Banky Privacy Policy
Last updated: 24 September 2026
Nederlands · English · Deutsch
Banky is an app for finding benches, adding them and walking to them. This page explains what data Banky stores, why, who can see it and what your rights are.
In short
- We only store what the app needs to work: your account, the benches and photos you add, and what you do in the app.
- Your location is used on your phone. We only store your position where a feature needs it (see below).
- No ads, no selling of data, and we don't track you across other apps or websites.
- You can delete your account and all your data yourself in the app.
Who is responsible?
Banky is a personal project by Niek Spermon, the Netherlands. Send questions or requests about your data to [email protected].
What data does Banky store?
Your account
- Your email address and password. The password is stored encrypted; nobody can read it.
- Your display name and the walker you choose (man or woman, with or without a dog).
- Your year and month of birth, and (if you are 13 to 15) that a parent or guardian gave permission. Only you can see this; we only use it to check that you are old enough.
- That you accepted the terms of use, and when.
Location
Banky asks for access to your location to show the map and nearby benches, to check that you are really at a bench, and to track your walk. During an active walk the app may also use your location while your phone is locked. If you turn on "Count kilometres in the background" in Settings (off by default), the app also uses your location while it is open in the background, to count the kilometres you walk. If you close the app completely, this stops. What is stored of your location:
- Kilometres walked: only the number of metres you walked, not where. Anything faster than walking pace (car, usually bike) does not count.
- Adding a bench: the location of the bench and where you stood when you added it.
- Checking in and confirming: your position is only checked (within 25 metres), not stored. We store which bench and when.
- My walks: when you save a walk, we store the path you walked, the distance and the time. Only you can see it.
- Own routes: route files (GPX) that you upload yourself. Only you can see them.
- Walking group: during a group walk, your last reported position, to calculate how far you walked together. Other group members only see the distance to you, never your position.
- "Nearby" leaderboard: a rough centre point of the benches you added or checked in at. This is not shown to anyone.
Photos
Photos you take of a bench are resized and stored. Other users can see them, together with your display name. Please don't take photos in which people can be recognised.
What you do in the app
Check-ins, star ratings, favourite benches and routes, friends and friend requests, walking groups, badges and XP, and the reports and blocks you make.
Push notifications
If you allow push notifications, we store an address for your device (a "push token") and the app language, so we can notify you of a friend request or an invitation to a walking group.
Technical data
- Error reports: if something goes wrong in the app, we store the error message, device type, system version and app version, linked to your account, so we can fix it.
- Usage: which screens and features are used (for example "map opened" or "checked in"), to improve the app.
Who sees what?
| Other users see | Other users don't see |
|---|---|
| Your display name, level and XP, badges, your walker, the number of benches and check-ins, the benches you added and your photos. | Your email address, your location, your walks and own routes, and whom you report or block. |
The Banky administrator can view reports, photos and accounts to prevent abuse and fix errors.
Reporting and blocking
You can report a bench, a profile or a photo, and block other users. Reports are reviewed by the administrator; inappropriate content is removed and accounts may be deleted in case of abuse. People you block can no longer find or invite you and are not notified of this.
Services by others
Banky uses these services. They only receive what they need for their task, only use your data for that, and provide at least the same protection as described in this policy. No other parties receive your data, and we never sell it.
- Supabase: database, sign-in and photo storage. The servers are in Frankfurt (Germany, EU).
- Expo (Expo Push Service) and Apple or Google: delivering push notifications and app updates.
- FOSSGIS e.V. (route planner of OpenStreetMap Germany): receives the start and end point when you have a walking route calculated.
- Apple Maps (iPhone) or Google Maps (Android): show the map and search place names. If you choose to navigate by car, your device's maps app opens.
Benches and walking routes partly come from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors).
Legal basis (GDPR)
- To provide the app you use (your account, benches, photos, friends, walks).
- Consent for location, camera and push notifications. You give it through your device and can turn it off there at any time.
- Legitimate interest for error reports, usage statistics, and preventing abuse (reports, blocks and the word filter).
How long do we keep it?
- As long as your account exists.
- If you delete your account (in the app: Account → Account settings → Delete account), your account, benches, photos, walks, routes, friends and the rest of your data are deleted immediately. You can also do this without the app: see delete account.
- Error reports are deleted 90 days after they are resolved, usage statistics after 180 days. Once your account is deleted, they are no longer linked to you.
Your rights
Withdrawing consent: turn off location, camera and push notifications in your phone's settings. To have all your data deleted, use the app or delete account.
You have the right to access your data, have it corrected or deleted, object to its use, and take it with you. Email [email protected]. If you are not satisfied with how we handle your data, you can file a complaint with the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens) or the authority in your country.
Children
Banky is for everyone aged 13 and over. When you create an account, the app asks your year and month of birth:
- Under 13: no account. You can still view the map without an account; then we store nothing about you.
- 13 to 15: only with permission from a parent or guardian (tick box in the app).
Your display name and photos can be seen by other users, so it is better not to use your full real name. Parents can email us if they want to see or delete their child's data.
Changes
If this policy changes, we update the date at the top.