Privacy Policy

Introduction

Welcome to Emotion Buddy. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your data in an open and transparent manner. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your information when you use our mobile application.

By using Emotion Buddy, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Account Information

When you create an account, we collect:

• Email address
• Name (optional)
• Password (encrypted)
• Profile preferences

1.2 Journal Data

As part of our core service, we collect and store:

• Journal entry text content
• Mood ratings and emotional data
• Timestamps of entries
• Uploaded photos and videos
• Voice recordings (audio notes)
• Entry metadata

1.3 Usage Data

We automatically collect:

• App interactions and feature usage
• Device information (type, OS version)
• Crash reports and error logs
• Performance metrics
• Analytics data (anonymized)

1.4 Information We Do NOT Collect

• Location data
• Contact lists
• Device identifiers for advertising
• Sensitive device sensors without permission

2. How We Use Your Information

2.1 To Provide Our Services

• Store and sync your journal entries across devices
• Generate mood analytics and emotional insights
• Process AI analysis of your journal entries
• Display your personal wellness dashboard
• Provide mood tracking and pattern recognition

2.2 To Improve Our App

• Analyze usage patterns (anonymized)
• Fix bugs and crashes
• Develop new features
• Enhance user experience
• Improve AI analysis accuracy

2.3 To Communicate With You

• Send important account notifications
• Provide customer support
• Notify about app updates
• Respond to your inquiries

3. How We Share Your Information

3.1 Third-Party Services

3.2 What We Never Share

• ❌ We do NOT sell your data to anyone
• ❌ We do NOT share with advertisers
• ❌ We do NOT share with data brokers
• ❌ We do NOT share with social media platforms
• ❌ We do NOT share your journal content except for AI analysis (which you can disable)

4. Data Security

4.1 Security Measures

We implement industry-standard security practices:

• Encryption in Transit: All data transmitted using HTTPS/TLS
• Encryption at Rest: Data encrypted in our databases
• Secure Authentication: Password hashing with bcrypt
• Access Controls: Limited employee access to user data
• Regular Audits: Security assessments and penetration testing

4.2 Your Responsibility

• Choose a strong, unique password
• Keep your login credentials confidential
• Enable device security (PIN, biometric)
• Log out from shared devices
• Report suspicious activity immediately

5. Data Retention

5.1 Active Accounts

We retain your data for as long as your account is active and you continue to use our Service.

• Journal entries and mood data are stored indefinitely while your account is active
• Media files (photos, videos, audio) remain accessible as long as you maintain your account
• You can delete individual entries or media files at any time

5.2 Deleted Accounts

When you delete your account:

• Immediate deletion: All data is instantly removed from production databases
• 90-day backup retention: Encrypted backups are maintained for disaster recovery and automatically purged after 90 days

5.3 Legal and Regulatory Requirements

In some cases, we may be required to retain certain data for longer periods to comply with legal obligations, such as:

• Tax and accounting records (typically 7 years)
• Records subject to legal holds or ongoing litigation
• Records required by law enforcement or regulatory authorities

Such retention is limited to the minimum necessary data and duration required by law.

6. Your Rights

You have complete control over your data. We respect your privacy rights and make it easy to exercise them.

6.1 Right to Access

You can access all your data at any time through the app.

• View all journal entries, mood data, and insights anytime
• Access your profile information in Settings
• Request a copy of all data we have about you by emailing [email protected]

6.2 Right to Download (Data Portability)

Export your data in a machine-readable format for use elsewhere.

• Go to Profile → Settings → Export My Data
• Choose JSON or PDF format
• Receive download link via email within 24 hours
• Includes all journal entries, mood ratings, and metadata

6.3 Right to Delete

Permanently delete your account and all associated data.

• Delete individual entries anytime within the app
• Delete your entire account: Profile → Settings → Danger Zone → Delete Account
• Alternative: Email [email protected] with deletion request
• Data deletion is instant and permanent (90-day backup retention for disaster recovery)

Learn more: Data Deletion Instructions

6.4 Right to Opt-Out

Control how your data is used.

• Disable AI Analysis: Settings → AI Settings → Toggle off "Enable AI Analysis"
• Opt out of analytics: Settings → Privacy → Disable "Share Anonymous Usage Data"
• Opt out of emails: Unsubscribe link in any email we send

6.5 How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights:

• Most rights can be exercised directly in the app (Settings menu)
• For requests requiring support: Email [email protected]
• We will respond within 30 days
• No fee is charged for exercising your rights
• We may verify your identity before processing sensitive requests

6.5 Data Breach Notification

While we implement strong security measures to protect your data, no system is completely invulnerable. In the unlikely event of a data breach:

Our Commitment

• 72-hour notification: We will notify affected users within 72 hours of discovering a breach
• Transparent communication: We will provide clear information about what happened
• Immediate action: We will take steps to contain and remediate the breach

How We'll Notify You

• Email to your registered email address
• In-app notification banner
• Public disclosure on our website (for significant breaches)

What We'll Tell You

• Date and nature of the breach
• Types of data potentially affected
• Steps we've taken to address the breach
• Recommended actions you should take
• Contact information for questions

Steps You Should Take

If you receive a breach notification:

• Change your Emotion Buddy password immediately
• If you use the same password elsewhere, change those passwords too
• Enable two-factor authentication if available
• Monitor your account for suspicious activity
• Contact us if you have concerns: [email protected]

6.6 Cookies and Tracking

This Website

This marketing website (emotionbuddy.ai) may use cookies and similar technologies:

• Essential cookies: Required for the website to function properly
• Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our website
• No advertising cookies: We do not use cookies for advertising purposes

The Mobile App

The Emotion Buddy mobile app does not use traditional web cookies. However, we may collect:

• Anonymous usage analytics: App interactions, feature usage, crash reports
• Device information: OS version, device type, app version
• Performance metrics: Load times, error rates

You can opt out of analytics: Settings → Privacy → Disable "Share Anonymous Usage Data"

Third-Party Analytics

We may use third-party analytics services to help improve our Service:

• Data is anonymized and aggregated
• Cannot be used to personally identify you
• Helps us understand usage patterns and improve features

If we use specific analytics providers, we will disclose them here and link to their privacy policies.

Your Control

• Disable cookies in your web browser settings
• Opt out of analytics in the mobile app settings
• Use "Do Not Track" browser settings (we respect these signals)

7. Account Deletion

7.1 How to Delete Your Account

You can permanently delete your Emotion Buddy account at any time using our in-app deletion feature.

Steps to Delete Your Account:

1. Open the Emotion Buddy mobile app
2. Navigate to the Profile tab (bottom navigation)
3. Tap Settings
4. Scroll down to the Danger Zone section
5. Tap Delete Account
6. Follow the 3-step confirmation process

7.2 What Gets Deleted

When you delete your account, the following data is permanently removed:

7.3 Deletion Timeline

Immediate Actions:

• Account access is revoked immediately
• You are logged out of all devices
• All data is instantly deleted from production databases
• Media files removed from cloud storage

Within 90 Days:

• Data automatically purged from all backup systems
• Complete and permanent data removal

8. Children's Privacy

Emotion Buddy is intended for users aged 13 and older.

• We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13
• If we discover data from a child under 13, we will delete it immediately
• Parents/guardians can contact us to request deletion

For users aged 13-17: We recommend parental guidance when using mental health apps.

9. International Data Transfers

9.1 Data Location

• Our servers are located in the United States
• Your data may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the US

9.2 For European Users (GDPR)

If you are in the European Economic Area (EEA):

• We comply with GDPR requirements
• Data transfers use Standard Contractual Clauses
• You have additional rights under GDPR

9.3 For California Users (CCPA)

If you are a California resident:

• You have rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act
• You can request disclosure of data collection practices
• You can opt-out of data "sales" (we don't sell data)

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be effective when posted.

We will notify you of significant changes via:

• Email notification
• In-app alert
• Updated "Last Modified" date

11. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

We will respond to your inquiry within 30 days.