Privacy Policy
Briefed. ("Briefed," "we," "us") is a news aggregation app that condenses news stories into short summaries and links you to the original publishers. This policy explains what information we collect when you use the Briefed. mobile app or website (the "Service"), how we use it, and the choices you have.
1. Information we collect
Account information
If you create an account, we receive your email address, display name, and profile photo (if any) from the sign-in provider you choose (email/password, Google, or Apple). Authentication is handled by Google Firebase; we never see or store your password.
Optional demographics
After sign-up you may optionally share an age range, gender, occupation, and general location (country, region, city). Providing this is entirely optional, and you can use every feature of the Service without it. We use it only in aggregate to understand our audience.
Content you save and preferences
When you save a story, mark it read, or set category preferences, we store those choices with your account so they sync across your devices.
Usage analytics
We collect events about how the app is used — for example, which stories are viewed or saved, search terms you enter in the app, session length, device type, operating system, app version, locale, and timezone. If you are not signed in, these events are associated with a random device identifier, not your identity.
What we do not collect
- Precise (GPS) location
- Contacts, photos, or files on your device
- Payment information (the Service is currently free)
- Data from third-party advertising or tracking networks — the app contains no third-party ads or ad SDKs
2. How we use information
- To provide the Service: sync your saved stories and preferences, keep you signed in, and personalize which news categories you see.
- To understand and improve the Service using aggregated usage statistics.
- To maintain security and prevent abuse.
- To communicate with you about your account when necessary.
We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it with third parties for their own advertising or marketing.
3. Who we share information with
We share personal information only with the service providers that run our infrastructure, and only so they can provide services to us:
| Provider | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Google Firebase | Account authentication and identity management |
| Railway | Application hosting and database |
| Cloudflare | Network security and content delivery |
News content, sports scores, and market data shown in the app come from third-party sources (news publishers, ESPN, and financial data providers). Requests for that content are made by our servers — those providers do not receive your personal information from us.
We may disclose information if required by law, or as part of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets (in which case this policy will continue to apply to previously collected information).
4. Your choices and rights
- Access: you can view your profile information in the app, or request a copy of your data by emailing us.
- Deletion: you can delete your account in the app (Profile → Account → Delete account) or by emailing us. Deletion removes your profile, saved stories, and preferences; identifying information is scrubbed from our systems, and your account is disassociated from your past usage events. Those events are retained in this de-identified form for aggregate analysis.
- Correction: you can update demographics in the app or by emailing us.
- Opt out of sale or sharing: we do not sell personal information or share it for cross-context behavioral advertising. The app nevertheless provides a "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" setting (Profile → Account → Privacy); enabling it records your preference and will be honored if our practices ever change.
California and other US state privacy rights
If you live in California or another state with a comprehensive privacy law, you have the right to know what personal information we collect (described above), to access and delete it, to correct it, and to opt out of its sale or sharing. We do not sell or share personal information as those terms are defined in the California Consumer Privacy Act. We will never discriminate against you for exercising a privacy right. To exercise any right, use the in-app controls or email us at the address below; we may need to verify your identity before acting on a request.
5. Data retention
Account data is retained while your account is active. When you delete your account, personal information is scrubbed promptly and your usage events are disassociated from your account. De-identified analytics may be retained indefinitely. Backups are cycled on a routine schedule.
6. Children
The Service is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that a child under 13 has created an account, we will delete it. If you believe a child has provided us personal information, contact us at the address below.
7. Security
Data is encrypted in transit (TLS) and stored with access controls. Authentication is delegated to Google Firebase. No system is perfectly secure, but we limit the data we collect in the first place — the best protection for data we never hold.
8. Third-party links
Stories in Briefed. link to the original publishers' websites. Once you leave the Service, the publisher's own privacy policy applies.
9. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. Material changes will be announced in the app or by email, and the effective date above will be updated. Continued use of the Service after a change means you accept the updated policy.
10. Contact
Privacy questions or requests: briefednewsdev@gmail.com