Overview
Overlay Mapping ("we", "us", "our") is operated by lower.technology. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have. It applies to overlaymaps.net and the maps you create with our service.
Information we collect
Account information. Email address and name, collected through our authentication provider.
Map content. The PDF, PNG, or JPEG files you upload, the control points you set when aligning a map, any points of interest you add (titles, descriptions, categories, hours, coordinates), data feed addresses you configure, and the email addresses of people you invite as collaborators. We store a compressed image of each uploaded map; original PDF files are not kept.
Payment information. When you upgrade a map to Pro, our payment processor (Stripe) handles your payment. We store only which maps have been upgraded and any Pro credits on your account — we never see or store your card details.
Request logs. Our application records each request it handles — including IP address, the page or API address requested, response status, and timing — in our hosting provider's logs, which are kept for a limited period for operational and security purposes.
Error reports. When something goes wrong in your browser or on our servers, an error report is sent to our error-monitoring provider. Reports can include the error details, the page address, your browser and device type, and your IP address.
Visitor analytics. For each map, we record hourly counts of map views and taps on points of interest, and for each waypoint QR code, a total scan count and the time of the most recent scan. These counts are not linked to any visitor, device, IP address, or session — only aggregate numbers. Map owners can see these reports on Pro maps.
Location data. The "you are here" feature uses your device's GPS. Your location is processed in your browser and is not transmitted to or stored on our servers. Embedded maps are an exception: when a map is embedded in another website or app, the map shares your location with that website or app so it can respond to where you are. How they use it is governed by their own privacy policy.
How we use your information
- Operate the service — host your maps and render them to your visitors
- Process payments for Pro upgrades
- Read event details from flyers you choose to import, and place addresses you enter on the map
- Respond to support requests
- Maintain security and diagnose issues
- Communicate about your account or material service changes
We do not sell your personal information. We do not use your data to train AI models.
Service providers
We rely on trusted third parties to operate Overlay Mapping:
- Clerk — authentication and account management
- Stripe — payment processing
- Railway — hosting, compute, and request logs
- Cloudflare — DNS, content delivery, and backup storage
- Sentry — error monitoring
- Anthropic — reading text from event flyers, only when you use flyer import
- OpenStreetMap (Nominatim) — converting addresses you enter into map coordinates
Maps also load content directly from third parties, which receive your IP address and browser information as part of the normal request: map imagery from OpenStreetMap, Stadia Maps, and Esri; fonts from Google Fonts; and code libraries from unpkg and cdnjs.
Data retention
We retain your account information and map data while your account is active.
Deleting your account. When you delete your account — from your dashboard, or by asking us to — we immediately remove your account, maps, images, points of interest, analytics, and Pro records from our live systems, and delete your sign-in account with our authentication provider.
Backups. We keep backups so we can recover from failures: daily backups for 7 days, weekly backups for 4 weeks, and monthly backups for 6 months. Deleted data can remain in these backups until they expire, which may take up to six months. Backups are used only to restore the service.
Automatic deletion. Maps created without an account are deleted after 30 days without being edited. Uploads that are never aligned to a location are deleted 30 days after they were uploaded.
Logs, error reports, and payments. Request logs and error reports are kept by our hosting and error-monitoring providers for their standard retention periods. Stripe retains its own payment records as required by law.
Your rights
You can delete your account at any time from the Account section of your dashboard, and export a map's points of interest as GeoJSON from its settings page. To request access to, a copy of, or correction of your personal information, or deletion on your behalf, email [email protected].
California residents have additional rights under the CCPA, including the right to know what personal information we collect, to request deletion, and to opt out of the sale of personal information. We do not sell personal information.
EU and UK residents have rights under the GDPR including access, rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, portability, and objection.
Cookies and local storage
We use only essential cookies: one keeps you signed in, and if you create maps without an account, another (lasting 60 days) lets you return to them. We do not use advertising or tracking cookies.
We also use your browser's storage for small conveniences — remembering tips and messages you have dismissed, remembering your venue's location in the map editor, and counting a map view only once per browser session. The map viewer caches map assets on your device using a service worker so maps work offline. This data stays on your device and can be cleared through your browser.
Children
Overlay Mapping is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.
Security
We take reasonable measures to protect your information, including encryption in transit (HTTPS), restricted access to production systems, and use of reputable service providers. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. Material changes will be announced by email or a prominent notice on overlaymaps.net. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision.
Contact
Questions about this policy or your data? Email [email protected]. A mailing address is available upon request.