Surge Map – Privacy Policy

Surge Map – Privacy Policy

Effective date: 10 May 2026
App: Surge Map
Developer: Design Asylum
Contact: designasylum.com.au/contact

Overview

Surge Map is an Android application that helps rideshare drivers identify areas of high demand by reading surge pricing data. This Privacy Policy explains what information the app collects, how it is used, and how it is stored.

We are committed to protecting your privacy. Surge Map does not sell, share, or transmit your personal data to any third party.

Information We Collect

Uber Session Cookie

To retrieve surge pricing data, Surge Map requires you to sign in with your Uber rider account. During the login process, the app captures and stores your Uber session authentication cookie locally on your device. This cookie is used solely to make authenticated requests to Uber’s pricing API on your behalf.

  • The cookie is stored in your device’s local app storage (SharedPreferences)
  • It is never transmitted to Design Asylum or any third-party server
  • It is only sent directly to Uber’s own API endpoints (m.uber.com) during surge data requests
  • It is cleared when you sign out of the app

Location Data

Surge Map requests access to your device’s location (fine location permission) in order to centre the surge grid and pin monitoring on your current position.

  • Location data is used only within the app to determine nearby pins and grid placement
  • Your location is never stored beyond the current app session
  • Your location is never transmitted to Design Asylum or any third party

User Pins and Settings

Pins you add to the map and your app settings (refresh interval, saved locations, etc.) are stored locally on your device using Android’s SharedPreferences storage. This data never leaves your device unless you use the in-app backup export feature, which saves a file to your device’s local storage only.

How Your Data Is Used

All data collected by Surge Map is used exclusively to provide the app’s core functionality:

  • Your Uber session cookie is used to query Uber’s pricing API for surge multiplier data
  • Your location is used to position the surge grid and sort nearby pins by distance
  • Your saved pins and settings are used to personalise your monitoring experience

Surge Map does not use your data for advertising, analytics, profiling, or any purpose beyond operating the app’s features.

Third-Party Services

Surge Map makes direct HTTPS requests to Uber’s pricing API (m.uber.com) using your authenticated session. These requests are subject to Uber’s own Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Surge Map is an independent tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Uber Technologies in any way.

Surge Map uses Google Maps SDK for Android to render the map interface. Google Maps is subject to Google’s Privacy Policy (policies.google.com/privacy).

Data Storage and Security

All app data — including your Uber session cookie, location history, saved pins, and settings — is stored locally on your device using Android’s standard app storage mechanisms. This data is sandboxed to the app and is not accessible to other apps on your device.

No data is transmitted to or stored on any Design Asylum server.

Data Retention

App data is retained on your device until you:

  • Sign out of the app (clears your Uber session cookie)
  • Delete individual pins or clear all pins via the Settings screen
  • Uninstall the app (clears all locally stored app data)

Children’s Privacy

Surge Map is intended for use by adult rideshare drivers. The app is not directed at children under the age of 13 and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

Your Rights

Because Surge Map stores all data locally on your device and does not transmit it to any Design Asylum server, you have full control over your data at all times. You can delete your data at any time by clearing pins in the app’s Settings screen or by uninstalling the app.

If you have any questions or concerns about your privacy, please contact us at designasylum.com.au/contact.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Continued use of the app after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Design Asylum — St Kilda, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
designasylum.com.au