Privacy Policy
Your inner world belongs to you.
Last Updated: March 21, 2026 | Version 1.1The Observing Ego is a personal mental health tool, and we take that responsibility seriously. This policy is written in plain language because we believe you deserve to understand exactly what happens with your most private thoughts, feelings, and health data — not wade through legalese to find out.
The short version: your data stays on your device. We do not sell it, share it with advertisers, or process it on our servers. The only place your information goes is where you choose to put it — your iPhone, and optionally Apple's encrypted iCloud.
This policy applies to The Observing Ego iOS application ("the App") developed by The Observing Ego team ("we," "us," or "our"). It covers all users, with special protections for users under age 13.
Table of Contents
1. Information We Collect
We only collect information you actively enter into the App or data you explicitly grant permission to read. We collect nothing passively, and nothing leaves your device except through the optional iCloud sync you control.
Mood and Emotional Data
When you log a mood entry, we record:
- Emotion category, primary feeling, and secondary descriptors you select
- Emotional intensity (on a scale appropriate for your age group)
- Valence and arousal coordinates (your position on the circumplex model)
- Body sensations you tag (e.g., chest tightness, calm stomach)
- Timestamp and optional notes
This data is the core of the App and stays entirely on your device. It is never transmitted to our servers.
Journal Entries
The App supports multiple journaling formats:
- Free-form journal — text entries you write manually
- Dream journal — dream descriptions and associated themes
- Cognitive-Motivational-Relational (CMR) journal — structured emotional analysis entries
- DBT Diary Cards — Dialectical Behavior Therapy self-monitoring records
All journal content is stored locally on your device. If you enable iCloud sync, journal entries are encrypted in transit and at rest using Apple's end-to-end encryption infrastructure.
Clinical Assessment Responses
If you choose to complete clinical self-assessments, we store your item responses and the calculated total score for:
- PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire — depression screening)
- GAD-7 (Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale)
- WHO-5 (World Health Organization Well-Being Index)
- C-SSRS (Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale) Safety
- ASQ (Ask Suicide-Screening Questions) Safety
- STIPO-R (Structured Interview of Personality Organization — Revised)
- BDI-II / BAI (Beck Depression / Anxiety Inventories — ages 13+)
- BYI (Beck Youth Inventories — ages 7–17)
Important: For safety assessments (C-SSRS, ASQ), we record only whether a safety check occurred — a simple boolean flag. We never store your specific responses to individual safety questions. This is an intentional privacy protection.
All assessments are screening tools, not diagnostic instruments. Each assessment displays a disclaimer to this effect.
Medication Information
If you use the Medication Tracker feature (available to teens and adults), we store:
- Medication name, dose, and frequency you enter manually
- Scheduled reminder times
- Compliance log (which doses you marked as taken or skipped)
Medication names are stored locally only and are never transmitted externally — not even through iCloud sync unless you have enabled it. This data is protected with iOS file encryption.
Habit and Behavioral Logs
When you log habits, we record the habit type, date, and any notes you add. Habit categories include:
- Sleep (duration, quality)
- Exercise and physical activity
- Nutrition and hydration
- Social interaction
- Substance use (alcohol and drug tracking — adults 18+ only, with explicit opt-in)
- Custom habits you define
Defense Mechanism and Mentalizing Logs
The App includes psychoanalytically-informed tools for tracking defense mechanisms and mentalizing patterns. If you use these features, we store:
- The defense mechanism type you identify
- Mentalizing dimension ratings
- Timestamp and optional reflective notes
These entries are particularly sensitive and receive the same on-device storage protections as clinical assessment data.
Health Data (HealthKit) Permission Required
With your explicit permission, the App reads the following data types from Apple HealthKit:
- Heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV)
- Resting heart rate
- Step count and activity
- Sleep analysis (duration and sleep stages)
- Respiratory rate
- Blood oxygen saturation (SpO₂)
On iOS 18 and later, the App may also write State of Mind entries to HealthKit when you log a mood entry, if you grant this additional permission. You can revoke this at any time in iPhone Settings → Privacy → Health.
HealthKit data is read on-device and used only within the App for insight generation. It is never transmitted to our servers and is excluded from iCloud sync.
Motion and Activity Data (CoreMotion) Opt-In Only
As part of optional digital phenotyping features, the App may request access to CoreMotion data (step counts, activity classification). This feature:
- Is opt-in only — you must explicitly enable it in Settings
- Is used only for on-device correlation with mood patterns
- Is never transmitted externally
- Can be disabled or cleared at any time
Not available to users under 13.
Account and Subscription Information
The Observing Ego does not have user accounts in the traditional sense. There is no username, email address, or password stored by us.
Subscription purchases ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) are processed entirely by Apple through StoreKit 2. We receive only a receipt token to verify your subscription status. Apple's privacy policy governs all payment processing. We never see your payment card information.
Your App Store ID is not linked to any of your health or mood data.
Technical and Diagnostic Data
We do not operate analytics, crash-reporting, or tracking SDKs. We do not collect device identifiers, IP addresses, or advertising IDs.
If the App crashes, Apple may collect a crash report through the standard iOS crash reporting system, subject to your device's Analytics settings and Apple's privacy policy. We receive only aggregated, anonymized crash statistics from App Store Connect — never personally identifiable information.
2. How We Use Your Information
All data processing happens on your device. Here is exactly what the App does with your information:
| Purpose | Data Used | Where Processed |
|---|---|---|
| Display your mood history and insights | Mood logs, habit logs, journal entries | On-device only |
| Generate correlations between mood and habits/health | Mood logs, habit logs, HealthKit data | On-device only |
| Score clinical assessments | Assessment responses | On-device only |
| Send medication reminders | Medication schedule you entered | On-device (iOS Notifications) |
| Verify subscription status | StoreKit receipt token | On-device (via Apple) |
| Sync data across your Apple devices | All app data (if iCloud enabled) | Apple CloudKit (encrypted) |
| Trigger safety resources when clinically indicated | Specific mood intensity + assessment scores | On-device only |
| Age-appropriate content gating | Birth date you entered (stored locally) | On-device only |
3. Data Storage and Security
On-Device Storage
All App data is stored using SwiftData, Apple's modern persistence framework. Data files are protected by iOS Data Protection using the Complete Protection class — this means your data is encrypted with a key derived from your device passcode and is inaccessible when the device is locked.
iCloud Sync (Optional)
If you choose to enable iCloud sync, your App data is synced through Apple CloudKit. Health and clinical assessment data is stored in CloudKit's private database using end-to-end encryption — Apple cannot read this data, and neither can we. Standard mood logs and journal entries use CloudKit's encrypted private database, accessible only by you on your Apple ID-linked devices.
You can disable iCloud sync at any time in iPhone Settings → [Your Name] → iCloud → The Observing Ego. Disabling sync does not delete data from your device.
Biometric Authentication
The App supports Face ID and Touch ID lock via Apple's LocalAuthentication framework. You can configure an auto-lock timeout in Settings. Biometric data never leaves your device — we never see or store it. This feature adds an additional layer of protection if someone else has physical access to your unlocked phone.
Data We Cannot Access
Because all data is on-device and/or end-to-end encrypted via CloudKit, we have no technical ability to access your journal entries, mood logs, assessment responses, or any other personal content. This is a deliberate architectural choice. It also means we cannot recover data on your behalf — please ensure you have iCloud Backup or manual backups enabled.
No External Servers
The Observing Ego does not operate backend servers that receive, store, or process your personal data. There are no databases controlled by us that contain your information. All analytics, correlation calculations, and insight generation run entirely on your device.
4. Children's Privacy
Parental Consent
Users under 13 may only use The Observing Ego with verifiable parental consent. During setup, the App prompts for a parent or guardian's date of birth to verify adult status. A parent-controlled PIN is established to manage child account access. By providing consent, the parent or guardian confirms they have reviewed this Privacy Policy and agree to the collection practices described herein on behalf of their child.
What We Collect from Children Under 13
The App collects from children only what is necessary for the core mood tracking features:
- Mood selections from a simplified, age-appropriate emotion grid (emoji + words)
- Intensity ratings on a 1–5 scale
- Optional notes (parent-visible)
- Date of birth (to maintain age-appropriate content)
What We Do Not Collect from Children Under 13
- No name, email address, or contact information
- No location data of any kind
- No persistent device identifiers
- No photos or voice recordings
- No behavioral tracking or profiling
- No HealthKit or CoreMotion data
- No content beyond basic mood logging (journal, clinical assessments, and medication tracking are not available to users under 13)
Parental Rights Under COPPA
Parents and legal guardians have the right to:
- Review all information collected from their child by contacting us at the address below
- Delete their child's data by using the "Delete All Data" option in Settings or by contacting us
- Revoke consent at any time, which will stop future collection and allow data deletion
- Refuse further collection without affecting access to any portion of the App that does not require the data
We will respond to verifiable parental requests within 30 days.
Crisis Resources for Children
Safety features are always available to child users and are never paywalled. When age-appropriate safety thresholds are met, the App displays crisis resources and prompts the child to talk to a trusted adult (parent, guardian, or school counselor). The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is displayed in a child-appropriate format.
Texas SCOPE Act (HB 18) Compliance
In compliance with the Texas Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment Act, we do not engage in the following practices for users under 18:
- No targeted advertising based on personal data
- No sale or sharing of minor users' data with third parties
- No data collection beyond what is necessary for stated app functions
- No profiling of minor users for commercial purposes
- No use of design patterns that encourage extended engagement beyond the user's stated goals
5. Health Data
HealthKit Data — Read Access
The App may request read access to Apple HealthKit data to provide health-correlated mood insights. All HealthKit authorization is handled through Apple's standard permission dialog — you control exactly which data types to share.
HealthKit data is used exclusively within the App on your device. It is:
- Never transmitted to any external server, including ours
- Never included in iCloud CloudKit sync
- Never used for any purpose other than generating insights you view in the App
- Processed using Apple's privacy-preserving on-device APIs
You can revoke HealthKit permissions at any time in iPhone Settings → Privacy & Security → Health → The Observing Ego.
HealthKit State of Mind — Write Access (iOS 18+)
On devices running iOS 18 or later, you may grant permission for the App to write State of Mind entries to HealthKit when you complete a mood log. This allows your mood data to appear in the Apple Health app and contribute to Apple's mental health features. This permission is separate from read access and entirely optional. We do not read back this written data.
Clinical Assessment Data
Clinical assessment results (PHQ-9, GAD-7, C-SSRS, etc.) are sensitive health information. This data:
- Stays on-device in an encrypted SwiftData store
- Uses end-to-end encryption if synced via CloudKit
- Is never transmitted to our servers
- Is never shared with insurance companies, employers, or any third party
- Cannot be accessed by us under any circumstances
Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (TDPSA) — Sensitive Data
Under the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (effective July 1, 2024), mental health data, clinical assessment data, and health metrics constitute "sensitive personal data." We comply with the TDPSA's requirements for sensitive data:
- We process sensitive data only for the specific purposes described in this policy
- We do not sell sensitive personal data
- We obtain consent before collecting sensitive data (through in-app permission flows)
- We provide the rights described in Section 6 below
6. Your Privacy Rights
Under applicable law, including the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (TDPSA), you have the following rights regarding your personal data:
Right to Access
You have the right to know what personal data we process. Because all your data is stored locally on your device and in your private iCloud account, you can view it directly within the App at any time. There is no separate database to request access to.
If you would like a human-readable summary of the data types we collect, contact us at the address in Section 12. We will respond within 45 days as required by the TDPSA.
Right to Correction
You can edit or correct any data you have entered in the App at any time using the App's built-in editing features. All data is yours to modify.
Right to Deletion
You can delete all data associated with your use of the App in two ways:
- In-app: Settings → Data Management → Delete All Data. This permanently removes all locally stored mood logs, journal entries, assessment results, medication data, and preferences.
- Device-level: Deleting the App from your iPhone also removes all associated local data.
If you have iCloud sync enabled, deleting data in-app or removing the App will also remove data from your iCloud account. We cannot recover deleted data on your behalf.
Because we operate no servers containing your data, there is no additional deletion request process required on our end — deletion from your device is complete deletion.
Right to Data Portability
You can export your data from the App in Settings → Data Management → Export Data. Export formats include JSON (machine-readable) and PDF (human-readable summary). This allows you to take your data to another service or share it with your healthcare provider.
Right to Opt Out of Sale / Targeted Advertising
We do not sell your personal data and do not engage in targeted advertising. There is nothing to opt out of in this regard.
Right to Appeal
Under the TDPSA, if we decline to act on a privacy rights request, you have the right to appeal our decision. To appeal, contact us at the address in Section 12 with the subject line "Privacy Rights Appeal." We will respond within 60 days and provide information about further recourse, including the ability to contact the Texas Attorney General's office.
Right to Non-Discrimination
We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of the rights described above. Exercising your privacy rights will not affect your access to the App, your subscription status, or the quality of the App's features.
7. Data Retention
Your data is retained as long as you keep it in the App. Because data lives on your device (and optionally in your iCloud account), you control retention entirely. There is no server-side retention to describe.
| Data Type | Retention | How to Delete |
|---|---|---|
| Mood logs | Until you delete them | In-app swipe-to-delete or Delete All Data |
| Journal entries | Until you delete them | In-app swipe-to-delete or Delete All Data |
| Assessment results | Until you delete them | In-app delete or Delete All Data |
| Medication records | Until you delete them | In-app delete or Delete All Data |
| HealthKit-read data | Used in-session; not persistently stored by App | Revoke HealthKit permission in iPhone Settings |
| StoreKit receipt token | While subscription is active | Managed by Apple; cancel subscription via App Store |
| Safety check occurred flag | Until you delete all data | Delete All Data in Settings |
We do not retain any data on our own infrastructure. Subscription transaction records are retained by Apple per Apple's data retention policies.
8. Algorithm Disclosure
In compliance with the Texas Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment Act (SCOPE Act) and in the spirit of transparency for all users, we disclose how automated analysis works in the App.
Correlation Engine
The App includes a correlation analysis engine that looks for statistical relationships between your mood patterns and other factors (sleep, exercise, medication adherence, HealthKit metrics). Key facts about this system:
- All computation runs on your device — no data leaves your phone for analysis
- The engine requires a minimum of 7 data points per group before any insight is shown
- Only correlations with a Pearson |r| ≥ 0.3 (moderate or stronger) are surfaced to you
- Results are always described as "associated with," never as "causes" — we never claim causal relationships
- Sample sizes are displayed alongside every correlation so you can assess the strength of evidence
- No algorithmic decisions are made about you — insights are informational only, for your personal reflection
Digital Phenotyping (Opt-In)
If you enable digital phenotyping features (available to users 13 and older), the App uses passively-collected motion data (step counts, activity classification) to look for patterns associated with mood states. This is a research-informed approach drawn from academic literature on behavioral biomarkers. Key facts:
- This feature is off by default and requires explicit opt-in
- Data is processed entirely on-device using CoreMotion APIs
- No raw motion data is stored persistently — only aggregated daily summaries
- This feature is not available to users under 13
- You can turn it off and clear its history in Settings → Privacy → Digital Phenotyping
Clinical Assessment Scoring
Assessment scoring algorithms follow published clinical manuals exactly. Cutoff scores and severity bands are not modified or approximated. No machine learning or AI is used in scoring — all calculations are deterministic rule-based algorithms matching the published instruments.
Safety Trigger Logic
The App uses rule-based logic (not AI) to determine when to display safety resources. Triggers are based on published clinical thresholds. See Section 10 for details.
9. Third-Party Services
The Observing Ego integrates with the following Apple platform services only. We have no relationship with any advertising networks, analytics providers, data brokers, or other third parties.
Apple CloudKit
CloudKit is Apple's cloud database service, used for optional data sync across your Apple devices. When you enable iCloud sync:
- Data is stored in your personal iCloud account, not in any database we operate
- Health and assessment data uses CloudKit's end-to-end encrypted private database
- Apple processes data per Apple's Privacy Policy
- We have no ability to access your CloudKit data
Apple HealthKit
HealthKit is Apple's health data framework. Our use of HealthKit:
- Is governed by Apple's HealthKit Framework License Agreement
- Data read from HealthKit is used only within the App for your personal insights
- We do not share HealthKit data with any party, including Apple, beyond what iOS requires to operate the API
- All HealthKit usage is disclosed in our App Store listing and PrivacyInfo.xcprivacy manifest
Apple StoreKit 2 (In-App Purchases)
Subscription purchases are processed by Apple through StoreKit 2. We receive only:
- A transaction receipt confirming your subscription is active
- No payment card data
- No Apple ID or personal information
Billing disputes, refunds, and subscription management are handled directly through Apple. You can manage subscriptions at: Settings → [Your Name] → Subscriptions.
10. Safety Features and Crisis Data
Safety Features Are Always Free
Crisis resources, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, safety planning tools, and all safety-related features are always accessible regardless of your subscription status. Safety features are never behind a paywall or authentication gate.
When Safety Resources Appear
The App displays safety resources and/or a safety check flow when specific clinical thresholds are met. These thresholds are based on published clinical guidelines:
- Selection of the emotion "Suicidal" at any intensity (teens ≥ 6 intensity; adults ≥ 7 intensity)
- "Hopeless" emotion logged at high intensity (≥ 9 for adults; age-adjusted thresholds for younger users)
- "Worthless," "Trapped," or "Empty" at intensity ≥ 8 (adults)
- PHQ-9 Question 9 (thoughts of self-harm) response above "Not at all," or total score ≥ 18
- C-SSRS or ASQ affirmative responses indicating suicidal ideation with intent or plan
General negative emotions (angry, scared, sad, etc.) do not trigger safety resources regardless of intensity, to avoid unnecessary alarm and respect normal emotional experience.
Safety Data Minimization
When a safety check is triggered, the App records only a single boolean value: "a safety check occurred on this date." We never record your specific responses to safety questions — not the questions you answered, not your level of risk, not the details of any crisis episode. This is an intentional privacy protection.
The safety check screen uses iOS fullScreenCover presentation, which cannot
be accidentally dismissed by swiping, ensuring it is seen before continuing.
Crisis Resources Provided
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988
- Crisis Text Line — text HOME to 741741
- 911 — for immediate emergencies
- Age-appropriate resources for child users (school counselor, trusted adult)
Accessing these resources from within the App does not share any of your App data with crisis services. Phone calls and texts go directly from your device.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make changes, we will:
- Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page
- Display an in-app notification for material changes that affect your rights or data practices
- For significant changes affecting children's data (under 13), we will seek renewed parental consent before the changes take effect
Your continued use of the App after a policy update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy. If you disagree with changes, you may delete the App and your data at any time.
Prior versions of this policy are available upon request by contacting us at info@myobservingego.com.
12. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your privacy rights, want to submit a parental consent request or revocation, or have concerns about the App's data practices, please contact us:
Subject lines for faster routing:
• "Privacy Rights Request" — TDPSA access, deletion, portability
• "Parental Consent" — COPPA requests regarding a child user
• "Privacy Rights Appeal" — to appeal a declined request
• "Safety Concern" — urgent issues (we aim to respond within 24 hours)
We will respond to all privacy-related requests within 45 days, as required by the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act. For parental consent requests under COPPA, we aim to respond within 30 days.
If you are a Texas resident and believe we have not addressed your concern adequately, you may contact the Texas Attorney General's office regarding your rights under the TDPSA.