Aetheric GmbH ("we", "us", "our") operates the AquaInsight mobile application. This Privacy Policy explains what personal data we collect, why we collect it, how we use and protect it, and what rights you have.
This policy complies with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the South African Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA), and the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (nDSG).
1. Who We Are
Aetheric GmbH, registered in Switzerland. For any privacy-related questions, please use our Contact page.
For GDPR purposes, Aetheric GmbH is the data controller. For POPIA purposes, we are the responsible party. For CCPA purposes, we are the business.
2. Data We Collect
We collect only the minimum data required to operate the app:
- Photos you take or upload for aquarium analysis (processed in real-time; not stored on our servers)
- Chat messages you send within the app (stored locally on your device only)
- Scan results and aquarium health scores (stored locally on your device only)
- Aquarium names and settings you create (stored locally on your device only)
- App settings and language preferences (stored locally on your device only)
We do not collect your name, email address, location, contacts, browsing history, device identifiers for advertising, or any financial information.
3. How We Use Your Data
Your data is used solely for the following purposes:
- To analyse your aquarium photos using the Anthropic Claude AI API and return health scores and recommendations
- To maintain your scan and chat history locally on your device
- To remember your settings and language preferences between sessions
We do not use your data for advertising, profiling, or any purpose other than providing the app's core features.
4. Affiliate Links Disclosure
AquaInsight displays links to products on Amazon. These are affiliate links — if you click a link and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This commission helps support the development and maintenance of the app.
Affiliate links open in your device's browser. We do not track which links you click or whether you make a purchase. Amazon has its own privacy policy that governs any data collected when you visit their site.
Our product recommendations are based solely on what the AI determines is relevant to your aquarium's needs. Affiliate arrangements do not influence the recommendations provided.
5. Third-Party Services
The app uses the following third-party services. Each has its own privacy policy:
- Anthropic Claude API — processes your aquarium photos and chat messages to generate AI responses. Photos and messages are sent to Anthropic's servers for processing and are subject to Anthropic's data retention policies. Anthropic's privacy policy: anthropic.com/privacy.
- Expo (React Native framework) — used to build and deliver the app. Expo's privacy policy: expo.dev/privacy.
- Apple App Store / Google Play Store — govern the download and installation of the app. Their respective privacy policies apply to the purchase transaction.
- Amazon Associates — governs affiliate link tracking when you click a product link and visit Amazon's website.
- Sentry (sentry.io) — used for crash and error monitoring in production builds only. Sentry may collect device type, OS version, and anonymised stack traces when the app crashes. No personally identifiable information is sent. Data is stored on EU servers (Frankfurt, Germany) in accordance with GDPR. Sentry's privacy policy: sentry.io/privacy.
6. Data Storage & Retention
All your personal data (scan history, chat history, aquarium data, settings) is stored exclusively on your device using local storage. This data is never transmitted to our servers.
The only data that leaves your device is aquarium photos and chat messages sent to Anthropic's API for analysis — these are transmitted over an encrypted HTTPS connection and are subject to Anthropic's retention policy.
You can delete all locally stored data at any time by using the "Clear Scan History" and "Clear Chat History" buttons within the app, or by uninstalling the app.
7. Your Rights
Depending on your location, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Right to access — you can view all data the app holds about you directly within the app
- Right to erasure — delete your data using the Clear History buttons, or uninstall the app
- Right to data portability — your scan and chat history is stored in standard JSON format on your device
- Right to object — you can stop using any feature of the app at any time
- Right to lodge a complaint — you may contact your local data protection authority
For any request we cannot handle in-app, contact us at support@aquainsight.app and we will respond within 30 days.
8. Children's Privacy
AquaInsight is not directed at children under the age of 13 (or under 16 in EU/EEA countries). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided personal data through the app, please contact us at support@aquainsight.app.
9. International Data Transfers
When you use the AI analysis feature, your aquarium photos and chat messages are transmitted to Anthropic's servers, which are located in the United States. This transfer is made on the basis of Anthropic's compliance with EU Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) and Anthropic's Data Processing Agreement, available at anthropic.com/legal/dpa.
10. Jurisdiction-Specific Rights
European Union — GDPR: Legal basis for processing is contract performance (Art. 6(1)(b)) and legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f)). You may lodge a complaint with your local EU supervisory authority.
Switzerland — nDSG: We process personal data in accordance with the revised Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (nDSG, in force September 2023). You may lodge a complaint with the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC) at edoeb.admin.ch.
11. Security
All data transmitted to Anthropic's API is encrypted using HTTPS/TLS. Local data is stored using your device's standard encrypted storage. We do not operate servers that store your personal data, which significantly reduces the risk of a data breach affecting you.
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by displaying a notice in the app. Continued use of the app after a change constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.