01Who is responsible
ModelCast is published by JaakkoT (“we”, “us”). JaakkoT is responsible for the personal data processing described in this policy that we determine. Contact us at jaakko_tolonen@hotmail.com for support or privacy questions.
This policy covers the free, advertising-supported ModelCast iOS app, its widget and this support website. No ModelCast account is required to use the app.
02Location and weather requests
If you allow location access, ModelCast uses your device’s location to show the forecast and available official weather warnings for that place. You can instead search for a place or select one on the map. You can change location permission, including precise location access, in iOS Settings.
Forecast requests send the selected coordinates to our weather service hosted by Cloudflare. Cloudflare receives the original request, including the IP address and coordinates. Before requesting forecast data from Open-Meteo, the service rounds the coordinates to an approximately five-kilometre forecast cell. This rounding does not prevent Cloudflare from receiving the original coordinates.
Apple services provide maps, place search and place names. Those services may receive search terms, location information and connection data needed to respond. Official warning requests may go directly to the Finnish Meteorological Institute, MeteoAlarm or the US National Weather Service, depending on the region. US warning requests include the selected coordinates; national feed requests identify the country or feed. These services receive normal network request information, including IP addresses.
03Advertisements and consent
ModelCast uses Google AdMob and Google’s User Messaging Platform to display advertisements and manage advertising privacy choices. This version requests non-personalized ads. ModelCast does not include the selected weather coordinates in ad requests or request cross-app tracking permission.
Non-personalized ads still involve data processing. Depending on permissions, consent and service settings, Google’s advertising SDK may process your IP address (and infer an approximate location), device or app-scoped identifiers, advertising interactions, crash information and performance information. These help deliver and measure advertisements, limit repeated ads, improve the service and prevent fraud.
Where required, you are shown consent choices before advertisements are requested. You can decline consent and still use the weather forecast. To revisit your choices, open Settings → Privacy and support → Advertising privacy choices in ModelCast when this option is available. Your decision can affect which ads are available or whether any ad is shown.
Read Google’s Privacy Policy and how Google uses information from apps that use its services.
04Data on your device
App settings, selected places and cached forecasts are stored on your device. The widget reads a local weather cache shared with the app. Optional diagnostic logs can contain location-related information. ModelCast does not automatically send these app diagnostic logs to the publisher; you choose whether to share them when requesting help. The advertising SDK’s own diagnostics are described above.
You can remove saved places and change settings in the app. Deleting the app removes its app data as managed by iOS; offloading the app can retain data. Shared widget data, exported files and device backups may need to be managed separately.
05Support messages and this website
If you email jaakko_tolonen@hotmail.com, we receive your email address, message and any attachments you send. We use these to respond to your request, investigate the reported issue and keep relevant support correspondence. Email is handled through Microsoft’s email service. Send only information needed for the request and avoid unnecessary personal details in screenshots or logs.
This website does not include advertising scripts, analytics scripts or a contact form, and its pages do not set cookies or use browser storage. Cloudflare hosts the site and processes network information, such as IP address and requested page, to deliver and protect it. Following an external link or opening your email app is subject to the relevant provider’s privacy practices.
06Why data is processed
We process the information needed to provide the forecast and support you request. Where EU or UK data protection law applies, this is based on providing the service you request; optional device location access and advertising processing that requires consent are based on your consent. You can withdraw consent without affecting processing that was lawful before withdrawal.
We also have a legitimate interest in keeping the service available and secure, diagnosing failures and preventing abuse. We may retain or disclose information when required by law or necessary to address legal claims. Service providers may act as processors or as separate controllers for their own purposes, as described in their notices.
07Retention and service providers
Settings and saved places remain on your device until you change or remove them. Forecasts are normally reused for 30 minutes; the weather service can retain a forecast cache entry for up to six hours to handle temporary outages. This cache interval does not describe the retention of network or security logs.
We retain support correspondence only for as long as needed to handle the request and related follow-up, or to meet legal obligations. Infrastructure, advertising and email providers apply their own retention periods to the data they process. For example, Open-Meteo’s published policy describes deleting individual API logs after 90 days; see its policy for details.
Our service providers operate internationally, so information may be processed outside your country, including outside the EEA or UK. Their privacy notices explain processing locations, retention and safeguards for international transfers. You can contact us for information about the providers used for your request.
08Your privacy choices and rights
You can use manual place selection instead of device location and change location permissions in iOS Settings. Advertising consent can be changed from ModelCast’s privacy settings when the option is available. Refusing advertising consent does not prevent you from using forecasts.
Depending on the law that applies to you, you may request access to, correction or deletion of personal data, restriction of processing, or a portable copy of data. You may also object to processing based on legitimate interests. Contact jaakko_tolonen@hotmail.com to make a request. We may need information to verify your request and identify the data involved. Data kept only on your device may not be accessible to us.
You may complain to your local data protection authority. In Finland, this is the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman.
09Children and policy updates
ModelCast is a general-audience weather app and is not specifically directed at children. If you believe a child has provided personal information to us, contact jaakko_tolonen@hotmail.com so that we can investigate and take appropriate action.
We may update this policy when the app or its services change. The date at the top of this page identifies the latest revision. Material changes that require a new choice will be presented in the app where required.