Privacy Policy for Zalk

Last Updated: October 05, 2026

Welcome to Zalk! We are committed to building a private and secure space for you. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and share information when you use our mobile application, Zalk (the "Service").

By using our Service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

1. Information We Collect

a) Account Information (Stored on Server)

  • Identity Data: We collect your Name and Email Address to create and manage your account. This basic profile data is stored securely on our servers to allow you to log in across devices.
  • Credentials: We store a hashed version of your password. We never store your actual password.
  • Preferences: We store your Voice Preference setting on our servers so your AI companion sounds consistent every time you log in.

b) Conversation Data (Stored Locally on Device)

  • Chat History: The full history of your text and voice conversations with Zalk is stored locally on your device. This ensures that your private thoughts remain in your control.
  • Transient Processing: When you send a message, the data is transmitted to our servers solely for the purpose of generating an immediate AI response. Once processed, the conversation context needed for the reply is not permanently archived in a readable format linked to your identity on our servers.

c) Data Sent to Third-Party AI Services

To generate Zalk's responses, specific pieces of your data are sent to the following named third-party services. We only send what is strictly necessary to produce your reply, and we ask for your consent in-app before this happens for the first time.

  • Anthropic (Claude AI): The text of your current message and relevant recent conversation history (and, for progress summaries, a larger portion of your chat history) is sent to Anthropic's Claude API to generate Zalk's text replies and summaries.
  • Google Cloud Speech-to-Text: If you use Voice Mode, the audio recording of your spoken message is sent to Google Cloud's Speech-to-Text API to transcribe it into text.
  • Google Cloud Text-to-Speech: The text of Zalk's reply is sent to Google Cloud's Text-to-Speech API to generate the spoken audio you hear back.

Anthropic and Google process this data under their own privacy and security commitments, which contractually restrict them from using your data to train their general-purpose models and require them to protect it with safeguards equivalent to those described in this policy. They retain this data only as long as necessary to provide the service to us. We do not send your Name, Email Address, or other account identifiers to these AI providers along with your messages.

c) Usage Data (collected automatically)

  • Authentication Tokens: We store secure tokens on your device to keep you logged in.
  • Technical Logs: Our servers may collect standard technical logs (IP address, device type, crash reports) to maintain app stability and security.

2. How We Use Your Information

  • To Provide the Service: To authenticate you and deliver AI responses.
  • To Process Responses: Your message text and, in Voice Mode, your voice recording, are sent to the named third-party AI providers described in Section 1(c) — Anthropic (Claude AI) and Google Cloud (Speech-to-Text / Text-to-Speech) — strictly to generate the text and audio replies you see in the app.
  • To Communicate: To send verification emails (OTPs) for account security.

3. Data Storage and Security

We adhere to a "Local-First" privacy philosophy for your conversations.

  • Server Storage: Only your minimal Account Information (Name, Email, Hashed Password, Voice Settings) is stored on our secure cloud servers.
  • Local Storage: Your detailed Chat History and interaction logs reside on your personal device. If you uninstall the app or clear your app data, this local history may be lost unless you have manually backed it up.
  • Encryption: All data transmitted between your device and our servers is encrypted using TLS/SSL.

4. Your Rights and Choices

  • Delete Data: You can delete your account at any time via Settings > Account & Data > Delete Account. This will permanently remove your Account Information from our servers. Since your chat history is stored locally, deleting the app will remove that data from your device.
  • Log Out: Logging out removes authentication tokens from your device.

5. Third-Party Sharing

We do not sell your data. We share data only with the following named, essential service providers, and only the specific data described below:

  • Anthropic (Claude AI): Receives your message text and conversation history to generate Zalk's replies and progress summaries. See Section 1(c) for details.
  • Google Cloud (Speech-to-Text & Text-to-Speech): Receives your voice recordings (Voice Mode only) and Zalk's reply text to convert between speech and text.
  • Email Services: Receives your email address to send OTPs for account verification and password resets.

The app asks for your explicit, in-app consent before any of your conversation data is first sent to Anthropic or Google Cloud. You can review this disclosure again at any time from Settings > Privacy Policy.

6. Disclaimers

Zalk is an AI companion, not a mental health professional. It is not a replacement for therapy or medical advice.

7. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at: hello@octopi.health