Privacy Policy for WalkTalk

1. Who We Are

This policy applies to the WalkTalk mobile application available on the iOS App Store.

2. What Data We Collect

2.1 Data That Stays on Your Device (Local Storage)

These are stored ONLY on your phone and never leave your device:

• Journal Entries: All your written journal text
• Daily Insights: AI-generated summaries and reflections
• Habit Tracking Data: Your custom habits and completion history
• App Settings: Your preferences (theme, notification settings, etc.)

Storage Method: We use your device's secure local storage (UserDefaults on iOS). This data is encrypted by your device's operating system.

We Never Have Access To: We cannot read, access, or retrieve any of this data. It lives only on your device.

2.2 Voice Recordings (Temporary)

When you record a journal entry:

• What: Audio recordings of your voice
• Why: To transcribe your spoken words into text
• Where: Temporarily uploaded to Firebase Storage (Google Cloud)
• How Long: Automatically deleted within 24 hours after transcription
• Who Processes It: OpenAI's Whisper API (for transcription)

Important: We do not permanently store your audio files. They are automatically deleted after processing.

2.3 Anonymous Authentication

To use AI features (transcription, insights), we use Firebase Anonymous Authentication:

• What: A random, anonymous user ID (no email, name, or personal info)
• Why: To connect you to Firebase services securely
• Can We Identify You?: No. The ID is anonymous and not linked to any personal information

2.4 Technical Data (Anonymous)

For app functionality and error detection:

• What: Crash reports, error logs, device type, OS version
• Why: To fix bugs and improve app stability
• Who Collects It: Firebase Crashlytics (Google)
• Is It Personal?: No. This data is anonymous and not linked to you personally

3. How We Use Your Data

Your Journal Entries

• Stored locally on your device
• Never uploaded to our servers
• Never shared with anyone
• Used only by you for personal reflection

Your Voice Recordings

• Temporarily uploaded to Firebase Storage
• Sent to OpenAI for transcription
• Automatically deleted within 24 hours
• Never used to train AI models (per OpenAI's Enterprise API agreement)
• Never shared with third parties
• Never used for advertising or marketing

AI-Generated Insights

Your journal text is sent to OpenAI's API to generate:

• Daily reflection questions
• Weekly insight summaries
• Follow-up questions
• Thematic analysis

• Results are returned to your device and stored locally
• OpenAI does not retain your data beyond 30 days (per their API policy as of Nov 2025)
• Never used for AI training (Zero Data Retention option enabled)

4. Third-Party Services We Use

4.1 Firebase (Google Cloud Platform)

4.2 OpenAI

4.3 Google Fonts

6. Data Security

How We Protect Your Data

On Your Device:

• Local storage is encrypted by your device's OS
• Only WalkTalk can access its own local storage
• Protected by your device's lock screen and biometric security

In Transit:

• All data transmission uses HTTPS/TLS encryption
• Voice recordings are encrypted during upload
• AI API calls are encrypted end-to-end

On Our Backend:

• Firebase uses bank-level encryption
• Access restricted to essential services only
• Audio files automatically deleted after 24 hours
• No long-term storage of personal data

Security Limitations

No system is 100% secure. While we implement industry-standard security:

• Your device security is your responsibility (use a strong lock screen)
• If you lose your device, someone with physical access could read local data
• Backing up your device may include WalkTalk data in backups

7. Your Rights & Choices

Right to Access

You can view all your data within the app. Your journal entries and habits are always visible in the app interface.

Right to Delete

• Delete Individual Entries: Swipe to delete any journal entry
• Delete All Data: Uninstall the app to remove all local data
• Delete Cloud Data: Contact us at danwhite1022@gmail.com to request deletion of any cloud-stored data (though audio files auto-delete within 24 hours)

Right to Export

Currently, WalkTalk does not offer a data export feature. This is planned for a future update. Contact us if you need your data in a portable format.

Right to Opt-Out

• AI Features: You cannot currently disable AI features while using the app. This is planned for a future update.
• Crash Reporting: You can disable crash reporting in Settings (if available)

Right to Withdraw Consent

Stop using the app and uninstall it. All local data will be removed. Cloud data (if any) will be deleted per our retention policies.

8. Children's Privacy (COPPA Compliance)

WalkTalk is not intended for children under 13 years old.

• We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13
• We do not market to children
• If we learn we have collected data from a child under 13, we will delete it immediately

Age Restriction: By using WalkTalk, you confirm you are at least 13 years old (or the age of digital consent in your country).

9. International Users (GDPR & CCPA)

For European Union Users (GDPR)

Legal Basis for Processing:

• Consent: You consent to voice recording and AI processing when you use these features
• Legitimate Interest: We have a legitimate interest in providing the journaling service you requested

Your GDPR Rights:

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

For California Users (CCPA)

Categories of Personal Information:

• Audio recordings (voice data) - temporary
• Device identifiers (anonymous)
• Technical information (device type, OS version)

Your CCPA Rights:

• Right to know what data we collect
• Right to delete your data
• Right to opt-out of sale (N/A - we don't sell data)
• Right to non-discrimination

We Do Not Sell Your Personal Information.

10. Data Retention

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. When we do:

• We'll update the "Last Updated" date at the top
• If changes are significant, we'll notify you in the app
• Continued use of the app after changes means you accept the new policy

How to Stay Informed:

• Check this page periodically for updates
• We'll show in-app notifications for major changes

13. Legal Disclosures

We may disclose your information if required by law:

• To comply with legal obligations (court orders, subpoenas)
• To protect our rights or property
• To prevent fraud or security threats
• To protect user safety

We will notify you of such disclosures unless prohibited by law.

14. AI-Specific Disclosures (Required by App Stores)

AI Features in WalkTalk

Important AI Disclaimers

15. Consent

By using WalkTalk, you consent to:

• This privacy policy
• Processing of your voice recordings for transcription
• Use of AI services for insights generation
• Temporary storage of audio files for processing
• Anonymous authentication for backend services

You can withdraw consent by:

• Stopping use of voice recording features
• Uninstalling the app
• Contacting us to delete any remaining data