Geoprivacy shows "Unknown" by default

I’ve noticed on the iOS app that for geoprivacy it automatically shows up as “Unknown” until you select what to set it as. I’m assuming it automatically goes to an open geoprivacy still if you don’t select one, but maybe the addition of “Unknown” will draw attention to the fact that the option to change the geoprivacy is there at all.

Turned this into a bug report, as it’s a bug. Github issue here: https://github.com/inaturalist/INaturalistIOS/issues/638

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Glad I said something then!

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Will we be notified when the bug is fixed or will it just be fixed? Thanks.

When the next update is out via the App Store, it should be in the version notes. I’ll also try to follow up here.

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Please fill out the following sections to the best of your ability, it will help us investigate bugs if we have this information at the outset. Screenshots are especially helpful, so please provide those if you can.

Platform iOS (iPhone)

App version number, if a mobile app issue 15.7.5

Description of problem (please provide a set of steps we can use to replicate the issue, and make as many as you need.):

Step 1: I make an observation, using the camera on my iPhone app

Step 2: I select Use Photo and am now on the Details page. Geoprivacy appears as Unknown.

Step 3: I select Geoprivacy to change the setting to Open, select Done and the Details screen is right back to Geoprivacy: Unknown

Step 4: I change Geoprivacy from Unknown to Obscured and select Done, then select Geoprivacy AGAIN and change the setting from Obscured to Open.

Step 5: Geoprivacy setting stays on the Open setting I have changed to from Obscured. Geoprivacy setting will not “stick” if I change Unknown to Open.

Filled out. Still hoping for a resolution.

i think this is basically a variation of the same issue reported earlier as: https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/geoprivacy-shows-unkown-by-default/36174.

as far as i can tell, there’s not really much practical difference between open and unknown, unless maybe you plan to filter for open observations. since there are plans to eventually phase out the existing iOS app, i have doubts that this will ever get resolved except as part of the release of the new iOS app (which will share a codebase with the Android app in the future).

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I moved this to the existing bug report. I know it’s a bit confusing but “Unknown” should really be read as “Open”. It’s a bug in display, not functionality. It’s on our radar but as @pisum says it may not be fixed as it doesn’t affect functionality and we’re working on a new app.

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I did make a Github issue for this bug: https://github.com/inaturalist/inaturalist/issues/3777

@pisum and @tiwane, thanks for the explanation. Since I have my ID assistance toggled to local species observed, I thought Open was going to narrow down a suggested ID as compared to Unknown for the location of the observation. Will be patient and wait for the new app!

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