Yes, your privacy is our top priority. Here's exactly what we do:

• Location Obfuscation: Your precise location is randomized before transmission. We don't store your exact GPS coordinates.
• No Personal Data: We don't collect your name, phone number, email, age, or any identifying information.
• Anonymous Reporting: Each symptom report is completely anonymous and cannot be traced back to you.
• No Data Selling: We never sell, share, or monetize your data. Period.

Browser Permission: When you report symptoms, your browser will ask for location permission. This is needed so we can map your report to your local area. The location is immediately obfuscated and randomized before leaving your device.

That's a fair question. Let's be transparent about both the strengths and limitations:

Why Aggregate Data Matters: However, when you look at patterns across thousands of reports, meaningful trends emerge. Think of it like weather forecasting—individual weather station reports might vary slightly, but together they create an accurate picture of approaching storms.

Early Warning Value: SneezeMap shows where symptoms are emerging now, while official testing data shows where COVID was (often delayed by days or weeks). This early signal is valuable for community awareness, even if individual reports vary.

Complementary, Not Replacement: SneezeMap is designed to complement official surveillance, not replace it. Use both sources together for the complete picture.

Why We Need It: Your location allows us to map your symptom report to your local area. This is the whole point—showing your neighbors what's happening in your community right now.

How It's Protected:

• Your browser asks for permission before sharing location—you control this entirely
• Location data is randomized (obfuscated) before being sent to our servers
• We store location at the neighborhood/district level, not precise GPS coordinates
• Reports cannot be traced back to your specific address

You're in Control: You can deny location permission in your browser settings, and SneezeMap will still work (though with less precise local mapping). The choice is always yours.

Great question. Here's how they differ:

Bottom Line: They're complementary. Use SneezeMap for early community signals and hyperlocal awareness. Use official trackers for confirmed case counts. Together, they give you the complete picture.

Yes, SneezeMap remains an active platform. Built during the COVID-19 pandemic as a grassroots initiative, it continues to operate as a community-powered disease surveillance tool.

Our Commitment: We're committed to maintaining and improving SneezeMap for as long as it provides value to communities. The platform is maintained by a global community of contributors who believe in transparent, democratized health data.

Future Direction: We're continuously working to improve the platform based on community feedback. This includes better visualization tools, improved mobile experience, and expanded data interpretation resources.

Community-Driven: SneezeMap evolves based on what communities need. Have suggestions? We'd love to hear them.

We love community contributors! Here are ways to get involved:

• Report Symptoms: Your reports are the foundation of SneezeMap
• Share with Your Community: Tell friends, family, and neighbors about the platform
• Provide Feedback: Share your ideas for improvements in our community discussions
• Spread Awareness: Share on social media and help grow participation in your area
• Technical Contributions: Developers and designers can contribute to improving the platform

Join Our Community: The more people participating in your area, the more accurate and valuable your local data becomes. Every contribution matters.

Supported Browsers:

• Chrome (desktop and mobile)
• Safari (desktop and mobile)
• Edge (desktop)
• Firefox (mobile recommended; desktop version may have location issues)

Mobile-First Design: SneezeMap works great on phones and tablets. The mobile experience is fully optimized for on-the-go symptom reporting.

Known Issue: Firefox desktop users may experience location accuracy challenges. We recommend using Firefox mobile or switching to Chrome/Safari for the best desktop experience. We're working on improving Firefox compatibility.

Reading the Map:

• Color Intensity: Darker/more intense colors indicate higher density of symptom reports in that area
• Zoom Levels: Zoom in to see neighborhood-level detail, or zoom out for regional patterns
• Time Filters: Filter by time period to see trends over days or weeks
• Trends Matter: Look for patterns—are reports increasing, decreasing, or stable in your area?

What It Means: High symptom report density suggests that respiratory symptoms (including but not limited to COVID-19) are prevalent in that area. This is an early signal before official testing data is available.

Important Context: Remember that this is self-reported symptom data, not confirmed COVID-19 cases. Use it as one data point alongside official health guidance and testing.