Privacy Policy

Last Updated: January 2025

1. Introduction

Hearthside Works ("we," "our," or "us") operates Clarity Coach. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our Service.

2. Information We Collect

Anonymous Mode (No Account)

When using Clarity Coach without an account:

We do NOT collect personal information
We do NOT store conversation history
We collect only: IP address (for rate limiting), usage timestamps, and browser type
This data is automatically deleted after 24 hours

Authenticated Mode (With Account)

When you create an account:

Email address (for account management)
Conversation history (to provide continuity)
Communication preferences and settings
Usage patterns and feature interactions

Safety Logging

For safety purposes, we may log concerning interactions including:

Crisis situations (self-harm, violence, abuse)
Illegal activity attempts
Inappropriate content violations

Safety logs are anonymized, encrypted, and retained only as long as necessary for safety review.

3. How We Use Your Information

To provide and improve the Clarity Coach Service
To maintain conversation history (authenticated users only)
To enforce rate limits and prevent abuse
To ensure user safety and respond to crisis situations
To comply with legal obligations
To analyze usage patterns and improve features (aggregated data only)

4. COPPA Compliance (Children Under 13)

We are committed to protecting children's privacy in compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

Anonymous Mode: Children can use Clarity Coach without providing any personal information
No Data Collection: We do not collect, store, or share personal information from children in anonymous mode
Parental Consent: Account creation for children under 13 requires verifiable parental consent
Parental Rights: Parents can review, delete, or refuse further collection of their child's information

5. Data Sharing & Disclosure

We do NOT sell your personal information.

We may share information only in these cases:

Emergency Services: If we believe someone is in immediate danger
Legal Requirements: When required by law or legal process
Service Providers: With trusted partners who help operate the Service (under strict confidentiality agreements)
AI Processing: Your messages are processed by Google's Gemini AI to provide coaching suggestions

6. Data Security

We implement security measures including:

Encryption of data in transit and at rest
Secure authentication systems
Regular security audits
Access controls and monitoring
Anonymization of safety logs

However, no system is 100% secure. Use Clarity Coach at your own risk.

7. Your Rights & Choices

You have the right to:

Access: Request a copy of your data
Delete: Request deletion of your account and data
Correct: Update inaccurate information
Export: Download your conversation history
Opt-Out: Use anonymous mode to avoid data collection

8. Data Retention

Anonymous Mode: Data deleted after 24 hours
Conversation History: Retained until you delete your account
Safety Logs: Retained for 90 days or as required by law
Account Data: Deleted within 30 days of account deletion request

9. Third-Party Services

Clarity Coach uses Google's Gemini AI for processing. Your messages are sent to Google's servers for AI processing. Please review Google's privacy policy for information about their data practices.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. We will notify users of significant changes via email (for authenticated users) or prominent notice on the Service.

11. Contact Us

For privacy questions, data requests, or parental inquiries:

Email: privacy@hearthsideworks.com
Website: hearthsideworks.com/contact

For Parents: If you have questions about your child's use of Clarity Coach or wish to exercise your parental rights under COPPA, please contact us using the information above. We take children's privacy seriously and will respond promptly to all parental inquiries.