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Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 30, 2026

The short version: We collect what's needed to run the journal. Your entries stay private unless you explicitly share them. We never sell your data. If you allow analytics cookies, Google Analytics measures public-page visits and a small set of signup, scan, and writing milestones. We do not send private content to Analytics. We do not run session recordings or the Meta Pixel.

1. What We Collect

When you register, we collect:

• Name — displayed only to your partner if both choose to reveal on Day 21
• Email address — used for account access, verification, password reset, important service notices, and optional writing reminders you choose to enable
• College name & year — used for matching (you're paired with someone from a different college)
• Gender & matching preferences — used to filter partner matches
• Password — stored as a bcrypt hash (we never see your plaintext password)

During your 21-day journey, we collect:

• Journal entries — your daily text responses to prompts
• Mood selections — the moon-phase emoji you choose each day
• Scan results — your archetype and emotional scores from the 11-question assessment
• Reveal choice — whether you choose "yes" or "no" to reveal your identity on Day 21

2. How Your Data Is Used

• Service email: We use your email for account verification, password reset, account access, waitlist or match status, and messages needed to operate the service. Our email delivery provider processes the address and message for delivery.
• Optional reminders: Nightly writing emails are off by default. You can turn them on or off in Notification settings. Reminder subjects and bodies do not include journal text or your partner's identity.
• Matching: Your archetype, college, gender, and year preferences are used to pair you with a complementary partner from a different college.
• Journal sharing: Your entries are shown to your matched partner (and theirs to you) after midnight IST, when the next day opens. Previous-day entries only — never same-day.
• Safety monitoring: Entries are scanned for crisis keywords (e.g., self-harm language) to surface helpline information.
• PII detection: We flag entries containing phone numbers, email addresses, social media handles, links, addresses, hostel names, and other details that may reveal who you are.
• Human review: Your entries are private by default. No human reviews journal entries unless content is reported, legally required, or flagged for serious safety risk.
• First-party product events: Our server records limited events such as signup, writing milestones, and safety actions so we can operate and improve the service. We do not put journal text in those events.

Optional analytics

If you choose “Allow analytics cookies” on a public page, we load Google Analytics to count visits to public website pages, including the homepage, About, Safety, Privacy, Terms, and blog. Google receives the page title, a page URL without query details, and a search-engine referrer reduced to its domain when applicable. With the same choice, we also count whether someone starts signup, completes signup, finishes the scan, or writes a note in the app. We do not send journal text, quiz answers, account IDs, names, email addresses, form entries, or private app page views to Google Analytics. We no longer use Microsoft Clarity or session recordings, including for visitors who previously allowed them.

We previously offered a separate Meta Pixel choice on the homepage. We have stopped loading that Pixel, including for visitors who previously allowed it. We clear its browser cookies when possible. Meta may retain data it received before this change under its privacy policy.

Google processes optional analytics data under its privacy policy. You can choose “Deny optional cookies” or change your analytics cookie choice at any time with the “Cookie choices” button on a public page.

3. What We Never Do

• Sell your data or share your journal entries with analytics providers
• Use your private journal or account information for advertising or marketing
• Load Google Analytics before your optional analytics choice, or send private writing to it
• Share your identity with your partner without mutual consent

4. Data Storage & Security

• Data is stored on our server in a secure SQLite database
• Passwords are hashed using bcrypt with a cost factor of 12
• Sessions use HTTP-only cookies with SameSite protection
• All API endpoints are rate-limited to prevent abuse
• Security headers are set via Helmet.js (HSTS, X-Frame-Options, etc.)

5. Your Rights

Right to Access

You can download all data we hold about you at any time from Settings → Download my data. This exports a JSON file containing your profile, journal entries, and reveal choices.

Right to Deletion

You can permanently delete your account and all associated data from Settings → Delete my account. This removes your user record, all journal entries, all reveal choices, and your match record. This action is irreversible.

Right to Withdraw Consent

You gave consent when you registered. You can withdraw it at any time by deleting your account.

6. Day 21 Identity Reveal

On Day 21, both you and your partner are asked: "Would you like to know who has been writing to you?"

• If both choose to reveal — only the identity level each person selected is shared
• Email or contact details are shared only when that person specifically chooses contact-detail reveal
• If either chooses to stay anonymous — both identities remain anonymous
• There is no pressure, no notification of who said what — just a quiet choice

7. Safety & Crisis Support

If our system detects crisis language in a journal entry, we surface support options. Mentally Prepare is not emergency support, therapy, counselling, or medical care.

• Tele MANAS: 14416 or 1800 891 4416
• iCall: 9152987821
• Vandrevala Foundation: +91 9999 666 555

If you feel unsafe right now, contact local emergency services, a trusted person, or a crisis helpline immediately.

8. Cookies

We use a single session cookie for authentication. It is:

• HTTP-only (not accessible via JavaScript)
• SameSite: Strict (prevents CSRF cross-site attacks)
• Expires after 30 days of inactivity

On public pages, your analytics cookie choice is saved in your browser. If you allow analytics, Google Analytics may set first-party analytics cookies for public-page visits and the limited app milestones described above. If you decline, its tag does not load on later visits. We deny Google advertising storage and do not use its analytics data for advertising. An older Clarity choice saved in your browser no longer starts recordings.

An older Meta Pixel choice saved in your browser no longer starts the Pixel. We set that choice to denied and clear its browser cookies when possible.

9. Changes to This Policy

If we make significant changes, we'll update the "Last updated" date at the top. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance.

10. Contact

Questions about your privacy? Reach out:

Email: [email protected]