Privacy Policy for Clarity
Effective Date: March 22, 2026
Last Updated: March 22, 2026
Introduction
Welcome to Clarity (“we,” “our,” or “the app”). Clarity is a news aggregation application that provides bilingual (English and Traditional Chinese) AI and technology news summaries to iOS and macOS users.
This Privacy Policy explains how we handle information when you use Clarity. We are committed to transparency and protecting your privacy.
Key Points:
- We do NOT collect personal information
- We do NOT track your behavior
- We do NOT sell or share your data
- We do NOT require account registration
Clarity is designed with privacy as a core principle. We explicitly do not collect:
- ❌ Personal identification information (name, email, phone number)
- ❌ Device identifiers or advertising IDs
- ❌ Location data
- ❌ Usage analytics or behavioral tracking
- ❌ Reading history or preferences
- ❌ IP addresses or network information
- ❌ Cookies or tracking pixels
- ❌ Social media profiles or connections
- ❌ Payment information (the app is free)
- ❌ Any other personal data
While Clarity does not collect personal information, the app accesses certain data to function:
1. News Articles (Public Data)
- What: Pre-processed news articles from public sources
- Where: Retrieved from our secure Supabase database via Edge Functions
- Storage: Temporarily cached on your device for offline reading
- Control: You can clear cached articles in Settings → Clear Cache
2. iCloud Drive (Optional)
- What: Audio files (podcast summaries) downloaded by you
- Where: Stored in YOUR iCloud account only
- Access: We cannot access, read, or monitor your iCloud data
- Control: You control iCloud sync in iOS Settings → iCloud → Clarity
- Disable: Turn off iCloud sync at any time
3. Network Communication
- What: HTTPS requests to fetch news articles
- Where: Connects to our Supabase Edge Functions (read-only API)
- Purpose: Download daily news content
- Security: All connections encrypted via HTTPS/TLS
Third-Party Services
Clarity relies on the following third-party services:
Supabase (Database Hosting)
- Purpose: Hosts pre-processed news articles
- Data Stored: Article titles, summaries, translations, publication dates
- User Data: None
- Privacy Policy: https://supabase.com/privacy
- Security: Industry-standard encryption, Row Level Security policies
Apple iCloud (Optional Audio Sync)
- Purpose: Sync downloaded audio files between your devices
- Control: Managed by you in iOS Settings
- Our Access: We cannot access your iCloud data
- Privacy Policy: https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/
News Sources (Original Publishers)
- Purpose: Clarity aggregates publicly available news from various sources
- Method: Automated collection from RSS feeds, public APIs
- Attribution: All articles include source attribution
- Copyright: Original content remains property of publishers
How Your Device Handles Data
Local Storage (On Your Device)
- News Cache: Articles stored temporarily for offline reading
- Audio Files: Podcast summaries you download (optional)
- App Settings: Your preferences (language, filters)
- Location: All data stays on YOUR device
- Deletion: Delete app to remove all local data
Data Transmission
- What: Requests for news articles
- When: App launch, manual refresh, background updates (every 30 seconds)
- How: Encrypted HTTPS connections
- Content: No personal information transmitted
Children’s Privacy (COPPA Compliance)
Clarity does not knowingly collect information from anyone, including children under 13 years of age. Since we collect no personal data, there is no risk to children’s privacy.
Age Rating: 4+ (News content suitable for all ages)
International Users (GDPR, CCPA)
GDPR Compliance (European Users)
Since Clarity does not collect personal data as defined by GDPR:
- Right to Access: No personal data to access
- Right to Deletion: No personal data to delete
- Right to Portability: No personal data to export
- Data Processing: No personal data processing occurs
- Legal Basis: Not applicable (no data collection)
CCPA Compliance (California Users)
Under California Consumer Privacy Act:
- Personal Information Collection: None
- Sale of Personal Information: Not applicable
- Do Not Sell My Info: Not applicable (nothing to sell)
- Right to Know: No personal data collected
- Right to Delete: No personal data to delete
Other Jurisdictions
We do not collect personal data under any jurisdiction’s definition.
Data Security
While we do not collect personal information, we maintain security best practices:
Infrastructure Security
- ✅ All API connections use HTTPS/TLS encryption
- ✅ Supabase database protected by Row Level Security (RLS)
- ✅ Edge Functions provide API proxy layer (no direct database access)
- ✅ No hardcoded credentials in the app
- ✅ Anonymous API keys only (read-only access)
App Security
- ✅ Code signing and App Store validation
- ✅ Sandboxed environment (iOS/macOS security model)
- ✅ No third-party advertising SDKs
- ✅ No analytics or tracking libraries
- ✅ Open-source backend (auditable)
Changes to News Content
Content Removal
If you are a publisher and want your content removed from Clarity:
- Email: helenshlee.dev@gmail.com
- Subject: “Content Removal Request”
- Include: Article URL, publication date, reason
- Response Time: Within 7 business days
Content Accuracy
- Articles are machine-translated and summarized
- We strive for accuracy but errors may occur
- Original source links provided for verification
- Report errors: GitHub Issues
Open Source Transparency
Clarity is an open-source project:
You can review our code to verify our privacy claims.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Last Updated” date.
Notification Method:
- Major changes: In-app notification
- Minor changes: Updated date on this page
- Your rights: Continued use implies acceptance
Version History:
- v1.0 (March 22, 2026): Initial release
Your Rights and Choices
What You Can Control
- ✅ iCloud sync (Settings → iCloud → Clarity)
- ✅ Background refresh (Settings → Clarity → Background App Refresh)
- ✅ Network access (Settings → Clarity → Cellular Data)
- ✅ Clear cached articles (Settings → Clarity → Clear Cache)
- ✅ Delete app entirely (removes all local data)
What You Cannot Control
Since we don’t collect data, there’s nothing to:
- Access (no data stored)
- Delete (no data to delete)
- Export (no data to export)
- Modify (no data to change)
Data Retention
What We Retain
- News Articles: Stored on our servers for 30 days, then auto-deleted
- User Data: None (we don’t collect it)
What Your Device Retains
- Cached Articles: Until you clear cache or delete app
- Audio Files: Until you delete them or delete app
- Settings: Until you delete app
Privacy Questions
- Name: Helen Lee
- Location: Hong Kong
- Apple Developer Account: Individual Developer
Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR Article 6)
Not applicable - Clarity does not process personal data as defined by GDPR.
Third-Party Links
Clarity contains links to external news articles. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of external websites. Please review their privacy policies before providing any information.
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Clarity does not use:
- Cookies
- Web beacons
- Tracking pixels
- Analytics scripts
- Advertising SDKs
- Social media plugins
Updates and Notifications
How We Communicate Changes
- Privacy Policy updates: This page
- App updates: App Store release notes
- Critical issues: In-app notification
Opt-Out Options
- Turn off notifications: iOS Settings → Clarity → Notifications
- Disable background refresh: Settings → Clarity → Background App Refresh
- Delete app: Complete opt-out
Dispute Resolution
Governing Law
This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of Hong Kong.
Dispute Process
- Contact us via email: helenshlee.dev@gmail.com
- We will respond within 7 business days
- Good faith resolution attempt
- If unresolved, governed by Terms of Service
Compliance Certifications
- ✅ Apple App Store Guidelines compliant
- ✅ GDPR compliant (no data collection)
- ✅ CCPA compliant (no data collection)
- ✅ COPPA compliant (no data collection)
- ✅ SOC 2 Type II (Supabase infrastructure)
Summary (TL;DR)
What Clarity Does:
- Aggregates AI/tech news from public sources
- Translates content to English and Traditional Chinese
- Provides audio summaries
- Stores articles temporarily on your device
What Clarity Does NOT Do:
- Collect personal information
- Track your behavior
- Sell your data
- Require account registration
- Share information with third parties
Your Control:
- All data stored locally on your device
- iCloud sync is optional and controlled by you
- Delete app anytime to remove all data
- No account, no trace
Acknowledgments
Clarity is built with:
- Supabase - Secure database hosting
- Apple CloudKit - Optional iCloud sync
- Open Source Tools - Python, Swift, LiteLLM
We respect the privacy principles of all our technology partners.
Questions or Concerns?
We’re committed to transparency. If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how Clarity handles information, please contact us:
📧 Email: helenshlee.dev@gmail.com
🐛 Issues: GitHub Issues
💬 Response: Within 7 business days
This Privacy Policy is effective as of March 22, 2026.
Clarity is an open-source project committed to user privacy.