Privacy, clearly stated.

This Privacy Policy explains how Danny Ruchtie and Reference collect, use, and protect information when you visit this website, download the Reference app, or contact support.

Reference is designed to keep creative work personal. We do not sell personal data, we do not build advertising profiles around your activity, and we aim to collect as little information as possible.

We may collect information that you choose to provide directly, such as your email address and the contents of your support messages.

The website may receive limited technical, usage, and performance information needed to operate the site, understand visits at an aggregate level, and keep the service secure.

The app may send anonymous product-usage events and coarse device or app information to TelemetryDeck when anonymous analytics are enabled. These events describe actions and counts in broad categories; they are not intended to include board titles, board content, file names, search text, email addresses, or other information that identifies you.

If you purchase Reference through the App Store, Apple handles the transaction. We do not receive your full payment details such as credit card numbers.

• Support emails and messages you send us
• Anonymous website analytics and performance measurements
• Anonymous app usage events and coarse device or app information when enabled
• App Store purchase and entitlement status as provided by Apple

Reference is built so that your saved references, boards, notes, and creative materials remain under your control. When the app uses iCloud or Apple platform services to sync across your devices, that syncing is handled through Apple's infrastructure and your Apple account.

We do not claim ownership over the images, videos, notes, or other materials you place in your boards. You remain responsible for the content you import and for making sure you have the rights to use it.

Boards are private unless you choose to share or publish them. An iCloud-shared board is available to the people you invite under Apple's sharing controls.

When you publish a board to the web, Reference creates an optimized copy containing the board title, summary, layout, selected media, and a preview image. That copy is stored in Apple's public CloudKit database and can be viewed by anyone who has the public link without signing in. Unpublishing removes the board from normal public access, although previously shared copies, screenshots, or temporary caches may remain outside our control.

Reference uses TelemetryDeck for privacy-focused app analytics. We use broad events such as opening or creating a board, adding or arranging content, using a feature, performing a search, exporting, or encountering an error. Counts, durations, and search lengths are grouped into ranges rather than sending exact values.

Reference gives TelemetryDeck a new random identifier for each app session rather than a persistent account identifier. TelemetryDeck states that identifiers are anonymized, timestamps are rounded, and IP addresses are not stored.

Anonymous app analytics are enabled by default. You can turn them off at any time in Reference Settings under Privacy. Turning them off stops remote analytics collection; local diagnostic logging may remain on your device.

This website uses Vercel Web Analytics and Vercel Speed Insights. These services may process page and route views, referring pages, approximate location derived from a request, browser and operating-system information, device type, basic interaction events, network conditions, and web performance measurements such as Core Web Vitals.

We use this information in aggregate to understand which pages are useful and to improve website performance. Our analytics events are not intended to contain names, email addresses, board content, or other information that directly identifies you. Vercel states that these products do not use third-party cookies and do not create identifiers that follow visitors across different websites.

We use information only for legitimate product and support purposes. That includes operating the website, responding to questions, fixing bugs, understanding general product interest, protecting the service from abuse, and improving Reference over time.

We do not use your information to sell targeted advertising profiles, and we do not sell personal information to third parties.

• To reply to support requests
• To maintain and secure the website and app
• To diagnose crashes, bugs, and product issues
• To understand broad usage trends so we can improve the experience

Reference relies on third-party services that operate under their own terms and privacy practices. These currently include Apple for App Store, iCloud, CloudKit, and sharing services; TelemetryDeck for anonymous app analytics; Vercel for website hosting, anonymous website analytics, and website performance measurement; and Supabase for storing and delivering the website's curated public reference feeds and related assets.

If you open external links, embed YouTube content, or interact with third-party services from within Reference or this website, their own terms and privacy practices apply.

• Vercel Web Analytics privacy information
• Vercel Speed Insights privacy information
• TelemetryDeck privacy information
• Supabase Privacy Policy
• Apple Privacy Policy

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy, including support, legal, security, and operational needs.

Anonymous app analytics, website analytics, and performance information are retained according to the applicable TelemetryDeck and Vercel service settings and policies, and only for as long as reasonably useful for aggregate product analysis.

If you want support correspondence deleted and there is no legal or operational reason to keep it, contact us and we will review the request.

You can choose not to contact us, limit what information you include in support requests, and stop using the website at any time. You can disable anonymous app analytics in Reference Settings under Privacy. If Reference syncs through iCloud, you can manage that through your Apple device and account settings.

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to request access, correction, or deletion of personal information we hold about you. To make a request, email us using the address below.

Reference is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided personal information to us, contact us so we can review and remove it where appropriate.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect product changes, legal requirements, or operational updates. When we make material changes, we will post the updated version on this page and revise the effective date.

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or about how Reference handles information, contact Danny Ruchtie at druchtie@gmail.com.