Privacy Policy

1) Scope and contact

This policy explains how The Cosmic Engine, operated by samg.studio (Samuel Gaudreau), handles information in the iOS app, on the public website, and through the early-access waitlist. For privacy questions, access requests, or deletion requests, contact support@thecosmicengine.com.

2) Website and waitlist

The public website does not create user accounts. If you join the waitlist, we collect the name or alias and email address you submit, your language, submission time and identifier, source page and URL, referral attribution, and campaign parameters. We also record whether and when you gave express email consent, the version and language of the consent text, confirmation-delivery status, a random unsubscribe token, and any unsubscribe or resubscribe event. The form is processed with Google Apps Script and stored in a private Google Sheet. Google Apps Script sends the requested confirmation email and handles the unsubscribe page. The website also stores your language choice, recent submission status, and submitted email locally in your browser to prevent duplicate requests.

3) Information entered in the app

To create a reading, the app asks for a date of birth. A first and last name, birth time, and birthplace are optional. Match readings may also use a second person's details, relationship type, and, for some relationship lenses, a relationship start year. You may indicate whether a person is living and, if relevant, a year of death. The app also handles the language and access option you select. Current readings use one Western astrology method and one editorial voice.

4) Calculated and generated data

The app derives coordinates such as latitude, longitude, and time zone from a selected city, then calculates astrological positions, chart factors, relationship dynamics, timing data, and related profile information. Google Gemini assists the narrative text for Pattern and Match reports. A Daily Signal starts from a complete saved Pattern, combines a bounded extract of that report with the current Moon and an eligible real transit calculated by the app, and uses Google Gemini to write the resulting narrative. Generated reports, saved Daily Signals, and exported PDFs may contain the information and interpretations described above.

5) On-device storage

Profiles, saved readings, daily readings, preferences, access records, and the versioned AI-processing consent record are stored in the app's local container on your device. The Cosmic Engine does not operate a cloud account or server-side report archive for this information. It remains until you delete it in the app, clear the app's data, or uninstall the app; your device platform may include app data in backups under your own device and cloud-backup settings.

6) City search and Apple geocoding

After you allow off-device processing, text entered in the city field is submitted directly by the iOS app to Apple's native geocoding service so you can select a matching place. Apple may receive the city query, your IP address, and technical request information and returns the place name, country, coordinates, and time zone. The app does not request or use your device's current location for this search. Apple handles this service data under its own privacy practices.

7) Google Gemini reports

Only after your explicit permission, the app sends an optional name, birth date, relationship context, calculated chart data, and, for Daily Signal, a bounded extract of the saved Pattern plus calculated timing context through The Cosmic Engine's encrypted Railway-hosted API to Google Gemini. Gemini assists the narrative for Pattern, Match, and Daily Signal. Our application code relays the request and does not intentionally save prompts or responses in a server database. The production service uses a billing-enabled Gemini API project; under Google's paid-service terms, prompts and responses are not used to improve Google's products, but Google may retain them for a limited period for safety, abuse prevention, and legal obligations. We do not opt report data into Google developer datasets or model-improvement sharing.

8) Purposes

We use information to calculate and deliver requested readings, save information you choose to keep on your device, manage access and purchases, maintain security and reliability, answer support requests, manage waitlist invitations, understand campaign attribution, comply with law, and prevent spam or misuse. We do not repurpose birth or report data for advertising.

9) Providers and disclosures

We disclose information only as needed to operate the requested feature: Apple for native city geocoding, App Store distribution, purchases, receipts, and entitlement management; Railway for website and API hosting; Google Gemini for Pattern, Match, and Daily Signal narrative generation; Google Apps Script and Google Sheets for the waitlist; and Google Fonts for website typography. Apple processes payment details; we do not receive your full payment-card number. Providers process information under their own terms and privacy practices. We may also disclose information when required by law, to protect users and the service, or in a business transfer subject to appropriate protections.

10) Retention and deletion

On-device information remains until you delete it or uninstall the app. A withdrawn or outdated consent record no longer authorizes new processing. Active waitlist records remain until you ask us to remove them or until they are no longer needed for invitations, support, security, or legal obligations. If you unsubscribe, we keep a limited suppression and consent-history record so that we can honour the request and demonstrate it; the address is excluded from later waitlist mail. Our API does not create a server-side report archive; hosting providers may retain limited network, security, and error metadata for operational needs. Third-party retention also applies: Apple handles native geocoding requests under its privacy practices, while Google describes limited paid-service safety retention. We may retain records longer only when required by law, security, fraud prevention, or dispute resolution.

11) Your choices and rights

You can decline off-device processing and continue with features that do not require Apple city lookup or Gemini narrative generation. Pattern, Match, Daily Signal, and city lookup require permission when they use those providers. You can review or withdraw permission in Settings → Privacy; withdrawal blocks future off-device requests but cannot reverse processing already completed. Delete saved profiles and readings in the app or uninstall it to remove local data. Every waitlist email includes an unsubscribe link; using it immediately marks the address do-not-contact for later waitlist mail. Contact support@thecosmicengine.com to access, correct, or delete waitlist or support information, or to exercise rights available under applicable privacy law. We may need to verify the request and may retain information that law requires us to keep.

12) No sale, ads, or tracking

We do not sell personal information, use birth or report data for advertising, serve behavioural ads, or track activity across other companies' apps and websites. The app does not request Apple's App Tracking Transparency permission because it does not perform cross-app tracking. We may use aggregated, non-identifying operational information to maintain and improve reliability.

13) Security and transfers

We use reasonable safeguards, including encrypted network connections, restricted service credentials, and data minimization. No transmission or storage method is completely secure. Providers may process information in Canada, the United States, Europe, or other countries where they operate; privacy protections and lawful-access rules may differ. We require providers to protect information consistently with their contractual and legal obligations.

14) Age and policy changes

The app and its Gemini-assisted features are intended only for people aged 18 or older. We do not knowingly collect app reading data from anyone under 18. Contact us if you believe a minor submitted information so we can review and delete it where appropriate. We may update this policy when the product, providers, or legal requirements change; the date above identifies the current version, and material changes will be presented through the app or website as appropriate.