This Privacy Policy explains how HB Technologies LLC (“we”) collects, uses, and shares information when you use friendswith.ai (the “Service”). It applies in addition to our Terms of Service. If you do not agree with this Policy, please do not use the Service.

1. Information we collect

• Account information. When you sign in via a third-party identity provider (e.g., Google), we receive your email, display name, and profile image (if provided), plus a stable subject identifier we use to identify your account.
• Conversation content. The text of messages you send to and receive from Characters is stored so we can render the conversation, train safety systems, and operate the Service.
• Usage & device data. IP address, approximate location (derived from IP), device type, browser, operating system, referring URL, and timestamps. This is captured automatically when you visit the Service.
• Payment data. Subscriptions are billed through our third-party payment processor, which acts as the merchant of record and handles all payment details under its own privacy policy. We do not collect or store your payment card information.
• Communications. Email you send us, including support requests and feedback.
• Cookies & similar technologies. See our Cookie Policy for details.

2. How we use information

• operate and provide the Service, including authenticating you and rendering conversations;
• personalize Character behavior so each Character can “remember” details across sessions;
• process payments and prevent fraud or abuse;
• maintain safety, including detecting prohibited content and enforcing our Terms;
• improve the Service, including model evaluation and quality assurance, with conversation samples scrubbed of direct identifiers where feasible;
• send transactional emails and, where you have opted in, marketing emails;
• comply with legal obligations and respond to lawful requests.

3. Legal bases (EEA / UK)

Where the GDPR or UK GDPR applies, we rely on the following bases: contract (to deliver the Service you signed up for), legitimate interests (to operate, secure, and improve the Service in ways that do not override your rights), consent (for non-essential cookies, marketing email, and any sensitive-category processing where required), and legal obligation (to comply with applicable law).

4. Sharing information

We do not sell your personal information. We share it only:

• With service providers who process data on our behalf under written contracts (cloud hosting, email delivery, identity, payments, analytics, error monitoring);
• With affiliated entities for the same purposes described in this Policy;
• For legal reasons, when we believe in good faith that disclosure is required to comply with law, enforce our Terms, or protect the rights, property, or safety of HB Technologies, our users, or others;
• In a corporate transaction (merger, acquisition, financing, or sale), in which case we will require the recipient to honor this Policy or notify you of any material change;
• With your consent, including when you choose to share content outside the Service.

5. International transfers

We are based in the United States. If you access the Service from outside the U.S., your information will be transferred to and processed in the U.S. and other countries where our service providers operate. Where required, we use Standard Contractual Clauses or other approved transfer mechanisms.

6. Retention

We keep account information for as long as your account is active and for a reasonable period afterward to comply with legal obligations and resolve disputes. Conversation history persists until you delete a chat or your account; deleted chats are removed from primary storage immediately and from backups within 30 days. Aggregated, de-identified data may be retained indefinitely.

7. Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:

• access the personal information we hold about you;
• correct inaccurate information;
• request deletion of your information;
• port your information to another service in a machine-readable format;
• object to or restrict certain processing;
• withdraw consent (without affecting prior lawful processing);
• lodge a complaint with your local data-protection authority.

To exercise any of these rights, contact privacy@friendswith.ai. We will respond within the timeframe required by applicable law. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling certain requests.

8. California residents

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (as amended by the CPRA), California residents have the right to know what personal information we collect, request deletion, request correction, and opt out of any “sale” or “sharing” (we do not sell or share for cross-context behavioral advertising). You may also designate an authorized agent to act on your behalf. We do not discriminate against users who exercise these rights.

9. Children

The Service is not directed to anyone under 18, and we do not knowingly collect information from children. If you believe a child has provided information to us, contact privacy@friendswith.ai and we will promptly delete it.

10. Security

We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect your information, including encryption in transit, encryption at rest for sensitive fields, access controls, and regular security review. No system is perfectly secure; we cannot guarantee absolute security.

11. Changes

We may update this Policy from time to time. Material changes will be communicated via the Service or by email. The “Last updated” date at the top reflects the latest revision.

12. Contact

HB Technologies LLC · privacy@friendswith.ai · Attn: Privacy Officer, Georgetown, Texas, USA.