Privacy Policy

Last Updated: January 16, 2026

NICKD ("we," "our," or "us") provides an Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) tool designed to assist in the recovery of stolen property. This policy outlines how we handle data with a strict focus on user safety and privacy.

1. Data Collection & Permissions

The app requires specific permissions to function. Here is exactly how they are used:

Camera (Visual Analysis): We use the camera to scan vehicle license plates in real-time. We do NOT record continuous video footage. We do not capture faces or pedestrians. The camera feed is analyzed locally on your device using Google ML Kit.
Location & Telemetry: When a license plate matches a confirmed "Stolen" entry, we collect:
- Precise GPS Coordinates
- Time of Sighting
- Estimated Vehicle Speed & Direction of Travel

2. The "Double-Blind" Safety System

NICKD operates under a strict "Double-Blind" architecture to prevent stalking, harassment, and vigilantism:

No Personal Tracking: Users cannot search for specific people or license plates. You cannot use this app to track a partner, employee, or neighbor.
Status-Only Output: The app only returns a binary status: "CLEAN" (Green) or "STOLEN" (Red). It never displays the personal details (Name, Address) of the vehicle owner to the finder.

3. Restricted Access to Tactical Data

While the app collects real-time traffic information (Speed/Heading) on stolen assets, access to this data is strictly tiered:

⚠️ RESTRICTED ACCESS:
Real-time telemetry, speed tracking, and live route history are accessible ONLY to NICKD Administrators and authorized Law Enforcement (Victoria Police).

The user who detects the vehicle (the "Finder") does NOT see this live tracking data to prevent dangerous pursuit scenarios.

4. Data Storage & Third-Party Processors

We use industry-standard third-party services to process and store data securely:

Google Firebase (Firestore & Auth): Used for secure user authentication and storing the database of active stolen vehicle reports.
Google ML Kit: Used for on-device Optical Character Recognition (OCR). This processing happens instantly on your phone and does not send images to the cloud for analysis.

5. Data Retention

"Clean" Scans: Data regarding vehicles that are not reported stolen is discarded immediately after processing. We do not build a history of general traffic movements.
"Stolen" Hits: Data regarding confirmed stolen vehicles is retained until the vehicle is recovered or the case is closed.

6. Contact Us

If you have questions about this policy or wish to request the deletion of your account/data, please contact us at:

contact@nickd.com.au