Privacy Policy
At WAKHAL, we take your privacy seriously. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application.
Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By using the WAKHAL app, you consent to the data practices described in this statement.
1. Information We Collect
1.1 Personal Information
We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide when creating an account or using our services, including:
- Email address
- Name
- Account login credentials
1.2 Wellbeing Data
As a mental wellbeing app, we collect data related to your mental and emotional state, including:
- Mood entries and emotional states
- Journal entries and reflections
- Responses to wellbeing assessments
- Meditation and mindfulness activity usage
1.3 Technical Information
We automatically collect minimal technical information:
- Device type and operating system version (for app compatibility)
- Country information (only to provide relevant emergency hotline numbers)
- Language preference (user-selected for app localization)
- App usage patterns (for improvement and bug fixes)
1.4 Media Permissions and Content
READ_MEDIA_IMAGES Permission: This permission is used ONLY to save wellness achievement cards that you create within the app to your device. We do NOT access, read, or upload any external photos from your gallery.
Audio Content (Podcasts & Meditation Music):
- ✅ We provide curated podcasts and meditation music within the app
- ✅ All audio content is either publicly available or properly licensed for free use
- ✅ No personal audio files from your device are accessed or uploaded
- ✅ Audio streaming is handled through secure, licensed content providers
- ✅ No tracking of your listening habits - all content is available to browse freely
1.5 What We DO NOT Collect
We explicitly DO NOT collect:
- ❌ GPS location or precise location data
- ❌ Photos from your phone gallery (except saving cards you create)
- ❌ Your personal music, audio files, or playlists
- ❌ Contact lists or phone numbers
- ❌ Social media information
- ❌ Financial or payment information
- ❌ Biometric data
- ❌ Health data from other apps
2. How We Use Your Information
2.1 Core App Functionality
- Provide mood tracking and journal features
- Generate personalized insights and progress tracking
- Sync your data across devices using Firebase
- Provide country-specific emergency hotline numbers
- Save achievement cards to your device (with your permission)
- Stream curated podcasts and meditation music for mindfulness practice
2.2 AI-Powered Features (Anonymous)
Important: When using AI for personalized insights:
- ✅ We send ONLY your mood and journal content (anonymous, no personal identifiers)
- ✅ AI providers receive NO email, name, or user ID
- ✅ AI conversations are NOT stored long-term
- ✅ Daily usage quotas prevent overuse
- ✅ Crisis detection helps ensure your safety
2.3 Data Storage and Security
- Store your data securely in Firebase (Google's cloud platform)
- Keep recent mood data locally for offline access (30-day rolling window)
- Implement 30-day automatic deletion of old mood entries for privacy
2.4 What We DO NOT Do
- ❌ Sell or share your data with third parties
- ❌ Use advertisements or tracking
- ❌ Store AI conversations permanently
- ❌ Share identifiable information with AI providers
- ❌ Access your external photos or gallery
3. Data Storage and Security
3.1 Where Your Data is Stored
- Firebase (Google Cloud): Journal entries, user profiles, assessments, achievements
- Local Device Storage: Recent mood data (30 days), app preferences, emergency contacts
- Secure Storage: Login credentials stored using Expo SecureStore
3.2 Security Measures
- ✅ Firebase security rules restrict access to your data only
- ✅ Your data is NOT encrypted at rest in Firebase but is protected by Google's enterprise security
3.3 Data Retention
- Mood entries: 30-day rolling window (older entries automatically deleted for privacy)
- Journal entries: Stored until you delete them or your account
- Account data: Completely deleted within 30 days of account deletion
4. Data Sharing (We Don't Share Your Data)
Clear Statement: We DO NOT sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for marketing or commercial purposes.
4.1 Third-Party Services We Use
We use these services to operate WAKHAL, but they receive LIMITED information:
- Firebase (Google): Stores your data securely, bound by Google's privacy policies
- AI Providers (OpenAI, Google Gemini, DeepSeek): Receive ONLY anonymous mood/journal content, NO personal identifiers
- Emergency Services: We provide hotline numbers but do NOT share your information with them
4.2 Legal Requirements Only
We may disclose information ONLY if legally required by:
- Valid court orders
- Government requests with proper legal authority
- Emergency situations involving immediate danger
5. Your Rights and Choices
Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information:
- View Your Data: Access all your information within the app settings
- Correction: Update your personal information in your account settings
- Instant Deletion: Delete your account and all data immediately through the app
- Data Export: Feature under development - coming soon
Account Deletion - Instant and Complete
Immediate Deletion Available:
What happens when you delete:
- ✅ In-app deletion: All data deleted INSTANTLY when you confirm
- ✅ Manual requests: May take longer for our team to process
- ✅ Local device data cleared immediately
- ✅ Firebase cloud data permanently removed
- ✅ No data recovery possible after deletion
6. Age Requirements
WAKHAL is intended for users who are at least 16 years of age due to the mature nature of mental wellbeing content and assessment tools. We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under 16.
If you become aware that someone under 16 has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately. If we discover that we have collected information from someone under 16, we will delete that information immediately.
7. No Advertisements or Monetization
WAKHAL is completely FREE:
- ❌ No advertisements or ad tracking
- ❌ No premium features or subscriptions
- ❌ No in-app purchases
- ❌ No data selling for revenue
- ✅ Completely free mental wellbeing support for everyone
8. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date.
You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.
9. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:
Last updated: June 19, 2025