Privacy Policy

Information You Provide

Anonymous Recording: Recordings can be made and uploaded without an account. Those recordings are stored with no user identity attached, tagged only with a randomly generated device identifier that lets you claim them later if you sign in. That identifier is not linked to your name, email, or any advertising ID.

Account Information: When you create an account, we collect your email address and authentication credentials managed through our authentication provider (Clerk).

Emergency Contacts: If you configure emergency contacts, we store the names, phone numbers, and/or email addresses you provide. Contact details you add are stored on our servers so that alerts can be delivered if your device is unavailable, and are deleted when you remove the contact or delete your account.

Recording Tags: Tags you assign to recordings (e.g., "police," "protest," "workplace") are stored with your recording metadata.

Information Collected Automatically

Video and Audio Recordings: When you initiate a recording, the App captures video and audio through your device's camera and microphone. Recordings are split into encrypted chunks and uploaded to our secure cloud storage.

Location Data: With your permission, we collect precise GPS coordinates during recording. Location data is embedded into each video chunk as metadata to establish the geographic context of the recorded evidence. We also use location data to provide consent law guidance (one-party vs. all-party consent states).

Device Information: We may collect device model, operating system version, and unique device identifiers for the purpose of troubleshooting and improving App performance.

Network Connectivity Status: The App monitors your device's network connectivity status (online/offline) to manage upload scheduling. We do not collect information about the networks you connect to.

Cryptographic Hash Data: Each recording chunk is assigned a SHA-256 hash that is chained to subsequent chunks. This hash chain data is stored with your recording to verify evidence integrity.

Time Attestation: At the start of each recording, we query a public time server and record your device's clock offset to help establish the accuracy of recording timestamps.

Push Notification Tokens: We store your device's push notification token so that we can deliver alerts to you.

Information We Do NOT Collect

We do not collect browsing history, contacts (other than emergency contacts you manually enter), text messages, call logs, or any data from other apps on your device. We do not use cookies or tracking pixels in the mobile App. We do not engage in interest-based advertising or sell your data to advertisers.

We use the information we collect to: - Provide, maintain, and improve the App and its features - Upload and securely store your recordings in our cloud vault - Provide GPS-tagged evidence with verifiable location metadata - Deliver consent law guidance based on your current location - Send notifications to your emergency contacts when you trigger an emergency release or when the Dead Man's Switch activates - Verify the integrity of your evidence through hash chain verification - Communicate with you about account-related matters and service updates - Comply with legal obligations

Cloud Storage: Your video recordings are stored in Backblaze B2 cloud storage. Recordings are encrypted in transit (TLS 1.2+) and at rest. Each recording is associated with your account and is not accessible to other users.

Hash Chain Integrity: Each video chunk is cryptographically hashed using SHA-256. The hash of each chunk incorporates the hash of the previous chunk, forming a tamper-evident chain.

Data Retention: Recordings are retained according to your subscription tier. Free tier: 90-day retention. Paid tiers: extended retention as specified in your plan. You may delete your recordings at any time. Account data is retained for as long as your account is active. Upon account deletion, your data will be removed within 30 days, except where retention is required by law. Emergency contact data is stored on our servers and deleted when you remove the contact or delete your account.

Security Measures: We implement industry-standard security measures including encryption in transit and at rest, secure authentication via Clerk, and access controls on our backend infrastructure. However, no method of electronic storage or transmission is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

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

Emergency Contacts: When you trigger an emergency release or the Dead Man's Switch activates, we send notifications (via email) to the emergency contacts you have configured.

Service Providers: We use third-party services to operate the App, including Backblaze B2 (cloud storage), Clerk (authentication), Railway (backend hosting and database), Stripe (payments), SendGrid (email delivery), and Apple Push Notification service (push alerts). Twilio is configured for SMS delivery, but the current version sends notifications by email only.

Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, subpoena, or other legal process.

With Your Consent: We may share information for purposes not described in this policy with your explicit consent.

Access Your Data: You can view your recordings, tags, and account information within the App at any time.

Delete Recordings: You can delete individual recordings from within the App.

Delete Your Account: You may request account deletion by contacting support@thegroundtruth.io. We will delete your account and associated data within 30 days.

Location Permissions: You can enable or disable GPS access through your device settings. Camera and Microphone Permissions can also be managed through your device settings.

California Residents (CCPA): You have the right to request disclosure of personal information collected, request deletion, and opt out of sale (we do not sell your data). Contact support@thegroundtruth.io.

European Residents (GDPR): You have rights including access, rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, data portability, and objection. Contact support@thegroundtruth.io.

There is no minimum age to record with the App. Recording is a protective function and is available to anyone, including without an account.

You must be at least 13 years old to create an account. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 13. If we become aware that we have, we will delete it promptly.

You must be at least 18 years old to publish a recording to the public feed, or to use the Trustee and emergency release features.

Contact support@thegroundtruth.io if you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child.

When you add an emergency contact or trustee, you give us that person's name and contact details. You are responsible for having their permission. We use those details only to deliver alerts you have configured and do not use them for any other purpose. We do not sell them or add them to marketing. That person may contact support@thegroundtruth.io to have their details removed; if they do, we will remove them and tell the account holder that their contact was removed.

The App uses the following third-party services: - Backblaze B2 (cloud storage): backblaze.com/company/privacy.html - Clerk (authentication): clerk.com/privacy - Railway (backend hosting and database): railway.com/legal/privacy - Stripe (payments): stripe.com/privacy - SendGrid (email): twilio.com/legal/privacy - Apple Push Notification service (push alerts): apple.com/legal/privacy/ - Twilio (configured for SMS; not used for notifications in the current version, which sends email only): twilio.com/legal/privacy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy and updating the "Last Updated" date. Your continued use of the Platform after such changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at:

Email: support@thegroundtruth.io Website: thegroundtruth.io

© 2026 Jovanni Godina. All rights reserved.