Privacy Policy

Who we are

Briar Creek Tech LLC (“Briar Creek Tech,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is a software company based in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. We build and operate the mobile applications described in this policy. We are the controller responsible for the information described here.

You can reach us at any time at carl@briarcreektech.com.

What this policy covers

This policy explains what information our mobile applications collect, why we collect it, who we share it with, and what control you have over it. It applies to the following applications and to this website:

• InflationBuddy — An iPhone app for tracking how inflation affects prices and purchasing power over time.
• HartSquare — A free iPhone app with no accounts and no sign-in required.

Our applications differ from one another in what they collect. The app-by-app summary below tells you exactly what applies to the app you are using.

Information we collect

Information you provide to us

Some of our apps let you create an account. When you do, we collect the information you give us to create and maintain it, such as your email address and authentication details. If you sign in using Apple, Apple provides us with an identifier and, depending on your choice at sign-in, either your email address or a private relay address that forwards to you. We never receive your Apple Account password.

We also store the content and settings you create inside the app so that they persist and stay available on your devices.

Information collected automatically

When you use an app that includes analytics or crash reporting, we receive technical information automatically, including device model, operating system version, app version, language and region settings, a randomly generated app instance identifier, general usage events such as which screens are opened, and diagnostic information when the app stops unexpectedly. This information helps us understand how the app is used and fix problems.

Purchase and subscription information

For apps that offer subscriptions, we receive the status of your purchase — for example whether a subscription is active, when it renews, and which product you bought. Purchases are processed by Apple. We never receive or store your payment card number, billing address, or Apple Account credentials.

Information we do not collect

We do not collect your precise location, your contacts, your photos, your microphone or camera input, or your health data. We do not use third-party advertising networks, and we do not track you across other companies’ apps and websites.

App-by-app summary

How we use information

We use the information described above only to:

• Provide, operate, and maintain the app and its features.
• Create and secure your account, and keep your data synchronized across your devices.
• Determine whether you have an active subscription and what content or features you are entitled to.
• Diagnose crashes, fix bugs, and improve reliability and performance.
• Understand which features are used so we can decide what to build and improve.
• Respond to your support requests and communicate with you about the app.
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Use.

We do not use your information to build advertising profiles, and we do not make automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects about you.

Third-party services we rely on

We use a small number of established service providers to run our apps. They process information on our behalf, under their own privacy commitments, and only for the purposes described here.

• Google Firebase (Google LLC) — provides our hosted database, user authentication, analytics, and crash reporting. Depending on the app, Firebase may process your account identifier, app content, device and usage data, IP address, and crash diagnostics. See the Firebase privacy information and Google Privacy Policy.
• RevenueCat (RevenueCat, Inc.) — manages subscription status and entitlements for apps that offer subscriptions. RevenueCat receives a subscriber identifier and purchase information from Apple, not your payment details. See the RevenueCat Privacy Policy.
• Apple (Apple Inc.) — distributes our apps, processes all purchases and subscriptions, and provides Sign in with Apple where offered. Your payment relationship is with Apple. See the Apple Privacy Policy.

We require that any third party with whom we share user data — including analytics tools, advertising networks, and third-party SDKs, as well as any parent, subsidiary, or other related entity that has access to user data — provides the same or equal protection of user data as stated in this Privacy Policy. We do not permit these providers to use your information for their own independent purposes, and we do not authorize them to sell it.

How we share information

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it for cross-context behavioral advertising. We share information only in these circumstances:

• With the service providers listed above, so they can perform their functions for us.
• When we are required to by law, such as in response to a valid subpoena, court order, or other lawful request.
• To protect the rights, property, or safety of our users, the public, or Briar Creek Tech, including to investigate fraud or abuse.
• In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, in which case we will notify you before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

How long we keep information

We keep account information and the content associated with your account for as long as your account is active. When you delete your account, we delete the account record and its associated content from our production systems, and it is removed from routine backups within 30 days.

Analytics and crash data are retained on a rolling basis in accordance with our provider’s default retention settings, generally no longer than 14 months. We may keep information longer where we are required to do so by law, or where it is needed to resolve a dispute or enforce our agreements.

Your rights and choices

Depending on where you live, you may have some or all of the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access — ask what personal information we hold about you.
• Correction — ask us to correct information that is inaccurate.
• Deletion — ask us to delete your account and personal information.
• Portability — request a copy of your information in a portable format.
• Objection and restriction — object to or ask us to restrict certain processing.
• Withdraw consent — where we rely on consent, withdraw it at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, email us at carl@briarcreektech.com. We will respond within the time required by applicable law, generally within 45 days. We will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights.

You can also turn off analytics collection at the device level using the iOS privacy controls in Settings, and you can stop all collection at any time by deleting the app.

California residents

If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act as amended by the CPRA gives you the rights described above, including the right to know, delete, and correct your personal information, and the right to opt out of sale or sharing. As stated above, we do not sell or share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising, and we have not done so in the preceding twelve months.

Users in the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom

If you are located in the EEA or the UK, we process your information on the following legal bases: to perform our contract with you (providing the app and your account), our legitimate interests (keeping the app secure, reliable, and improved), your consent where we ask for it, and compliance with legal obligations. You have the right to lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority.

Deleting your account and data

For apps that offer accounts, you can delete your account directly in the app: open the app, go to Settings, and choose Delete Account. Deleting your account permanently removes your account record and the content associated with it.

If you cannot access the app for any reason, email us at carl@briarcreektech.com from the address associated with your account and we will delete your account for you.

Deleting your account does not automatically cancel an active subscription, because subscriptions are billed by Apple. To stop billing, cancel the subscription in iOS Settings as described on our support page.

Apps without accounts

For apps that have no account or sign-in, there is no account record to delete. Deleting the app from your device stops all further collection. If you would like us to delete any records our backend holds that relate to your installation, email us and we will do so — please include your device model and the approximate dates you used the app so we can locate the records.

Withdrawing consent

Where we rely on your consent to process information, you can withdraw it at any time, and doing so is as easy as giving it. You can turn off analytics and crash reporting at the device level in the iOS Settings app under Privacy & Security, stop all collection by deleting the app, or email us to withdraw consent for any specific processing. Withdrawing consent does not affect processing we carried out before you withdrew it.

Children’s privacy

Our apps are not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

Security

We use industry-standard safeguards to protect your information, including encryption in transit, access controls on our systems, and reputable infrastructure providers. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security, but we take these obligations seriously and will notify you and the appropriate authorities of a breach where required by law.

International users

We are based in the United States, and our service providers process and store information in the United States and other countries. If you use our apps from outside the United States, you understand that your information will be transferred to and processed in the United States, where data protection laws may differ from those in your country. Where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as the European Commission’s standard contractual clauses for these transfers.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the effective date at the top of this page. If the changes are material, we will provide a more prominent notice, such as an in-app notice. Continuing to use the apps after an update means you accept the revised policy.

Contact us

If you have questions about this policy or how we handle your information, contact us:

• Email: carl@briarcreektech.com
• Phone: 704.641.5514
• Briar Creek Tech LLC, Charlotte, North Carolina, United States