPhone removes local saved places, recents, searches, and settings. Apple Maps and OpenStreetMap may keep copies of map queries under their own policies. Email mikeshobes718@gmail.com if you have a privacy question.

Changes

If this policy changes, the date at the top will change. The latest version will always be at this URL.