Privacy Policy for Scrib Notes

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how Scrib Notes (“we,” “us,” or “the app”) handles information when you use Scrib Notes on iOS. By downloading, accessing, or using the app, you acknowledge this Privacy Policy. Before you can use the app, Scrib Notes may ask you to confirm agreement to the Terms of Use and this Privacy Policy on your device; that confirmation is stored only on your device. Scrib Notes is designed so that your everyday notes, reminders, groups, feed items, and settings stay on your device. We do not run Scrib Notes user accounts, and we do not operate Scrib Notes servers that receive or store your note, reminder, or feed content.

2. Summary

In plain terms:

• Most of your content is stored only on your iPhone (and related on-device App Group storage used by the Share extension and article cache).
• Scrib Notes does not sell your personal information, show ads, or include third-party analytics or advertising SDKs.
• Reminders use local notifications on your device—not Scrib Notes push servers.
• AI Generate is optional. Only if you tap it and provide your own API key does Scrib Notes send a limited prompt (interests, custom topics, and recent Feed titles/links) to Anthropic or OpenAI.
• Opening shared article links may fetch those pages and images from the websites you shared.
• If you email us or submit our feedback form, the information you choose to send is received by us (and, for the form, processed by Google).

3. Information You Provide (Stored on Your Device)

Scrib Notes stores the information you enter or generate while using the app on your device, including:

• Scribs: note text, creation time, and optional group membership.
• Groups: names, order, and collapsed/expanded state.
• Reminders: reminder text, primary scheduled time, optional secondary (earlier) time, optional remind-until-done setting, and related identifiers.
• Done / Completed: finished scribs, completed reminders, and feed items you mark as read (including enough metadata to undo or reopen where supported).
• Feed items: shared text and/or URLs, timestamps, and whether an item was AI-generated.
• Cached article content: title, HTML body, source URL, downloaded images, and reading scroll position for offline reading.
• Feed interests and custom topics used for AI Generate.
• Preferences such as which tabs appear, which tab opens on launch, scrib sort order, article reader page theme, selected AI provider/model, customizable AI prompt template, and API key labels (names)—not the secret key values themselves.
• A local record that you agreed to the current Terms of Use and Privacy Policy (version/date only—not a Scrib Notes cloud account).
• Local statistics such as tasks completed, reminders set, articles read, streaks, and related counters.
• Local App Store review-prompt counters (for example how many items you have created and whether an automatic rating prompt has already been shown), stored on your device only and used to decide when to present Apple’s rating UI.

4. Where Data Is Stored

On-device storage includes app Documents files (for example Reminders.json for active scribs, ScribGroups.json, alarms.json for active reminders, CompletedReminders.json, and statistics.json) and an App Group container (group.com.scribnotes) used for feed.json, the Share extension, the offline article cache, and local App Store review-prompt counters. API key secrets are stored in the iOS Keychain on your device. Preferences—including legal acceptance and article reader theme—are stored in UserDefaults on your device. We do not have remote access to these stores.

5. Information That May Leave Your Device

Scrib Notes does not upload your scribs, groups, reminders, completed items, statistics, or API keys to a Scrib Notes backend. Information may leave your device only in these cases:

• AI Generate (optional, user-initiated): When you tap AI Generate, Scrib Notes sends a request to the AI provider you selected—Anthropic (api.anthropic.com) or OpenAI (api.openai.com)—using the API key you stored. The request includes your chosen model and a prompt that may contain your selected interests, custom topics, today’s date context, and up to about ten recent Feed item titles or URLs (to avoid repeating stories). The provider may perform web searches on its systems. Scrib Notes does not include your scribs, groups, or reminders in that prompt. The resulting digest is saved on your device.
• Article fetching (when you open a shared link): Your device may download the page and related images from the third-party site so Scrib Notes can display a reader view offline.
• Opening links: Choosing to open an original article or an in-reader link may open Safari or another system browser and contact that website.
• Support email (optional, user-initiated): If you email scribnotesapp@gmail.com, the contents of your message (and any account identifiers Google or your mail provider associate with that email) are received by us to respond to your request.
• Feedback form (optional, user-initiated): If you submit our Google Form to report bugs or request features, the information you enter is processed by Google and delivered to us. Google’s privacy policy applies to Google’s processing of form submissions.
• Apple / App Store: Scrib Notes is distributed through the App Store. Apple may collect information related to downloads, updates, and App Store operations under Apple’s Privacy Policy. When you choose Rate Scrib Notes in Settings, or when the app optionally presents Apple’s in-app rating prompt after you create enough items, Apple’s StoreKit rating interface may appear; any rating or review you submit is handled by Apple under Apple’s Privacy Policy. Scrib Notes stores only local counters on your device to time that prompt—it does not send those counters to Scrib Notes servers. Scrib Notes does not receive your Apple ID personal details from Apple for app login, because Scrib Notes has no Scrib Notes account system.

6. API Keys and AI Providers

If you use AI Generate, you provide your own Anthropic or OpenAI API key. Keys are stored in the iOS Keychain and are sent only to the provider you selected when you generate content. Key names/labels and model choices are stored locally as preferences. Your relationship with Anthropic or OpenAI (including billing, retention, and their use of prompts or search activity) is governed by those companies’ terms and privacy policies—not by Scrib Notes.

7. Notifications

If you use Reminders, iOS may ask for permission to show alerts, badges, and sounds. Notifications are scheduled and delivered locally with Apple’s UserNotifications framework. Scrib Notes does not operate a remote push notification service and does not send reminder content to Scrib Notes servers.

8. Share Extension

The Scrib Notes Share extension lets you send text or web links from other apps into your Feed. Shared items are written into the on-device App Group feed store so the main Scrib Notes app can display them. The extension does not send that content to Scrib Notes servers.

9. What We Do Not Do

Scrib Notes does not:

• Require creation of a Scrib Notes account or password.
• Sell your personal information.
• Share your personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising.
• Show in-app advertising.
• Include third-party advertising or analytics SDKs in the app.
• Provide cloud sync or an in-app export/backup product (device backups you configure in iOS remain under your control).

10. How We Use Information on Device

Information stored by Scrib Notes is used only to provide app features on your device—for example showing your lists, scheduling local reminders, rendering Feed articles with your chosen reader theme, generating optional AI digests you request, remembering settings, calculating on-device statistics, and deciding when to show Apple’s optional in-app rating prompt. We do not use your on-device content for advertising profiles. Information you voluntarily send by email or feedback form is used only to respond to support, bug reports, or feature requests.

11. Data Security

Security of on-device data depends on your iPhone’s protections (passcode, Face ID/Touch ID, device encryption, and iOS Keychain for API keys). Scrib Notes does not add a separate Scrib Notes-account encryption layer beyond what iOS provides for app storage. Avoid storing highly sensitive secrets in notes or reminders. We cannot remotely access, recover, or decrypt your local Scrib Notes data.

12. Managing and Deleting Your Data

You can control your data inside Scrib Notes:

• Delete individual scribs, groups, reminders, feed items, or Done entries.
• Mark items done or mark Feed items as read (moves them to Done; undo may restore them).
• Settings → Delete All Completed removes completed history.
• Settings → Delete All Scribs & Reminders removes active scribs, groups, and timed reminders and cancels related local notifications.
• Settings → Clear App Data removes local document stores, feed data, article caches, statistics, AI preferences/interests, Keychain API keys used by Scrib Notes, tab and reader-theme preferences, local App Store review-prompt counters, and pending/delivered local notifications for the app.
• Deleting an API key removes that secret from Keychain.
• Uninstalling Scrib Notes removes the app’s data from your device under normal iOS behavior. Because Scrib Notes does not keep a cloud copy of your content, uninstalling also means that content is gone unless you have your own device backup.
• To request deletion of information you previously sent by email or feedback form (to the extent we still retain it), contact scribnotesapp@gmail.com.

13. Children

Scrib Notes is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through Scrib Notes accounts—because Scrib Notes has no Scrib Notes account registration. If you believe a child has provided information inappropriately through optional third-party AI services or support channels, contact that provider and us at the email below.

14. International Users

Scrib Notes is offered from the United States. If you use the app from another country, you understand that optional AI Generate, website fetches, email, and Google Forms contact servers that may be located outside your country, subject to those providers’ and websites’ practices.

15. Your Privacy Rights (California and Other U.S. States)

Depending on where you live, U.S. state privacy laws (including the California Consumer Privacy Act as amended by the CPRA) may give you rights regarding personal information. Because Scrib Notes stores your notes, reminders, feed, and settings on your device and does not operate a Scrib Notes cloud account for that content, most app data is controlled directly by you on your iPhone.

• Categories we may process: (a) on-device app content and preferences described above; (b) limited prompt content sent to AI providers only if you use AI Generate; (c) page/image data fetched from sites you open; (d) information you voluntarily include in email or feedback-form submissions; (e) information Apple collects related to App Store distribution under Apple’s policies.
• We do not sell personal information, and we do not share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising.
• Right to know / access / delete / correct: Use in-app deletion tools (including Clear App Data) and uninstall to manage on-device data. For support email or feedback submissions we retain, email scribnotesapp@gmail.com to request access, correction, or deletion. We will respond as required by applicable law.
• We will not discriminate against you for exercising privacy rights available under applicable law.
• If you are a California resident and have questions about these rights, contact scribnotesapp@gmail.com.

16. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect product, legal, or operational changes. The “Last Updated” date at the top will change when we do. The updated policy applies when it is available in the app and on the Scrib Notes website. Continued use after an update means you accept the revised policy.

17. Contact Us

Questions about this Privacy Policy: scribnotesapp@gmail.com, or through support options on Scrib Notes’ Apple App Store listing. To report bugs or request features, use our feedback form.