1. Information We Collect
We collect the following types of information to provide and improve our Service:
1.1 Information You Provide
- Submitted Text: When you use TruthProxy to analyze content (e.g., news articles, social media posts), you submit text through our website or Chrome extension. We process this text to generate a TruthScore and related metrics (e.g., sentiment, bias, factuality).
- Contact Information: If you reach out to us (e.g., via email or a contact form), we may collect your name, email address, or other details you provide.
1.2 Information Collected Automatically
- Usage Data: We may collect data about how you interact with the Service, such as the date and time of your submissions, the type of content analyzed, and the results generated (e.g., TruthScores).
- Device and Browser Information: When you use our website or Chrome extension, we may collect technical details like your IP address, browser type, operating system, and device identifiers.
- Chrome Extension Permissions: The TruthProxy Chrome extension may access:
- The content of web pages you analyze (to process the text you select).
- Your browsing activity (only to enable the extension’s functionality, such as analyzing text on a page you’re viewing). **The chrome extension only accesses the content of web pages, when the user highlights text, and activates the extension. No browsing history is recorded, or saved.**
1.3 Cookies and Tracking Technologies
- TruthProxy’s Use of Cookies: **The TruthProxy Chrome extension itself does not utilize cookies or any other tracking technologies to collect user data.** TruthProxy itself does not directly set cookies for tracking or analytics purposes.
- Third-Party Cookies (GoDaddy): Our website is hosted through GoDaddy, which may use cookies and similar technologies (e.g., web beacons) to collect data for purposes such as site performance, analytics, and security. This may include information like your IP address, browser type, and pages visited. **The cookies that are set, are only set on the website portion of the service, that is hosted by GoDaddy, and are not used by the Chrome extension.** For more details on GoDaddy’s data practices, please review their Privacy Policy (https://www.godaddy.com/legal/agreements/privacy-policy).
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- To Provide the Service: We process submitted text to generate TruthScores and related metrics, such as sentiment and bias analysis, using our hybrid machine learning (NLP and Random Forest) and rule-based system.
- To Improve the Service: We may use usage data and submitted text to train our machine learning models, refine our scoring algorithms, and enhance the accuracy of our analysis. This data is anonymized and aggregated whenever possible.
- To Communicate: If you contact us, we use your contact information to respond to your inquiries or provide support.
- To Ensure Security: We may use device and browser information (e.g., IP addresses) to detect and prevent fraud, abuse, or unauthorized access to the Service.
3. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following cases:
- Service Providers: We use third-party providers like GoDaddy (for hosting) and DigitalOcean (for our Ubuntu droplet backend). These providers may have access to certain data (e.g., IP addresses, submitted text) to support the Service, but they are bound by their own privacy policies and agreements.
- Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required by law, such as to comply with a subpoena, court order, or other legal process.
- Business Transfers: If TruthProxy is sold, licensed, or transferred (e.g., as part of a merger or acquisition), your information may be shared with the new owner, subject to this Privacy Policy.
4. Data Storage and Security
- Storage: Submitted text, usage data, and device information are stored on a secure Ubuntu droplet hosted by DigitalOcean. We retain submitted text and generated scores only as long as necessary to provide the Service and improve our algorithms, typically no longer than 90 days, after which it is **anonymized (the irreversible removal of any personally identifiable information from the stored data.)** or deleted.
- Security: We implement reasonable measures to protect your data, including encryption for data in transit (e.g., HTTPS for website and API communications) and access controls on our backend. However, no system is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
5. Your Choices and Rights
- Access and Control: You can request access to or deletion of your personal information (e.g., contact details or submitted text) by contacting us at truthproxyapi@gmail.com.
- Chrome Extension: You can uninstall the TruthProxy Chrome extension at any time to stop it from accessing your browsing data.
- Cookies: You can manage GoDaddy’s cookies through your browser settings or by opting out via GoDaddy’s privacy tools (see their Privacy Policy for details).
6. Children’s Privacy
TruthProxy is not intended for users under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have collected such information, we will delete it promptly.
7. International Users
TruthProxy is operated from the United States. If you access the Service from outside the U.S., your data may be transferred to and processed in the U.S., where data protection laws may differ. By using the Service, you consent to this transfer.
8. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make significant changes, we will notify you by posting a notice on our website or via email (if you’ve provided one). Your continued use of the Service after such changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
9. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at: truthproxyapi@gmail.com.