Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

We collect the minimum information needed to provide the WoodMate experience: to identify wood species, generate build and repair guides, estimate values, and personalize recommendations. Depending on how you use the app, this can include:

• Photos and media you submit. When you use the Wood Identifier, Generate Guide, Repair Guide, or Value Woodworking features, the photos you take or upload are sent to our servers and our AI providers for analysis.
• Account & profile data. If you create a profile, we store information such as your skill level, the tools you own, the types of projects you're interested in, and the projects you favorite, start, or complete.
• Purchase & subscription data. If you subscribe to WoodMate Pro, the Apple App Store or Google Play shares the subscription status associated with your app store account. We do not receive or store your full credit card number.
• Device & technical data. Device model, operating system version, app version, language, time zone, crash reports, and basic diagnostics used to keep the app working reliably.
• Usage data. Which features you use, how often, and high-level events (for example “identified wood”, “generated guide”) so we can understand what's useful and what isn't.
• Support communications. Messages and attachments you send us when you contact support or share feedback.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide the core AI features of the app: wood identification, guide generation, repair guidance, and value estimation.
• Personalize recommendations based on your skill level, tools, and preferences.
• Let you favorite projects, track your progress, and resume in-progress builds.
• Process subscriptions, manage billing through the applicable app store, and apply any promotions you unlock.
• Diagnose crashes, prevent abuse, and keep the Service secure and reliable.
• Respond to your support requests and send service-related notifications, such as changes to these policies or to the Service.
• Improve our AI models and product. Where required, we rely on anonymized or aggregated data, and only use identifiable content for training where you have opted in or applicable law permits it.

3. Legal Bases for Processing (EEA, UK & Similar Regions)

If you are in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or a region with similar data protection laws, we process your personal information on one or more of the following legal bases:

• Contract. To provide the Service you've requested, for example, analyzing a photo you submit for identification.
• Legitimate interests. To secure the Service, prevent fraud and abuse, improve our product, and communicate with you about the Service, in ways that don't override your fundamental rights.
• Consent. Where we ask you to opt in, for example to certain types of analytics or to using your content to help improve our AI models. You may withdraw consent at any time.
• Legal obligations. To comply with applicable laws, court orders, or regulatory requirements.

4. How We Process Your Photos with AI

Because WoodMate is an AI-powered app, it's important you know exactly what happens with the photos you upload:

• Photos are transmitted over encrypted connections to our servers and to trusted AI providers that perform the actual analysis.
• AI providers process your photo only to return a result to you (for example, a species match, a generated guide, or a value estimate).
• We do not sell your photos, and we do not use them to personally identify you.
• By default, photos are retained only for as long as needed to provide the feature, debug issues, and prevent abuse, after which they are deleted or de-identified.
• If you enable any optional feature that lets us use your content to help improve our AI models, we will tell you clearly before you turn it on, and you can turn it off at any time.

5. How We Share Information

We share information only in the limited circumstances below:

• Service providers. With trusted vendors who help us run the Service, for example, cloud hosting, AI model providers, analytics, crash reporting, and customer support tooling. They may only use your information to provide services to us, under binding contracts.
• App stores & payment platforms. Apple and Google handle your purchase and subscription. Their handling of your information is governed by their own privacy policies.
• Legal & safety. When we believe disclosure is reasonably necessary to comply with a law, lawful request, or legal process, to protect our rights, or to protect the safety of our users or the public.
• Business transfers. If WoodMate is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or part of its assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to this Privacy Policy.
• With your consent. In any other case, only after letting you know and getting your consent.

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it with advertising networks for cross-context behavioral advertising.

6. Your Rights & Choices

Depending on where you live, you may have some or all of the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction: ask us to fix information that is inaccurate or incomplete.
• Deletion: ask us to delete your personal information, subject to certain legal exceptions.
• Portability: request a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Objection & restriction: object to or restrict certain processing of your personal information.
• Withdraw consent: where we process your information based on consent, you can withdraw that consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of earlier processing.

You can exercise any of these rights by emailing us at tordukaya@icloud.com. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request. If you have a concern we can't resolve, you may also contact your local data protection authority.

7. Data Retention

We keep personal information only for as long as necessary to provide the Service, comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Concretely:

• Photos submitted for AI analysis are retained only as long as needed to return a result and perform debugging, after which they are deleted or de-identified.
• Profile data (skill level, tools, favorites, in-progress projects) is retained while your profile is active and for a reasonable period afterwards.
• Billing records related to subscriptions are kept for as long as required by applicable tax and accounting laws.
• Diagnostic and security logs are retained only for as long as needed to protect the Service.

8. Security

We take the security of your information seriously and use industry-standard safeguards, including encryption in transit, access controls, and regular reviews of our practices. No system is perfectly secure, and we can't guarantee that unauthorized access will never happen. If we ever become aware of a breach that affects your personal information, we will notify you and the relevant authorities as required by law.

9. Children's Privacy

WoodMate is not directed to children under 13 (or the minimum age required in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under that age. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at tordukaya@icloud.com and we will take steps to delete the information.

10. International Data Transfers

WoodMate operates globally, which means your personal information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in countries other than the one in which you live, including the United States and other regions where our service providers operate. Where required by law, we put appropriate safeguards in place for these transfers, such as European Commission-approved Standard Contractual Clauses or equivalent mechanisms.

11. U.S. State Privacy Rights

If you are a resident of California or another U.S. state with similar privacy laws, you may have additional rights, such as the right to know what categories of personal information we collect and share, the right to request deletion, and the right to opt out of certain types of “sharing” or “selling” of personal information as defined under those laws. WoodMate does not sell personal information and does not share it for cross-context behavioral advertising. To exercise any applicable rights, contact us at the email below.

12. Third-Party Services

WoodMate is distributed through the Apple App Store and Google Play and relies on third-party providers for cloud hosting, AI processing, analytics, and crash reporting. Your use of those platforms is also subject to their own privacy policies. We do not control, and are not responsible for, the privacy practices of those third parties.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the Service, our practices, or the law. When we do, we will update the “Effective date” at the top of this page and, if the changes are significant, we will let you know through the app or by email. Your continued use of the Service after an updated Policy takes effect means you accept the changes.

14. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your information, please reach out at tordukaya@icloud.com. We read every message and do our best to respond within a reasonable time.