Privacy policy

1. Who we are and what this covers

This Privacy Policy applies to the UglyStart iOS app, its widgets and Live Activities, the UglyStart task-shrinking service, and uglystart.app.

The developer of UglyStart is responsible for the first-party handling described in this policy. In this policy, “UglyStart,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to the app and its developer.

This policy does not replace the privacy terms of Apple, Anthropic, RevenueCat, Vercel, or a service you choose from the iOS share sheet.

2. Information we handle

You can put sensitive or personal information into a free-text task. Please only include information you are comfortable sending to the processors described below.

3. How AI task shrinking works

When the remote service is configured and available, UglyStart sends the full task text over an encrypted HTTPS connection to our proxy hosted by Vercel. The proxy places that task in a prompt and sends it to Anthropic’s commercial API. Anthropic returns a first action and may return an if-then cue.

The proxy also receives your Internet Protocol address. It uses the address in an in-memory rate limit to prevent abuse. The active rate-limit window is one minute, but the in-memory entry may remain until that server instance is replaced or another request refreshes it. Vercel may separately process request logs, Internet Protocol addresses, approximate city or country derived from an address, device details, diagnostics, and traffic information as described in Vercel’s Privacy Notice.

Our proxy code does not intentionally write task text to a database. Vercel and Anthropic may still retain or process request content and associated technical data under their terms. If the remote request is unavailable or the app’s remote-use limit has been reached, UglyStart may try Apple’s on-device Foundation Models and then a local template. The current production order tries the remote service first.

Quiz selections other than the live-demo task are not included in the AI request.

4. Voice input and Apple Speech Recognition

Voice input is optional. UglyStart asks for Speech Recognition and microphone permission only after you tap the microphone button. While you speak, the app captures microphone audio and uses Apple’s SFSpeechRecognizer service to turn it into text.

Apple states that audio used by third-party apps for Speech Recognition may be sent to Apple for processing. Apple may also process transcripts, request information, device information, performance data, and an approximate location derived from an Internet Protocol address under its settings and privacy terms. Review Apple’s Siri, Dictation & Privacy notice.

UglyStart does not intentionally save a separate audio recording. The resulting transcript becomes task text and is then handled like a task you typed. You can deny or revoke microphone and Speech Recognition access in iOS Settings and continue typing instead.

5. Subscriptions and purchases

Apple processes App Store payments. UglyStart does not receive or store your full payment-card number. We use RevenueCat to load products, check trial eligibility, start or restore purchases, and determine whether the paid entitlement is active.

Because UglyStart does not have user accounts or provide RevenueCat with a custom user ID, the RevenueCat SDK creates an anonymous App User ID. RevenueCat may process device type and operating system, product and subscription activity, last-seen time, Apple receipt data, entitlement status, and related technical information. See RevenueCat’s App User ID documentation and Privacy Policy.

Apple and RevenueCat retain purchase records under their own legal, accounting, fraud-prevention, and service requirements. Managing or cancelling an App Store subscription does not automatically delete local UglyStart history.

6. Data stored and shown on your device

Local storage

UglyStart stores onboarding responses and preferences in the app’s local preferences. It stores completed starts and an unfinished-session recovery file in the app’s Application Support container. A completed start can include the task, first action, date, duration, and record identifier.

The current version does not provide an in-app button to delete individual ledger records or clear the complete local history. Deleting the app generally removes its local app container from that device, subject to Apple’s backup, restore, and offloading behavior.

Notifications

If you enable resume nudges, UglyStart schedules local notifications. A notification may include your task text on the Lock Screen and stores a task identifier so the app can open the related start. Disabling nudges removes pending UglyStart notification requests. Delivered notifications remain subject to iOS behavior.

Live Activities and widgets

During a session, a Live Activity may display the task or first action and timer on the Lock Screen or Dynamic Island. This can be visible while your device is locked. You can control notifications, previews, and Live Activities through iOS Settings. The standard home-screen widget uses static copy and does not display your task history.

Sharing

If you tap Share, iOS lets you send the first action, or the task if no action exists, to a destination you choose. That destination handles the shared content under its own privacy terms.

7. Website information

The current uglystart.app pages are static. We do not intentionally place advertising pixels, behavioral analytics scripts, or first-party cookies on those pages. The site does not collect tasks and has no web account or contact form.

Our hosting provider may still process normal web-request information, including Internet Protocol address, approximate location derived from it, browser and device details, requested page, referral information, timestamps, performance data, diagnostics, and logs. See Vercel’s Privacy Notice.

If you use the support email link, your email service and ours process the address, message, attachments, and delivery metadata.

8. Why we use information

• Provide the task-shrinking, timer, ledger, recovery, notification, Live Activity, widget, purchase, and support features you request.
• Remember your on-device settings and onboarding progress.
• Operate, secure, troubleshoot, and protect the app, website, and proxy from fraud or abuse.
• Verify paid access and restore purchases.
• Comply with law, enforce our terms, and protect users, the public, and our services.

Depending on where you live, our legal bases may include performing a contract with you, your consent for optional permissions, our legitimate interests in operating and securing the service, and compliance with legal obligations.

UglyStart does not sell personal information. The current version does not use task text or app activity for targeted advertising, and it does not include third-party advertising or a first-party behavioral analytics SDK. Service providers may collect operational, transaction, and technical data under their agreements and privacy notices.

9. Service providers and transfers

These providers may process information in countries other than the country where you live. Privacy laws may differ in those places. Their contracts, data-processing terms, and legally recognized transfer safeguards govern their processing where applicable.

10. Retention and security

Retention

Local start history and onboarding data remain in the app container until the app or its data is removed. The unfinished-session file is removed when you confirm or discard recovery or when a started session is recorded. Remote-use counters and preferences remain until app data is removed. Pending UglyStart notifications are removed when nudges are disabled or replaced by a newer reminder.

Support messages are kept as long as reasonably necessary to respond, maintain support records, protect the service, and meet legal obligations. Provider-held information follows each provider’s retention rules. Anthropic’s current standard commercial API period is described in Section 3.

Security

We use HTTPS for task transfers, keep the Anthropic API credential on the server, limit proxy request frequency, and rely on the iOS app container for local app data. No method of storage or transmission is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

11. Your choices and rights

• Type instead of speak: voice input is optional. You can revoke microphone or Speech Recognition access in iOS Settings.
• Control reminders: turn resume nudges off in UglyStart Settings or change notification permissions and previews in iOS Settings.
• Control Live Activities: disable them for UglyStart in iOS Settings.
• Control sharing: nothing is shared through the iOS share sheet unless you choose a destination.
• Manage purchases: manage or cancel subscriptions through your Apple Account and use Restore Purchases in the app.
• Remove local data: the current version has no clear-history control. Deleting the app generally removes its app container from that device, subject to Apple backup and offloading behavior.

Depending on your location, you may have rights to request access, correction, deletion, restriction, portability, or objection, and to withdraw consent. Email support@uglystart.app to make a request. We may need enough information to verify the request and locate relevant provider records. Some information may be retained where required by law or needed to protect legal rights.

12. Children

UglyStart is intended only for people who are at least 18 years old. This is an eligibility rule for using the service, not an adult-content classification. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. A parent or guardian who believes a child provided information should contact us so we can review the request and take appropriate action.

13. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when the app, providers, or legal requirements change. We will post the revised policy here and change the effective date. If a change materially affects how we handle information, we will provide additional notice where required.