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Legal & Data Protection

Privacy Policy for The Last Signal

Application:The Last Signal (Mobile & Web)

Android Package Name: com.nasa.lastsignal

Developer: The Last Signal Team

Effective Date: October 21, 2026

1. Overview

The Last Signal(“we”, “our”, or “us”) is an independent educational, historical, and memorial application dedicated to the robotic explorers left behind on Mars and the Moon. This Privacy Policy informs users of our mobile application (available on Google Play under package identifier com.nasa.lastsignal) and our official web platforms (https://thelastsignal.mtas.fi and https://the-last-signal-theta.vercel.app) regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of Personal Information.

By installing, accessing, or using the Service, you consent to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

2. Information We Collect

A. User-Provided Information

  • Account Credentials (Google Sign-In): When you sign in using Google, we receive your Google display name, email address, and profile photo URL via Firebase Authentication. We use this to authenticate your identity and display your avatar next to your tributes.
  • Tribute Messages: Public messages, memorials, and comments you transmit to the memorial downlink wall. These are stored securely in Google Cloud Firestore and made visible to other visitors.

B. Automatically Collected Data

  • Device & Telemetry Information: Operating system version, device model, app version, screen dimensions, and performance diagnostics to ensure smooth 60 FPS 3D flight and rover simulation rendering.
  • Log & Crash Data: In case of an unexpected crash or network error, anonymous diagnostic stack traces may be collected via Expo Application Services (EAS) to remedy technical defects.

C. Local Storage

Game saves, flight pilot journals, star ratings, radar telemetry calibration, audio/sound preferences, and uncollected echo locations are stored locally on your device via AsyncStorage / local storage. This game progress never leaves your device unless synced with your account.

3. How We Use Information

  • To provide and maintain the spaceflight simulations and memorial archive.
  • To display verified explorer tributes on the planetary memorial transmission wall.
  • To moderate transmissions, prevent spam, block abusive/offensive language, and enforce rate-limiting cooldowns (such as the 60-second transmission interval).
  • To remember pilot achievements, flight logs, and discovered exploration sites.
  • To detect, prevent, and mitigate security threats and software bugs.

4. Third-Party Service Providers

We employ reputable third-party infrastructure providers to facilitate our Service. These providers have access to your information only to perform specific tasks on our behalf and are obligated not to disclose or use it for any other purpose:

5. Children’s Privacy (COPPA)

The Last Signal is built for educational and historical exploration of space missions. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from children under the age of 13. If a parent or guardian becomes aware that their child has provided personal information without consent, please contact us immediately, and we will promptly remove such information from our servers.

6. Account Deletion and Data Retention (Google Play Compliance)

In compliance with the Google Play User Data & Account Deletion Policy and international privacy regulations (including GDPR), we provide both an immediate self-service web tool and a direct manual submission channel for users to delete their account and associated data without requiring app reinstallation.

Official Account & Data Deletion Options:

Users can delete their account and associated personal data at any time via two official pathways:

  • In-App Deletion Path (Android): Open The Last Signal mobile app → go to About → scroll to Legal & Account Data → tap Delete Account & Data.
  • Web-Based Deletion URL (No App Required): Access our public account deletion portal below, allowing deletion without opening or reinstalling the mobile app:
https://the-last-signal-theta.vercel.app/delete-account

Method 1: Instant Self-Service

Sign in with Google on our deletion page and confirm. Your Firebase Auth account, Firestore user profile, and all memorial transmissions are permanently deleted in real-time.

Method 2: Manual Request (Email)

Email privacy@thelastsignal.mtas.fi with subject “Account Deletion Request - com.nasa.lastsignal”. We verify ownership and purge all records within 30 days.

What data is deleted:

  • Google display name, email address, and profile photo URL.
  • All public memorial messages, tributes, and comments authored by the user in Cloud Firestore.
  • Rate-limiting timestamps and cooldown tracking data.
  • Firebase Authentication credentials.

What data is retained:

No personal data is retained following account deletion. Anonymous, aggregate crash metrics (without identifying device IDs, IP addresses, or accounts) may be retained purely for system stability.

7. Data Security

We value your trust. We implement robust, industry-standard administrative and technical safeguards, including encryption in transit (HTTPS / TLS 1.3) and strict Firestore Security Rules that enforce database-level authorization and validation.

8. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy periodically. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. We advise you to review this page periodically for any updates.

9. Contact Us

If you have questions, feedback, or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or your data, please contact us at:

The Last Signal Team

Website: https://thelastsignal.mtas.fi

Email: privacy@thelastsignal.mtas.fi

Account Deletion: https://the-last-signal-theta.vercel.app/delete-account

Terms of Service: https://the-last-signal-theta.vercel.app/terms