Privacy Policy
Last updated: May 2026 · Balance — Productivity & Wellbeing
Balance is an academic research prototype developed as part of a dissertation project at Southampton Solent University. This policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and your rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Your GDPR rights
Right of access
Request a copy of all data we hold about you.
Right to erasure
Delete your account and all data at any time from Settings.
Right to rectification
Update your profile information at any time.
Right to portability
Request an export of your data in machine-readable format.
Right to withdraw
Stop using Balance and delete your account at any time.
Right to object
Object to how your data is processed by contacting us.
1. What data we collect
Account information
When you register, we collect your email address and display name. If you use Google sign-in, we receive your Google account name and email address.
Mood check-ins
We store your daily mood selections (Exhausted, Stressed, Neutral, Good, Energised), any optional notes you add, and the date of each check-in.
Tasks
We store your task titles, difficulty levels, estimated completion times, optional due dates, optional notes, and completion status.
App preferences
We store your settings including theme preference, reminder time, and notification preferences. Theme is also stored in your browser's localStorage.
2. What we do NOT collect
We do not collect any of the following:
- ✗Location data or GPS coordinates
- ✗Biometric data or facial recognition
- ✗Device identifiers or browser fingerprinting
- ✗Browsing history or tracking cookies
- ✗Any data from third-party sources
3. How we use your data
Your data is used solely to provide the Balance application's functionality. Mood data powers the emotion-aware task recommendation algorithm. Task data populates your task list and completion tracking. Combined mood and task data generates your dashboard insights. Anonymised usage data may be reviewed by authorised administrators for research and service improvement purposes. We do not use your data for advertising, profiling, or any commercial purpose.
4. How we store your data
All data is stored in Firebase Firestore, a cloud database provided by Google. The Firebase project is configured to use the europe-west2 (London) region, keeping your data within the United Kingdom and European Union. Data is encrypted at rest and in transit by default. Firestore Security Rules ensure no user can read or write another user's data. Authorised administrators have read-only access to aggregated participant data for service operation and research purposes.
5. Data retention
Your data is retained for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, all associated mood entries, tasks, and preferences are permanently and irreversibly deleted. The application will be decommissioned following the conclusion of the dissertation research period.
6. Third-party services
Balance uses the following third-party services: Firebase (Google) for authentication and database storage, Vercel for application hosting, Google Fonts for typography, and OpenAI for AI-generated mood suggestions. When you select a mood, that mood label (e.g. "energised") is sent to OpenAI's API to generate a personalised suggestion — no personal details, task content, or identifying information is included. Each provider is subject to their own privacy policies. No user data is shared beyond what is technically necessary to operate the service.
7. Cookies
Balance uses minimal cookies. Firebase Authentication uses a session cookie to maintain your login state. We do not use advertising cookies, tracking cookies, or analytics cookies. You can clear cookies at any time through your browser settings, though this will sign you out of the application.
8. Contact
If you have any questions about this privacy policy or how your data is handled, please contact:
Email: balancedtasks.mood@gmail.com