Legal
Privacy Policy
What the Customs Finder app and website collect, why, and the choices you have. We have kept it short, because the app is deliberately simple.
Last updated: 18 June 2026
The short version
Customs Finder helps film and TV crews find ATA Carnet customs offices at airports, ports, train stations, and land border crossings. You can use the app without creating an account, without signing in, and without sharing any personal information. You do not need to turn on location to search or read listings.
The only time we receive personal information is when you choose to send it, by submitting updated details about a crossing through the "Provide intel" feature. Everything in that form is optional, and we use it only to check and improve our listings.
We do not sell your data. We do not show third-party ad networks or use advertising trackers. The app is funded by sponsors, not by selling information about you.
Who we are
Customs Finder is operated by Customs Finder Ltd. If you have any questions about this policy or your data, contact us at hello@customsfinder.com.
For the purposes of UK and EU data protection law, Customs Finder Ltd is the data controller for the personal information described here.
Information you choose to share (Provide intel)
When you spot something out of date or want to help other crews, the app lets you submit updated crossing details through the "Provide intel" feature. Every field is optional, and we ask only for what helps us verify and update a listing:
- Details you type, such as a description of where the customs desk is or what has changed.
- A location, if you choose to add one. This can be a map link, a what3words address, or a precise GPS pin you drop. If you choose to drop a pin, the app uses your device location only at that moment to fill it in. We do not track your location in the background or at any other time.
- Photos, if you choose to attach them, for example pictures of signage or the desk.
- A reply email address, if you choose to provide one, so we can follow up with a question about your submission.
We use this information only to review, verify, and update the listings in the app. Submissions are stored in our internal review workspace (currently Notion) so our small team can work through them. We do not publish your email address or use it for marketing.
If you would rather not share any of this, simply do not use the "Provide intel" feature. You can still use the rest of the app fully.
Anonymous "still accurate" signal
Each listing has a way to confirm it is still accurate (a "+1 still accurate" tap). When you tap it, the app sends the listing's ID and a random identifier that is generated on your device when you install the app. This identifier is not linked to your name, email, phone number, or Apple or Google account. We use it only to prevent the same install from confirming the same listing repeatedly, and to show an aggregate freshness signal to other users.
Usage analytics
The app uses lightweight, privacy-respecting analytics to understand how it is performing, to keep it working reliably, and to give our sponsors aggregate, anonymous reporting. We use Expo's EAS Observe service for this.
Two kinds of information are collected:
- Performance metrics, such as how long the app takes to start and become ready to use. This helps us keep the app fast and reliable.
- A small number of anonymous interaction counts about sponsors, namely how often the supporters screen is opened and how often individual sponsor banners and offers are tapped. We record only the sponsor's ID and, where relevant, the listing's ID, so we can give sponsors aggregate, anonymous reporting (for example, how many people tapped their banner).
These events are anonymous and aggregated. They do not include your name, email, phone number, or Apple or Google account, they are not used to build an advertising profile of you, and they are not used to track you across other apps or websites. We keep the data collected to the minimum needed.
Sponsors
Customs Finder is funded by sponsors rather than ads. Sponsor banners and offers are simply content we host and display inside the app. Tapping a sponsor may open their website or contact details in your browser or mail app, at which point that sponsor's own privacy practices apply. We do not pass your personal information to sponsors. Any reporting we give sponsors is aggregate and anonymous, as described above.
Technical information
To deliver fresh listings and sponsor content, the app downloads data files from our hosting provider (Vercel). As with any internet request, our hosting provider may process technical information such as your device's IP address and the time of the request as part of operating and securing the service. We do not use this to identify you, and we do not combine it with the information you submit.
Device permissions
The app may ask for two permissions, and only in connection with the "Provide intel" feature:
- Location (when in use): so you can share where the customs desk is when submitting updated details. Searching and reading listings never requires location.
- Photos: so you can attach photos of signage or desks to your submission.
You can decline either permission and still use the core app. You can change these permissions at any time in your device settings.
Children
Customs Finder is intended for professional and general audiences and is not directed at children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
How long we keep information
We keep intel submissions for as long as needed to review them and maintain accurate listings. Submissions that are no longer useful are deleted. The anonymous accuracy signal is retained only as aggregate counts. Analytics data is kept only as long as needed for the purposes described above.
Service providers
We use a small number of trusted providers to run the service, who process data on our behalf:
- Vercel, for hosting the app's data, the website, and the intel submission endpoint.
- Notion, for storing and reviewing intel submissions internally.
- Expo (EAS Observe), for the anonymous performance and sponsor-interaction analytics described above.
International transfers
We are based in the United Kingdom, and our providers may process data in other countries. Where personal information is transferred internationally, we rely on appropriate safeguards as required by UK and EU data protection law.
Your rights
Depending on where you live, you may have rights over your personal information, including the right to access, correct, or delete it, and to object to or restrict certain processing. Because the app does not require an account, the main personal information we may hold is what you chose to include in an intel submission. To make a request, email us at hello@customsfinder.com and we will respond as required by law. You also have the right to complain to your local data protection authority (in the UK, the Information Commissioner's Office).
Security
We take reasonable measures to protect the information we hold. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we limit what we collect, which keeps your exposure low.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the date at the top and, where appropriate, note the change. The current version will always be available at customsfinder.com/privacy.
Contact
Customs Finder Ltd
Email: hello@customsfinder.com