Attendance Tracking Without Location or Personal Data
My Group Online was built from the ground up to protect privacy—especially for tours, schools, and youth groups.
Our Privacy Commitment
We do not:
Access GPS or track geographic location
We request location permission for Android BLE scanning and background motion detection (to keep BLE alive in your pocket), but we do NOT access GPS, collect coordinates, or track where you are.
Require personal identities by default
Optional identification only. Participants can choose to share name & phone with guide. Anonymous by default. No accounts required.
Require participant accounts
No logins, emails, or passwords needed
Sell or monetize data
Your data is never sold or shared
About Location Permission
Why We Request Location Permission
We request location permission for two technical reasons, but we do not access, collect, or transmit GPS coordinates:
Android Bluetooth Scanning Requirement
Android OS requires location permission to scan for Bluetooth Low Energy devices. This is a platform requirement to prevent apps from inferring location through public Bluetooth beacons.
Background Activity Detection (Participants Only)
When you join a group as a participant, we use device motion/activity detection to keep your Bluetooth broadcast active when your phone is in your pocket or bag. This ensures you remain visible to your guide without keeping the app open or draining your battery.
What We DO
- • Use Bluetooth for proximity detection
- • Monitor device motion/activity states
- • Keep BLE broadcast alive in background
- • Measure signal strength (RSSI)
What We DON'T Do
- • Access GPS or location sensors
- • Collect geographic coordinates
- • Transmit location data
- • Track movement or create location history
How We Compare
GPS-based apps
- • Track movement and create location history
- • Collect GPS coordinates continuously
- • Raise significant privacy concerns
Account-based check-in apps
- • Store names, emails, and user profiles
- • Require logins and password management
- • Create friction for participants
My Group Online
- ✓ Detects presence only—no location tracking
- ✓ Anonymous by default—optional participant identification only if chosen
- ✓ Works without accounts—frictionless for participants
Why This Matters
Privacy is critical for:
Schools and students
No parent wants their child tracked or profiled. Our privacy-first design respects student safety without surveillance.
Tour guests
Tourists don't want to share personal data or be tracked. We provide headcount without invading privacy.
Youth and community groups
Organizations working with minors need tools that comply with child protection regulations.
Regulated environments
Organizations in Europe, healthcare, and education face strict data protection laws like GDPR and COPPA.
Built for Trust
My Group Online enables group safety and coordination without surveillance.
What We Do Collect
Proximity Data (Bluetooth Only)
Using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), we detect when participants are near the guide based on signal strength. This is proximity detection, not location tracking—we know you're nearby (within Bluetooth range, typically 30-100 feet), not where you are geographically.
Technical details: We measure BLE Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) to estimate proximity. We do not access GPS coordinates, cell tower data, Wi-Fi location, or any other geographic location data. Learn more about Bluetooth.
Device Motion/Activity States (Participants Only)
When broadcasting as a participant, we monitor device motion and activity states (e.g., walking, stationary, in vehicle) to keep your Bluetooth broadcast active in the background. This ensures continuous presence detection when your phone is in your pocket or bag without draining battery. No GPS coordinates or location data are accessed or collected.
Anonymous Identifiers
Each device gets a random, anonymous ID that changes regularly. These IDs cannot be linked to real identities.
Participant Identity Information (Optional)
If you choose to provide your name and phone number when joining a group, this information is visible to the guide only (not other participants) for identification and safety purposes.
- • Fully optional — anonymous by default
- • Auto-deleted after 7 days
- • You can delete immediately anytime from the app
- • Not used for marketing or advertising
Usage Analytics
Basic app performance data to improve reliability (crashes, errors, etc.). This data is anonymized and never sold.
Data Retention
Proximity/Attendance Session Data
Stored only for the duration of the active group session. Once a group is closed, all associated data is permanently deleted within 30 days.
Participant Identity Info (Name/Phone)
Stored for up to 7 days maximum, then automatically deleted. You can delete this information immediately at any time from within the app.
Analytics/Crash Logs
Anonymized performance data retained as needed to improve app reliability.
Your Rights
You have the right to:
- Request deletion of any data associated with your account
- Export your data
- Opt out of analytics
- Close your account at any time