Privacy Policy

Hearth is built on the belief that real friendship requires real trust. This Privacy Policy explains what information Eternal Mind Labs, LLC ("Hearth," "we," "us," or "our") collects when you use the Hearth mobile app, how we use it, and the choices you have. We don't sell your data. We never will.

By using Hearth, you agree to this policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of the app.

1. Who We Are

Hearth is operated by Eternal Mind Labs, LLC, a company incorporated in the State of Delaware. You can reach us at support@eternalmindlabs.xyz.

2. Information We Collect

Account & Profile Information

• Email address — used for authentication and account recovery.
• Password — stored as a secure hash; we never see your plaintext password.
• Full name — displayed on your profile and in circles.
• Profile photo — an image you choose to represent yourself.
• City — used to surface relevant circles in your area.
• Bio — a short description you write about yourself (up to 160 characters).
• Pledge signature — the name you sign on the Hearth community pledge, along with the timestamp.

Social Sign-In (Google & Apple)

If you sign in with Google or Apple, we receive your name and email address from those providers. We do not receive your Google or Apple password. Your interaction with those services is governed by their respective privacy policies.

Content You Create

• Voice recordings — a 60-second audio intro recorded when you apply to join a circle. Stored securely and only accessible to members voting on your application.
• Circle applications — your written intention statement and application status.
• Chat messages — messages you send in circle group chats and 1-on-1 direct messages.
• Memory photos — photos you upload to a circle's shared memory gallery.
• Meetup proposals, votes, and RSVPs — your participation in scheduling circle meetups.
• Prompt responses — your written answers to circle prompts.
• Reactions — emoji reactions to messages.

Usage & Technical Information

• Push notification token — a device identifier used to deliver push notifications. Only stored if you grant notification permission.
• Notification preferences — your per-category notification settings.
• Activity metadata — timestamps on messages, memberships, and actions (e.g., when you joined a circle, when a message was read).
• Session data — authentication tokens stored securely on your device to keep you logged in.

3. How We Use Your Information

• To create and manage your account.
• To power the core features of Hearth: circles, chat, applications, meetups, memories, and prompts.
• To send push notifications about activity in your circles (if you opt in).
• To enforce our community standards and review flagged content.
• To improve the app and understand how features are used.
• To respond to your support requests.

We do not use your information for advertising, and we do not build advertising profiles.

4. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We share data only in the following limited cases:

With Other Hearth Members

Your name, profile photo, city, and bio are visible to other members of circles you belong to. Your voice intro is shared only with members who are voting on your application. Your messages are visible to members of the relevant circle or, for DMs, only to the other participant.

With Service Providers

• Supabase — our database, authentication, and file storage provider. Your data is stored on Supabase's infrastructure.
• Expo — used to deliver push notifications to your device.
• Google / Apple — if you use social sign-in, those providers process your authentication.

These providers are contractually required to protect your data and may not use it for their own purposes.

Legal Requirements

We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or to protect the safety of our users or the public.

5. Data Retention

We retain your data for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, we delete your personal information within 30 days, except where retention is required by law. Some content (such as messages you sent in a circle) may be retained in anonymized or system form to preserve the integrity of other members' experience.

6. Your Rights & Choices

Access & Correction

You can view and edit your name, photo, bio, and city at any time from your Profile tab in the app.

Notification Controls

You can manage push notification categories from Profile → Notification Preferences. You can disable all notifications by turning off the master toggle or through your device's system settings.

Account Deletion

You have the right to delete your account and all associated data at any time. To do so, go to Profile → Settings → Delete Account in the app, or email us at support@eternalmindlabs.xyz and we will process your request within 30 days.

Data Portability

To request a copy of your personal data, contact us at support@eternalmindlabs.xyz.

7. Device Permissions

Hearth requests the following device permissions:

• Microphone — required to record your 60-second voice intro when applying to join a circle. We never record audio in the background.
• Photo Library — required to let you choose a profile photo, circle cover image, or upload memory photos. We only access photos you explicitly select.
• Save to Photos — required to save your circle's memory photos to your device before a circle is deleted. We only save files you initiate.
• Push Notifications — required to send you alerts about circle activity. You can decline this permission and still use all core features of the app.

You can revoke any permission at any time through your device's Settings.

8. Children's Privacy

Hearth is intended for users 18 years of age and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If we learn that a user is under 18, we will promptly delete their account and data. If you believe a minor has created an account, please contact us at support@eternalmindlabs.xyz.

9. Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including encrypted data transmission (TLS), hashed passwords, and access controls on our database. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. International Users

Hearth is operated from the United States. If you access the app from outside the US, your data may be transferred to and processed in the US, where data protection laws may differ from your country's laws. By using Hearth, you consent to this transfer.

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 of this page. For material changes, we'll notify you through the app or by email. Continued use of Hearth after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact us:

• Email: support@eternalmindlabs.xyz
• Company: Eternal Mind Labs, LLC
• Website: joinhearth.xyz