Paruresis Understanding shy bladder syndrome
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Privacy Policy

Effective date: 12 June 2026 Last updated: 27 July 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how Echelon App Limited (“Echelon App”, “we”, “us”, or “our”), a company incorporated in Hong Kong, handles information in connection with the Paruresis mobile application (the “App”) available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Using Paruresis on Android? A dedicated Google Play edition of this policy is available at paruresis.app/android/privacy-policy.

If you have any questions, contact us at [email protected] or via https://paruresis.app.

1. Summary

Paruresis is a calm, offline‑first self‑help trainer for people who experience paruresis (shy bladder). It is built to respect your privacy:

  • No account is required. You do not sign up or log in.
  • No backend of ours. Echelon App does not operate servers that store your personal content.
  • Your data stays on your device. Your diary entries, practice sessions, and settings are stored only in the App’s local storage on your phone.
  • No ads and no sale of your data. We use one attribution tool (Branch) to understand which links/campaigns bring new users — see Section 5.

The only situations in which information leaves your device are described in Sections 3–5 below (nearby‑restroom map look‑ups and subscription purchases), and they are limited and purpose‑specific.

2. Information you provide and create

Everything you enter in the App — for example diary entries, mood and emotion check‑ins, exposure practice records, anxiety (SUDS) and urge ratings, your personalised exposure ladder, and app preferences — is stored locally on your device only. We do not receive, collect, or have access to this content. It is not transmitted to Echelon App or to any third party unless you choose to export or share it (see Section 6).

We do not ask for your name, email address, phone number, or any account credentials.

3. Location information (restroom map)

The App includes an optional map to help you find nearby public restrooms to practice in.

  • Location access is requested only when you use the map, and only with your permission (“While Using the App”). You can decline or revoke it at any time in your device settings.
  • We do not store your location and we do not send it to Echelon App.
  • To display the map and find nearby restrooms, the area you are viewing (map coordinates/bounds) is sent to third‑party map and open‑data providers so they can return map tiles and restroom locations. These providers are:
    • OpenStreetMap / Overpass API and CARTO (map data and map tiles);
    • NYC Open Data and DataSF (City of San Francisco) (public‑restroom datasets).
  • If you tap “Directions” for a restroom, the App opens Google Maps in your browser or the Google Maps app; from that point Google’s own terms and privacy policy apply.

These providers process the request to deliver the map; their handling of network requests is governed by their own privacy policies. We do not share any of your in‑app content (diary, practice history, etc.) with them.

4. Subscriptions and purchases

Premium features are offered through auto‑renewing subscriptions purchased as an in‑app purchase via the Apple App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android). To manage these subscriptions and validate purchases, the App uses Apphud, a third‑party subscription‑management service.

  • Payment is handled entirely by Apple or by Google (Google Play billing), depending on where you bought the subscription. We never receive or store your payment‑card details.
  • Apphud may process information such as a non‑identifying device/installation identifier, subscription and transaction events, app version, country, and similar technical data needed to manage subscriptions, restore purchases, and prevent fraud.
  • We use this only to provide and manage your subscription (e.g. to know whether premium is active and to restore purchases), not to identify you personally or to advertise to you.

For details, see Apple’s Privacy Policy, Google’s Privacy Policy, and Apphud’s Privacy Policy.

5. Attribution (Branch)

We use Branch (Branch Metrics) to measure how people discover the App — for example, whether an install came from a particular link or marketing campaign. Branch may process technical and device information such as device identifiers, a coarse IP address, and referring‑link data.

  • On iOS we ask for your permission (the system “Allow Tracking” prompt) before using the device advertising identifier (IDFA). If you decline, Branch still works in a privacy‑preserving mode without the advertising identifier.
  • On Android we do not use the Google Advertising ID (GAID) or any other advertising identifier. Attribution there works in a privacy‑preserving mode without it.
  • We use Branch only to attribute installs and measure campaign performance. We do not use it to build advertising profiles, and we do not sell your data.
  • To manage subscriptions, Branch and Apphud may be linked by a non‑identifying device id (see Section 4).

For details, see Branch’s Privacy Policy.

What we do not collect

  • We do not show ads or use advertising SDKs.
  • We do not collect contacts, photos, microphone input, or health‑app data.
  • Beyond the attribution described above, we do not profile your in‑app behaviour for marketing.

Local notifications (e.g. practice reminders, if enabled) are scheduled on your device and are not sent through our servers.

6. Sharing and exporting your data

The App lets you export your records (for example as a CSV file) using your device’s standard share sheet. This is entirely under your control — the data only leaves your device if you choose to share it (e.g. email it to yourself or save it to Files), and it goes wherever you direct it.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your information, and we do not share it with third parties except the limited service providers described in Sections 3–4 that are necessary to operate map look‑ups and subscriptions.

7. Data retention and deletion

Because your content lives on your device:

  • It is retained for as long as the App is installed.
  • Deleting the App removes the locally stored data from your device.
  • You can also clear individual entries within the App.
  • To cancel a subscription, use the store you bought it from — on iOS, Settings → your name (Apple ID) → Subscriptions; on Android, Google Play Store → profile icon → Payments & subscriptions → Subscriptions. Apple and Google control subscription billing and cancellation; see Section 6 of our Terms of Use for the full details.

If you would like help or have a request regarding your data, contact [email protected].

8. Children’s privacy

The App is intended for adults. It is not directed to children under the age of 13 (or the equivalent minimum age in your jurisdiction), and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided information through the App, contact us so we can assist.

9. Security

Your content is stored within the App’s private storage area on your device and is protected by your device’s operating‑system security (such as your passcode and device encryption). No method of storage or transmission is 100% secure, but because we do not centralise your personal content, the risk of a large‑scale data breach involving your information is minimised.

10. International users and data transfers

Echelon App is based in Hong Kong. The third‑party providers described above (Apple, Google, Apphud, Branch, map and open‑data providers) may process network requests on servers located in various countries. By using the App you understand that the limited, purpose‑specific requests described in this policy may be processed internationally.

11. Your rights

Depending on where you live (for example under the EU/UK GDPR or the California CCPA/CPRA), you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or port your personal data, and to object to or restrict certain processing.

Because the App stores your content locally and we do not hold it on our servers, you can already exercise most of these rights directly on your device — by viewing, editing, exporting, or deleting your data, or by uninstalling the App. For requests that concern the limited data handled by our service providers (e.g. subscription records), or for any questions about your rights, contact [email protected] and we will respond as required by applicable law. We do not “sell” or “share” personal information for cross‑context behavioural advertising as those terms are defined under California law.

12. Medical disclaimer

Paruresis is a self‑help wellness tool based on principles of exposure therapy. It is not a medical device and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. See our Terms of Use for details.

13. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the “Last updated” date above and post the new version at https://paruresis.app/privacy-policy/. Material changes will be made clear. Your continued use of the App after an update means you accept the revised policy.

14. Contact us

Echelon App Limited Hong Kong Email: [email protected] Web: https://paruresis.app