Effective Date: March 13, 2025
Welcome to mdtAPE! We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal information is handled responsibly. This Privacy Policy explains how mdtAPE (“we,” “us,” or “our”), the app that helps you meditate like an ape by tracking your heart rate variability (HRV) through your Apple Watch, collects, uses, shares, and protects your information. By using mdtAPE, you agree to the practices described in this policy.
1. Information We Collect
We collect the following types of information to provide and improve the mdtAPE experience:
a. Information You Provide
- Meditation Preferences: When you choose the length of your meditation session or interact with the “meditation ladder” feature, we store your selections locally on your device to track your progress as you climb the ladder as an ape.
- Account Information: If you create an account (optional), we may collect basic details like your email address or username.
b. Information Collected Automatically
- Health Data: With your explicit permission, mdtAPE accesses your heart rate variability (HRV) data from your Apple Watch during meditation sessions via Apple’s HealthKit. This HRV data is stored locally on your device and is not transmitted to our servers or team.
- Usage Data: We collect limited information about how you use the app, such as session duration and ladder progress, to enhance your experience. This data may be stored locally or, in an anonymized form, sent to us for app improvement.
- Device Information: We may collect details like your device type, operating system version, and unique device identifiers to ensure compatibility and troubleshoot issues.
c. Information We Do Not Collect
- We do not collect precise location data, audio recordings, or any other health metrics beyond HRV unless explicitly stated and authorized by you.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use your information to:
- Provide the core functionality of mdtAPE, such as tracking your HRV locally during meditation and helping you progress through the meditation ladder.
- Personalize your experience by remembering your meditation preferences and progress (stored on your device).
- Improve the app by analyzing usage trends and performance (using anonymized data where applicable).
- Send you notifications (if enabled) about your meditation sessions or app updates.
- Respond to your inquiries or support requests.
3. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. Importantly, your HRV data remains on your device and is not shared with us or anyone else. We may share other limited information only in the following cases:
- With Your Consent: If you explicitly agree to share data (e.g., for a future social feature).
- Service Providers: We may use trusted third-party services (e.g., cloud hosting, analytics) that process non-HRV data (like usage statistics) on our behalf under strict confidentiality agreements. These providers do not have access to your HRV data.
- Legal Requirements: If required by law, regulation, or legal process (e.g., a court order), we may disclose information we have (excluding HRV data, which we do not store).
- Business Transfers: If mdtAPE is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale, your non-HRV information may be transferred, but we will notify you of any changes to how your data is handled.
4. Your Choices and Permissions
- Health Data Access: You must grant mdtAPE permission to access your HRV data via HealthKit. This data stays on your device, and you can revoke this permission at any time through your Apple Watch or iPhone settings, which will stop HRV tracking.
- Notifications: You can enable or disable push notifications in the app or your device settings.
- Data Deletion: Your HRV and meditation session data is stored locally on your device. Deleting the app will remove this data from your device. If you have an account and wish to delete any data we may hold (e.g., email), contact us at [insert support email].
5. Data Security
Your HRV data is stored locally on your device and is protected by Apple’s security features (e.g., encryption via HealthKit). For any non-HRV data we collect (e.g., usage stats), we use reasonable measures like encryption in transit to protect it. However, no system is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security of data stored on your device or transmitted to us.
6. Data Retention
- Your HRV and meditation session data is stored locally on your device for as long as you keep the app installed. We do not retain this data on our servers.
- If you delete the app, your local data is removed from your device.
- For non-HRV data (e.g., account info or anonymized usage data), we retain it only as long as necessary to provide the service or comply with legal obligations, typically no longer than 30 days after account deletion.
7. Children’s Privacy
mdtAPE is not intended for use by children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have collected such data, we will take steps to delete it promptly.
8. International Users
mdtAPE is operated from [insert country, e.g., the United States]. Since your HRV data stays on your device, it is not transferred internationally by us. Other non-HRV data (e.g., usage stats) may be processed on servers in [insert country]. By using the app, you consent to this transfer where applicable.
9. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make significant changes, we will notify you through the app or by email (if provided). The updated policy will be effective as of the “Effective Date” listed above.
10. Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding your privacy or this policy, please reach out to us at:
- Email: eugen.koslowski@gmail.com
- Address: Untere Zahlbacher Str. 48, 55131 Mainz
Thank you for choosing mdtAPE to meditate like an ape and climb the ladder to mindfulness!