Privacy Policy
Last updated: 5 October 2026
This policy explains how Boston Mosque & Islamic Centre ("we", "us") handles information when you use our website (bostonmosque.com, including when installed to your home screen) and our native iOS app. The two work differently, so they are described separately.
Who we are and how to contact us
Boston Mosque & Islamic Centre, part of UK Islamic Mission, 27 Horncastle Road, Boston, Lincolnshire PE21 9BU, United Kingdom.
Email: bostonmasjid27@gmail.com (main) or bostonmosque.uk@gmail.com.
Summary
- You do not need an account to use the website or the iOS app.
- Your GPS location, bookmarks and preferences stay on your device.
- Some features send limited information through our server to service providers, for example a city name you type or the Quran page you open.
- Our hosting and service providers may keep technical request records (such as IP address, browser or device details and the requested web address) for running and securing their services.
The iOS app
Location (GPS). If you allow it, the app uses your device location to show the Qibla direction and travel prayer times. The location is processed on your device and is not sent to us by the app.
Saved on your device. Quran bookmarks and reading position, language, theme and other preferences, and local prayer or adhkar reminders are stored on your device. Reminders are scheduled locally by iOS; they do not use our web push service.
City search. When you search for a city, the text you type, the selected country and your language are sent to our server, which forwards them to Open-Meteo (a geocoding service) and returns matching places. Our server keeps recent search terms and results in a temporary shared memory cache to reduce repeat requests. This cache does not contain an account identifier. It is held until it is replaced or the server process restarts; it is not stored in our database.
Quran reader. When you open Quran pages, verses, translations, word meanings or tafsir, the requested page or verse number and language are sent through our server to the Quran Foundation, which provides that content.
Public content. Prayer timetables, Mushaf page files and other public content are downloaded from our hosting and storage providers.
Your controls. You can turn off location or notification permission at any time in iOS Settings. Deleting the app removes its local app data from your device, subject to your device backup and restore settings (for example, data may return if the app is restored from an iCloud or computer backup).
The website
Saved in your browser. Language, theme, prayer and notification choices, Quran bookmarks and similar preferences are stored in your browser's local storage. Clearing your browser data removes them.
Location. If you allow it, the Qibla and travel features use your browser location on your device; it is not sent to us. City search and the Quran reader work in the same way as described for the app above.
Prayer and adhkar notifications (web push). If you choose to turn on notifications, your browser creates a push subscription (a technical address supplied by your browser's push service, such as Apple, Google or Mozilla). We store this subscription with your notification choices and preferred language on our backend so we can send the alerts you asked for. We also keep a short record of which alerts were sent to each subscription to avoid duplicates; these records are routinely cleared after about three days. Turning alerts off in Settings stops those alerts from being sent, but the stored subscription can remain on our backend in an inactive state. Revoking notification permission in your browser or device blocks delivery but may not remove the stored subscription. A subscription is deleted automatically if the push service tells us, when we try to send, that it is no longer valid. You can ask us to delete a stored subscription using the contact details above.
Visitor statistics. Our hosting platform provides aggregated website statistics, such as page views, referring sites, device type and country. We use these to understand how the site is used. We do not add advertising or third-party analytics tools.
Fonts. The website and iOS app load fonts from Google Fonts; these requests disclose IP and browser/device request metadata to Google.
Administration. A sign-in area is used only by authorised mosque administrators; it uses a secure session cookie. Ordinary visitors are not asked to sign in.
Service providers
- Lovable and its hosting/network infrastructure: website and server hosting.
- Supabase (through Lovable Cloud): database and file storage for public content and web push subscriptions.
- Open-Meteo: city search.
- Quran Foundation: Quran text, translations and tafsir.
- Google Fonts (website and iOS app): fonts.
- Browser push services (website only), when you turn on notifications.
When any request reaches these providers, they may record technical data such as your IP address, browser or device details, time and the requested address. Because some requests put search terms in the web address, these records may include the city name you searched. Providers keep such records under their own operational and security retention practices, which we do not control. Links to Facebook, Instagram, maps or other external sites take you to services that have their own privacy policies.
Some providers may process information outside the United Kingdom. Please contact us if you would like more information about this.
Why we use information and our lawful bases
We use information only to provide the features you choose (prayer times, Qibla, Quran, notifications), to keep the services working and secure, and to understand overall use. Under UK data protection law, we rely on our legitimate interests in providing and securing a community service, and on your consent where you choose optional features such as notifications. Granting a device permission controls what your device allows; it is not by itself our legal basis.
How long information is kept
- On your device or browser: until you clear it, change it or delete the app.
- Server memory cache for city searches and Quran content: until replaced or the server restarts.
- Web push subscriptions: kept until the push service reports them invalid or you ask us to delete them; turning alerts off makes them inactive but does not by itself delete them. Sent-alert records: routinely cleared after about three days.
- Provider technical logs: according to each provider's operational and security retention.
Your rights
Where they apply, you have rights to be informed, to access, correct or delete your personal information, to restrict or object to its use, to data portability, and to withdraw consent at any time. Most information stays on your device, where you control it directly. To make a request, email us using the details above.
You can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO): ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint. We would appreciate the chance to help first.
Children
Our services are for the whole community and do not ask anyone to create an account or give their name. Parents or guardians with questions can contact us.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy when our services change. The date at the top shows the latest version.