Privacy Policy

Introduction

Ascend ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you use our application.

This policy complies with applicable privacy laws including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) where applicable, and Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL).

Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

• Goals and aspirations entered in the Dream Dump and goal-setting features;
• Journal entries, notes, and messages sent to the AI Coach chat;
• Account information (name, username, email address, profile picture, profile details);
• Payment information (subscriptions are purchased and billed entirely through Apple's App Store, we never receive or store your card number or other raw payment details; we only receive limited transaction and subscription-status data from Apple);
• Communications you send us (support requests, feedback).

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Progress data: streaks, XP earned, tasks completed, achievement milestones, and the dates on which they happened. This is generated by your own use of the App and is stored against your account so your progress survives reinstalling;
• Subscription status: whether your subscription is active, its tier, and when the current period ends. We receive this directly from Apple's App Store server notifications;
• Server logs: our backend records the fact of an AI request and any error it produced, so we can keep the service working. These logs are short-lived operational records and are not built into a profile of you.

2.3 Information We Do Not Collect

• Advertising identifiers (IDFA), and we do not track you across other companies' apps or websites;
• Any permanent, device-based identifier used to uniquely identify your device;
• Behavioural analytics: we do not record screens viewed, time spent in app, or tap patterns, and the App contains no third-party analytics SDK;
• Crash and performance telemetry: the App contains no crash-reporting SDK. Apple may share aggregated crash reports with us only if you have opted into sharing diagnostics with developers in iOS Settings, which is a choice you make with Apple, not with us;
• Social media credentials;
• Contacts or address book data;
• Location data;
• Camera or microphone data;
• Biometric data;
• Health, fitness, or financial account data.

2.4 Photo Library

If you set a profile picture, the App uses Apple's system photo picker. That picker runs outside the App and hands us only the single image you choose, which is why the App never asks for access to your photo library and cannot see any other photo in it. The image you pick is uploaded to our storage and is deleted when you delete your account.

How We Use Your Information

AI Data Processing

Your goals, journal entries, and AI Coach chat messages are processed using Google's Gemini API to generate personalized plans, roadmaps, and coaching suggestions.

4.1 What Is Sent to Google

When you use the AI Coach, goal analysis, or roadmap generation features, the App sends the relevant text you entered (such as your Dream Dump description, chat messages, and goal titles) to our own backend servers, which forward it to Google's Gemini API. The App never contacts Google directly and carries no Google API key. Google processes this text solely to generate a response, which is returned through our backend to the App and displayed to you.

4.2 Google's Role and Terms

Google LLC acts as a data processor for this limited purpose. Google's handling of API data is governed by the Gemini API Additional Terms of Service and Google Privacy Policy. Whether Google may use submitted prompts to improve its products depends on the specific Gemini API tier and account configuration we use, as disclosed in Google's terms linked above, this can differ between free and paid API usage. We encourage you to review Google's current policies directly, as they may be updated independently of this Privacy Policy.

4.3 No Human Review

Your journal entries and goals are not read by our human employees unless you specifically request support that requires access, or as required by law.

4.4 Data Minimization

We process only the minimum data necessary to provide AI coaching features. We do not send your email address, payment information, or precise identity to the Gemini API as part of these requests.

4.5 Sensitive Information

Please do not enter sensitive personal information, such as government identification numbers, financial account details, or health records, into the Dream Dump, journal, or AI Coach chat. These inputs are intended for goal-related text only.

4.6 AI Processing Is Core to the App

Goal analysis and roadmap generation are a required part of setting up and using the App and cannot be individually disabled while using those features, creating a goal necessarily involves sending your goal text to the Gemini API. If you do not want your text processed by a third-party AI provider, please do not use the App. The optional AI Coach chat feature can simply be avoided by not sending messages to it. You may delete your account and associated data at any time as described in Section 8.

Data Sharing and Disclosure

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

5.1 Service Providers

We engage the following categories of trusted third-party vendors to operate the App. Each is bound by its own terms of service and, where applicable, a data processing agreement, and is prohibited from using your data for any purpose other than providing services to us:

We may add or change service providers over time as the App evolves; material changes affecting how your data is processed will be reflected in an updated version of this Policy.

5.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, court order, or governmental authority, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of Ascend, our users, or the public.

5.3 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or substantially all of our assets, your information may be transferred to the successor entity. We will provide notice before your information is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

5.4 With Your Consent

We may share your information for any other purpose with your explicit prior consent.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account remains active, as necessary to provide the Service, as required by applicable law, or as necessary to resolve disputes or enforce agreements.

Upon account deletion, we will delete or anonymize your personal data within 30 days, except where retention is required by law (e.g., financial records retained for 7 years).

Data Security

We implement industry-standard technical and organizational security measures including:

• Encryption of data in transit using TLS 1.2+;
• Encryption of data at rest;
• Access controls limiting employee access to personal data;
• Regular security assessments and vulnerability testing;
• Incident response procedures for data breach notification.

No method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. In the event of a data breach that poses a risk to your rights, we will notify you and applicable regulators as required by law.

Your Rights and Choices

8.1 Rights Available to All Users

8.2 Additional Rights for EU/UK Users (GDPR)

• Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format;
• Restriction: Request restriction of processing in certain circumstances;
• Objection: Object to processing based on legitimate interests;
• Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent, withdraw at any time.

8.3 Additional Rights for California Users (CCPA)

• Know: Know what categories of personal information are collected and how they are used;
• Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights;
• Do Not Sell: We do not sell personal information. No opt-out is required.

8.4 Exercising Your Rights

Contact us at ascendgoals@gmail.com. We will respond within 30 days. We may require identity verification before processing certain requests.

Cookies and Tracking

The App uses local storage on your device to save preferences, goals, and progress data locally. We do not use third-party advertising cookies or tracking pixels, and the App contains no analytics SDK, so there is no behavioural analytics collection to describe here.

Children's Privacy

The App is intended for users who are 13 years of age or older, as described in our Terms of Service. The App is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 13 within the meaning of the U.S. Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Age is self-reported at account creation and is not independently verified.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, contact us immediately at ascendgoals@gmail.com. We will investigate and delete any such information within 72 hours of verifying the request.

For users between 13 and 17: we do not verify age or collect parental consent, and we encourage parents and guardians to be aware of and involved in a minor's use of the App, particularly because it involves a recurring paid subscription billed through the App Store. See Section 2.2 of our Terms of Service regarding Apple's parental purchase controls.

International Data Transfers

If you access the App from outside Canada, your information may be transferred to and processed in Canada or other countries where our service providers operate. By using the App, you consent to such transfers. Where required, we implement appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses for transfers from the EU/EEA.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the new policy in the App with an updated "Last Updated" date, and where required, requesting your acknowledgment of the updated policy upon next login.

Contact Us

For any privacy-related questions, requests, or concerns: