Scenic Routes & Roadside Stories
Effective May 4, 2026
This policy describes how Winding Way Labs LLC ("we," "us," "our") collects, uses, and protects information when you use our iOS applications (Winding Way, Winding Way Stories, All American Roads, NYC Stories, and Travel Buddy) and our websites (including windingway.app, allamericanroads.com, allamericanroads.app, nystories.app, and newyorkstories.app) — collectively, "the Services."
Account information. When you sign in with Apple, we receive a unique identifier and, if you choose to share it, your name and email address. We use this to create and manage your account. Travel Buddy does not require an account — sessions are anonymous.
Location data. Some features — such as the audio tour guide, live weather, nearby stop suggestions, and Travel Buddy's "Where Am I" and "Travel Trivia" modes — use your device's GPS coordinates while the app is in use. Your device will ask for your permission before location data is accessed for the first time. Location data is processed in real time to deliver these features and is not permanently stored on our servers. You can disable location access in your device settings at any time.
Voice audio. Travel Buddy uses your device's microphone to enable voice conversations with the AI guide. Your voice audio is streamed in real time to our server and forwarded to Google's Gemini AI service for processing (see "Third-Party AI Services" below). Voice audio is not recorded or stored by us — it is processed in real time during your session and discarded when the session ends.
Camera images. In Travel Buddy's "Where Am I" mode, you can photograph landmarks, signs, or landscapes to ask the guide about them. Photos you take are sent to our server and forwarded to Google's Gemini AI service for visual identification. Images are processed in real time and are not stored by us after the session ends.
Trip and content data. When you create trips or save content in the Winding Way or All American Roads apps, that data is stored on our servers so you can access it across sessions. Trip data includes destinations, stops, dates, and any preferences you provide during trip planning.
Usage data. We do not use third-party analytics SDKs. Travel Buddy tracks voice session duration locally on your device (to manage your free usage allowance) — this data is not sent to our servers or any third party.
Travel Buddy uses Google's Gemini AI (provided by Google LLC) to power its voice guide feature. When you use Travel Buddy, the following data is sent to Google's Gemini AI service in real time:
This data is sent to Google's Gemini AI solely to generate real-time voice responses about the places you are visiting or researching. Sessions are ephemeral — data is processed in real time and is not stored by us after the session ends. No user account identifiers, email addresses, or names are sent to Google's Gemini AI. Google's use of this data is governed by Google's Privacy Policy.
The other Winding Way apps (Winding Way, Stories, All American Roads) also use Google's Gemini AI to generate trip content, guidebook text, and audio tour scripts. Data shared with Gemini for these features is limited to trip destinations, stop names, and coordinates — no personal data such as voice, images, or account information is sent.
The Apps use additional third-party services to deliver functionality:
Data shared with these services is limited to what is necessary for each feature — typically location coordinates or place names. These services are governed by their own privacy policies.
We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for advertising purposes.
All payments are processed through Apple's App Store. We do not collect or store payment information. Subscription management is handled entirely by Apple.
You can delete your account and all associated data at any time from within the app. Account deletion is permanent and removes all trip data, preferences, and account information from our servers. Travel Buddy sessions are not linked to an account and leave no persistent data on our servers.
The Apps are not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.
We use industry-standard security measures to protect your information, including encrypted data transmission (TLS) and secure server infrastructure. All data sent between your device, our servers, and third-party services is transmitted over encrypted connections. No method of electronic storage is completely secure, but we take reasonable steps to protect your data.
We may update this policy from time to time. Material changes will be communicated through the Services or on this page. Your continued use of the Services after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
If you have questions about this privacy policy or your data, contact us at contact@windingway.app.