Privacy Policy

Last updated: July 22, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how Echo Root may collect, use, share, and retain information when you use the Echo Root app and website. It is written in plain language and is not legal advice from a law firm.

1. Account Information

Depending on how you use Echo Root, we may process account identifiers, authentication tokens, sign-in method details (such as Apple or email-based authentication where enabled), and basic account status information.

2. Pseudonymous Profile Information

The Service may generate or store a display alias, avatar seed, trust or participation status, and similar profile fields that help the product work without showing your legal name to other users.

3. User-Created Text and Audio Capsules

When you plant a capsule, we process the text and/or audio you submit, plus related metadata such as title, category, unlock radius, neighborhood label, creation time, and optional content warnings. Public capsules may be discoverable by others who reach the related location according to product rules.

4. Precise Location Used for Placing or Unlocking Capsules

Precise location is requested when needed to plant a capsule or verify that you are close enough to unlock one. Location access is required for core geo-locking features. Precise location should be requested in context for planting, unlocking, and related verification—not for unrelated background tracking.

5. Approximate Location Used for Nearby Discovery

Approximate or region-level location may be used to show nearby capsules on the map and improve discovery. Map browsing does not require publishing your exact position to other users as a live social presence feature.

6. Device, Diagnostics, and Usage Information

We may collect device type, operating-system version, app version, language, crash or diagnostic data, performance metrics, and interaction events that help us operate, secure, and improve the Service.

7. Reports, Moderation Records, and Support Messages

If you report content or contact support, we process the information you provide, related capsule identifiers, and moderation notes needed to investigate abuse, safety issues, or product problems.

8. Cookies or Local Storage Used by the Website

The Echo Root website may use cookies or local storage for basic preferences, security, or operational needs. The marketing site is designed to remain lightweight and does not require an account to read these pages.

9. Notification Preferences

If you enable notifications, we may store device push tokens and preference settings so we can send alerts you choose, such as nearby-echo notices where available. You can change notification settings in the app or on your device.

10. App-Store and Third-Party Service Information

Purchases, downloads, and some authentication flows may involve Apple, Google, hosting providers, databases, maps, email, or similar processors. Those providers receive information needed to perform their services under their own privacy terms.

Why Location Access Is Required

Echo Root’s product model depends on place. Without location, the app cannot meaningfully show nearby capsules, confirm unlock proximity, or associate a planted echo with a real-world spot.

When Precise Location Is Requested

Precise location is typically requested for planting, unlocking, and verification surrounding those actions. Approximate location may be sufficient for browsing nearby content in some cases, subject to platform and product constraints.

Location History Practices

Echo Root is not intended to maintain an unnecessary continuous location history of your movements. Limited location-related samples or unlock-verification data may be processed temporarily or retained in restricted form to prevent spoofing, enforce geo-locking, debug failures, and investigate abuse.

Unlock Verification

Unlock events may retain limited verification information such as capsule identifiers, timestamps, approximate distance checks, success or failure reasons, and anti-abuse signals. This information supports product integrity and moderation; it is not presented as a public feed of your travels.

Anonymous Posting and Internal Identifiers

Anonymous public posting means other users generally do not see your real name. It does not mean the Service lacks an internal account or device-linked identifier, and it does not mean content is completely untraceable for safety, legal, or abuse-prevention purposes.

Abuse Prevention and Moderation

We use account, content, report, and limited technical signals to detect spam, harassment, illegal material, dangerous lures, and other misuse. Moderation may include automated filters and human review.

How Audio Is Stored and Delivered

Audio capsules are stored on infrastructure used by Echo Root and delivered to eligible users after unlock rules are satisfied. Access controls and signed delivery mechanisms may be used where implemented. Audio may also be processed for transcription or moderation support where those features are enabled.

When Information May Be Shared

We may share information with:

• Service providers that host, store, deliver, analyze, or secure the Service
• App stores and payment platforms for distribution and purchases
• Authorities or other parties when required by law or to protect people from serious harm
• Successors in a merger, acquisition, or reorganization, subject to appropriate protections

We do not sell your personal information as a consumer data commodity.

Data Retention

We retain information for as long as needed to provide the Service, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and prevent abuse. Capsules, accounts, logs, and moderation records may have different retention periods.

Data Deletion Requests

You may request deletion of your account or data by contacting [email protected]. Some information may remain where retention is required for legal, security, or backup purposes, or where content has already been shared in a way that cannot be fully recalled.

Security Limitations

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures to protect information. No method of transmission or storage is perfectly secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Children’s Privacy

Echo Root is not directed to children under 13 (or the equivalent minimum age in your region). If you believe a child has provided personal information inappropriately, contact us and we will take appropriate steps.

International Processing

Information may be processed in countries other than where you live. Those countries may have different data-protection laws. Where required, we use appropriate transfer mechanisms with service providers.

User Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or export personal information, or to object to or restrict certain processing. To exercise available rights, email [email protected]. We may need to verify your request.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the “Last updated” date and may provide additional notice in the app or on the website.

Contact Information

Privacy questions: [email protected]