Privacy Policy

Draft, not yet in effect.

This page explains what we collect, why, who helps us handle it, how long we keep it, and what you can do about it. Inkling is run by West Four LLC (“we”).

The short version

Your messages are stored encrypted, and deleted automatically after 12 months.
The AI companies that write the coach’s replies have committed not to keep what you send them. They never see your phone number, and we don’t train AI models on your conversations.
We never sell your data or use it for ads.
You’re in control: download or delete everything from Account Settings, any time.

What we collect

Your phone number. Your first text creates your account, and your number is how we know a text is from you.
Your texts and the coach’s replies, stored encrypted. If you send a voice memo with a transcript, we keep the transcript; we don’t keep photos or other attachments.
Your questionnaire: what to call you, your age range, gender and timezone, your life-area ratings, and anything else you choose to add.
What the coach remembers: short summaries of your conversations and facts from them, including about people you mention, and anything from them it plans to check in with you about, and when.
Billing: our payment processor collects your email and card details. We keep your subscription’s status and dates, never your card number.
Feedback you send us, and the usual technical records: a sign-in cookie, server logs, and the address you text from. We don’t use analytics or advertising trackers.

What you tell a coach can include your health, mental health, relationships and other sensitive topics. We use it only to provide Inkling.

How we use your information

To reply to your texts, remember past conversations, and check in on things you mention.
To run your account and subscription, and support you when you contact us.
To keep Inkling safe and secure: spotting when someone may be in crisis so we can share support resources, and preventing abuse.
To meet our legal obligations.
To look at how the service performs so we can fix and improve Inkling.

We never sell your data or use it for advertising.

What the AI sees

An AI model writes the coach’s replies. To write one, it sees your recent texts, your questionnaire answers, what it remembers from past conversations, and your local time. AI models also write the summaries of your conversations that the coach remembers.

The AI model providers we use have committed to keep none of what we send them. The models never see your phone number, only an internal account ID. We don’t train AI models on your conversations.

Texting and check-ins

Inkling texts you back when you text it. Check-ins are on by default: the coach may also text you first after something you mentioned, like an interview, to ask how it went. To turn them off, text “stop checking in”, or use the switch in Account Settings. You can still text the coach whenever you like. Inkling never sends marketing texts.

Who handles your data

We use a small set of service providers to run Inkling:

A texting provider delivers your texts (iMessage or SMS) between you and Inkling.
AI model providers write the coach’s replies and summaries and help keep Inkling safe, as described in “What the AI sees”.
Hosting and database providers run our servers and store your data, in the United States.
A payment processor handles your subscription and card.

We may also share information when the law requires it, to protect someone’s safety, or as part of a sale or merger of the business.

How long we keep it

Texts and replies: 12 months, then deleted automatically.
Summaries, facts, your questionnaire and profile: until you delete your account.
Check-ins: 90 days, then deleted automatically.
Unfinished sign-ups, sign-in links and codes, and records that keep Inkling secure and prevent abuse: only as long as they’re needed for that, then deleted automatically.
Our service providers keep data under their own terms, as described above.

Your choices

Download your data from Account Settings, as one file.
Delete your account from Account Settings. This cancels your subscription and deletes your account and its data from our database straight away, apart from the short-lived records above, backups and logs, which expire on their own schedule.
Correct your details in Account Settings. To correct something the coach remembers, tell it, or contact us.
Stop check-ins any time: text “stop checking in”, or use the switch in Account Settings.

You have the right to see, correct and delete your data, and we never sell it. Download and delete work straight from Account Settings; for anything else, contact us below.

Security

Your texts are encrypted before they are stored, and everything is sent over encrypted connections. The website shows you only your own data, and access to our database is limited to our servers and the people who run Inkling. No system is perfect; if a breach affects you, we’ll tell you as the law requires.

Age and location

Inkling is for adults 18 and older, in the United States, and isn’t for anyone under 18. If we learn that data came from someone under 18, we delete it. If you think a minor has used Inkling, contact us.

Changes

If we change this policy, we’ll post the updated version here with a new date. If a change is significant, we’ll let you know before it takes effect.

Contact

Inkling (West Four LLC)
[email protected]