Privacy Policy

Introduction

Welcome to Mydew, your emotional response journal that helps you document and understand your emotional responses to life experiences. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, protect, and share your personal information when you use our mobile application and related services.

Your privacy is important to us. Because Mydew collects sensitive emotional and personal data, we are committed to being transparent about our practices and giving you control over your information.

By using Mydew, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Information We Collect

Personal Profile Information

We collect the following information to create and maintain your account:

• Name: First and last name for profile identification
• Email Address: Used for account authentication and communication
• Age and Gender: Optional demographic information
• Profile Photo: Images you choose to upload for your profile

Emotional Response Data

As an emotional response journal, we collect detailed information about your emotional responses:

• Response Entries: Your "happy with" and "unhappy with" emotional responses
• Response Notes: Text descriptions you provide about your feelings and experiences
• Voice Recordings: Audio notes you record to explain your emotional responses
• Timestamps: Exact date and time when responses are logged
• Response Patterns: Analysis of your emotional response trends over time

MoodSense — On-Device Activity and Health Data

MoodSense is our on-device emotional context engine. To suggest how you might be feeling each day, it collects the following data entirely on your device:

• Physical Activity Data: Movement information detected via your device's motion sensors, used to understand your daily activity pattern
• Battery Level and Charging State: Collected periodically while the MoodSense service is running, used as contextual input to the on-device mood suggestion engine
• Derived Mood Context Scores: Numerical values calculated entirely on-device from sensor data to support mood suggestions. The specific dimensions and calculation methods are proprietary.
• Personal Adjustment History: A record of your confirmed mood selections stored locally to improve future suggestions over time

Android Foreground Service

On Android, MoodSense uses a foreground service (service type: health) to keep the step counter and battery monitor running reliably. This service:

• Displays a persistent notification while active: "Tracking activity for mood insights"
• Collects motion and battery data locally in device storage (not sent externally)
• Stops when the service is dismissed or the app is fully closed
• Requires the FOREGROUND_SERVICE and FOREGROUND_SERVICE_HEALTH Android permissions

AI Companion Check-In Data

The AI companion replaces the daily mood assessment with a short conversational check-in. The following data is involved:

• Conversation Transcripts: The full text of your check-in conversations with the AI companion, stored locally on your device in encrypted SQLite storage. Not stored on our servers.
• Voice Transcriptions: When you use voice input, speech is transcribed entirely on-device using the device's built-in on-device speech recognition (iOS: Apple's on-device model; Android: Google's on-device model). Your voice audio is never sent to Mydew or any third party.
• MoodSense Context Snapshot: At the start of each check-in, an anonymised snapshot of your current daily profile (derived mood context scores, headline mood suggestion, activity pattern summary, garden health, and up to 3 recent mood entry types and timestamps) is assembled on-device and sent to the AI companion Cloud Function. This snapshot does not include your name, email address, or any directly identifying information.
• Story Arc Sessions: Themed conversation sessions linked to mood entries are stored locally, including the local path of any recorded story audio. The audio file itself is stored in Firebase Storage only if you explicitly choose to share the story.

Sensor and Device Data

To enable automatic response detection and MoodSense features, we collect:

• Motion Data: Accelerometer and gyroscope readings from your device
• Step Counter: Movement data from your device's built-in step counter sensor, used to detect changes in physical activity state
• Device Orientation: Phone positioning (face-up/face-down) for automatic response detection
• Device Information: Basic device type and operating system version

Location Information

When you grant permission, we collect:

• GPS Coordinates: Your location when logging emotional responses
• Location Names: Reverse-geocoded addresses (street, city, region)
• Location History: Places where you've logged responses over time

Social and Communication Data

For our social features, we collect:

• Contact Information: Names and connection details of people you invite to connect
• Messages: Text conversations with your trusted contacts
• Shared Responses: Emotional response data you choose to share with contacts
• Connection History: When you add, remove, or interact with contacts

Usage and Analytics Data

To improve our service, we collect:

• App Usage: How you interact with different features
• Performance Data: Technical information to identify and fix issues
• Preferences: Your settings and customization choices

How We Use Your Information

Core App Functionality

• Response Logging: Store and organise your emotional response entries
• Pattern Recognition: Analyse your responses to help identify triggers and trends
• Automatic Detection: Use sensor data to detect when you place your phone in response positions
• Social Sharing: Enable you to share responses with your chosen trusted contacts

MoodSense Contextual Suggestions

• Activity Analysis: Use on-device sensor data to derive a daily activity context, processed entirely on your device using proprietary methods
• Mood Context Scoring: Derive contextual scores on-device to support a headline mood suggestion. The specific scoring methodology is proprietary.
• Personalisation: Learn from your confirmed mood selections to improve the accuracy of future suggestions, entirely on-device

AI Companion Check-In

• Personalised Conversations: Send an anonymised snapshot of your current daily MoodSense profile to Google Gemini AI (via Firebase Cloud Functions) to generate a contextually aware opening message and responses
• Feeling Identification: Use the conversation to help you identify and name a feeling, which can then be logged as a mood entry
• Story Arc: Facilitate themed reflective conversations linked to mood entries; audio recordings are stored locally and optionally shared to Firebase Storage with your explicit consent

Communication and Support

• App Notifications: Send reminders and updates about your response patterns
• Customer Support: Respond to your questions and provide assistance
• Service Updates: Inform you about new features and important changes

Service Improvement

• Analytics: Understand how the app is used to improve features (using aggregated, non-identifying data)
• Bug Fixes: Identify and resolve technical issues
• Security: Protect against fraud and unauthorized access

Research (Optional)

With your explicit consent, anonymized and aggregated data may be used for:

• Academic research on emotional wellness patterns
• Development of better response detection algorithms
• Publication of statistical insights (no individual data is ever shared)

Data Sharing and Disclosure

Within the App

• Trusted Contacts: Response data you explicitly choose to share with invited contacts
• Social Features: Information necessary for messaging and connection features

Third-Party Services

We use the following trusted service providers:

• Firebase (Google): Cloud storage, database, and Cloud Functions infrastructure for app functionality
• Cloud Storage: Secure storage for your audio recordings and profile images
• Google Gemini AI: Powers the AI companion check-in feature. When you initiate a check-in, an anonymised snapshot of your current MoodSense daily profile (dimensional scores, activity pattern, garden health, and up to 3 recent mood entry types and timestamps — no names, email, or user ID) is sent to Google Gemini via a Firebase Cloud Function to generate personalised companion responses. This data is processed under Google's API data usage policies and is not used to train Google's general AI models. For details, see Google's Generative AI Prohibited Use Policy.
• On-Device Speech Recognition: Voice transcription during AI companion check-ins is performed entirely on-device using the operating system's built-in speech recognition (Apple on iOS; Google on Android). No audio is transmitted to Mydew or any third-party server.
• RevenueCat: Subscription management for premium features

Legal Requirements

We may disclose information when required by law or to:

• Comply with legal processes or government requests
• Protect the rights, property, or safety of Mydew, our users, or others
• Investigate potential violations of our terms of service

Business Transfers

If Mydew is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change.

Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information:

Technical Safeguards

• Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit and at rest
• On-Device Storage: MoodSense activity data, AI companion conversations, and personal adjustment history are stored in local SQLite on your device and are not transmitted to our servers
• Secure Authentication: Firebase authentication protects your account
• Access Controls: Strict limits on who can access your data
• Regular Security Updates: Ongoing monitoring and updates to security systems

Physical Safeguards

• Secure Data Centres: Information stored in professionally managed, secure facilities
• Redundancy: Multiple backups to prevent data loss

Administrative Safeguards

• Limited Access: Only authorized personnel can access user data
• Employee Training: Staff trained on privacy and security practices
• Privacy by Design: Security considerations built into all features

Your Privacy Rights

Access and Control

• View Your Data: Access all information we have collected about you
• Edit Information: Update your profile and preferences at any time
• Delete Responses: Remove individual emotional response entries
• Export Data: Download a copy of your information

Communication Controls

• Contact Management: Add or remove trusted contacts at any time
• Sharing Controls: Choose what information to share with each contact
• Notification Settings: Control when and how the app sends you notifications

MoodSense and AI Companion Controls

• MoodSense: You can disable MoodSense activity tracking at any time in app settings. This stops the foreground service on Android and clears locally buffered activity data
• AI Companion: You can choose not to use the AI companion check-in feature. The standard mood logging flow remains available
• Voice Input: Voice transcription is entirely opt-in within the check-in flow; you may type responses instead at any time
• Personal Adjustment History: The on-device learning history can be reset from app settings at any time

Account Management

• Account Deletion: Permanently delete your account and all associated data
• Data Portability: Request a copy of your data in a portable format

Consent Management

• Withdraw Consent: Revoke permissions for data collection at any time
• Granular Controls: Choose which types of data to share for research purposes

Data Retention

Active Accounts

We retain your information for as long as your account is active and as needed to provide services:

• Response Data: Kept to maintain your response history and patterns
• Messages: Stored to preserve your conversation history
• Audio Recordings: Retained for 7 days (Free Plan) and 30 days (Premium Plan — Rolling), all with options for you to download your recordings
• AI Companion Conversations: Stored locally on your device only; not retained on our servers. Cleared when you delete the app or reset the companion history in settings
• MoodSense Activity Data: Stored locally on your device only; not retained on our servers

Account Deletion

When you delete your account:

• Immediate Removal: Your data is immediately removed from active systems
• Backup Removal: Data in backups is removed within 30 days
• Shared Data: Information you've shared with contacts remains in their accounts
• Local Data: On-device databases (MoodSense, companion conversations) are cleared when you uninstall the app

Legal Requirements

Some information may be retained longer when required by law or for legitimate business purposes such as fraud prevention.

Children's Privacy

Mydew is not intended for use by children under 13 years of age. 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 immediately, and we will delete such information.

For users between 13-18, we recommend parental guidance and supervision when using emotional response tracking features.

International Data Transfers

Mydew uses Firebase (Google Cloud) services, which may process and store your information in data centres located around the world. We ensure that all international transfers comply with applicable privacy laws and provide adequate protection for your personal information.

AI companion check-in context snapshots are processed by Google Gemini AI, which operates under Google's data processing agreements including appropriate safeguards for international transfers.

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), your data may be transferred to countries outside the EEA that have been deemed to provide adequate protection or under appropriate safeguards.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons.

Notification of Changes

• Material Changes: We will notify you via email and/or app notification
• Minor Updates: Posted on this page with updated "Last Updated" date
• Continued Use: Your continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance

Version History

We maintain a record of previous versions of this policy, available upon request.

Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact us:

Legal Basis for Processing (EU Users)

For users in the European Union, we process your personal information based on the following legal grounds:

• Consent: For optional features like research participation, location tracking, AI companion check-ins, and MoodSense activity tracking
• Contract Performance: To provide the core app services you've requested
• Legitimate Interests: To improve our services and ensure security
• Legal Obligation: When required to comply with applicable laws

You have the right to withdraw consent at any time, which will not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before withdrawal.

Regional Privacy Rights

California Residents (CCPA)

California residents have additional rights including:

• Right to know what personal information is collected
• Right to delete personal information
• Right to opt-out of sale of personal information (Note: We do not sell personal information)
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising privacy rights

European Union Residents (GDPR)

EU residents have rights including:

• Right of access, rectification, and erasure
• Right to data portability
• Right to restrict or object to processing
• Right to lodge a complaint with supervisory authorities

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information provided above.

This Privacy Policy is effective as of the "Last Updated" date above and applies to all users of the Mydew application.