Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Autism Spectrum Help ("we", "our", or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and share information when you use our mobile app and web platform designed for families of children with autism.

2. Information We Collect

• Account information: Name, email address, and profile details you provide.
• Family profile: Information about your family and children that you choose to share.
• Community content: Posts, messages, and resources you share in the app.
• Camera: Used only for video chat features (Jitsi). We do not record or store video.
• Microphone: Used only when you activate voice input in sessions or use the Audio Journal. We do not record or store audio without your explicit action.
• Usage data: App interactions to improve our services.

3. How We Use Your Information

• To provide and improve the Autism Spectrum Help platform.
• To connect families with similar interests and needs.
• To send important notifications about playdates and community activity.
• To process subscription payments securely via Stripe.

4. Camera & Microphone Permissions

Camera: Our app requests camera access solely to enable video chat functionality. Camera is only activated when you initiate or join a video call. We do not access, record, or transmit camera data at any other time.

Microphone: Microphone access is requested only when you use voice input during an AI companion session or record an Audio Journal entry. We do not access or record audio at any other time.

Location: Location access is optional and only requested if you choose to enable GPS-based family matching in your profile settings. You can disable this at any time.

5. Information Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. We may share data with trusted service providers (such as Stripe for payments and Jitsi for video) only as necessary to operate our platform. All partners are required to protect your data.

6. Children's Privacy (COPPA)

Autism Spectrum Help is intended for use by parents and guardians. We comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under the age of 13. Any information about children (e.g., age, interests, diagnoses) is provided by their parent or legal guardian and is used only to facilitate family connections and tailor support resources.

Parental Rights under COPPA: If you are a parent or guardian, you have the right to:

• Review the personal information we have collected about your child
• Request deletion of your child's information at any time
• Refuse to permit further collection of your child's information
• Withdraw consent for data processing at any time

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at help@autism-spectrum-help.com.

7. Health Information & HIPAA

Autism Spectrum Help is not a covered entity or business associate under HIPAA. The platform is designed for family support, education, and community connection. If you are a healthcare provider using our provider tools, you are responsible for ensuring your use of the platform complies with your professional obligations under HIPAA or other applicable health privacy laws. We do not store Protected Health Information (PHI) on your behalf unless you explicitly input it into session notes or treatment plans.

8. Data Security

We implement reasonable security measures to protect your information. However, no internet transmission is completely secure. Please use strong passwords and keep your account credentials private.

9. Your Rights

You may update or delete your profile information at any time from the My Profile page. To permanently delete your account and all associated data, see the Data Deletion section below.

10. GDPR (European Union & UK)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, you have the following rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

• Right of access: Request a copy of your personal data
• Right to rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
• Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten"): Request deletion of your data
• Right to restrict processing: Limit how we use your data
• Right to data portability: Receive your data in a machine-readable format
• Right to object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Right to withdraw consent: Withdraw consent at any time without affecting prior processing

Our lawful basis for processing is your consent (Article 6(1)(a)) and our legitimate interests in providing the service (Article 6(1)(f)). To exercise these rights, contact us at help@autism-spectrum-help.com.

11. CCPA (California)

If you are a California resident, you have rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), as amended by the CPRA:

• Right to know: Request disclosure of the categories and specific pieces of personal information we collect
• Right to delete: Request deletion of your personal information
• Right to opt-out: Opt-out of the sale or sharing of your personal information. We do not sell your personal information
• Right to non-discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights

To submit a request, email help@autism-spectrum-help.com. We will verify your identity before processing your request.

12. Data Deletion & Account Removal

You have the right to request permanent deletion of your account and all associated personal data at any time. To request account deletion:

• Visit the Delete Account page accessible from your profile menu
• Or email us at help@autism-spectrum-help.com

Upon deletion request, your account will be immediately deactivated and hidden from the platform. All personal data (profile, messages, posts, family information, uploaded files) will be permanently removed from our systems within 30 days. Backup copies will be deleted within 90 days. You will receive a confirmation email once deletion is complete.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes through the app. Your continued use of Autism Spectrum Help after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance.

14. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at help@autism-spectrum-help.com or visit our About page.