This policy explains what information the app and the website app.recoverystarts.com collect, how it is used, and your rights. We comply with Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable provincial privacy legislation. It applies to the Android app and the web app equally.
The Big Book reader, search, the daily passage and quote verification work without an account and without an internet connection. Using only these features, we collect no personal information from you. Quote-verification checks you run may be kept in anonymous form (they contain only Big Book text and the result of the check, never your identity).
Your email address and authentication credentials. If you sign in with Google, we receive your name and email address from Google.
You may choose to provide your name, sobriety date, current step, a short bio, and notes about recent struggles or wins. This is voluntary and is used only to personalize Einstein's responses to you.
Messages you send to Einstein are transmitted to our servers and forwarded to third-party AI model providers to generate a response. If you use conversation history, your conversations are stored on our servers so you can revisit them. On the Pro plan, Einstein can also keep short "memories" of your recovery journey between conversations; these are stored on our servers and are used only to personalize future responses. You can delete conversations, memories and your whole account at any time (section 8).
If you use voice conversations, audio from your microphone is sent to speech providers for transcription and Einstein's replies are sent to a text-to-speech provider for synthesis. Audio is processed to provide the feature and is not used to identify you. Microphone access is requested only when you start a voice conversation and can be revoked in Android settings.
Subscriptions bought in the Android app are processed by Google Play. We receive a purchase token and subscription status from Google so we can unlock your plan; we never see your payment details. Subscriptions bought on the web are processed by Stripe, which collects payment information directly; we do not store card numbers.
Our servers keep standard, short-lived request logs (IP address, timestamps, errors) for security and debugging. We use privacy-respecting, self-hosted analytics (Umami) to count aggregate page views: no cookies, no cross-site tracking, no advertising identifiers. We do not use Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, advertising SDKs, or any ad trackers, and the app shows no ads.
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information, and we do not share it with anyone for marketing or advertising.
We operate from Canada. Your personal information, including conversations and profile data, is processed by providers whose servers may be located in the United States and other jurisdictions where data protection laws differ from those in your jurisdiction. By using the app you consent to this transfer. You may withdraw consent at any time by deleting your account.
Account, profile, conversation and memory data is retained while your account is active. When you delete your account, all associated personal data (account, profile, sobriety date, conversations, memories, settings and consent records) is removed from our servers immediately and cannot be recovered; backups are purged within 30 days. Server request logs are kept for a short period for security purposes and then discarded.
All connections use HTTPS/TLS. Data is stored on access-controlled servers and authentication uses industry-standard practices. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Under PIPEDA and applicable privacy laws you may access, correct, or delete the personal information we hold about you, withdraw consent, and file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.
You can delete your account and all its data yourself from inside the app (You tab → Account → Delete account), or by following app.recoverystarts.com/delete-account. For any other request, email us (section 11); we respond within 30 days.
Information about addiction and recovery is deeply personal. Anything you tell Einstein or put in your profile is used only to provide the service and is shared only with the providers listed above to the extent needed to generate a response. We treat all recovery-related information with the highest level of care and confidentiality. The app is a study and reference tool, not a medical service, and does not collect health records.
The app is intended for people 18 years of age or older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you believe someone under 18 has provided information through the app, contact us and we will delete it promptly.
Privacy questions and requests: privacy@recoverystarts.com
Support: support@autogrow.org
We may update this policy from time to time. Material changes will be communicated in the app or by email, and the "Last updated" date above reflects the latest revision.