Privacy policy | Kerbnow

This privacy policy explains how Kerbnow ("we", "us", or "the app") collects, uses, stores, and protects your information when you use our mobile app and website.

Who we are

Kerbnow is built and run by SHACKSOLUTIONS LTD, a UK-registered private company. We are not affiliated with any council, government body, or parking enforcement authority. We built Kerbnow because we got tired of squinting at confusing parking signs.

Information we collect

We collect the minimum data needed to provide and improve Kerbnow. Here is what we collect:

Sign photos

When you point the camera at a sign and scan it:

Sent for reading: To read a sign, the app sends a single still image to Google Gemini, a third-party AI service acting as our processor under contract. The image is used only to read the sign and is not used to train Google's models. It is processed securely and is never sold or used for advertising.
Saved to your scan history: The scanned sign photo is saved to your scan history so you can reference it later. You can delete any scan from your history at any time.
Anonymous submission: If you choose to submit a sign for training-set review, we strip any incidental personal data (number plates and faces visible in the frame) before storage.

Account information

When you create an account or sign in:

Authentication data: If you sign in with Apple or Google, we receive your email address and name from these providers. We store your email for account management. You can choose to hide your email when signing in with Apple.
Anonymous accounts: If you use the app without signing in, we create an anonymous account with a random identifier. No personal information is collected.
Display preferences: Optional display name and notification preferences.

Device and technical information

When you use the app, we may collect technical details such as:

Device model and platform
Operating system version
App version and build number
Push notification token (if notifications are enabled)

Usage analytics

We use PostHog (EU-hosted) for product analytics and debugging:

Which screens you view and features you use
Scan counts, postcode lookups, scan-history interactions (aggregated)
App performance and stability signals
Session replay with text inputs masked

Session replay helps us identify bugs and UX issues. Your typed text is masked before capture, and the camera viewfinder is not recorded.

Preferences

We store your:

Recent postcode lookups
App preferences and settings
Notification timing for "move the car" reminders

Your preferences are stored on your device. If you sign in, your scan history syncs across your devices through our servers, encrypted in transit and at rest.

Permissions and data

The app may request optional permissions when you use specific features:

Camera: Required for the sign scanner. The still image you capture is sent to our scanning service to read the sign, then saved to your scan history so you can reference it later. You can delete any scan at any time.
Location: Used to look up postcode rules around you. We do not continuously track or store your location history.
Notifications: Used for "move the car" reminders before a restriction starts. Scheduled locally on the phone.
Face ID / biometrics: Used by the operating system to protect your authentication session stored in the device keychain. We do not receive or store biometric data.

Feedback and support data

If you send feedback through the app, we store:

Your feedback message and category (misread sign, missing sign type, feature request, etc.)
Optional sign photo and scan log (only if you attach it)
Device context (platform, OS version, app version, model)
A PostHog identifier/session reference used for debugging

Website cookies and local storage

On kerbnow.com, we use cookies and local storage for analytics, consent preferences, and advertising. This includes PostHog (analytics), and Meta, Google Ads, and TikTok (advertising cookies, used to measure and improve the performance of our ad campaigns). We use a cookie banner so you can opt out of this tracking.

If you opt out, we store that preference and disable PostHog, Meta, Google Ads, and TikTok tracking for the site.

Advertising

We run ad campaigns on Meta (Facebook/Instagram), Google Ads, and TikTok to reach new drivers. To measure and improve these campaigns we share limited data with those platforms:

On the website: a cookie-based pixel from each platform, and which store button you clicked.
In the app: TikTok's SDK reports app installs and purchases (no personal details beyond a hashed device/account identifier).
From our server: when you buy Kerbnow Pro, we report the purchase to Meta using a one-way hashed version of your email address and account id (never your email in plain text) so Meta can measure ad performance. This is separate from and never shared with the AI model that reads your signs.

We don't show ads inside the app itself, and we don't sell your data to advertisers. Website visitors can opt out of advertising cookies via the cookie banner; account holders can request deletion of any data these platforms hold about them by contacting the platform directly, or by asking us to stop future reporting.

Information we do not collect

Your number plate, driving licence number, or DVLA records
Your credit card numbers, billing address, or bank details (Kerbnow Pro is purchased through the Apple App Store or Google Play, who handle the payment)
Your contacts, calendar, or photos beyond what you actively share
Persistent precise-location history
Identifying details about the people or property in your sign photos (we strip them before storage)

How we use your information

To provide the service: Scanning signs, syncing your scan history, scheduling move-the-car reminders.
To improve sign reading: Misread reports help us retrain the model so the same sign reads correctly next time.
To improve reliability: Understanding usage patterns helps us prioritise features and fix issues.
To communicate: Sending service notifications and important product updates.

We never:

Sell your data to anyone.
Show ads inside the app.
Use your scan history or sign photos for advertising.
Share your scan history or sign photos without your explicit permission.

We do use limited advertising tools (Meta, Google Ads, TikTok) to measure ad campaign performance - see Advertising below.

Data storage and security

Where: App data is stored using AWS and Neon infrastructure providers, primarily in UK and EU regions.
Encryption: Data is encrypted in transit (TLS) and at rest. Storage protections are managed by our infrastructure providers.
Access: Access is limited to authorised maintainers and service providers who need it to operate the service.
Security: We apply reasonable technical and organisational safeguards, but no system is completely risk-free.

Third-party services

We use these third-party services:

Service	Purpose	Privacy policy
AWS	API hosting (Lambda), file storage (S3/CloudFront), and scheduled tasks (EventBridge)	aws.amazon.com/privacy
Neon	PostgreSQL database	neon.tech/privacy
Google Gemini	Reading parking signs from the still image you capture	policies.google.com/privacy
PostHog	Analytics and session replay	posthog.com/privacy
Expo	Mobile app framework and notification infrastructure	expo.dev/privacy
Apple Sign In	Authentication (if you choose)	apple.com/legal/privacy
Google Sign In	Authentication (if you choose)	policies.google.com/privacy
Apple Maps	Map rendering and reverse geocoding for postcode lookup	apple.com/legal/privacy
Slack	Internal operations and alerting (misread reports, model issues)	slack.com/privacy-policy
Meta (Facebook)	Advertising - website pixel and server-side purchase reporting (hashed data only)	facebook.com/privacy/policy
Google Ads	Advertising - website conversion tracking	policies.google.com/privacy
TikTok	Advertising - website pixel and in-app install/purchase reporting	tiktok.com/legal/privacy-policy

Your rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights over your data:

Access: View your scan history and settings any time in the app.
Correction: Update your display name and preferences in settings.
Deletion: Delete your account from within the app. You're signed out immediately; if you sign back in within 30 days the deletion is cancelled and your account is restored exactly as it was.
Portability: Tap "export my data" in settings to receive a JSON dump.
Opt-out: You can use the app anonymously without an account, and website visitors can opt out of analytics and advertising cookies via the cookie banner.

Data retention

Active accounts: Data is retained while your account exists.
Deleted accounts: When you delete your account you're signed out immediately and your account enters a 30-day recovery window. Signing back in during that window cancels the deletion and restores everything. If you don't sign back in, all personal information (email, name, push token, preferences) is permanently and irreversibly deleted within 30 days, in line with UK GDPR's right to erasure.
Scanned sign photos: Saved to your scan history while your account exists, or until you delete the scan.
Misread reports: Anonymised after the model update lands, then retained for 12 months as a regression test.
Analytics and feedback logs: Retained according to provider settings and operational/legal needs.

Children's privacy

Kerbnow is intended for licensed drivers (18+). We do not knowingly collect data from anyone under 18. If you believe a minor has provided data to us, contact us and we will remove it.

International data transfers

Your data may be processed in countries outside your residence, including through our third-party providers. We rely on provider safeguards (standard contractual clauses, UK adequacy decisions) for international transfers where required.

Changes to this policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Significant changes will be announced through the app or website. The "Last updated" date at the top shows when this policy was last revised.

Contact us

Questions about this privacy policy or your data? Email us at kerbnow@shack.solutions.