Privacy Policy

GuidedNarratives ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy and the sensitive mental health information you entrust to us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, protect, and respect your information when you use our GuidedNarratives mobile application and services (the "Service").

By using GuidedNarratives, you consent to the data practices described in this policy. We understand that your mental health data is deeply personal, and we've built our entire platform with privacy-first principles.

Information We Collect

We collect information to provide you with personalized mental wellness services while maintaining the highest standards of privacy and security.

Personal Information You Provide

• Account Information: Email address, password (encrypted), and basic profile details
• Wellness Assessment: Initial questionnaire responses to personalize your therapy tracks
• Contact Preferences: Notification settings and communication preferences

Mental Health and Wellness Data

• Journal Entries: All written journal content, including personal thoughts, feelings, and experiences
• Mood Tracking: Daily mood ratings, emotional patterns, and wellness trends over time
• Therapy Progress: Completion of guided exercises, therapy track engagement, and practice consistency
• Voice Notes: Audio recordings attached to journal entries (if you choose to record them)
• Photos: Images you attach to journal entries for context or memory keeping
• Insights and Reflections: Your responses to guided prompts and therapy exercises

Usage and Technical Data

• App Usage: Features used, session duration, and navigation patterns to improve user experience
• Device Information: Device type, operating system version, app version, and device identifiers
• Performance Data: Crash reports, error logs, and technical diagnostics (anonymized)
• Subscription Data: Plan type, billing status, and purchase history (processed by App Store)

How We Use Your Information

We use your information exclusively to provide and improve GuidedNarratives services:

Core App Functionality

• Personalized Experience: Deliver customized therapy tracks and exercises based on your wellness goals
• Mood Analysis: Generate weekly insights and patterns from your mood tracking data
• Progress Tracking: Monitor your mental wellness journey and celebrate milestones
• Content Sync: Keep your journal entries and data synchronized across your devices
• Reminders and Motivation: Send helpful notifications based on your preferences and usage patterns

AI-Powered Insights

• Weekly Summaries: Generate personalized insights about your mood patterns and progress
• Content Recommendations: Suggest relevant therapy exercises and wellness activities
• Pattern Recognition: Help you identify triggers, positive trends, and areas for growth
• Goal Setting: Recommend achievable wellness goals based on your progress

Service Improvement

• App Enhancement: Improve features and user experience based on anonymized usage patterns
• Content Development: Create new therapy tracks and exercises that address user needs
• Technical Optimization: Fix bugs, improve performance, and enhance security
• Research (Anonymized): Contribute to mental health research using completely anonymized, aggregated data

Data Sharing (We Never Sell Your Data)

We only share your data in these extremely limited circumstances:

Essential Service Providers

• Cloud Infrastructure: Secure, encrypted cloud storage providers that meet healthcare standards (AWS/Google Cloud with HIPAA compliance)
• App Store Partners: Apple for subscription processing and app distribution (no access to your content)
• Analytics Services: Privacy-focused analytics that only receive anonymized, aggregated usage data
• Customer Support: Secure support platforms to help resolve your inquiries (only with your explicit consent)

Legal Requirements

• Legal Compliance: Only when required by valid legal process, court order, or applicable law
• Safety Protection: To prevent imminent harm to you or others (only in crisis situations)
• Rights Protection: To protect our rights, property, and the security of our services

With Your Explicit Consent

• Research Participation: Only if you explicitly opt-in to contribute anonymized data to mental health research
• Third-Party Integrations: Only if you choose to connect with other wellness apps or services
• Emergency Contacts: Only if you configure emergency sharing features

Data Storage and Security

Encryption and Protection

• End-to-End Encryption: All sensitive data encrypted on your device before transmission
• 256-bit AES Encryption: Industry-standard encryption for data storage
• Encrypted Transmission: TLS 1.3 encryption for all data transfers
• Key Management: Advanced encryption key management with regular rotation
• Zero-Knowledge Architecture: We cannot access your encrypted journal content

Infrastructure Security

• HIPAA-Compliant Hosting: Data stored in healthcare-grade secure facilities
• SOC 2 Type II Compliance: Annual security audits and compliance certifications
• Multi-Factor Authentication: Enhanced security for all administrative access
• Regular Security Audits: Continuous security monitoring and penetration testing
• Incident Response: Comprehensive security incident response procedures

Data Access Controls

• Minimal Access: Only essential personnel have access to systems containing user data
• Audit Trails: Complete logging of all access to user data
• Background Checks: All employees undergo thorough background screening
• Confidentiality Agreements: Legally binding confidentiality commitments from all staff

Your Rights and Choices

You have complete control over your mental health data:

Data Access and Control

• Access Your Data: View, download, or export all your personal information anytime
• Data Portability: Export your journal entries, mood data, and progress in standard formats
• Correct Information: Update or correct any inaccurate personal information
• Delete Content: Remove individual journal entries, mood data, or entire categories of information
• Account Deletion: Permanently delete your entire account and all associated data

Privacy Settings

• Data Minimization: Choose what data to share for AI insights and analytics
• Local Storage: Option to keep sensitive data stored only on your device
• Analytics Opt-out: Disable all usage analytics and data collection for app improvement
• Research Participation: Opt-in or out of contributing anonymized data to mental health research

Communication Preferences

• Notification Control: Customize all app notifications and reminders
• Email Preferences: Manage which emails you receive from us
• Marketing Opt-out: Unsubscribe from promotional communications while keeping important updates
• Crisis Communication: Configure how and when we may contact you in emergency situations

Data Retention

We retain your data only as long as necessary to provide services:

Active Account Data

• Journal Entries: Stored indefinitely while your account is active
• Mood Data: Preserved to maintain your wellness tracking continuity
• Progress History: Kept to provide long-term insights and goal tracking
• Account Settings: Maintained for consistent user experience

Account Deletion

• 30-Day Grace Period: Account marked for deletion but recoverable for 30 days
• Complete Removal: After 30 days, all personal data is permanently and irreversibly deleted
• Backup Deletion: Data removed from all backup systems within 90 days
• Anonymized Analytics: Any anonymized usage data is disconnected from your identity

Inactive Accounts

• Long-term Storage: We preserve your wellness data even during periods of inactivity
• Reactivation: Your data remains available if you return to the app
• 5-Year Policy: After 5 years of complete inactivity, we may contact you about data retention

Children's Privacy

GuidedNarratives is designed for users aged 13 and older:

• Age Verification: We require users to confirm they are at least 13 years old
• Parental Consent: Users 13-17 may need parental consent depending on local laws
• Enhanced Protection: Additional privacy safeguards for users under 18
• No Targeting: We never target mental health content to minors
• Immediate Removal: If we discover a user under 13, we immediately delete their account and data

International Data Transfers

Your data may be processed in secure facilities worldwide:

• Adequate Protection: All international transfers include adequate privacy protections
• Standard Contractual Clauses: Legal frameworks ensuring consistent protection globally
• Regional Compliance: Full compliance with GDPR, CCPA, and other regional privacy laws
• Data Localization: Options for keeping data within specific regions when required

Cookies and Tracking

We use minimal tracking technologies focused on functionality:

Essential Functionality

• Authentication: Secure login and session management
• Preferences: Remember your app settings and customizations
• Security: Fraud prevention and account protection
• Performance: Basic app performance monitoring

No Tracking or Advertising

• No Ad Trackers: We never use advertising or marketing trackers
• No Social Media Pixels: No Facebook, Google, or other social media tracking
• No Cross-Site Tracking: We don't track you across other websites or apps
• Privacy-First Analytics: Only essential, anonymized usage data for app improvement

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements:

• Advance Notice: At least 30 days notice for any material changes
• In-App Notification: Prominent notifications about privacy policy updates
• Email Alerts: Email notifications for significant privacy changes
• Version History: Previous versions available for your reference
• Continued Use: Your continued use indicates acceptance of updated terms
• Opt-out Option: Delete your account if you disagree with changes

Contact Information

This Privacy Policy was last updated in January 2025 and is effective immediately upon your use of the GuidedNarratives service. Your mental wellness journey is deeply personal, and we're honored to be part of it while keeping your data completely secure and private.