MindfulText Privacy Policy

Last Updated: February 28, 2025

Your privacy is of the utmost importance to us. This Privacy Policy explains how MindfulText (“we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you use our Service. We know privacy policies can be lengthy, so we’ve tried to make this as clear and user-friendly as possible. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us — we’re here to help.

By using MindfulText, you acknowledge that you’ve read and agree to this Privacy Policy. (If you don’t agree, it may be best not to use the Service.) This Privacy Policy is incorporated into our Terms of Service above, and the same definitions apply.

1. Information We Collect

We only collect information that we truly need to provide and improve MindfulText. Here’s what we collect and how we collect it:

Information You Provide Directly

• Contact Information: When you sign up for MindfulText, we collect information like your name, mobile phone number, and possibly your email address. We need your phone number to send you text messages. An email, if provided, helps with account setup, receipts, or customer support.
• Account Credentials: If our service involves creating an online account or using an app, you might provide a username and password. We store these securely and only use them to let you log in.
• Payment Information: If you subscribe to a paid plan, our payment processor will collect your payment details (such as credit card number and billing address). For security, MindfulText itself does not store your full payment information; it’s handled by a compliant third-party payment processor. We retain basic billing details (like the fact that you’ve paid and the subscription plan you chose) but not your credit card number.
• Profile and Preferences: We may also ask for optional information to personalize your experience. For example, you might provide your time zone or preferred message times, or other wellness interests (e.g., “I’m interested in anxiety relief tips”). Providing this info is up to you, but it can help us tailor the content you receive. We’ll explicitly ask for your consent for any sensitive data. (Note: We do not ask for or need any health diagnosis or detailed medical history — MindfulText is general wellness, not therapy.)
• Communications with Us: If you contact us directly (for example, by emailing support or sending a text reply or filling out a contact form), we will receive whatever information you choose to provide in that communication. This could include your contact information, the content of your message, and any attachments. We’ll use this info to assist you and improve our Service (for example, fixing a problem you reported or considering a suggestion you made).

Information We Collect Automatically

When you use MindfulText, some information is collected automatically (typical for any digital service). This includes:

• Usage Data: We keep track of how you interact with our Service. For example:
  • The fact that we sent you a message and whether it was delivered successfully to your phone.
  • If we have an app or website, we may log that you logged in, clicked on certain features, or the dates/times you accessed your account.
  • If you tap a link in one of our text messages (for instance, a link to a longer article or resource), we might record that the link was clicked so we know which content is engaging to users.
• Device and Technical Information: We may collect information about the device and software you use to access MindfulText:
  • If via our mobile app: your device type (e.g., iPhone or Android), OS version, app version, device identifier, and perhaps general device settings (like whether you have notifications enabled).
  • If via text only: not much device info is collected beyond what the mobile carrier provides (we might know your carrier and general area code location).
  • If via a web interface: your IP address, browser type, operating system, and cookies (see “Cookies & Similar Tech” below).
• Cookies & Similar Technologies: If you use our website, we use cookies (small text files stored on your browser) and similar technologies:
  • Some cookies are essential (for example, to keep you logged in when you navigate our site).
  • Others are for performance and analytics – like Google Analytics – which help us understand how people use our site so we can improve it. These analytics cookies may collect information like your IP address, browser type, pages visited, and time spent on pages.
  • We may also use cookies to remember your preferences (such as your preferred language, if we offer multiple, or that you’ve already seen a particular notification so we don’t show it again).
  • You can control cookies through your browser settings and other tools (more on that in “Your Choices” section below). Note: If you disable certain cookies, parts of our site might not function perfectly, but the core texting service will still work since it’s independent of browser cookies.

We do not use cookies or tracking to stalk you across the internet or to advertise products to you outside of MindfulText’s context. Any analytics are just to make our own service better.

Information from Third Parties

In general, we collect information directly from you or automatically as you use our services. We do not purchase or receive additional personal data about you from third-party data brokers or social media platforms, etc., except in a few cases:

• Referral or Gift: If someone gifted you a MindfulText subscription or referred you, they may have given us your name and phone number to set you up. We will treat that information just like information you provided yourself, under this Privacy Policy. (And we assume they had your permission to do so!)
• Service Providers: We might receive some info back from third parties who help us deliver the service. For example, our SMS gateway might return info about whether a message was delivered or if a phone number is invalid. Similarly, payment processors might send us confirmation of payment or any errors. This isn’t “new” information about you, but it helps us keep our records accurate.
• Public Sources: We generally don’t seek out personal info about users from public databases. In rare cases, for verification or fraud prevention, we might cross-check the information you provided (for example, making sure a postal code matches a city for billing, or verifying an email domain). But this is uncommon and only done to protect all parties.

We do not knowingly collect sensitive personal information such as health data, genetic data, biometric data, etc., because MindfulText is not a medical service and we don’t require that information. Please do not send us any sensitive health or personal information that isn’t asked for by the service.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes, all aimed at delivering a helpful, personalized, and safe experience:

• To Provide the Service: First and foremost, we use your information to actually deliver MindfulText to you. For example:
  • Using your phone number to send you daily text messages.
  • Using your name or preferences to personalize messages (“Good Morning, Alex!” or tailoring content categories you prefer).
  • Processing payments for your subscription and maintaining your account status (active, paused, canceled, etc.).
  • Sending you important notifications, such as reminders about your subscription, changes to our service, or responses when you contact us.
• To Improve and Personalize the Service: We want MindfulText to be as beneficial as possible. We may use usage data and feedback to:
  • Understand which messages or topics are most enjoyed (e.g., if users click links about “stress relief” more often than “productivity,” we might adjust our content mix).
  • Troubleshoot and fix issues (for example, if messages fail to deliver to certain carriers, we investigate why).
  • Develop new features or services. Your interactions can guide us on what to add next.
  • Personalize the content and timing of messages. For instance, if you usually open our texts in the evening, we might time them a bit later for you.
• To Communicate with You:
  • Support and Feedback: If you reach out with a question or problem, we’ll use your info to respond. We might also follow up to ensure your issue was resolved.
  • Updates and Notifications: We may send you service-related announcements when necessary (e.g., “We’re updating our terms” or “Service maintenance tonight”). These are not promotional in nature, but just to keep you informed about the service itself.
  • Marketing and Optional Communications: We promise not to spam you. On occasion, we may send additional wellness tips, offer new MindfulText features, or promotions (like a discount for a yearly plan, or a new related service we think you’ll like). These will typically be via email or within an app (to avoid mixing with the core daily text stream). You can opt out of promotional communications at any time (explained in “Your Choices” below). We do not share your info with outside advertisers to market unrelated products to you.
• For Safety and Compliance: We use information as needed to protect our users, our employees, and our business. This includes:
  • Monitoring for fraud or abuse. For example, if we detect that a single person is trying to sign up hundreds of phone numbers (perhaps for nefarious reasons), we may investigate and block such activity.
  • Ensuring users are adhering to our Terms of Service (we might use automated systems or manual checks if something triggers concern, like someone sending harassing replies).
  • Complying with legal obligations. For instance, retaining transaction records for accounting/tax purposes, or responding to legitimate legal requests (subpoenas, court orders) as required by law.
  • Enforcing agreements. If necessary, we will use data to investigate and address violations of our Terms or this Policy.
• Aggregate and Anonymized Insights: We may aggregate and anonymize data to the point it no longer identifies you, and use that for internal insights or even share high-level trends. Example: “X% of MindfulText users report feeling calmer after 30 days” or “We have users in 20 different countries.” Such summaries will never personally identify any individual user, but help illustrate MindfulText’s impact or usage patterns.

We will ask for your consent before using your personal information for any purpose that is not covered by this Privacy Policy. If in the future we consider a new use of data that involves something you might not expect, we’ll update this Policy and notify you or request consent as needed.

3. How We Share Your Information

MindfulText is not in the business of selling or renting your information. We only share your information in a few specific circumstances, outlined below:

• With Service Providers (Processors): We work with trusted third-party companies to run MindfulText smoothly. These providers only get the information necessary to perform their specific services, and they’re contractually obligated to protect it and use it only for our purposes. For example:
  • SMS delivery partners: We use telecommunications services to send text messages (e.g., an SMS gateway or aggregator). They obviously process your phone number and message content to deliver the texts. They are not allowed to use your info for anything else.
  • Payment processors: As mentioned, a third-party handles credit card or payment processing. They get your payment details and billing info to process transactions securely. They must comply with strict security standards (like PCI DSS for credit cards) and they cannot use your data for anything except processing payments on our behalf.
  • Email service or CRM: If we send emails (for receipts, support, or optional newsletters), we may use an email service provider. They would have access to your email and name as needed to send emails from us to you.
  • Analytics tools: We might use tools like Google Analytics for our website or Mixpanel/Firebase for app analytics. These tools might receive info such as cookies or app usage data (but typically not identifying info like your name). This helps us understand usage patterns. These analytics providers act under our instructions and we don’t allow them to use the data for their own purposes.
  • Cloud storage / IT: Like many services, we may use cloud computing or storage (for example, hosting our website or databases on AWS, Azure, or another reputable provider). Personal data might be stored on their secure servers, but they don’t access it except for maintenance of the service. We take steps like encryption to protect data within these systems.
• We make sure any service providers we use are reputable and have their own privacy and security standards that meet legal requirements. They are “data processors” acting on our behalf.
• With Your Consent: If we ever want to share your information for any purpose outside of running MindfulText, we will ask for your explicit consent. For example, if we wanted to feature your success story on our blog with your name and photo, we’d ask and get your approval before doing so. You are absolutely free to say no, and we will respect that.
• For Legal Reasons: We may disclose information about you if we have a good faith belief that such disclosure is necessary to:
  • Comply with the law or legal process: This means responding to court orders, subpoenas, or lawful requests by government authorities (within the scope of their authority). We will try to ensure such requests are valid and to limit what is provided, but we may be obligated to comply.
  • Enforce our Terms of Service and other agreements: If necessary, we will use user information to address breaches of our Terms, or to handle disputes.
  • Protect rights, property, and safety: We might share information if needed to protect the rights, property, or safety of MindfulText, our users, or others. For example, if someone’s actions pose a threat to others, we might notify law enforcement with relevant details.
• These situations are not common, but we want you to know we’ll act responsibly if they arise.
• Business Transfers: If MindfulText (or our company) is involved in a merger, acquisition, financing due diligence, reorganization, bankruptcy, receivership, sale of company assets, or transition of service to another provider, your information may be transferred as part of that deal. We would only do this if the receiving party commits to respect your personal information in a way that is consistent with this Privacy Policy (or we’d notify you and get consent if required by law). In plain terms, if someone buys or merges with MindfulText, we’ll make sure your data continues to be protected and used appropriately. We’ll also notify you of any such change in ownership or control of your personal information, either through the Service or via email.
• Aggregated or De-Identified Data: We may share aggregated, anonymized data publicly or with partners — for example, publishing a report on wellness trends or user engagement stats. Rest assured, this data cannot be linked back to any individual and therefore isn’t really “personal information” anymore. It’s more like statistical data.
• No Selling of Personal Data: We do not sell your personal information to third-party companies for their independent marketing or business purposes. Period. (For residents of California, we also do not “share” your personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising as those terms are defined under California law.)

In all cases, we only share the minimum information necessary and always with a mindful approach to your privacy. If you have questions about a specific third party we use or a specific sharing scenario, you’re welcome to contact us for more information.

4. Your Choices and Rights

You have control over your personal information and how it’s used. We’ve built in easy ways for you to manage your data and communication preferences:

• Opting Out of Text Messages: MindfulText is inherently a text message service, so if you want to stop receiving our messages, you can cancel your subscription or simply reply “STOP” to any MindfulText text. When you do, we will confirm your opt-out and you will stop receiving messages. (If you have a paid subscription, this will effectively cancel your service at the end of the billing period, as described in our Terms of Service.) You can also text “START” again or resubscribe if you change your mind later.
• Opting Out of Emails: If you’ve provided your email and agreed to receive any non-essential communications (for example, a monthly mindfulness newsletter or promotional offers), you can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the “Unsubscribe” link in those emails or contacting us. Transactional emails (like a payment receipt or a direct reply from support) can’t be opted out of because they are necessary for service, but they are infrequent.
• Account Information: If you have an account page on our website or app, you can log in to review and update certain personal information (like your name, email, password, or preferences). Please keep your information up-to-date. If you need to change something that’s not editable in the interface (like changing the phone number associated with your account), reach out to our support and we’ll help you make the update securely.
• Access and Correction: You have the right to access the personal information we hold about you. This means you can ask us for a copy of your data. Typically, the info we have is what you provided (phone, email, etc.) and some logs of your interactions. If you believe any of that information is inaccurate or outdated, you have the right to request a correction. We’ll be happy to rectify any incorrect data about you.
• Deletion (Right to be Forgotten): You can request that we delete your personal information. For example, if you decide to permanently stop using MindfulText, you can ask us to remove your data from our systems. Do note:
  • We may need to retain certain information for a short period to finish administrative tasks or comply with legal obligations (e.g., keeping transaction records for accounting). But once those reasons no longer apply, we will delete or anonymize the data.
  • Deleting your data means we won’t remember you if you decide to join again in the future; you’d start as a fresh user with no past context.
  • To request deletion, it’s best to contact us at privacy@mindfultext.com (or use any account deletion function if available in-app). We may ask for verification (to ensure it’s really you making the request), for your protection.
• Object or Restrict Processing: In certain situations, you might have the right to object to or ask us to limit our use of your data. For example, if you feel our use of your data is not necessary or is based on a legitimate interest that you don’t share, you can let us know. We will consider such requests and comply if required by law. In many cases, the easiest path if you’re uncomfortable is to stop using the Service (since we use data mainly to provide the Service), but we’re open to discussing concerns.
• Portability: Where applicable by law, you might have the right to request a copy of your information in a machine-readable format (so you can take it to another service). Honestly, for a service like ours, this is a bit uncommon (since there’s not a huge profile or social network data to transfer), but if you ever need it, let us know and we’ll do our best to accommodate.
• Cookies and Tracking: As mentioned, you can control cookies through your browser settings:
  • You can usually set your browser to refuse all or some browser cookies, or to alert you when cookies are being sent.
  • You can also use browser extensions or privacy modes if you don’t want to be tracked by analytics tools. Google offers an opt-out for Google Analytics, for instance.
  • Keep in mind that some cookies are necessary for our site to function (like keeping you logged in). If you clear cookies, you may need to log back in or set preferences again.
  • We currently do not respond to “Do Not Track” signals because there is no standard for them, but we only track in ways described in this policy (for our own service improvement).
• Advertising Choices: MindfulText itself does not run third-party ads, but if we ever partner in a way that involves advertising (e.g., a co-sponsored wellness event email), we will give you clear opt-in or opt-out choices. Again, this is not our current practice; it’s our ethos to keep content purely value-driven.
• California Privacy Rights: If you are a California resident, you have specific privacy rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the “Shine the Light” law. In summary:
  • You can request a notice disclosing the categories of personal information we have shared with third parties for their direct marketing purposes in the past year (we currently share none for those purposes).
  • You can request information about our data practices and request deletion as described above. We will not discriminate against you for exercising any CCPA rights (meaning we won’t deny you service or charge different prices just because you made a privacy request).
  • Since we do not sell personal data, there is no “Do Not Sell My Info” opt-out needed. If our practices change, we will update this and honor opt-out preferences.
• If you’re from California and have questions about your privacy rights, let us know.
• GDPR and International Users: If you are in the European Economic Area (EEA), UK, or another region with comprehensive data protection laws (like GDPR), you generally have the rights already described (access, correction, deletion, etc.), as well as the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority. We aim to provide the same diligent care to all users, no matter where you’re from. If you’re outside the U.S. and using MindfulText, note that your data will be transferred to and processed in the United States (where our servers or partners are located). We rely on your consent and the necessity of data processing to provide you the service as legal bases for that transfer. We’ll address more on international data in the next section.

To exercise any of your rights or choices, the best way is to contact us at privacy@mindfultext.com. Please clearly describe your request and provide any information we might need to verify your identity (we may ask for verification to ensure we’re handling your data and not someone else’s). We will respond within a reasonable timeframe, and in accordance with any timelines required by law (usually within 30 days for most requests).

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which we collected it, including to provide you the MindfulText service and as described in this Privacy Policy. Here’s how that works in practice:

• Active Account: While you are an active user, we keep your information so that we can provide the Service. This includes keeping your profile details, subscription status, and message history.
• After Cancellation or Inactivity: If you cancel your MindfulText subscription or stop using the Service, we may retain your information for a period of time. We do this for a few reasons:
  • In case you reactivate your subscription or resume use shortly after stopping (so you don’t have to start from scratch if you didn’t intend a permanent stop).
  • To comply with legal obligations or resolve disputes. For instance, we might keep basic records of transactions or communications for accounting purposes or in case of any legal issues.
  • To enforce our Terms or prevent abuse. If you were banned for violating terms, we might keep identifying info (like phone and email) to ensure you don’t simply sign up again during the ban.
• Deletion Timeline: When you request deletion of your data, or it’s no longer needed, we will securely delete or anonymize your personal information. Our aim is to do this promptly after the need to retain it has passed. There might be technical delays (for example, data backed up on secure servers that get overwritten on a routine cycle), but we will not use your information for any purpose once you’ve requested deletion except maybe for legal archival purposes.
• Anonymized Data: We may convert your data into aggregated or anonymized form (which means it can no longer be associated with you) for statistical purposes. For example, if you leave the service, we might keep general metrics like “1 user from City X used the service for Y months” but remove personal identifiers. We retain and use anonymized data without time limits to help us understand trends and improve our services, but that data is not personally identifiable.

In simple terms: We keep what we need to serve you and meet our obligations, and nothing more. When we no longer need personal data, we remove it from our systems.

6. Data Security

We take the security of your personal information seriously and employ a variety of measures to protect it. However, it’s important to understand that no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security. Here’s what we do to safeguard your data:

• Encryption: Whenever your data is in transit, we use encryption. For example, our website and app use HTTPS (TLS encryption) for all communication, which means any data (like your login credentials or any forms you fill out) is encrypted between your device and our servers. Sensitive data (like passwords and payment info) is also encrypted at rest or tokenized by our payment processor.
• Access Controls: Personal data is stored on secure servers. We limit access to personal information to authorized employees, contractors, and service providers who need to know that information in order to process it for us. They are subject to strict confidentiality obligations. Our team is trained on data security practices to ensure your data is handled with care.
• Security Testing and Updates: We use firewalls, security monitoring, and regular software updates to protect against unauthorized access to our systems. We periodically review our security procedures and may hire external specialists to perform audits or penetration tests to find and fix vulnerabilities.
• Anonymization & Pseudonymization: Where possible, we minimize direct use of personally identifying info. For instance, our internal analytics might use an ID number instead of your name to analyze usage patterns, which adds a layer of privacy internally.
• Payment Security: We partner with PCI-DSS-compliant payment processors. This means your credit card details are handled with high security standards. We do not store credit card numbers on our own servers (we might store a token or the last 4 digits for reference, but not the full number or CVV).
• Backup and Recovery: We back up critical data to prevent data loss and have procedures for recovering data in case of physical or technical incidents. Backups are also stored securely.
• Incident Response: Despite all precautions, if we ever experience a data breach or suspect that user data has been compromised, we have a response plan. This includes notifying affected users and relevant authorities as required by law, and taking immediate steps to mitigate the damage and prevent further unauthorized access.

Your Responsibility: We also encourage you to play a role in keeping your data safe:

• If you have an account password for MindfulText, keep it confidential. Use a strong, unique password and do not share it. We will never ask you for your password via email or text. If you suspect someone has unauthorized access to your account, please change your password immediately and contact us.
• Be cautious of “phishing” — double-check that communications from us are legitimate. Official emails will come from a mindfultext.com email domain. If something seems off, reach out to us directly.
• Protect your own devices with up-to-date antivirus software and secure locks (PINs, biometrics) so that if your device is lost or stolen, your data is still protected.

While we are committed to protecting your information, remember that no service can be absolutely secure. If we ever become aware of a security issue that affects your personal data, we will notify you and take action to remedy it as appropriate.

7. International Users and Data Transfers

MindfulText is based in [Your Country, e.g., the United States], and our servers and operations are primarily located there. If you are using MindfulText from outside the United States, be aware that your personal information will be transferred to and stored in the U.S. (or other server locations where we operate). Data protection laws vary by country, so the laws applicable in the place where your information is processed may be different from the laws of your country.

That said, we value the privacy of all our users globally and apply the same robust privacy protections described in this policy, regardless of where you’re from. If you are in the European Union (EU), United Kingdom, or other regions with data transfer restrictions:

• We may rely on adequacy decisions (if your country has deemed U.S. privacy protections adequate, though currently the EU does not without specific measures).
• We may use Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or other legal mechanisms for data transfer, as approved by relevant authorities, to ensure that your data receives a similar level of protection as it would in your home country.
• By using MindfulText and providing your information, you consent to the transfer of your personal information to the United States (and possibly to the use of service providers in other countries, such as if we use a European SMS gateway for EU messages, etc.). We will take steps to ensure your data is treated securely in line with this Privacy Policy wherever it is processed.

If you have questions about international data transfers or need more specifics on our data transfer safeguards, please contact us. We understand this can be a complex area and we’re happy to provide more detail if needed.

8. Children’s Privacy

MindfulText is not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under the age of 13 (or under the age of 16 in certain jurisdictions, or a higher age if required by local law without parental consent). As noted in our Terms, you must meet the minimum age requirement to use our Service.

• No Sign-Ups Under 13: If you are under 13, please do not attempt to sign up for MindfulText or send us any personal information. If we discover that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 13 without proper consent, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.
• Parental Guidance for Minors: If you are between 13 and 18 and using MindfulText with parental consent, we encourage parents/guardians to discuss online safety and privacy with their teens. We aim to use appropriate content, but parents might want to supervise the experience for younger teens.
• Parents/Guardians: If you believe that a child under the relevant minimum age has provided us with personal information without your consent, please contact us at privacy@mindfultext.com. We will investigate and delete the information if we find that we’ve collected information from a child inappropriately.

In short, we care about protecting children’s privacy and comply with laws like COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act in the U.S.) and other applicable regulations. MindfulText is designed for teens and adults, not young kids.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

Just as we may update our Terms, we may also update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, legal requirements, or other factors. We will not reduce your rights under this Privacy Policy without your consent. We will always post the latest policy on our website (and in our app, if applicable), and update the “Last Updated” date at the top.

If we make significant changes, we will provide a more prominent notice. For example, we might send an email to our users or a notification through the Service if we have your contact info. Significant changes could include things like:

• Expanding how or what personal data we collect,
• Changing how we use data in a way that you might not reasonably expect,
• Or changes in who we share data with (such as adding a new category of third-party recipients).

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we’re protecting your information. Your continued use of MindfulText after any update to this Policy will constitute your acceptance of the changes, to the extent allowed by law. If you do not agree with changes that have a material impact, and they are not acceptable to you, you should stop using the Service. (We’d hate to see you go, so if there’s something concerning, let us know and maybe we can address it.)

10. Contact Us

We’re committed to safeguarding your privacy, and we want you to feel comfortable with how we handle your data. If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please don’t hesitate to reach out:

• Email: system (at) mindfultext (dot) com
• Mailing Address: MindfulText, 1221 Zinfandel Dr., Roseville, CA, 95747.

When you contact us, please provide sufficient detail about your question or request, including any relevant account information or the context of your interaction with us, so we can assist you efficiently. For privacy-specific requests (like accessing or deleting your data), we may need to verify your identity for security reasons before proceeding.

Thank you for trusting MindfulText. We truly appreciate that you’re entrusting us with some of your personal information as you allow us to send a bit of daily positivity your way. We will continue to work hard to keep that trust, protect your data, and support your wellness journey. If there’s anything we can do to make you feel more secure or informed about your privacy, please let us know.

Happy texting, and stay mindful! ☺️