Privacy Policy

Last updated: April 7, 2026

Localista: Spain Expat News ("we", "our", or "the app") is a news aggregation app that helps expats and residents in Spain stay informed about local news, government updates, and community events. This policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and your rights.

1. Information We Collect

Account Data: When you create an account, we collect your email address, username, and a securely hashed password. We do not store your password in plaintext.

User Preferences: Notification preferences, language settings, saved locations, and saved neighborhoods you configure within the app are stored on our servers and associated with your account.

Push Notification Tokens: If you enable push notifications, we store your device's Firebase Cloud Messaging token to deliver notifications.

Guest Mode: If you use the app as a guest, we do not collect any personal data. News content is accessible without an account.

2. How We Use Your Data

• To provide personalized news feeds based on your saved locations and category preferences
• To send push notifications for emergency alerts and news updates (with your permission)
• To sync your preferences across sessions when signed in

3. News Content

Localista aggregates publicly available news from Spanish government websites, news outlets, and RSS feeds. We do not create original news content. All articles link to their original sources. News content is processed by AI for translation and categorization purposes only.

4. What We Do NOT Do

• We do not sell, rent, or share your personal data with third parties
• We do not use advertising or ad-tracking SDKs
• We do not collect location data from your device (city selection is manual)
• We do not use your data for profiling or marketing
• We do not track your reading habits or article interactions

5. Third-Party Services

The app uses the following third-party services, each governed by their own privacy policies:

• Google Firebase (Cloud Messaging, Analytics, Crashlytics) — Firebase Privacy Policy

6. Data Storage & Security

Your account data and preferences are stored on our secure servers. All communication between the app and our servers uses HTTPS encryption. Access to your data is restricted to your authenticated account.

7. Data Retention & Deletion

Your data is retained for as long as your account exists. You can delete your account at any time from the Settings screen in the app. When you delete your account:

• Your user profile and email are permanently deleted
• Your saved locations, neighborhoods, and preferences are removed
• Your push notification token is deleted

All data is removed within 30 days of account deletion. You may also request deletion by contacting us directly.

8. Children's Privacy

Localista is rated 4+ and contains only news content. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will delete it.

9. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate data
• Delete your account and all associated data
• Opt out of push notifications at any time via Settings

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated date. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance.

11. Contact

If you have questions about this privacy policy or your data, contact us at:

luxextenebries@gmail.com