Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

HatchPals provides an online service for creating, saving and interacting with AI-generated fantasy companions. HatchPals is responsible for the personal information described in this policy. Questions or privacy requests can be sent to contact@hatchpals.com.

2. Information we collect

Depending on how you use HatchPals, we may collect:

• account details supplied by Google, such as your email address, name and profile image;
• your age-confirmation status and optional HatchPals nickname;
• the companion choices, prompts, generated images, chat messages and memories you create;
• membership, purchase and transaction records, but not your full card details;
• technical information needed to operate and secure the service, such as session data, IP address, browser information, timestamps and error logs; and
• messages you send when asking for help or exercising your rights.

3. How we use information

We use this information to:

• create and secure your account;
• generate, save and display your companions and memories;
• provide companion chat and personalise the service using your chosen traits;
• process purchases, administer memberships and prevent fraud or misuse;
• provide support, diagnose faults and improve safety and reliability; and
• comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms and Conditions.

Our legal bases may include performing our contract with you, complying with law, our legitimate interests in operating and protecting HatchPals, and consent where the law requires it. You may withdraw consent at any time where processing relies on consent, without affecting earlier processing.

4. AI features

Companion descriptions, choices, prompts, chat messages and existing companion images may be sent to AI service providers so they can generate the content you request. Please do not include real names, contact details, sensitive information or anything confidential in a companion name or chat message.

5. Who we share information with

We use carefully selected providers to run HatchPals, including:

• Google for account sign-in and, if you agree, website analytics;
• Supabase for authentication, database and image storage;
• Vercel for website hosting and technical delivery;
• OpenAI for companion chat and related AI features;
• Replicate and its selected model providers for image generation; and
• SumUp for payments, saved payment instruments and transaction processing.

These providers process information under their own terms and privacy notices or on our instructions. We may also disclose information where required by law, to protect users or the service, or as part of a business sale or reorganisation. We do not sell personal information.

6. Payments

Card details are entered into SumUp's secure payment form and are not stored by HatchPals. We receive identifiers and transaction information needed to confirm a purchase, operate a membership, handle failures and keep financial records.

7. Cookies and local storage

HatchPals uses essential cookies and browser storage to keep you signed in, protect authentication, preserve an unfinished companion wizard and remember necessary service settings. With your permission, we also use Google Analytics cookies to understand visits and aggregate actions such as starting a companion, signing up, completing a companion and subscribing. You can change your choice using Analytics preferences. We do not use advertising cookies.

8. Children and age assurance

HatchPals is intended for people aged 13 and over. We ask users to confirm their age before creating an account. Users under the age of majority should use the service only with the involvement and permission of a parent or guardian where required. If you believe a child under 13 has created an account, contact us so we can investigate and delete the information where appropriate.

9. International transfers

Some providers may process information outside your country. Where required, we use recognised safeguards for international transfers, such as adequacy decisions or approved contractual protections.

10. How long we keep information

We retain account and companion information while your account is active and for a reasonable period afterwards where needed for recovery, security, disputes or legal obligations. Payment and accounting records may be retained for the period required by tax and financial laws. We delete or anonymise information when it is no longer reasonably needed.

11. Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, erase or restrict use of your personal information, object to certain processing, receive a portable copy, withdraw consent and complain to your data-protection regulator. To make a request, email contact@hatchpals.com. We may need to verify your identity before completing a request.

12. Security and changes

We use reasonable technical and organisational safeguards, but no online service can promise absolute security. We may update this policy as HatchPals changes. Material updates will be highlighted in the service or otherwise communicated where required.