TrackAssist FAQs

On this page, you’ll find comprehensive answers to common queries about our TrackAssist platform, covering topics such as privacy settings, location sharing, emergency communication, and data security. Whether you’re a traveller seeking clarity on app functionality or an organisation exploring enhanced travel risk management tools, this resource provides insights into how TrackAssist supports your safety, privacy, and operational needs.

1. Can I turn off the location sharing in the TrackAssist app?

Yes. Even if your mobile device cannot access the internet and you are experiencing an emergency, you can still share your position and initiate emergency mode.

2. Can I turn off the location sharing in the TrackAssist app?

Yes. To safeguard privacy and integrity, TrackAssist allows complete control over location sharing. It can be fully disabled or, if enabled, tailored to specific privacy settings directly in the TrackAssist Mobile Application. Here are the privacy levels you can choose from:

• Exact

The exact GPS coordinates will be used to represent your location.

• City-level

City-level means that your location will be anonymised to a 20 x 20 km square, giving a bit more privacy while still being able to receive relevant alerts based on a reasonably accurate location.

• Region/State

Region/State means that the app will resolve which region or state you are located within and send this as your location.

3. Can I be updated with my relevant details as a traveller? 

The TrackAssist platform provides a complete, comprehensive, and fully automated process for information, advice, and updates to all travellers and all stakeholders.

4. Can you identify people flying to high-risk destinations?

Yes, in the Dashboard, you will find a widget called Country Risk Exposure, which quickly lets you identify the number of travellers, upcoming travel bookings, and facilities you have in a country with a specific risk level. You can also subscribe to emails called “Risk trip warnings”, which lets you receive information on any new high-risk travel bookings added to the system by contacting the TrackAssist team at trackassist@castorvali.com.

5. Does an advanced SMS solution affect operational/technical communications? 

The TrackAssist platform provides extensive tools for operational/technical communications. TrackAssist uses advanced SMS solutions to increase the probability of reaching travellers during emergencies, automated threat notifications directly to travellers based on real-time locations or travel itineraries, automatic notifications to emergency assistance and other management stakeholders in case a new time-critical risk appears.

6. Does the app need internet access to work?

The TrackAssist Mobile Application requires internet access to work as intended. However, some information is automatically downloaded for offline use, including: 

• Local emergency and assistance provider phone numbers 
• My alerts 
• Travel Itineraries  

Other data is downloaded only when accesed; this includes: 

• Country information (excluding local news; only headings are stored offline) 
• Medical databases
• Global alert list 
• Currency converter
• Recent provider searches, e.g. hospitals and hotels 
• Country information, which needs to be downloaded one country at a time.

Offline features:

• SMS communication is supported for check-ins and SOS alerts. When pressing the red “SOS” button, the app opens your SMS dialogue to send your position to the TrackAssist platform. 
• Your latest location will display in the Web Portal until the app reconnects to the internet.

7. How accurate is the location reporting?

The accuracy of location reporting mainly depends on whether the app can get proper satellite coverage. Problems might occur, either when being indoors or close to tall buildings. Other factors influence accuracy, as each device’s GPS accuracy may differ.

Other apps might have a few meters better accuracy by enabling a constant GPS flow. However, these apps will drain your phone’s battery fairly quickly. Typically, TrackAssist gets an accuracy of around 100 meters to keep the battery consumption low and ensure a good balance between accuracy and battery consumption.

8. How do you protect privacy?

Protecting privacy is a key priority for CastorVal. Measures include:

• Easily disabling all services, including positioning in the mobile app.
• Setting privacy levels to avoid sharing the exact locations. 
• Web Portal Administrator can only view the last known position (updated hourly) with no location history or travel patterns. Access to position history is granted case by case and only with valid justification reviewed by Safeture, Castor Vali’s technical partner.
• Safeture, Castor Vali’s technical partner, is based in Sweden and complies with strict privacy laws, ensuring end-users can access information on any stored data related to them.

9. How does TrackAssist handle data security and privacy, given GDPR and CCPA regulations?

Safeture, Castor Vali’s technical partner, ensures data privacy through:

• Data Minimisation: Collecting only necessary data.  
• Consent: Explicit user consent for data collection.  
• Encryption: Using encryption methods to protect data in transit and at rest. 
• Access Control: Restricting access to sensitive data.  
• Audits: Regular security and privacy assessments to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities. 
• Retention Policies: Clear timelines for data retention and deletion.
• Incident Response: Plans to address breaches or privacy incidents promptly. 
• Compliance with regulations such as GDPR and CCPA.

10. What information will I receive when entering a new country?

Once a traveller crosses a border to another country, the system will generate a welcome message and send it as an SMS or a mobile notification. Clicking the notification will present the traveller with information on the relevant country.

11. In which languages can I access the platform?

You can access the static content of the platform in any of the nine system languages listed below.

We use machine translation for all dynamic content, such as alerts and country information, enabling us to offer a longer list of 41 languages. They are:

12. Will I receive alerts about incidents happening at my future travel booking destination?

Yes, for departure locations, you will receive alerts 24 hours before arriving at the location and four hours after departure. For arrival locations, you get alerts 72 hours before arrival and four hours after departure from the location. The location radius is five kilometres for both arrival and departure locations.

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