Privacy Policy

1. Overview

This Privacy Policy explains how Startup Consulting Inc. ('we,' 'us,' or 'our') collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you use CareGuide WA (hca-guide.ai-biz.app).

CareGuide WA is designed with privacy by default. No account is required, and the app functions fully without one.

2. Information Collected Without an Account

Profile data (language preference, provider type, dates you enter, phone numbers you enter) is stored only on your device in browser storage (localStorage). It is never transmitted to our servers.

Questions you ask in the Ask section are transmitted to our server to generate an answer. Questions are not stored with your identity and are not linked to your device or session beyond the time needed to produce a response.

Questions we were unable to answer are logged anonymously for content improvement. Before logging, we automatically scrub phone numbers, email addresses, and numeric sequences.

Answer feedback (👍/👎) is recorded as anonymous aggregate counts only. Your question text and identity are never included.

3. Information Collected With an Optional Account

If you create an account (via Google or email), we store the following in Google Firestore, readable only by you and enforced by Firestore security rules:

• Your email address

• The dates and phone numbers you entered into your profile

• The IDs of guides you have bookmarked

Your questions are never linked to your account. The content of your conversations in the Ask section is never stored under your account.

4. What We Never Collect

• Information about the clients you care for (names, addresses, health details, or any identifying information)

• Your precise location

• Your questions linked to your identity or account

• Any information for marketing purposes unless you have separately opted in

5. Analytics

We use Google Analytics (GA4) to count anonymous page visits. This means: no user ID is collected, no ad personalization is enabled, and no cross-site tracking occurs. There are no other advertising or third-party tracking tools in the app.

6. Third-Party Services

We use the following services to operate CareGuide WA. Each processes your data only as needed to provide the service:

• Firebase Authentication (Google) — account sign-in and session management

• Google Firestore — storing your profile and bookmarks (your data only, access-controlled)

• Google Cloud Run — hosting the app and API

• Google Gemini API — processing AI-generated answers to your questions

• Google Analytics (GA4) — anonymous visit counting

These services are operated by Google LLC and are subject to Google's Privacy Policy.

7. Marketing Communications

We send marketing emails only if you explicitly opt in. If you opt in, we may send newsletters, product updates, and promotions to the email address associated with your account.

You can withdraw consent at any time by toggling off 'Marketing emails' in the Me tab, or by clicking the unsubscribe link in any email we send.

8. Data Retention

Device-stored data: Exists only on your device. Cleared when you clear this site's browser data.

Account data: Retained until you delete your account (Me tab → Delete account). Deletion removes your Firestore document and all data stored under it.

Server logs: Anonymous and auto-expire per Google Cloud Logging retention (30 days).

Marketing consent: Stored in your account profile. Removed when you withdraw consent or delete your account.

9. Security

Account data is protected by Google Firestore security rules that allow only the authenticated account holder to read or write their own data.

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect information we process. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure.

10. Your Rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you

• Request correction or deletion of your information

• Withdraw consent to receive marketing emails

• Object to certain types of processing

California residents may have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to know what personal information we collect and the right to request deletion.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at jsong@koreatus.com.

11. Children's Privacy

CareGuide WA is intended for adult Home Care Aides. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us immediately.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will update the effective date above and provide appropriate notice.

13. Contact

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your personal information, contact us at:

Startup Consulting Inc.

jsong@koreatus.com