Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains what information Unfold collects, how we use it, and who helps us process it. Unfold is built for private writing — this document matches how the product works today.

1. Who we are

Unfold (“we”, “us”) operates the Unfold web app. For privacy questions or data requests, contact hello.unfoldapp@gmail.com.

2. Information we collect

Account information

When you sign up or sign in, our authentication provider (Clerk) may collect your email address, password (stored by Clerk), username, and — if you use Google — profile details Google shares for sign-in (such as name and email). We store your Clerk user id in our database so your journal data stays tied to your account. We do not copy your password into our database.

Journal content you create

This includes entry titles, the text you write, seal dates, layout on the canvas, image captions, and search text derived from your writing. Drafts and entries may also be kept in your browser’s local storage so you can keep writing offline or between syncs.

Images you attach

When you add photos or images to an entry, we store the file with our file host (Vercel Blob) and keep a public URL, mime type, size, and optional caption in our database, linked to your account and entry. Anyone who has the URL can open the image file, so treat shared links carefully.

AI-derived artifacts

If you use sealing, pattern, or insight features, we may store AI-generated titles, topics, pattern labels, short summaries, and short verbatim quotes pulled from your writing as “evidence,” plus related pattern-card copy. Some insight results may also be cached in your browser.

Technical data

We and our providers may process standard technical data needed to run the app (for example, session cookies from Clerk, and requests required to sync and save). We do not currently use a separate product analytics or advertising SDK in the app.

3. How we use your information

• To create and secure your account, and keep you signed in
• To save, sync, and display your journal across devices
• To store and show images you attach to entries
• To power optional AI features (page titles, pattern detection, summaries, and related copy) from your writing
• To keep the service reliable and secure
• To respond when you contact us

We do not sell your personal writing or account data.

4. How AI uses your writing

Some features send limited portions of your journal text — or short quotes already extracted from it — to Anthropic’s Claude API to generate titles, patterns, and summaries. Prompts treat the text as a private journal. We send what the feature needs (not your entire account history in one request), subject to size limits in the product.

If an AI feature cannot reach the provider, Unfold may fall back to local, non-AI behavior for that feature.

5. Who we share information with

We use service providers (“processors”) only to run Unfold. They receive what they need for their role:

• Clerk — authentication, sessions, and account credentials
• Our database host (PostgreSQL) — storing your entries, pattern data, and attachment metadata, scoped to your account
• Vercel Blob — hosting attached image files
• Anthropic — AI inference on text/quotes you trigger through product features
• Google — only if you choose Google sign-in (via Clerk), and for fonts loaded by the app

We may disclose information if required by law, or to protect Unfold, our users, or others from harm or abuse.

6. Where data is stored

Account and journal data are stored with our cloud providers. Client drafts and caches may also live in your browser (local storage / session storage) on your device.

7. Retention, deletion, and entry removal

We keep your account and journal data while your account is active. When you delete an entry in Unfold, we soft-delete it and clear its stored writing in our database for sync purposes; some related files or derived records may take further cleanup. Automated full account wipe and data export are not built into the product today.

To request account deletion or a copy of your data, email hello.unfoldapp@gmail.com. We will respond and delete or anonymize personal data we control, unless we must retain something for legal or security reasons.

8. Children

Unfold is not directed to children under 13. We ask users to confirm they are 13 or older when creating an account. If you believe a child under 13 has an account, contact us and we will take steps to delete it.

9. Your choices

• You can edit or delete individual entries in the product
• You can stop using AI-triggered features by not using those flows
• You can sign out and stop using the service
• You can request account deletion or help with your data via email

10. Security

We use signed-in sessions, account scoping in our database, and industry-standard providers for auth and storage. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure; please use a strong unique password.

11. Changes

We may update this Privacy Policy as Unfold evolves. We will change the “Last updated” date above. Continued use after an update means you accept the revised policy.

12. Related

Your use of Unfold is also covered by our Terms and Conditions.