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Find travelers nearby and add them as buddies. DM them directly, browse their travel notes, and see the countries they loved most — real people, real routes, right where you are.
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Build your trip manually or let AI do the heavy lifting. Invite buddies along, keep an eye on your countdown to departure, and stack up your bucketlist for wherever's next.
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Get a new destination served up daily, plus personal recommendations built from the countries you've visited and rated. Every week, we also spotlight a new event happening somewhere in the world.
Last updated: November 11, 2026Information according to § 5 of the German Digitale-Dienste-Gesetz (DDG)## ProviderOpen World is provided by:Next Orbit UG (haftungsbeschränkt)
Liberdastr. 9
12047 Berlin
GermanyRepresented by its managing director, Anton Doberschütz.## ContactPhone: +49 176 24571191
Email: [email protected]## Commercial registerRegistered at the Amtsgericht Charlottenburg (Berlin) under HRB 286957 B.## VAT IDVAT identification number according to § 27a UStG: DE352189511## Responsible for contentResponsible for content according to § 18(2) MStV:
Anton Doberschütz
Liberdastr. 9
12047 Berlin
Germany## Contact points under the Digital Services ActAuthorities of the EU member states, the European Commission, the European Board for Digital Services, and people using Open World can contact us at [email protected] (Art. 11 and 12 DSA), in German or English.To report illegal content, use "Report" in the app or write to [email protected].## Consumer dispute resolutionWe're neither obliged nor willing to take part in dispute resolution proceedings before a consumer arbitration board.
Privacy Policy
Last updated: November 11, 2026This privacy policy explains which personal data Next Orbit UG (haftungsbeschränkt) processes, why, on what legal basis, who receives it, and what rights you have. It applies to:- the Open World app for iPhone and Android (the "app"),
- our website www.openworld.international (the "website"), and
- Ping link pages at ping.openworld.international.## 1. Who is responsibleThe controller under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is:Next Orbit UG (haftungsbeschränkt)
Liberdastr. 9, 12047 Berlin, Germany
Managing director: Anton Doberschütz
Email: [email protected]Write to this address with any question about your data, or to use your rights (section 19).## 2. In short- You need an account to use the app. We store what you enter and what you create in it.
- Other people using Open World see your profile and what you choose to share with them. Your email address isn't shown to them.
- The app uses your location only if you allow it. With Ping, your exact position is recorded only while a Ping is on, and only the people you choose see it.
- We don't sell your data, and we don't share it with advertisers.
- Our database, files and server functions run on Google's servers in the EU. Some of our service providers are in the USA; section 16 explains the safeguards.
- You can delete your content, your Pings and your account (section 18).## 3. Your account### 3.1 Signing up and signing inTo use the app, you create an account with your email address and a password, or you sign in with Google or Apple.- Email and password: Firebase Authentication (Google) stores your email address and your password in hashed form. We can't see your password.
- Sign in with Google: Google sends us your name, your email address and the address of your Google profile photo.
- Sign in with Apple: Apple sends us your email address, or a relay address if you choose to hide yours, and the name you choose to share.
- To keep accounts safe, Firebase Authentication also processes technical data when you sign in, such as your IP address and the time.We store when you accepted our Terms of Use and when you agreed to our Community Guidelines.Legal basis: performing our contract with you (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR); for account security, our legitimate interest in protecting accounts against misuse (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR).### 3.2 Your profileYour profile holds:- your name, your @username and, if you add one, a profile photo;
- your home country and, if you choose one, your home airport;
- if you give them, your age range and gender;
- your travel preferences: how you like to travel, why, with whom, and how you get around;
- the countries you've visited, your ratings of countries and your notes about them;
- a location (section 5.2);
- technical details such as when you created your account and when you were last active.Age range, gender, home airport and travel preferences are optional. We use your profile to run the app: to show it to other people (section 4), to find buddies and travelers nearby, and to suggest destinations and deals (section 12).Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR.### 3.3 Your username and referralsYour @username is unique, and other people can find you by it. Once set, you can change it but not remove it.If you enter the @username of the person who invited you, we store who invited you. That person sees in the app that you joined with their code and when, and may get a notification about it.Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR.## 4. What other people using Open World see- Everyone using Open World can see your profile card: your name, @username, photo, home country, how many countries you've visited, your travel preferences, your age range and gender if you gave them, how many trips you've planned and whether you're traveling now, and how far away you are if we have a location for you (section 5.2). They can find you by your @username, and you can appear in their list of travelers nearby.
- Your country ratings can be seen by other people using Open World, for example as the countries you rated highest.
- Your country notes are seen by the people you share them with: everyone using Open World for public notes, your buddies for notes you share with buddies.
- Your buddies also see the countries you've visited and your upcoming trips. They're notified when you plan a new trip (with its title and countries), mark a country as visited or share a country note, unless they've turned these notifications off.
- People you add to a trip see that trip.
- Logbook entries are seen by the people you choose for each entry: only you, your buddies, or everyone using Open World ("Public"). Others see an entry's city and country, never its exact coordinates. Likes and comments are seen by the people who can see the entry.
- Messages in chat rooms are seen by everyone using Open World. Direct messages are seen only by you and the person you write to.
- Pings are seen by the people you choose (section 6).## 5. Your location### 5.1 Location accessThe app asks your phone for access to your location. Without it, everything works except the features that need it. While you use the app, we use your location to:- sort chat rooms near you first,
- suggest the place of a new Logbook entry,
- show how far away other travelers are, and
- keep the location in your profile up to date (section 5.2).Location access "Always" (iPhone) or "Allow all the time" (Android) is used only to record a Ping while the app is in the background (section 6). At no other time does the app use your location in the background.You can change location access at any time in your phone's settings.Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR. The app reads your location from your phone only after you've allowed it, and only for the features you use (§ 25(2) No. 2 TDDDG).### 5.2 The location in your profileOnce you allow location access, we save your phone's position in your profile, rounded to about 1 kilometre, and update it when that changes. Without location access, we save the location of your home airport, or else the centre of your home country. If you turn location access off later, the last saved position stays until you ask us to remove it.We use this location to show other people using Open World how far away you are, in whole kilometres, or "< 1 km" when you're closer, and to show you to them as a traveler nearby. We don't show them the position itself. Our team also sees an internal map of where our users are, with the same positions, rounded to about 1 kilometre, and without names.Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR; for the internal map, our legitimate interest in knowing where our users are, so we can improve the app for them (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR).### 5.3 Places in Logbook entriesWhen you add a place to an entry, we store its coordinates, taken from your phone's position or from a photo's location (section 7). Only you see the coordinates; others see the city and country. To name the place, we send the coordinates to Google's Geocoding API. Your phone's own location service, from Apple or Google, may also be asked for the place's name.Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR.## 6. Ping: sharing where you areWith Ping, the people you choose can follow where you are while you travel.### 6.1 What Ping recordsOnly while a Ping is on, and only after you've started it:- your phone's position at the interval you choose (every 5, 15, 30 or 60 minutes) and when you start, pause, resume or end the Ping, each with its latitude, longitude and accuracy, and when it was recorded and received;
- the Ping's settings and status: when it started, was paused and ended, its end date, its interval, who can see it, its private link and its alerts;
- when your phone stops recording, the reason it gives, for example that location was turned off, precise location is off, Background App Refresh is off, or battery saving stopped the app;
- when we last heard from your phone.To record with your phone in your pocket, the app needs location access "Always" (iPhone) or "Allow all the time" (Android). On Android, a notification shows while a Ping records. Positions recorded without a connection wait on your phone and are sent once it's back online.### 6.2 Who sees your PingYou choose when you start a Ping, and you can change it at any time:- Buddies: all your buddies;
- Specific people: the buddies you pick;
- Public: everyone using Open World;
- Only me.They see your exact positions, your route on a map, when your last position was recorded, the nearest place and the countries you're in, whether the Ping is recording, paused or ended, and why it isn't recording if your phone gave a reason. People who opened your Ping may keep a copy on their phone so they can see it offline (section 14).### 6.3 The private linkIf you turn on the private link, anyone who has the link can see your Ping in a web browser, without an account, at ping.openworld.international. The link works until you turn it off, also after the Ping has ended. We count how often the link is opened and show you the count and when it was last opened; we keep the times of the openings for 7 days. We don't record who opened it. Section 25 explains what happens technically when the page opens.### 6.4 Notifications and alertsPeople who can see your Ping are notified when you start, share or end it, unless they've turned this off. If you turn on alerts, the people you pick are notified when no position has arrived for 6, 12 or 24 hours, with the place of your last position.### 6.5 Place namesTo show the nearest place and the countries, we send positions to Google's Geocoding API.### 6.6 A Ping as a Logbook entryIf you turn a finished Ping into an entry, everyone who can see the entry can also see the Ping with its route and positions.### 6.7 How long we keep PingsWe keep a Ping with all its positions until you delete it. We don't delete or thin out positions automatically. In the app, you can delete single positions, a whole Ping or all your Pings. When your account is deleted, your Pings are deleted with it.### 6.8 Legal basisArt. 6(1)(b) GDPR: you start a Ping to share your location with the people you choose. The app reads your location only while a Ping is on and only after you've allowed it (§ 25(2) No. 2 TDDDG).Ping isn't an emergency service. Positions can arrive late or not at all. In an emergency, call the local emergency number.## 7. Photos- Photos you pick: for your profile photo and for Logbook entries, you pick photos in your phone's photo picker. The app receives only the photos you pick.
- Photos from your trip: when you write an entry from a finished Ping, the app can suggest the photos you took during the Ping. For this, it asks for access to your photo library and checks, on your phone, when your photos were taken. No photo leaves your phone until you add it. With limited access, the app sees only the photos you've allowed.
- Before a photo is uploaded, the app makes it smaller and removes its metadata, including where it was taken. Before that, it reads the photo's location on your phone to suggest the entry's place.
- Photos you add are stored on Google's servers (Firebase) and seen by the people who can see the entry or your profile.Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR. The app accesses your photo library only with your permission.## 8. Logbook, chats, trips and other contentWe store what you create in the app:- Logbook entries with their text, photos, date, place, tags and who can see them; your drafts, which are synced between your phones; your likes and comments;
- messages in chat rooms, replies, and direct messages;
- trips with their destinations, dates, stops, transport, accommodation, activities, budget and the buddies you add;
- country ratings and notes;
- your buddies and buddy requests, and the people you've muted or blocked;
- your settings, for example for notifications and the Logbook;
- feedback you send us, with your user ID, email address, app version and platform.Other people can also give us data about you, for example when they comment on your entry, add you to a trip or report your content.Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR; for feedback, our legitimate interest in improving the app (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR).## 9. Reports and moderationYou can report entries, comments, messages and people. We review reports to keep Open World safe and to meet our obligations under the EU Digital Services Act (DSA).- Our team reviews reports in Slack. A report there contains the reported text, the @username and user ID of its author, and the note of the person who reported it, but not their identity, no photos and no coordinates. To see photos, our reviewers open them in our Firebase project.
- We don't tell the author of reported content who reported it.
- We may hide or delete content, or hide all of a person's Logbook entries and comments. We tell the person in the app.
- To prevent misuse, the app limits how often you can post.Legal basis: our legal obligations under Art. 16 and 17 DSA (Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR); our legitimate interest in a safe community (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR).## 10. Notifications- With your permission, the app sends push notifications, for example about buddy requests, messages, likes and comments, Pings, your buddies' trips and countries, recommendations, the daily destination and events, and occasionally news from us.
- For this, we store a push token for each of your phones with your account. Apple delivers notifications to iPhones, Google Firebase Cloud Messaging to Android phones, and Expo (650 Industries, Inc.) to older versions of the app. A notification's text passes through these services.
- In the app, you can turn each kind of notification off in Notification Settings; in your phone's settings, you can turn all of them off.
- Your notifications are listed in the app for 90 days.Legal basis: your consent, given in your phone's settings, which you can withdraw there at any time (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR, § 25(1) TDDDG); for notifications that belong to a feature you use, also Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR.## 11. AI featuresFor some features, we send data to OpenAI's AI models:- AI trip planning: what you enter for the trip: countries, dates or length, kind of trip, pace, who you travel with, budget, places you want to see, and comments;
- Destination recommendations: the countries you've visited and your ratings of them, your home country, your travel and destination preferences, and earlier recommendations;
- Trip cost estimates: the trip's countries, dates, stops, transport, accommodation, activities, the number of travelers, the budget level and where you start from.We don't send your name, email address or user ID. Please don't enter personal details about yourself or others in free-text fields. OpenAI states that it doesn't use data sent through its API to train its models, and keeps it only for a limited time, for example to detect misuse. The results are suggestions only; they don't decide anything about you.Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR: you ask for these features.## 12. Recommendations and dealsWe suggest destinations based on the countries you've visited and rated and on your travel preferences (section 11). We store the suggestions and how you reacted to them, for example whether you saved one or gave it a thumbs up or down, to make them better. This is profiling in the sense of the GDPR, but it only decides which suggestions you see.Deals are travel offers from partners. The app chooses which deals to show you on your phone, from your travel preferences, age range, gender, home country and location. We don't give your data to the partners. When you open a deal, you go to the partner's website, where the partner's privacy policy applies.Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR; our legitimate interest in showing you relevant suggestions and offers (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR).## 13. Usage analytics (Amplitude)To understand how the app is used and to improve it, we use Amplitude (Amplitude, Inc., USA).- The app tells Amplitude what you do in it, for example which screens you open and w
# Terms of UseLast Updated: March 23, 2026## 3. Terms of Service for Open World App### 3.1 Acceptance of TermsThese Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the Open World App mobile application and related services (collectively, the "Services"). By downloading, installing, or using the App, you agree to be bound by these Terms.If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not use the Services.### 3.2 EligibilityYou may only use the Services if you:- Are at least 16 years old (or older if required by the laws of your country).
- Have the legal capacity to enter into a binding contract with Next Orbit UG.
- Are not prohibited from using the Services under applicable law.### 3.3 Account Registration and SecurityTo access certain features, you may need to create an account. You agree to:- Provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration.
- Maintain and promptly update your information as necessary.
- Keep your login credentials confidential and not share them with others.
- Notify us immediately of any unauthorised use of your account or other security breach.You are responsible for all activities that occur under your account.### 3.4 Licence to Use the AppSubject to your compliance with these Terms, Next Orbit UG grants you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable, revocable licence to download and use the App on a device that you own or control, solely for your personal, non-commercial use (unless otherwise agreed in writing).You may not copy, modify, distribute, sell, lease, or reverse engineer any part of the App except as expressly permitted by law.### 3.5 User ContentYou may create, upload, or otherwise submit content through the Services, including trip entries, notes, ratings, photos, and other materials (collectively, "User Content").You retain ownership of your User Content, but you grant Next Orbit UG a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable, and sublicensable licence to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, translate, distribute, publicly display and perform, and otherwise exploit your User Content in connection with providing and improving the Services, including generating anonymised or aggregated datasets derived from such content.You represent and warrant that:- You own or have the necessary rights to submit the User Content and grant the licence above.
- Your User Content does not infringe or violate any third-party rights or applicable laws.### 3.6 Prohibited ConductYou agree not to:- Use the Services for any unlawful, fraudulent, or abusive purpose.
- Upload or share content that is illegal, defamatory, hateful, harassing, obscene, or otherwise objectionable.
- Impersonate any person or entity or misrepresent your affiliation.
- Attempt to gain unauthorised access to the Services or related systems.
- Interfere with or disrupt the integrity or performance of the Services.
- Reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, or attempt to derive the source code of the App, except where permitted by mandatory law.Next Orbit UG reserves the right (but has no obligation) to remove or disable access to any User Content and to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms.### 3.7 Intellectual PropertyThe Services, including the App, software, design, logos, and other content (excluding User Content), are owned by Next Orbit UG or its licensors and are protected by intellectual property laws.Except as expressly permitted in these Terms, no rights are granted to you in or to the Services or any related intellectual property.### 3.8 Third-Party Services and LinksThe Services may integrate or interoperate with third-party services and SDKs such as Firebase and Amplitude, and may contain links to third-party websites or resources.Next Orbit UG is not responsible for the content, products, or services of such third parties or for their privacy and data practices. Your use of third-party services is subject to their separate terms and privacy policies.### 3.9 Fees and Subscriptions (If Applicable)If the App or certain features are offered on a paid basis or via subscription:- The applicable prices, billing terms, and subscription periods will be presented in the App or app store listing.
- Fees are generally non-refundable except where required by law or explicitly stated otherwise.
- Subscriptions will renew automatically at the end of each period unless you cancel in accordance with the instructions provided by the app store or within the App.### 3.10 Data Protection and PrivacyThe collection and use of personal data in connection with your use of the Services are described in our Privacy Policy, which forms part of these Terms by reference.By using the Services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood the Privacy Policy.### 3.11 DisclaimersThe Services are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis, without warranties or representations of any kind, whether express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement, to the maximum extent permitted by law.Next Orbit UG does not guarantee that the Services will be uninterrupted, error-free, secure, or free of harmful components, or that any travel recommendations or content will be accurate, complete, or suitable for your needs.### 3.12 Limitation of LiabilityTo the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Next Orbit UG and its directors, officers, employees, and agents shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for any loss of profits or revenues, whether incurred directly or indirectly, or any loss of data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses, arising out of or in connection with:- Your access to or use of or inability to access or use the Services.
- Any conduct or content of any third party on the Services.
- Any content obtained from the Services.
- Unauthorised access, use, or alteration of your transmissions or content.Where liability cannot be excluded under applicable law, the total aggregate liability of Next Orbit UG arising out of or relating to the Services or these Terms shall be limited to the amount you have paid us, if any, for the use of the Services in the twelve (12) months preceding the event giving rise to the claim, or, if greater, the minimum amount required by applicable law.### 3.13 IndemnificationYou agree to indemnify and hold harmless Next Orbit UG and its directors, officers, employees, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable legal and accounting fees) arising out of or in any way connected with:- Your access to or use of the Services.
- Your User Content.
- Your violation of these Terms or applicable law.### 3.14 Governing Law and Dispute ResolutionSpecify your preferred governing law and dispute forum, for example:- These Terms and any disputes arising out of or in connection with them or the Services shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of [Country], without regard to its conflict of law rules.
- The courts of [City, Country] shall have exclusive jurisdiction, except where mandatory consumer protection laws provide otherwise.Alternatively, insert an arbitration or alternative dispute resolution clause if appropriate and legally permitted in your jurisdiction.### 3.15 Changes to the Services and TermsNext Orbit UG may modify or discontinue parts of the Services at any time, for example to reflect changes in technology, user behaviour, or legal requirements.We may also update these Terms from time to time. When we make material changes, we will provide notice as appropriate (for example, by updating the "Last updated" date, providing an in-app notice, or requesting your renewed acceptance). Your continued use of the Services after the effective date of updated Terms constitutes your acceptance of the changes.### 3.16 TerminationYou may stop using the Services at any time and, if you have created an account, you may request deletion of your account.Next Orbit UG may suspend or terminate your access to the Services, in whole or in part, with or without notice, if you materially breach these Terms, if we reasonably believe your use poses a risk to us or others, or if we discontinue the Services.Upon termination for any reason, the licence granted to you in Section 3.4 will automatically terminate, and you must cease all use of the App. Provisions that by their nature should survive termination (including but not limited to Sections on User Content licence (to the extent necessary), Disclaimers, Limitation of Liability, Indemnification, and Governing Law) will continue to apply.### 3.17 ContactIf you have any questions about these Terms or the Privacy Policy, please contact us at [email protected].---