📡 Echo AI Local

Privacy Policy

Effective Date: September 16, 2026  ·  Last Updated: September 16, 2026

Echo AI Local ("the App") is a disaster relief communication application developed by Akash Kumar ("Developer," "we," "us," or "our"). The App enables offline peer-to-peer communication, SOS distress signaling, and on-device AI assistance during natural disasters and emergencies when traditional communication infrastructure is unavailable.

This Privacy Policy explains what information the App collects, how it is used, and your rights regarding that information. By using the App, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide

• Display Name: A name or alias you choose when setting up your profile, used to identify you on the mesh network.
• Role: Your self-assigned role (e.g., Volunteer, First Responder).
• Chat Messages: Text messages you send via the mesh network or cloud sync, including alert messages.
• SOS Requests: Distress reports you create, including injury type, severity level, and a text description of the emergency.

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Device Location (GPS): With your explicit permission, the App collects your latitude and longitude to tag SOS requests and share your position with nearby rescuers on the offline map.
• Device Identifier: A randomly generated unique node ID is assigned to your device for mesh network identification. This is not tied to your Google account, phone number, or any personal identifier.
• Network State: The App checks whether your device has internet connectivity to determine whether to sync data to the cloud server.

1.3 Information We Do NOT Collect

2. How We Use Your Information

Data	Purpose
Display Name & Role	Identify users within the mesh network so responders can coordinate
GPS Location	Tag SOS requests with coordinates; display users on the offline map for search & rescue
Chat Messages	Enable peer-to-peer and group communication during emergencies
SOS Requests	Broadcast distress signals to nearby devices and sync to the cloud for wider coordination
Device Node ID	Route messages across the mesh network and prevent duplicate data via CRDT sync
Network State	Trigger automatic cloud synchronization when internet connectivity is restored

3. On-Device AI Processing

The App includes an on-device AI assistant powered by a locally downloaded language model (processed via MediaPipe). All AI inference runs entirely on your device.

4. Peer-to-Peer Mesh Network

The App uses Google Nearby Connections API to create an offline peer-to-peer mesh network over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct. This enables communication when cellular and internet infrastructure is down.

• Data shared over the mesh includes: your display name, role, location (if granted), chat messages, and SOS requests.
• This data is transmitted directly between nearby devices — it does not pass through any third-party server when offline.
• The mesh network uses short-lived, randomly generated endpoint IDs that change each session.

5. Cloud Synchronization

When internet connectivity is available, the App synchronizes data (SOS requests, messages, and user node records) with our cloud server via encrypted gRPC connections. This enables:

• Cross-region coordination between mesh networks that cannot directly communicate.
• Data persistence so that relief information is not lost if a device is damaged.

Our cloud server is hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS) infrastructure. Data transmitted to the server includes only the information described in Section 1 — no additional data is collected during sync.

6. Permissions We Request

Permission	Why It's Needed
Location (Fine & Coarse)	Tag SOS requests with GPS coordinates; show your position on the offline map
Bluetooth (Scan, Connect, Advertise)	Discover and connect to nearby devices for the offline mesh network
Wi-Fi (Access & Change State)	Establish Wi-Fi Direct connections for high-bandwidth mesh data transfer
Nearby Wi-Fi Devices	Required by Google Nearby Connections API for device discovery
Internet & Network State	Cloud sync when connectivity is restored; download the AI model
Storage (API ≤ 28 only)	Cache offline map tiles for OSMDroid on older Android versions

7. Data Storage & Retention

• On-Device: All data (messages, SOS requests, user profiles) is stored locally in an encrypted Room database on your device. You can clear this data at any time by clearing the App's data or uninstalling it.
• Cloud Server: Synced data is retained on our AWS server for as long as the disaster relief operation is active. Data is periodically purged after the relief period ends.
• AI Model: The downloaded language model file is stored on your device's local storage and can be deleted by clearing the App's data.

8. Data Sharing & Third Parties

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal data with any third parties for marketing or advertising purposes.

Your data may be shared in the following limited circumstances:

• Mesh Network Peers: Data you create (messages, SOS requests, your display name and location) is shared with other devices on the mesh network — this is the core functionality of the App.
• Cloud Server (AWS): When online, your data syncs to our server for cross-network coordination. We use Amazon Web Services for hosting.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, regulation, or valid legal process.

Third-Party SDKs

SDK	Purpose	Data Accessed
Google Nearby Connections	Offline mesh networking	Bluetooth & Wi-Fi for device discovery only
Google Play Services Location	GPS coordinates	Device location (with user permission)
OSMDroid	Offline maps	Cached map tiles (no personal data)
MediaPipe	On-device AI inference	None (runs fully offline)

9. Children's Privacy

The App is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

10. Data Security

We implement reasonable security measures to protect your information:

• Cloud sync uses gRPC with protocol buffer serialization for efficient and structured data transport.
• On-device data is stored in a local Room database accessible only to the App.
• Mesh network connections use Google Nearby Connections' built-in encryption.
• No passwords or authentication tokens are stored — the App uses anonymous device node IDs.

11. Your Rights & Choices

• Location Permission: You can deny or revoke location access at any time through Android Settings. The App will still function for messaging but cannot tag SOS requests with coordinates.
• Delete Your Data: Clear the App's data or uninstall it to remove all locally stored information.
• Opt Out of Cloud Sync: The App only syncs when internet is available. In fully offline mode, no data leaves your device except through the local mesh network.
• Request Data Deletion: Contact us at the email below to request deletion of any data stored on our cloud server.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be reflected on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of the App after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact Us