AQI WTF is a non-commercial project. We just want it to be easier for you to know the air quality outside at your location.
We collect limited analytical data about your use of this site with Plausible.io. You can read about why they're relatively privacy-forward on their website. Of course, if you're using an ad blocker or anti-tracking tool, it's probably blocking Plausible. That's cool.
This tool uses data from PurpleAir's sensor network, which they make freely available. Your browser will connect to their servers to download a list of all available sensors. Your browser will then ask your device for your current location. Using these two bits of data, AQI WTF will figure out the closest PurpleAir sensor and download air quality information from PurpleAir. While you have the app open, this process will repeat about once a minute, to ensure that you aren't looking at stale air quality information.
AQI WTF does not store your current location. Instead, it asks your browser where you are whenever it needs to show you the current air quality. AQI WTF does not send your current location to us or any third party. We do not want to know where you are. We just want you to be able to breathe.
If you don't want to let AQI WTF know your current location, that's 100% cool with us. But it means that the site won't work.
AQI WTF does send a request to PurpleAir once a minute. That request includes the sensor closest to your current location. In theory, this means PurpleAir could track your location. We don't think they do (or that they care to), but we don't have any kind of a business relationship with them so can't make any promises on their behalf.
AQI WTF is written in a programming language called JavaScript and runs entirely on your device. If you have questions or concerns about how it works, all the source code for the app is freely available on GitHub at https://github.com/skalnik/aqi-wtf.