The short version
- We collect what we need to make and share an Embrace: phone numbers, names, and the photos and videos people choose to send.
- We don’t sell personal information, run ads, or use your photos and videos to train artificial intelligence.
- Invitations and films are shared through unlisted links. Anyone who has a link can use it, so share links with care.
- You can ask us to see, correct, or delete your information at any time by emailing support@sendembrace.com.
Information we collect
If you create an Embrace
- Account details: your phone number, which you confirm with a code sent by text message, plus your name and date of birth.
- Embrace details: the recipient’s name, what the Embrace is for, an optional photo of the recipient, the photos and videos you add, and the moments you choose for the film.
- Invitation list: the names and phone numbers of the contacts you choose to invite. See Your phone’s contacts.
- Payment records: when payment is required, Stripe processes it. We receive the payment status, amount, currency, and a Stripe reference, never your card number.
If you contribute to an Embrace
- The name and phone number you enter with your contribution.
- The photos and videos you upload, with file details such as name, type, size, length, and dimensions.
Contributors don’t need an account, and we don’t verify contributors’ phone numbers.
If you receive an Embrace
The organizer gives us your name, a short note about what the Embrace is for, and optionally your photo. You can watch your film through its link without creating an account.
Safety reports
If you email Support about a problem or concern, we receive your email address, message, and any content links or attachments you include. We use this information to investigate and respond.
Information collected automatically
- Service logs: our servers and content delivery network record technical details such as IP address, browser type, the page or file requested, and the time. We use these records to run and protect Embrace.
- On your device: the app stores your sign-in session and upload progress on your phone or in your browser so you stay signed in and interrupted uploads can resume.
- Bot protection: our sign-in provider checks for automated abuse when you sign in, using session and device identifiers and approximate location derived from your IP address. We do not request precise device location.
We don’t use advertising trackers or third-party analytics. This website doesn’t set cookies. The web app uses cookies and browser storage only as needed to sign you in and resume uploads.
Your phone’s contacts
If you allow access to your contacts, the mobile app searches them on your device. Only the names and phone numbers of the people you select are sent to us, so you can see who you invited and who has contributed. Invitations are sent from your own messaging app; we don’t text your contacts. You can also invite people by copying and sharing your link, without giving access to your contacts.
How we use information
- To provide Embrace: store your Embraces, turn photos and videos into a film, and deliver the links you share.
- To sign you in and keep your account secure.
- To show you who sent each contribution.
- To process payments when payment is required.
- To respond when you contact us.
- To prevent misuse, investigate problems, and meet our legal obligations.
We don’t sell personal information or share it for targeted advertising. We don’t use photos, videos, or contact lists for anything other than providing Embrace to you.
Who can see or receive information
People with your links
- Anyone with an invitation link can see the recipient’s name and what the Embrace is for, can add photos and videos until the film is finalized, and may be able to see contributions already made through that link.
- Anyone with a film link can watch the film and see the recipient’s name. Deleting an Embrace in the app closes its links.
- A film shows the faces, voices, and anything else captured in the photos and videos chosen for it. Contributors’ phone numbers are never shown in the film.
Service providers
We use a small number of companies to run Embrace. They process information on our behalf and only to provide their services to us.
| Provider | What they do |
|---|---|
| Clerk | Sign-in, text-message codes, and bot protection |
| Convex | Database, application servers, and recipient photo storage |
| Amazon Web Services | Storing, processing, and delivering photos, videos, and films |
| Stripe | Payment processing |
| Vercel | Hosting for this website and the Embrace web app |
Other situations
- Research: Embrace is studied through a Duke Bass Connections initiative. We don’t share your information with researchers unless you choose to take part in a study that explains what it collects.
- Legal and safety: we may disclose information when the law requires it, or to protect the safety and rights of people who use Embrace or the public.
- Company changes: if our company is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, information may transfer as part of that transaction under this policy’s protections.
- With your permission: in any other case you agree to.
How long we keep information
- We keep your account and your Embraces, including their photos and videos, until you ask us to delete them or we close your account.
- Deleting an Embrace in the app removes it from your list and closes its invitation and film links. Its stored photos, videos, and details are permanently removed within 30 days. Account deletion is available under Account & privacy in the app and through our website.
- Unfinished uploads are removed after 7 days. A recipient photo that is never attached to an Embrace is removed after 24 hours.
- Service logs are kept for up to 1 year. Security and payment records may be kept longer where the law requires.
Your choices and rights
To delete your account and its associated data, follow the steps on our account and data deletion page. You don’t need to install or sign in to the app to request deletion.
You can ask to see the personal information we hold about you, correct it, receive a copy, or delete it. Email support@sendembrace.com from anywhere. We may ask you to confirm your phone number before acting on a request.
- Contributors can ask us to remove a photo or video they sent. Tell us whose Embrace it was for and the name you used.
- Recipients can ask us to remove their name or photo from an Embrace.
- Residents of California and other US states with privacy laws have the rights described above. We don’t sell or share personal information for targeted advertising, and we won’t treat you differently for exercising your rights. If we decline a request, you can appeal by replying to our decision.
Children
Embrace isn’t directed to children under 13, and we don’t knowingly collect personal information from them. You must be 18 or older to create an Embrace. Children may appear in photos and videos shared by an adult who has their parent’s or guardian’s permission. If you believe a child under 13 has given us personal information, contact us and we will delete it.
Health details
An Embrace can support someone through treatment or a hospital stay, but you never need to share medical details to use it. Share only what you’re comfortable sharing in an Embrace’s description, photos, and videos. Embrace isn’t a health care provider and isn’t designed to hold medical records.
Security
Information travels over encrypted connections. Photos, videos, and films are encrypted in storage, and the addresses used to stream a film expire after a short time. We limit who can access production systems. No system is perfectly secure, so keep your phone locked and share links only with people you trust.
Where information is processed
Embrace is operated from the United States, where our primary application data is stored. Our hosting and delivery providers operate global networks and may process information in other countries to deliver and protect the Service. If you use Embrace from another country, your information will be transferred to the United States and may be processed where our providers operate.
Changes to this policy
We will post any changes on this page and update the date at the top. If a change materially affects how we use your information, we will tell you in the app or by another reasonable method before it takes effect.
Contact us
GrandConnect.AI Inc.
Email: support@sendembrace.com