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Privacy Policy

Last Updated: February 23, 2026

1. Who We Are

Pause is operated by an individual operator in Surrey, BC, Canada ("we," "our," or "us"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and share information when you use the Pause app.

Operator: Tianjun Zheng

Privacy Contact Email: support@midnightstudio.app

Mailing Address: Surrey, BC, Canada

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

  • Account Information: Email address, display name, birthday, account credentials
  • Profile Information: Avatar/photo, bio, love language, communication style, conflict style, appreciation style, preferences, pet peeves
  • Partner Connection: Partner code, connection status, anniversary date
  • Court Case Content: Written submissions, feelings, and AI-generated verdicts
  • Appreciations: Messages of gratitude and appreciation
  • Daily Questions: Your answers and mood selections
  • Calendar Events: Shared dates, activities, and relationship milestones
  • Memories: Photos, captions, and reactions shared with your partner
  • AI Insights: Feedback on insights
  • Support Communications: Messages sent to customer support

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

  • Usage Data: Features accessed, time spent in app, interaction patterns
  • Device Information: Device type, OS version, app version, identifiers
  • Performance Data: Crash reports, error logs, diagnostics
  • Push Tokens: Notification tokens used to deliver reminders and updates

2.3 Information from Third Parties

  • Authentication Providers: If you sign in with Google, we receive your email address and basic profile information
  • Payment Platforms: Apple App Store and Google Play handle payments; we receive your subscription status but not payment details
SENSITIVE DATA NOTICE: We process information that may reveal relationship dynamics, emotional wellbeing, or intimate life details. This data can be considered sensitive under certain privacy laws (including Washington's My Health My Data Act and GDPR special category data). We treat it with heightened protection and use it only to provide the App and features you request.

3. How We Use Your Information

3.1 Providing and Improving Services

  • Operate the App and deliver requested features
  • Generate AI-powered verdicts and insights
  • Facilitate partner connection and shared experiences
  • Personalize content and recommendations
  • Create de-identified analytics (including Pause Wrapped summaries)
  • Improve the App and develop new features based on user feedback and usage patterns

3.2 Communication and Notifications

  • Respond to support requests
  • Send service-related notifications (partner requests, new verdicts, reminders)
  • Notify you of important updates to the App or policies

3.3 Legal and Safety

  • Enforce our Terms of Service
  • Comply with legal obligations
  • Protect against fraud, abuse, or security threats
  • Resolve disputes

3.4 What We Do Not Do

  • We do not sell your personal data
  • We do not show third-party ads
  • We configure AI vendors to disable training and minimize retention where those controls are available; some providers may still process data under their own terms

4. How We Share Your Information

4.1 With Your Partner

When you connect with a partner in the App, they can see:

  • Your profile information (name, avatar, bio, preferences)
  • Court cases you participate in together
  • Appreciations you send to them
  • Your responses to daily questions
  • Shared calendar events and memories

When You Disconnect:

  • Your partner will no longer see future content you create
  • Historical shared content may remain visible to both parties unless removed or accounts are deleted
  • We cannot control screenshots or exports your partner may have made while connected

4.2 With Service Providers

We share data with vendors who help us operate the App:

Service Provider Purpose Data Shared
Supabase Database, authentication, storage Account data, content, and files
OpenRouter (and model providers) AI verdict generation Case content and context needed to generate output
OpenAI Embeddings and safety moderation Case content and context
RevenueCat Subscription management User ID, subscription status
Apple / Google Payments and notifications Subscription receipts, device tokens
Firebase Cloud Messaging (Google) Push notification delivery Device tokens, notification payload metadata
Sentry Error monitoring and diagnostics Crash data, performance traces, device/app diagnostics

We require service providers to process data to provide services to us, and we apply no-training/no-collection controls where those options are available.

4.3 Legal Disclosures

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or government request, or to protect our rights, safety, or property.

4.4 Business Transfers

If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred. We will notify you before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

5. Data Security

We implement reasonable security measures to protect your information:

  • Encryption: Data is encrypted in transit and at rest
  • Access Controls: Role-based access and least privilege
  • Authentication: Secure authentication and row-level access controls
  • Monitoring: Monitoring for unauthorized access and abuse

No system is perfectly secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Data Retention and Deletion

6.1 Active Account Data

We retain your personal data while your account is active to provide the App.

6.2 Deleted Account Data

Deleting your account is the only way to fully delete your personal data. When you delete your account:

  • In most cases, we delete or anonymize your personal data within 30 days of account deletion
  • Backups and limited operational logs may persist for a limited period for recovery, security, fraud prevention, or legal obligations
  • If you are connected to a partner, you must disconnect before account deletion can be completed
  • Content shared with a partner may remain visible to that partner unless they also delete their account

6.3 De-identified Data

We may retain de-identified or aggregated data for analytics and product improvement, including Pause Wrapped summaries. This data cannot be used to identify you.

7. International Data Transfers

Your data is processed and stored in Canada and the United States, and may be transferred to other locations where our service providers operate. If you access the App from outside these regions, your data will be transferred internationally.

Where required, we rely on standard contractual clauses or other lawful transfer mechanisms.

8. Your Privacy Rights

8.1 General Rights (All Users)

  • Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
  • Correction: Update inaccurate information in your profile
  • Deletion: Delete your account to remove your personal data
  • Portability: Request your data in a portable format

8.2 California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)

California residents have additional rights including the right to know, delete, and correct personal information. We do not sell or share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising.

8.3 Washington Residents (My Health My Data Act)

If you are a Washington State resident ("WA user"), your relationship and emotional wellbeing data may qualify as consumer health data under Washington's My Health My Data Act. Subject to applicable law, you may request confirmation of collection, access, deletion, and withdrawal of consent for certain processing and sharing. We do not sell this data.

If we deny your request, you may appeal by emailing support@midnightstudio.app with the subject line "WA Privacy Appeal".

8.4 EEA/UK Residents (GDPR)

If you are in the EEA or UK, you have rights under GDPR, including access, rectification, deletion, restriction, portability, objection, and withdrawal of consent. We process sensitive data based on explicit consent and contractual necessity.

8.5 Other Jurisdictions

If you are in another jurisdiction with applicable privacy laws, you may have similar rights. Contact us at support@midnightstudio.app to learn more or exercise your rights.

8.6 How to Submit Requests

To submit a privacy request, email support@midnightstudio.app from your account email and include enough detail for us to locate your account and process your request. We may request additional information to verify your identity before completing your request.

Where required by law, we respond within 45 days and may extend once by an additional 45 days with notice. If your request is denied, you may appeal through the same email address.

9. Children's Privacy

Pause is intended for users who are at least 16 years old. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 16. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a person under 16, we will delete it. Contact us at support@midnightstudio.app if you believe this has occurred.

10. Cookies and Tracking

We use minimal tracking technologies:

  • Essential Cookies/Storage: Authentication and session management
  • Analytics: First-party analytics for product improvement and Pause Wrapped
  • No Advertising Trackers: We do not use third-party ad networks

11. Third-Party Links

The App may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for their privacy practices and encourage you to review their policies.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes are effective when posted, with the "Last Updated" date revised. For material changes, we will notify you via email or in-app notification.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions or requests regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact us:

Operator: Tianjun Zheng
Email: support@midnightstudio.app
Address: Surrey, BC, Canada

14. Consent to This Policy

By creating an account and using Pause, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to this Privacy Policy. Where required by law, your use of features that collect sensitive data constitutes explicit consent to the practices described here.