EcoWestern Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how EcoWestern collects, uses, discloses, and safeguards your personal information when you use the EcoWestern website, Economic ID, Azura AI, eChat, and any affiliated applications or operating systems (collectively, the "Services").

By accessing or using our Services, you acknowledge and consent to the data practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

We collect information that identifies, relates to, describes, or could reasonably be linked to you ("Personal Data").

A. Information You Provide

Economic ID Registration Data: To provision your Economic ID, we collect your email address, username, cryptographic identifiers, and account credentials.
User Content: Data you create, upload, or transmit through our Services, including documents, settings, and media.
Payment Data: If you purchase a paid subscription or feature, payment processing is handled entirely by Paddle, acting as Merchant of Record. EcoWestern does not directly collect or store your full payment card details. We receive limited transaction data from Paddle (e.g., subscription status, purchase confirmation) necessary to provision your account. See Paddle's Privacy Policy for how Paddle handles your payment information.
Communications: Information provided when you contact EcoWestern support or participate in user feedback.

B. Automated Data Collection

Device & Log Data: We automatically collect hardware models, operating system versions, IP addresses, browser types, and crash diagnostics to maintain system integrity.
Usage Data: Interaction metrics, session durations, and access timestamps.
EcoBeta Telemetry: If you opt into the EcoBeta program, enhanced telemetry is collected in addition to standard usage data, including detailed feature interaction events, performance metrics, and crash/error reports specific to beta features. This telemetry is used solely to identify bugs and improve features before general release, and is collected only with your consent as described in our Terms of Service.
Cookies: We use strictly necessary cookies to maintain secure authenticated sessions. You may manage non-essential tracking via your browser preferences.

C. Artificial Intelligence (Azura)

Dynamic Processing: Prompts, queries, and contextual requests submitted to Azura are processed in real time to generate responses.
AI Training Restriction: EcoWestern firmly believes in data sovereignty. Your private conversations, encrypted content, and personal prompts are not used to train public foundational AI models without your explicit, opt-in consent.
Aggregation: We may use highly anonymized, aggregated metadata from AI interactions solely to monitor system latency, detect abuse, and improve routing infrastructure.

2. How We Use Your Information

We process your Personal Data under the legal bases of contractual necessity, legitimate business interests, and compliance with legal obligations to:

Provision, maintain, and secure your Economic ID and the EcoWestern ecosystem.
Authenticate user sessions and prevent fraudulent activity.
Enable real-time synchronization across your connected devices.
Process payments and manage subscriptions through Paddle.
Optimize the Azura AI infrastructure and related deep learning services.
Improve EcoBeta features based on telemetry from opted-in users.
Communicate mandatory service updates, security alerts, and administrative notices.

3. Data Storage & Security

We utilize modern, industry-standard security architectures to protect your data.

Infrastructure: Our backend infrastructure utilizes Row Level Security (RLS) to ensure data is strictly isolated and accessible only by the authenticated Economic ID owner.
Encryption: Data is encrypted in transit using TLS/SSL and at rest using AES-256 encryption.
No Absolute Guarantee: While we employ rigorous security protocols, no digital transmission or storage system is entirely infallible. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your Economic ID credentials.

EcoWestern does not sell or rent your Personal Data to data brokers or third-party advertisers. We only disclose information under the following limited circumstances:

Service Providers: We share necessary data with vetted third-party infrastructure processors (e.g., hosting, database management, payment processing) who are bound by strict confidentiality and data processing agreements. Because our infrastructure providers can change over time, a current list of the services we rely on is maintained at status.ecowestern.net.
Legal Compliance: We may disclose your information if required by a valid subpoena, court order, or binding government request, or to protect the rights, property, and safety of EcoWestern, our users, or the public.

5. Third-Party Logins & API Integrations

No Third-Party Sign-In: EcoWestern does not support authenticating into your Economic ID using third-party identity providers (e.g., Google, GitHub). Your Economic ID is authenticated natively.
Economic ID Connect API: Your Economic ID can be used to authenticate into third-party applications and services via the Economic ID Connect API. When you use Economic ID Connect, we share limited authorization tokens and profile data with the third-party service you're connecting to, subject to your consent at the time of connection.
External APIs: Certain features (like Azura fetching external weather or search data) require transmitting minimal query data to third-party APIs. These queries are stripped of identifying information whenever technically feasible.

6. eChat

Communications Privacy: eChat is designed with privacy at its core. Message payloads are secured in transit and at rest.
Metadata Processing: We process limited metadata (timestamps, participant IDs, connection metrics) strictly to route messages and ensure network reliability.
Moderation: We do not proactively monitor private communications, except where strictly required to investigate credible reports of abuse, terms of service violations, or illegal activity.

7. Data Retention & Deletion

We retain your data only for as long as your Economic ID remains active or as required to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy.

User-Initiated Deletion: You may export or permanently delete your Economic ID and associated data at any time via id.economic.net/id/outback. Upon request, data is subjected to a hard delete process.
Backup Persistence: Deleted records may temporarily persist in encrypted, automated system backups for up to 30 days before being permanently overwritten.

8. Global Privacy Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may possess specific statutory rights regarding your Personal Data. This section applies broadly; if you are located in California or the EEA/UK, see the jurisdiction-specific detail below.

General Rights

The Right to Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
The Right to Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
The Right to Erasure: Request the deletion of your data.
The Right to Portability: Request a portable copy of your data.

Exercise any of these rights at id.economic.net/id/outback, or by contacting privacy@ecowestern.net.

California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)

Categories of Personal Information We Collect: identifiers (e.g., email, Economic ID), account and usage data, User Content, device/technical data, and payment-related data (processed by Paddle as Merchant of Record).
No Sale or Sharing: EcoWestern does not sell personal information for money or other value, and does not share personal information with third parties for cross-context behavioral advertising. We do not run ad-tracking pixels or third-party ad SDKs.
Non-Discrimination: We will not deny you goods or services, charge you different prices, or provide a different level of service because you exercised any right under this policy.
Authorized Agents: You may designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf, subject to identity verification.

Data Controller: EcoWestern is the data controller for personal data processed in connection with your Economic ID and use of the Services.
Legal Basis for Processing: We process your personal data based on (a) performance of our contract with you, (b) our legitimate interests (security, fraud prevention, service improvement), (c) legal obligation, and (d) your consent where required (e.g., EcoBeta telemetry, optional AI training opt-in).
International Transfers: Where our service providers transfer or process personal data outside the EEA/UK, we rely on appropriate safeguards, including the EU Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) and the UK International Data Transfer Addendum, as applicable.
Right to Object: You may object to certain processing based on legitimate interests.
Complaints: You have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority.

9. Children's Privacy

EcoWestern Services are not directed to individuals under the age of 13. If we discover that a user is underage, we will immediately terminate the account and purge the associated data in compliance with COPPA.

10. Policy Modifications

We may revise this Privacy Policy periodically. Material updates will be communicated via the email associated with your Economic ID or through an in-app system notice.

11. Contact Us

For any questions or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, contact privacy@ecowestern.net.

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