Privacy Policy

1. Information you provide

When you submit a valid question through the website dashboard, the website sends the question to the StudyMate backend in a JSON request and includes a Clerk session token so the backend can verify your session. StudyMate uses Clerk for account registration, sign-in, session handling, and sign-out. Clerk handles the authentication flow; the StudyMate backend code reviewed does not store passwords or write account records to a database.

2. Local question history

The website dashboard can save up to 10 recent questions, answers, dates, and response modes in your browser's local storage. The storage key is associated with the Clerk user ID signed in when the history is saved. This history stays in this browser profile and is not synced across devices. Signing out does not remove saved history. Use the Clear History button to remove the current account's dashboard history from this browser. The dashboard does not provide individual deletion controls for history entries.

StudyMate does not encrypt this browser-local history. Someone with access to your browser profile or device may be able to inspect it. Avoid saving sensitive personal, confidential, or identifying information.

3. When AI services are used

If an OpenAI client is not created because the API key is missing or remains at the placeholder value, the backend returns a generic demo response and does not send the question to OpenAI. When an OpenAI client is created, the backend sends the question to OpenAI; a successful response is returned as live AI. If the request fails with an exhausted-credit error, StudyMate returns a demo fallback; the question may already have been sent to OpenAI as part of that request. Other provider errors may result in an error instead of an explanation.

The backend code reviewed does not write dashboard questions or answers to a server-side database or files. This does not establish what information may appear in hosting or provider logs, or how Clerk or OpenAI retain or otherwise process information. Review their current policies and account settings, then describe the applicable practices here before public launch.

4. Webpage access

The Chrome extension is a separate product component from the website dashboard. The website behavior described in this notice does not establish what webpage access the extension uses or what information it processes. Verify the extension's permissions and data flow and provide an accurate extension-specific disclosure before releasing it.

5. API keys and security

In the implementation reviewed, the backend reads the OpenAI API key from server-side environment configuration. The dashboard sends the question and Clerk session token to the backend; it does not send the OpenAI API key in that request. This code review does not verify how deployment secrets, hosting logs, or the separate Chrome extension are configured. Do not share private API keys or passwords.

6. Accounts and subscriptions

StudyMate uses Clerk for user registration, sign-in, session handling, and sign-out. Subscription payments and billing are not implemented in the website files reviewed. Information handled by Clerk is subject to Clerk's current policies and account settings; review them and add the applicable disclosure before public launch.

7. Contact and policy updates

Privacy contact: [ADD A VERIFIED PRIVACY CONTACT BEFORE PUBLIC LAUNCH]. Set the publication date above before publishing. Review this notice whenever the service, providers, or data practices change.