Privacy Policy

Introduction

Welcome to ThoughtBites ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring you understand how we collect, use, and safeguard your personal information. This Privacy Policy applies to our mobile application ThoughtBites (the "App").

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

Please also review our Terms of Service, which govern your use of the App.

Information We Collect

1. Information You Provide

Account Information:

• Email address (required for account creation and authentication)
• Password (encrypted and stored securely)

User Preferences:

• Selected topic lanes (e.g., Build, Think, Make, Tech, Snack)
• Learning interests selected during onboarding

2. Information We Collect Automatically

Usage Data:

• Bites you read and when you read them
• Bites you save to your collection
• Actions you add to your to-do list
• Your votes (thumbs up/down) on bites
• Bites you share with others
• Completion status of daily bites
• App features you use and how often

Device Information:

• iOS version
• Device type and model
• App version
• Session duration and frequency

3. Information We Do Not Collect

We do not collect:

• Your name (unless voluntarily included in your email)
• Location data
• Contacts or photos
• Payment information (free app with no in-app purchases currently)
• Browsing history outside the app
• Advertising identifiers

How We Use Your Information

Provide and Improve the App

• Authenticate your account and maintain your session
• Deliver personalized daily bite recommendations based on your selected topics
• Save your reading progress and preferences
• Enable you to save bites, add actions, and track completions
• Improve content recommendations over time
• Fix bugs and improve app performance

Communication

• Send password reset emails when requested
• Respond to your support requests
• Send daily reading reminders and streak alerts via push notifications (if you opt in)
• Notify you of important app updates

Analytics and Insights

• Understand which bites and topics are most engaging
• Identify popular features to prioritize improvements
• Measure overall app usage and retention
• Improve content quality based on user feedback (votes)

How We Store and Protect Your Information

Data Storage

Your data is stored securely using Supabase, a third-party backend-as-a-service provider. Supabase hosts data in secure cloud infrastructure with:

• Industry-standard encryption in transit (HTTPS/TLS)
• Encryption at rest
• Regular security audits
• SOC 2 Type II compliance

Security Measures

We implement security measures including:

• Encrypted password storage (never stored in plain text)
• Secure authentication tokens
• Row-level security policies to ensure you can only access your own data
• Regular security updates and monitoring

However, please note: No method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Data Sharing and Third Parties

We Do Not Sell Your Data

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party service to operate the app:

Supabase (Backend Infrastructure)

• Purpose: Database, authentication, and API hosting
• Data shared: All data listed in "Information We Collect"
• Privacy Policy: https://supabase.com/privacy
• Location: Data hosted in secure cloud infrastructure

Share Feature

When you use the share button to share a bite:

• We generate a shareable link (e.g., share.thoughtbites.app/bite/123)
• We log that you shared the bite (for analytics)
• We do not track who you shared it with
• Recipients can view the bite preview without creating an account

Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., court orders, subpoenas).

Your Rights and Choices

Access Your Data

You can access your data within the app:

• View saved bites in the Saved tab
• View actions in the Actions tab
• View reading history in the Archive tab
• View selected topics in Settings

Modify Your Data

You can:

• Change your topic preferences in Settings → Edit Topics
• Update your password in Settings → Change Password
• Delete saved bites and actions at any time (swipe to delete)

Delete Your Account

To delete your account and all associated data:

1. Contact us at support@thoughtbites.app
2. Request account deletion
3. We will permanently delete your account and data within 30 days

Upon account deletion, we will remove:

• Your email address
• All saved bites and actions
• All reading history and votes
• Your topic preferences
• All associated activity data

Data Portability

You may request a copy of your data by contacting us at support@thoughtbites.app. We will provide your data in a machine-readable format (JSON) within 30 days.

Children's Privacy

ThoughtBites is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us, and we will delete such information.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you services. Specifically:

• Account data: Retained until you delete your account
• Usage data: Retained indefinitely for analytics and improvement (anonymized after 2 years)
• Deleted data: Permanently removed from our systems within 30 days of deletion request

International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and maintained on servers located outside of your state, province, country, or other governmental jurisdiction where data protection laws may differ.

By using ThoughtBites, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States or other countries where Supabase operates.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by:

• Posting the new Privacy Policy in the app
• Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top
• Sending an email notification for material changes (if you have an active account)

Your continued use of the app after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

Right to Know: You can request information about the categories and specific pieces of personal information we collect.

Right to Delete: You can request deletion of your personal information (with certain exceptions).

Right to Opt-Out: We do not sell personal information, so there is nothing to opt out of.

Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your CCPA rights.

To exercise these rights, contact us at support@thoughtbites.app.

European Privacy Rights (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

Legal Basis for Processing:

• Contract: To provide the service you signed up for
• Legitimate Interest: To improve the app and analyze usage
• Consent: For optional features (if any)

Your Rights:

• Right to access your personal data
• Right to rectification of inaccurate data
• Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten")
• Right to restrict processing
• Right to data portability
• Right to object to processing
• Right to withdraw consent

To exercise these rights or if you have questions, contact us at support@thoughtbites.app.

Consent

By using ThoughtBites, you consent to this Privacy Policy and agree to its terms.

Additional Information

Cookies and Tracking

Website (thoughtbites.app): Our marketing website uses PostHog analytics and Google Analytics (GA4) to understand site traffic and improve the user experience. These services may use cookies and similar tracking technologies. You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings.

iOS App: The ThoughtBites iOS app does not use cookies or third-party tracking technologies. We only collect data directly within the app as described above.

Push Notifications

ThoughtBites uses push notifications to deliver daily reading reminders and streak alerts. We:

• Request your explicit permission before sending notifications
• Allow you to opt in/out in Settings and configure reminder times
• Only send relevant app-related notifications (daily reminders and streak alerts)
• Store your device token securely and never use it for advertising

Do Not Track

Our app does not respond to Do Not Track (DNT) signals because we do not track users across third-party websites or apps.