Privacy Policy
Photo Heat Map is a free browser extension that shows your own Google Photos library as a heat map on a map. This policy explains exactly what it does and does not do with your data.
The short version
- Everything stays on your computer. Your photo locations are stored only in your browser's local storage (IndexedDB) on your own device.
- The extension has no servers. The developer does not receive, see, or store any of your photo data. There is no account, no login to us, and no analytics. The feature request board on the website is separate and is described at the end of this policy.
- We never sell or share your data. There is nobody to share it with.
What data the extension handles
To draw the map, the extension reads, from your own signed-in Google Photos session:
- Photo and video location coordinates and place names
- Photo and video identifiers (media keys) and thumbnail URLs
- Capture timestamps
This information is read using your existing Google session, the same way the Google Photos website itself reads it. It is used solely to render your map and photo grid.
Where the data goes
- Stored locally only. The above data is written to IndexedDB in your browser and never leaves your device.
- Network requests are limited to three destinations:
- google.com / photos.google.com, to read your own library, using your own session. This is a request to Google, not to us.
- OpenStreetMap tile servers, to fetch the background map images. These requests contain only the map area you are viewing (standard for any web map) and no photo data. OpenStreetMap's tile policy asks every app that uses their servers to identify itself, and if they refuse to draw the background the map offers to start naming the extension in those requests. The name they would receive is “PhotoHeatMap” and a link to this website. It says nothing about you.
- photon.komoot.io, only when you use the place search. Typing three or more characters into that box sends those words, and nothing else, to Photon, a place search built on OpenStreetMap data and run by Komoot, which answers with matching places. No photo data, no photo locations and no map position go with it, and no cookies are attached. Leave the search box alone and it is never called.
- No data is ever sent to the developer or to any third-party analytics, advertising, or tracking service.
Your control over the data
- The extension provides a “Wipe local data” button that permanently deletes everything it has stored on your device.
- Uninstalling the extension also removes its local storage.
- The extension never modifies, deletes, or uploads anything in your Google Photos account. It only reads.
Permissions and why they are needed
- Host access to photos.google.com, to read your own library locations.
- Host access to tile.openstreetmap.org, to attach the name above to map tile requests. Optional: the map asks for it only if OpenStreetMap starts refusing the background, and never reads anything with it.
- Storage, to cache locations locally so the map opens instantly and does not re-download every time.
Third-party services
The background map imagery is served by OpenStreetMap tile servers. To draw the map, your browser requests the map tiles for the area you are currently viewing. This reveals only which part of the world map is on screen (standard for any web map) and contains no photo data, photo locations, or personal information.
The place search is answered by Photon (photon.komoot.io), a place search built on OpenStreetMap data and run by Komoot. It receives the words you type into the search box, and only when you type them. No other third-party service is contacted, and neither of these is given anything identifying you or your photos beyond the IP address any web request carries.
The feature request board on the website
Everything above describes the extension and is unchanged. The feature request board at googlephotosheatmap.com is part of the website, and a shared board does need a server. It is worth being exact about what that means.
- It cannot see your library. The board and the extension never talk to each other. No photo, location, place name or Google session is involved in posting or voting.
- What is stored: the text you type, and a random identifier your own browser generates so it can remember which requests you have already upvoted. No name, no email, no account, and no cookies.
- Your IP address is used only to rate limit. It is stored as a salted hash, the salt changes every day, it is never kept beside your request, and the rows are deleted after 24 hours.
- Nothing appears publicly until it is read. New requests are held for approval, so the board cannot be used to publish anything.
- No third parties. The board runs on the same server as this page. There is no captcha service and no analytics; the check that you are a person is a small puzzle your own browser solves, which sends nothing to anyone.
- Removal: ask through the Chrome Web Store listing and a request will be deleted.
Contact
Photo Heat Map is published by SyskStudio. Questions about this policy can be directed to the developer via the Chrome Web Store listing.