GeoMania — geography quiz app
Last updated: September 2026
GeoMania is a free geography quiz app for Android and iOS, developed by Northlight Apps (Sebastian Rogl, Austria). We take the protection of your personal data seriously and handle it confidentially and in accordance with data protection law (GDPR).
To play GeoMania you sign in with your Google account (Android) or your Apple ID (iOS). There is no way to play without an account, because the leaderboard and the progress backup both require one.
The following is taken from your Google or Apple account:
| Data | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Account identifier (user ID) | Links your progress and your leaderboard entry to you. This identifier is issued by Firebase and is only valid within GeoMania. |
| Email address | Stored with your account by Firebase Authentication so that you can sign in to the same account on another device. We do not store it separately in our database, we do not display it anywhere, and we do not send email to it. |
| Account name | Supplied by Google or Apple during sign-in. GeoMania does not adopt it as your display name — until you choose a name yourself, a placeholder is shown in the leaderboard. Your real name therefore never becomes public without you choosing it. |
When signing in with Apple you can choose “Hide My Email”. In that case we receive an anonymous relay address from Apple instead of your real one.
You choose a display name yourself. It is stored in our database (Firebase Firestore) and is publicly visible to other players in the leaderboard. To keep names unique, it is also reserved in a list of taken names. You can change it at any time under Settings → Change display name; the previous reservation is released when you do.
Your results in the daily challenges are stored in Firebase Firestore together with your user ID and used for the leaderboard. A leaderboard entry contains: user ID, display name, score, the profile picture you selected (an icon from the app, not a photo), your displayed badges, and a timestamp. Leaderboard entries are readable by all signed-in players and are removed after 14 days.
Your progress is backed up to Firebase Firestore, linked to your account, so that it survives a change of device or a reinstall. The backup covers learning-path progress, stars, badges, streaks, records and your portfolio balance.
Settings that belong to the device are not backed up: sound, vibration, language and reminders stay on the device only. Your progress is always also kept on the device itself — the cloud is a backup, not the primary storage. That backup is readable only by you; security rules restrict access to your own account.
The app uses Google AdMob to display ads. AdMob may collect device-related data, including device ID, IP address, approximate location and usage behaviour.
The app uses Google AdMob to display ads. On first launch you are asked whether you consent to personalised advertising (GDPR consent). You can change your ad settings at any time in the app under Settings → Manage ad settings.
More information: Google Privacy Policy
For sign-in, the leaderboard and the progress backup we use Firebase, a service by Google. Specifically:
Server location: our Firestore database is located in the region europe-west3 — Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Display name, leaderboard entries and progress backup are stored there.
Google additionally processes technical data to operate the service and may use servers outside the EU for that. The same applies to Google AdMob (section 4).
You can delete your account at any time directly in the app: Profile → Settings → Delete account. After two confirmation prompts the following is permanently deleted:
This cannot be undone, and nothing is kept. Your progress on the device goes too — were it left behind, it would move into a new account at your next sign-in, making it look as though nothing had been deleted at all. The only things that remain are your device settings: sound, vibration, language and scheduled reminders.
For security reasons Firebase only allows deletion shortly after signing in. If your last sign-in was longer ago, the app tells you so and asks you to sign out and back in once.
If you can no longer get into the app, we will handle the deletion for you: the Delete Account page has full instructions including the email route.
You have the right to access, rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, data portability and objection. Two routes are available directly in the app:
For access requests or any other matter you can reach us at the address in section 10.
All data is transmitted over encrypted connections (HTTPS/TLS). Access to the database is restricted by security rules: only your own account can access your player document and your progress backup.
The app is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13.
Northlight Apps
Sebastian Rogl
Austria
Email: northlightapps@gmx.at