The short answer


We do not track you continuously. The app only records your location while your See.Sense light is switched on and connected to the app. "Always" permission is required by Android and iOS for one specific reason: so that your ride keeps recording after you lock your phone screen mid-ride.


What "Always" actually grants


"Always" tells the phone that the app is allowed to access location data while it is running in the background — including while your screen is locked. Without "Always," the phone suspends location access the moment you put your phone in your pocket and the screen goes dark, and your ride stops being recorded.


What "Always" does not do

  • It does not mean the app knows where you are 24 hours a day.
  • It does not mean the app is running in the background all the time.
  • The app only opens a GPS session when your light is on and connected via the app. At all other times — when the light is off, out of range, or the app is closed — the app is not recording your location, regardless of what the OS permission says.

What happens if I pick "While using the app" instead?


Your ride will record only while the See.Sense app is open in the foreground. The moment you lock your phone or switch to another app, recording pauses. Most people lock their phone during a ride, which means almost no data is captured. This is the most common cause of "I set a permission but my rides still aren't recording."


How to change the setting

  • iPhone: Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services → See.Sense → Always.
  • Android: Settings → Apps → See.Sense → Permissions → Location → Allow all the time.

On Android 12 and later, you will also see a separate Nearby Devices permission. This is what lets the app find your light over Bluetooth. Please allow it.


I don't want the app to see where I live or work


That's fine — you can create a Privacy Zone. Any part of a ride inside a Privacy Zone is excluded from the data we store about you. See: How do I set up a privacy zone?


Related

  • I can't connect to my lights
  • Why aren't my ride stats updating?
  • How do I set up a privacy zone?
  • When and how does the app collect data?