Privacy Policy for NoteVault

Last Updated: 5/29/2025

Introduction

Welcome to NoteVault. We are committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how your personal information is collected, used, and disclosed by NoteVault when you use our application.

Information We Collect

NoteVault is designed with privacy at its core. We strive to collect only the minimum information necessary to provide and improve our service. The types of information we collect include:

  • Account Information:
    • We collect your email address when you register for an account. This is used solely for account management purposes, such as password resets, account verification, and essential service communications.
    • Your password is stored securely using industry-standard hashing techniques (e.g., bcrypt or scrypt). We never store your plain-text password.
  • Note Data:
    • Your notes, including their content and any associated metadata (like creation/modification dates), are stored securely within Google Firebase's Firestore database.
    • While we utilize Firebase infrastructure,the content of your notes is considered private. We do not access, read, or use the content of your notes for any purpose other than providing the core functionality of the app (e.g., syncing, displaying your notes to you).
    • We strongly recommend enabling any available end-to-end encryption features within the app for the highest level of privacy, as this ensures only you can decrypt your note content.
  • Usage Data (Optional/Future):
    • We may collect anonymous, aggregated usage data to understand how users interact with the app. This helps us identify areas for improvement, fix bugs, and enhance performance.
    • This data does not include the content of your notes or any personally identifiable information (PII). Examples might include feature usage frequency or crash reports.
    • Any collection of usage data will be done in a way that respects your privacy, and we may provide options to opt-out if significant tracking is implemented.

How We Use Your Information

Your information is used strictly for the following purposes:

  • To provide, operate, and maintain the NoteVault application and its features.
  • To manage your account, including user authentication, password recovery, and ensuring account security.
  • To communicate with you regarding important service updates, security alerts, or significant changes to our terms or policies (used sparingly).
  • To improve the application by analyzing aggregated, anonymous usage patterns (if and when collected) to enhance user experience and functionality.

Data Storage and Security

We leverage Google Firebase (a Google Cloud platform service) for robust and scalable backend infrastructure, including Firestore for database storage and Firebase Authentication for user management.

Security Measures:

  • Firebase employs industry-standard security measures to protect data stored on its platform, including encryption at rest and in transit.
  • We implement security best practices within the NoteVault application itself, such as secure password hashing and appropriate access controls.
  • Where end-to-end encryption is offered, the responsibility for managing encryption keys lies with the user, providing the highest level of content privacy.

Disclaimer: While we and our infrastructure providers take security seriously, please be aware that no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, trade, rent, or otherwise transfer your personally identifiable information or the content of your notes to outside parties for marketing or other commercial purposes.

We may disclose your information only in the following limited circumstances:

  • With Your Consent: If you explicitly provide consent to share information for a specific purpose.
  • Service Providers: We rely on third-party service providers like Google Firebase for infrastructure. These providers only process your data based on our instructions and are bound by confidentiality agreements.
  • Legal Requirements: If required by law, such as in response to a subpoena, court order, or other legal process, or to establish or exercise our legal rights or defend against legal claims.
  • Safety and Security: To protect the rights, property, or safety of NoteVault, our users, or the public, as required or permitted by law (e.g., investigating fraud or security threats).

Data Retention and Deletion

Retention:

  • We retain your account information (email address) for as long as your account remains active.
  • Your note data is retained until you explicitly delete it within the app or request the deletion of your entire account.

Deletion:

  • You have the right to delete your account at any time.
  • You can request account deletion using the"Delete Account" form provided on the NoteVault section of this website.
  • Upon receiving a valid and verified deletion request, we will initiate the process to permanently delete your account information and all associated note data from our active databases.
  • This deletion process will be completed within a reasonable timeframe (e.g., 30-90 days), subject to necessary system backups, logging, and any overriding legal retention requirements. Please note that residual copies may remain in backup systems for a limited period before being overwritten.

Your Choices and Rights

You have several choices regarding your information:

  • Access and Update: You can typically access and update your account email address through the settings within the NoteVault app (if this feature is implemented).
  • Note Management: You can create, edit, and delete individual notes directly within the app.
  • Account Deletion: You can request the permanent deletion of your account and all associated data via the designated form on this website.
  • Opt-Out (Usage Data): If we implement significant anonymous usage tracking in the future, we aim to provide an option within the app settings to opt-out.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons.

We will notify you of any significant changes by:

  • Posting the updated Privacy Policy on this page.
  • Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy.
  • Possibly providing an in-app notification for material changes.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or comments about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us using the general contact form available on the mainContact pageof this website.