Privacy Policy

Introduction

Lost Theory ("we," "us," or "our"), located in La Jolla, California, operates the Sacred Steps: Ohenro mobile application (the "App"). This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use the App.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring transparency about our data practices. We designed Sacred Steps: Ohenro with a privacy-first philosophy: your personal data stays on your device, and we collect as little information as possible.

Information We Collect

Health and Fitness Data

Sacred Steps: Ohenro uses Apple HealthKit to read your step count and walking distance data. This data is used solely to track your virtual pilgrimage progress within the App.

• Step count data is read from HealthKit to calculate your virtual walking distance along the Shikoku pilgrimage route.
• Walking distance data may be read to provide accurate progress tracking.
• All health data processing occurs entirely on your device.
• We do not use HealthKit data for advertising, marketing, or any purpose other than providing core App functionality.
• HealthKit data is never shared with third parties under any circumstances.

Pilgrimage Progress Data

The App stores your pilgrimage progress locally on your device, including:

• Current stage and temple progress
• Unlocked content, wisdom teachings, and temple stamps
• Daily activity streaks and achievement history
• Hydration tracking data (if enabled)
• Journey mode preference (Free Walk or Pilgrim)
• App settings and preferences

No Account Required

Sacred Steps: Ohenro does not require you to create an account, provide an email address, or submit any personal identifying information to use the App. You can enjoy the full pilgrimage experience without sharing any personal data with us.

iCloud Sync (CloudKit)

If you choose to enable iCloud sync, your pilgrimage progress data is synced across your devices using Apple's CloudKit service. This feature is entirely optional.

• CloudKit data is protected by Apple's end-to-end encryption.
• Synced data is stored in your personal iCloud account, which only you control.
• We do not have access to your CloudKit data. Apple's infrastructure ensures that only you can read your synced pilgrimage progress.
• You can disable iCloud sync at any time through your device's Settings.

Third-Party Analytics and Tracking

We do not integrate with any third-party services that collect or process user data, including but not limited to:

• No Google Analytics, Firebase Analytics, or similar analytics platforms
• No Facebook SDK, advertising identifiers, or social media trackers
• No crash reporting services that transmit personal information
• No third-party data brokers or data enrichment services

Data Sharing and Sale

We do not sell, rent, lease, or trade your personal information to any third party, for any reason, under any circumstances. This includes:

• We do not sell your data to advertisers or data brokers.
• We do not share your data with third-party marketing companies.
• We do not monetize your personal information in any way.
• We do not provide your data to any government entity except as required by law.

Data Storage and Security

Your data is stored using the following mechanisms:

• On-Device Storage: All pilgrimage progress and settings are stored locally on your device using Apple's Core Data and SwiftData frameworks, protected by your device's built-in encryption.
• iCloud (Optional): If enabled, progress data is synced via Apple CloudKit with end-to-end encryption. We have no access to this data.
• HealthKit: Step and distance data remains within Apple's HealthKit sandbox and is never exported from your device by the App.

We rely on Apple's platform security features, including hardware encryption, secure enclave, and App Sandbox, to protect your data at rest and in transit.

Data Retention

Because all data is stored locally on your device (and optionally in your personal iCloud account), data retention is entirely under your control. Your data persists as long as the App is installed on your device or until you choose to delete it.

Data Deletion

You have full control over your data and can delete it at any time:

• Delete App Data: Uninstalling Sacred Steps: Ohenro from your device removes all locally stored pilgrimage progress, settings, and cached data.
• Delete iCloud Data: To remove synced data from iCloud, go to your device's Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage, and delete the Sacred Steps: Ohenro data. Alternatively, use the factory reset option within the App's settings to clear all iCloud-synced data.
• Revoke HealthKit Access: To revoke the App's access to HealthKit, go to Settings > Health > Data Access & Devices > Sacred Steps: Ohenro, and toggle off all permissions.

If you need assistance with data deletion, please contact us at support@losttheory.app and we will provide guidance.

Children's Privacy

Sacred Steps: Ohenro is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. Because the App does not require account creation and does not collect personal data, there is minimal risk of inadvertent collection of children's data.

Notifications

If you grant notification permissions, the App may send local push notifications for temple completions, milestones, and pilgrimage reminders. These notifications are generated entirely on your device and are not sent through any external server. You can manage or disable notifications at any time through your device's Settings or by selecting "Free Walk" mode within the App for a distraction-free experience.

Walking Groups

If you choose to participate in walking groups, certain information is stored in Apple's CloudKit public database, which means it is visible to other users of the App who are members of the same group. The specific data shared includes:

• Your chosen display name
• Your current temple/stage number
• Your total distance progress
• Group membership and activity status

This data is transmitted and stored entirely through Apple's CloudKit infrastructure. We do not operate any separate servers for walking group data. Apple's CloudKit is governed by Apple's Privacy Policy.

Participation in walking groups is entirely optional. You can leave any group at any time, which removes your data from that group's shared view. To delete all walking group data associated with your account, you can leave all groups within the App or contact us at support@losttheory.app for assistance.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the App or applicable laws. When we make material changes, we will update the "Effective Date" at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify you through the App. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you (in our case, we hold none on our servers)
• Request correction or deletion of your data
• Object to or restrict certain data processing activities
• Data portability

Because Sacred Steps: Ohenro stores all data locally on your device and does not maintain any user data on our servers, you already have complete access to and control over your information.

California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) provides you with specific rights regarding your personal information. We wish to inform you that:

• We do not sell personal information.
• We do not collect personal information beyond what is stored locally on your device.
• We do not share personal information with third parties for their direct marketing purposes.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

Lost Theory
La Jolla, CA
Email: support@losttheory.app