Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Forem Care ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application and related services (collectively, the "Service").

This Privacy Policy complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), and other applicable data protection laws.

By using our Service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our Service.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

We collect information that you voluntarily provide when using our Service, including:

• Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, and password when you create an account
• Profile Information: Information about care recipients, including name, date of birth, and relationship to you
• Health Information: Medication details, medical conditions, allergies, blood type, doctor information, and other health-related data you choose to enter
• Emergency Contact Information: Names, phone numbers, and relationships of emergency contacts
• Care Circle Information: Information about family members and caregivers you invite to your care circle
• Check-in Data: Daily check-in responses and wellness status
• Communications: Messages, feedback, and correspondence you send to us

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you use our Service, we may automatically collect certain information, including:

• Device Information: Device type, operating system, unique device identifiers, and mobile network information
• Usage Data: Features used, actions taken, time and date of use, and other usage statistics
• Location Data: With your explicit consent, we may collect precise or approximate location data for emergency features
• Log Data: Error reports, crash logs, and diagnostic information

2.3 Sensitive Personal Information

Our Service processes sensitive personal information, including health data. We treat this information with the highest level of protection and only process it:

• With your explicit consent
• As necessary to provide the caregiving features you request
• To protect vital interests in emergency situations

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

3.1 To Provide and Maintain Our Service

• Create and manage your account
• Enable medication tracking and reminders
• Facilitate daily check-ins and wellness monitoring
• Store and display emergency information
• Enable care circle coordination and sharing
• Schedule and track doctor appointments

3.2 To Communicate With You

• Send medication reminders and notifications
• Alert care circle members about check-ins
• Provide customer support
• Send important service announcements

3.3 To Improve Our Service

• Analyze usage patterns to enhance features
• Diagnose and fix technical issues
• Develop new features based on user needs

3.4 Legal Bases for Processing (GDPR)

Under the GDPR, we process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:

• Consent: You have given explicit consent for processing your data, especially health information
• Contract: Processing is necessary to fulfill our contract with you to provide the Service
• Legitimate Interests: Processing is necessary for our legitimate interests, such as improving our Service, provided these interests do not override your rights
• Vital Interests: Processing may be necessary to protect someone's life in emergency situations
• Legal Obligation: Processing is necessary to comply with applicable laws

4. Data Storage and Security

4.1 Local-First Architecture

Forem Care is designed with a strict "local-first" approach that prioritizes your privacy:

• No Cloud Storage: Your health data is stored only on your device, not on our servers
• Complete Control: You maintain full ownership and control over all your information
• Offline Functionality: The app functions completely offline without requiring internet connection
• No Data Mining: Since we don't have access to your data, we cannot analyze, sell, or share it
• Device-to-Device Sharing: If you choose to share with care circle members, data is transferred directly between devices

4.2 Security Measures

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information, including:

• Encryption of data at rest and in transit
• Secure authentication mechanisms
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Access controls and role-based permissions
• Secure data backup procedures

4.3 Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law. You may request deletion of your data at any time (see Section 6).

5. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

5.1 With Your Consent

• Care Circle Members: Information you choose to share with family members and caregivers you invite
• Emergency Contacts: Information shared during emergency situations

5.2 Service Providers

Because your data is stored locally on your device, we have minimal need for third-party service providers. The limited services we may use include:

• App distribution platforms (App Store, Google Play) for app delivery only
• Crash reporting services (anonymized, non-personal data only)
• Customer support platforms (only if you contact us directly)

Note: Your personal health data, medications, care circle information, and check-in data are never shared with any third-party service providers as this data remains exclusively on your device.

5.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., court orders, government requests).

5.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your personal information may be transferred. We will provide notice before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

6. Your Rights and Choices

6.1 Rights Under GDPR (EU/EEA Residents)

If you are a resident of the European Union or European Economic Area, you have the following rights:

• Right of Access: Request a copy of your personal data
• Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate data
• Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data ("right to be forgotten")
• Right to Restrict Processing: Request limitation of how we use your data
• Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Right to Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent at any time for consent-based processing
• Right to Lodge a Complaint: File a complaint with your local data protection authority

6.2 Rights Under CCPA/CPRA (California Residents)

If you are a California resident, you have the following rights:

• Right to Know: Request disclosure of personal information collected, used, and shared
• Right to Delete: Request deletion of your personal information
• Right to Correct: Request correction of inaccurate personal information
• Right to Opt-Out: Opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information (we do not sell your data)
• Right to Limit Use: Limit use and disclosure of sensitive personal information
• Right to Non-Discrimination: Not be discriminated against for exercising your rights

6.3 Exercising Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, you may:

• Use the privacy settings within the app
• Email us at: privacy@foremcare.com
• Submit a request through our website contact form

We will respond to your request within 30 days (or within the timeframe required by applicable law). We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

6.4 Managing Notifications

You can manage notification preferences through:

• App settings
• Device notification settings
• Email unsubscribe links

7. Children's Privacy

Our Service is not directed to children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately. If we discover that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, we will delete such information from our servers.

For care recipients who are minors, we require that a parent or legal guardian create and manage their profile.

8. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have data protection laws different from the laws of your country.

If you are located in the EU/EEA, we ensure that any transfer of personal data to countries outside the EU/EEA is protected by:

• Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission
• Adequacy decisions by the European Commission
• Other legally approved transfer mechanisms

9. Third-Party Links and Services

Our Service may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by:

• Posting the new Privacy Policy on this page
• Updating the "Last Updated" date
• Sending you an email notification (for material changes)
• Displaying a prominent notice in the app

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.

11. Data Protection Officer

We have appointed a Data Protection Officer (DPO) to oversee compliance with this Privacy Policy and applicable data protection laws. You can contact our DPO at:

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

13. Supervisory Authority

If you are located in the EU/EEA and believe we have not adequately addressed your concerns, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority.