Privacy Policy

01. Introduction and Scope Top Index

This Privacy Policy ("Policy") describes how Sleep Paralysis Companion ("we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, discloses, and protects your personal information when you use the Sleep Paralysis Companion mobile application ("App"), available on Apple iOS.

This Policy applies to all individuals in the United States who download, install, or use the App. By downloading, installing, or using the App, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with this Policy, please do not use the App.

02. Definitions Top Index

• Personal Information: Any information that identifies, relates to, describes, is reasonably capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular individual or household.
• Sensitive Personal Information: Personal information that reveals health data, biometric information, precise account credentials, or other protected categories defined under applicable state privacy laws.
• Personal Audio: Audio clips that you deliberately record in the App or select from your device files for use as private, local comfort audio. Personal audio is stored strictly on your local device.
• Wellness Information: Information you choose to provide through voluntary questionnaires about sleep paralysis experiences, together with your alarm and notification preferences. The App does not generate clinical diagnoses or automated AI sleep reports.
• Service Provider: A third-party entity that processes personal information on our behalf pursuant to a written contract requiring equivalent data protections.
• De-identified Data: Information that cannot reasonably be used to infer information about, or otherwise be linked to, a particular individual.

03. Information We Collect Top Index

3.1 Information You Provide Directly

• Account Information: When you create an account using Sign in with Apple or Google Sign-In, we receive the account identifier and any name or email address that you authorize the selected provider to share with us (including Apple Private Relay email addresses).
• Health & Wellness Questionnaire Responses: Answers to voluntary onboarding and periodic questions about your sleep condition, sleep paralysis history, episode frequency, known triggers, and related wellness notes.
• Personal Comfort Audio: Voice or sound clips you deliberately record in the App for private, user-controlled playback during or after episodes.
• Selected Audio Files: Audio files you deliberately choose from your local device storage for private playback.
• Alarm and Notification Preferences: Your preferred wake-up times, gentle alarm ramp-up settings, sleep reminder times, and notification preferences.
• Music and Sound Preferences: Your selections for pre-sleep audio and wake-up soundscapes.

3.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Subscription Information: Subscription status, plan tier, and transaction confirmation identifiers processed through Apple’s In-App Purchase and StoreKit framework. We do not receive, process, or store your credit card or bank account details; Apple processes all payment transactions directly.
• Basic Operational Logs: Essential technical diagnostics and crash logs necessary to maintain app stability, security, and performance.

3.3 Information from Third-Party Sources

• Sign-In Providers: If you use Sign in with Apple or Google Sign-In, the selected provider shares an authentication token and authorized profile details in accordance with your chosen provider privacy settings.
• Apple StoreKit: In-App Purchase verification, renewal status, and expiration timestamps provided securely through Apple’s infrastructure.

04. How We Use Your Information Top Index

We process collected information solely for legitimate, user-oriented purposes:

• Core App Functionality: Authenticating your identity, managing your account, triggering custom alarms and sleep/wake notifications, and playing selected soundscapes or local comfort audio upon your request.
• Subscription & Account Management: Verifying subscription status through Apple StoreKit to grant access to premium features and sending critical transaction confirmations.
• Product Support & Improvement: Responding to user support inquiries, debugging unexpected crashes, and improving app usability based on direct user feedback.
• Communications & Push Alerts: With your explicit iOS permission, sending push notifications for sleep reminders, alarm alerts, and grounding assistance. You can adjust notification permissions at any time in iOS Settings.
• Legal Compliance & Safety: Complying with applicable laws, preventing fraudulent activity, enforcing our terms, and protecting user safety.

05. Legal Bases for Processing Top Index

We process your personal information under the following legal grounds:

• Consent: For microphone access to record comfort audio, for sending iOS push notifications, and for processing voluntary questionnaire responses. You may revoke consent at any time through App or iOS system settings.
• Contractual Necessity: To deliver requested account access, subscriptions, alarms, sound playback, and user-initiated features.
• Legitimate Interests: To maintain system security, prevent fraud, debug application crashes, and provide customer support, where such interests are not overridden by your individual rights.
• Legal Obligation: To satisfy mandatory statutory, accounting, or regulatory requirements under federal and state law.

06. Personal Audio and Microphone Access Top Index

Personal audio is an optional, entirely user-initiated feature created to provide soothing familiar voices or sounds during stressful nighttime awakenings.

6.1 Consent and Device Control

Microphone access requires your explicit opt-in through the native iOS system dialog. You may revoke microphone permission at any time via Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone > Sleep Paralysis Companion. The App records audio only after you tap the record button.

6.2 Local Storage and Deletion

All personal comfort audio clips are stored exclusively on your local device. They are not uploaded to our cloud servers, analyzed by artificial intelligence, or accessible by our staff. You can delete individual audio clips in the App at any time, or use the in-app local data deletion control to wipe all locally stored files immediately.

6.3 Recording Other People & User Exports

If you record another individual’s voice for comfort playback, you should do so only with that person’s explicit knowledge and consent in accordance with applicable laws. If you choose to export an audio clip, the export is initiated entirely by you and sent to your selected destination (e.g., Files, AirDrop).

07. Data Sharing and Disclosure Top Index

We do not sell your personal information. We do not share your personal information with third parties for cross-context behavioral advertising or marketing campaigns. We disclose data only in the following strictly limited circumstances:

• Operational Service Providers: Trusted infrastructure partners who process data under written confidentiality agreements (e.g., secure cloud database hosting for account authentication, and Apple/Google for authentication and StoreKit processing). Service providers are forbidden from using your data for their own independent purposes.
• Legal Compliance: When required by law, subpoena, court order, or valid governmental request.
• Safety and Rights Protection: When deemed necessary in good faith to protect vital safety, prevent fraud, or protect legal rights.
• Business Transfers: In connection with any merger, financing, acquisition, or sale of company assets, subject to continued adherence to this Privacy Policy.

08. Data Storage, Retention, and Security Top Index

8.1 Storage Locations

• Local Device Storage: Personal audio clips, custom alarm schedules, locally cached sound preferences, and user settings remain stored locally on your iOS device.
• Cloud Services: Account identifiers and authentication state required to sync your subscription status across devices are stored in secure cloud data centers located in the United States.

8.2 Security Safeguards

We implement industry-standard technical, administrative, and physical safeguards, including encrypted HTTPS/TLS in-transit data transmission, strict system access controls, and least-privilege administrative access policies.

8.3 Data Retention Schedule

• Account & Questionnaire Data: Retained for the duration of your active account and permanently purged within 30 days of account deletion.
• Personal Audio: Stored strictly on your local device until you delete the clips or uninstall the App.
• Subscription Records: Anonymized purchase confirmation tokens may be retained as required to satisfy accounting, financial audit, and tax obligations.

09. Your Rights and Choices Top Index

Regardless of your geographic location, all App users enjoy full autonomy over their data:

• Right to Access & Portability: Request a copy of the personal information associated with your account.
• Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate account information.
• Right to Deletion: Request permanent deletion of your account and associated server records.
• Permission Controls: Grant or revoke iOS permissions (Microphone, Push Notifications) at any time through iOS Settings.
• Local Audio Controls: Freely create, export, or permanently delete personal audio files directly on your device.
• Account Deletion: You can initiate account deletion at any time in the App Settings. All associated personal data will be permanently removed from our active servers within 30 days.

To exercise your rights, email us at founder@sleepparalysis.app. We verify requests via account credentials and respond within statutory deadlines (typically 45 days).

10. State-Specific Consumer Privacy Rights Top Index

Residents of US states with comprehensive data privacy laws possess additional statutory rights:

10.1 California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA / CPRA)

In the preceding 12 months, we have collected the following categories of personal information:

California Rights: Right to Know, Right to Delete, Right to Correct, Right to Limit the Use of Sensitive Personal Information, and Right to Non-Discrimination. We do not sell personal data or share data for cross-context behavioral advertising.

California Shine the Light (Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.83): We do not disclose personal information to third parties for direct marketing.

10.2 Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Montana, Iowa, Indiana, Tennessee

Residents of Virginia (VCDPA), Colorado (CPA), Connecticut (CTDPA), Utah (UCPA), Texas (TDPSA), Oregon (OCPA), Montana (MCDPA), Iowa (ICDPA), Indiana, and Tennessee (TIPA) have the rights to confirm processing, access, correct, delete, obtain data in a portable format, and opt out of targeted advertising, data sales, and significant automated profiling. We process sensitive data only with consent. To submit an appeal regarding a rights request, email founder@sleepparalysis.app.

10.3 Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA)

We do not create biometric voiceprints, facial recognition templates, or use voice recordings to authenticate individuals. Personal audio is stored locally on device and is not analyzed for biometric markers.

10.4 Nevada Privacy Law (SB 220)

Nevada residents have the right to opt out of the sale of covered personal data. We do not sell covered information. Inquiries may be directed to founder@sleepparalysis.app.

11. Children’s Privacy Top Index

The App is intended for general audiences aged 13 and older. In compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

Users between the ages of 13 and 17 may use the App only with parental or legal guardian consent and supervision. If you believe a child under 13 has provided personal information to us, please contact us immediately at founder@sleepparalysis.app, and we will delete the data promptly.

12. Apple-Specific Disclosures Top Index

In accordance with Apple App Store Review Guidelines:

• In-App Purchases & Apple Pay: Subscriptions are processed exclusively through Apple’s StoreKit infrastructure. We never receive or store credit card numbers or financial account credentials. Subscription cancellations and refunds are handled through your Apple ID Account Settings.
• Sign in with Apple: When using Sign in with Apple, you may utilize Apple's private email relay service to shield your personal email address.
• App Tracking Transparency (ATT): We do not track you across apps and websites owned by other companies, do not use the IDFA (Identifier for Advertisers), and do not participate in third-party advertising exchanges.
• App Privacy Nutrition Labels: All disclosures in this Policy match the data disclosures declared in our App Store Privacy Nutrition Label.

13. Dedicated Washington & Nebraska Consumer Health Privacy Notice Top Index

13.1 Consumer Health Data Categories Collected

• Sleep Wellness & Experience Data: Self-reported answers to questionnaires regarding sleep paralysis history, frequency of episodes, experienced symptoms (e.g., atonia, hallucinations, chest pressure), and self-identified sleep triggers.
• Grounding & Sleep Preferences: Preferred waking music, alarm sounds, and custom comfort audio schedules.
• Data We Explicitly Do NOT Collect: Continuous nocturnal audio recordings, biometric voice signatures, clinical medical records, precise GPS geofencing near healthcare facilities, or diagnostic health scores.

13.2 Purpose of Collection and Legal Grounds

We collect and process consumer health data solely with your affirmative, opt-in consent to provide personalized grounding techniques, customized waking sequences, and supportive educational content within the App. We do not sell consumer health data under any circumstances.

13.3 Third-Party Disclosures

Consumer health data is shared only with contracted infrastructure service providers solely to the extent necessary to operate the service. We do not share consumer health data with advertisers, brokers, or affiliates.

13.4 Consumer Health Data Rights

Washington and Nebraska residents have the right to:

• Confirm & Access: Confirm whether we are processing consumer health data and access a comprehensive list of third-party processors.
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for ongoing collection and processing of health data at any time.
• Delete: Request the complete deletion of consumer health data from our active systems and service provider networks.
• Appeals: If your request is denied, you may appeal the decision within 30 days by contacting founder@sleepparalysis.app. If the appeal is unresolved, Washington consumers may contact the Washington State Attorney General at atg.wa.gov, and Nebraska consumers may contact the Nebraska Attorney General at ago.nebraska.gov.

13.5 Prohibition on Geofencing Healthcare Facilities

In strict accordance with Washington MHMDA, we never implement virtual geofences around healthcare facilities, sleep clinics, hospitals, or therapy centers for tracking or advertising purposes.

14. Additional Provisions Top Index

14.1 International Data Transfers

The App is operated from within the United States. If you access the App from other jurisdictions, please note that your information will be processed and stored in the United States, where privacy regulations may differ from those in your jurisdiction.

14.2 Third-Party Links

The App and website may contain references or links to external educational resources. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of external third-party sites.

14.3 Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When material modifications occur, we will update the "Effective Date" at the top of this page and provide prominent notification via the App or our official website.

14.4 Accessibility

We are committed to providing accessible documentation. If you require this policy in an alternative format or language, please contact us.

15. Contact Us Top Index

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data handling practices, please contact us directly:

For state-specific privacy rights requests, please indicate your state of residence in your communication so we can process your request promptly in accordance with applicable state statutes.