Privacy Policy

What we collect

• Text you submit to the tools. When you run a tool, your text is sent to our servers and on to our AI provider so the analysis can happen. We don't store it on our servers after the analysis returns — with one exception: if you're signed in and click Save on a result, that input text and its results are stored in your account's History until you delete them or your account.
• Account information (optional). If you create an account, we store your email address, your saved History, and any settings you save. No account is needed to use the tools or browse the directory.
• Directory submissions. Pickleball locations and corrections you submit are stored and displayed publicly as part of the directory.
• Usage data. We use Google Analytics to understand aggregate site usage (pages visited, browser type, approximate region). Our host, Cloudflare, also logs standard technical data (like IP addresses) to serve the site and block attacks.
• Browser storage. Your theme, location preference, and most recent tool input are kept in your own browser (localStorage / sessionStorage) so you don't have to retype things. That data stays on your device unless you run a tool or save a result.

One ask: please don't paste text containing sensitive information — Social Security numbers, health records, financial account details — into the tools. The tools don't need it, and the analysis works fine without it.

How the AI processing works — and the training promise

We do not use your messages to train AI models, and we don't permit our providers to either. Text you submit is processed through the OpenAI API via our own server-side proxy. Under OpenAI's API policies, API data is not used to train OpenAI's models by default; OpenAI may retain API inputs for up to 30 days for abuse monitoring, after which they are deleted. Your text is used to produce your analysis, and that's it.

How we use data

To provide the tools and directory, maintain your account and History, keep the site secure and prevent abuse, understand aggregate usage so we can improve things, and respond when you contact us. That's the whole list.

What we don't do

• We do not sell or share your personal information for money or for cross-context behavioral advertising.
• We don't use your text or account details for marketing, and we don't send it to anyone except the processors listed below.
• We don't track you across other websites.
• We don't currently run ads. If we ever add advertising (e.g., Google AdSense), we'll update this policy first and add the required opt-out controls.

The services that process data for us

• OpenAI — runs the language-model analysis for the communication tools (API, no training, ≤30-day retention as described above).
• Supabase — hosts our database (accounts, saved History, directory listings) and handles authentication.
• Google Analytics — aggregate usage statistics. We keep ads features off.
• Cloudflare — serves the website and protects it against attacks.

Each of these processes data on our behalf under their own security and privacy commitments. Data is processed in the United States.

Cookies and similar storage

We use a small number of cookies and browser-storage entries: an authentication session (if you sign in), Google Analytics cookies, and local preferences (theme, directory location, recent tool input — these stay in your browser). You can clear or block cookies in your browser settings; the site works without them, minus signed-in features.

How long we keep things

• Tool inputs (not saved): not stored on our servers after the analysis returns.
• Saved History and account data: kept while your account is active. When you delete an item or your account, it's removed from our active systems promptly and purged from backups within about 30 days.
• Directory submissions: kept as part of the public directory (they're community reference data), unless you ask us to remove one you submitted.
• Analytics data: retained per Google Analytics' standard retention settings, in aggregate form.

Your rights and choices

Regardless of where you live, you can ask us to: access the personal data we hold about you, correct it, delete it, get a portable copy, or opt out of any sale, sharing, or targeted advertising (we don't do those, but the opt-out stands anyway). These cover the rights granted by state privacy laws (including the CCPA/CPRA) and, for EU/UK visitors, the GDPR.

To exercise any of these, email hello@howtoboomer.com from the address associated with your account (that's how we verify it's you). We'll respond within 45 days. If we decline a request, you can appeal by replying to our response, and we'll take a second look. You can also delete your account and saved History yourself at any time.

Browser privacy signals: because we don't sell or share personal information, there's nothing to opt out of — but where a Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal applies, we treat it as a valid opt-out. We don't respond to the older Do-Not-Track header.

Children

How To, Boomer! is not directed at children under 13, and we don't knowingly collect their data. If you believe a child under 13 has given us personal information, email us and we'll delete it.

Security

We use industry-standard measures to protect your data, including encryption in transit and access controls on our database. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, so we can't guarantee absolute security — but if a breach affects your personal information, we'll notify you as required by applicable law.

Visitors from outside the US

The Services are directed to users in the United States and hosted there. If you use them from elsewhere, your data will be transferred to and processed in the US. EU/UK visitors: our legal bases are performance of our agreement with you (providing the tools), our legitimate interest in running and securing the site, and consent where required; the rights section above applies to you in full.

Changes to this policy

We'll update the "Last updated" date whenever this policy changes. For material changes, we'll give notice before they take effect — by email to account holders, a notice on the site, or both.

Contact

Questions about privacy? Email hello@howtoboomer.com.