Your memories, handled with care

Privacy

Updated September 30, 2026

This policy describes how OurStory, operated by Caleb Mathew, uses information when you create and share a relationship storybook. Contact caleb5mathew@gmail.com with privacy questions or requests.

What you provide

OurStory processes account identifiers, your sign in email and name when provided, couple profile details, written answers, voice recordings, transcripts, selected photos, page edits, and generated books. The app keeps local copies and uses Firebase Authentication, Firestore, Cloud Storage, and Cloud Functions to support accounts, cloud backup, generation, and shared memory links.

When you order a printed book, we process order details and the name, email, phone number, and shipping address needed to fulfill it. Typed address searches may be sent to Google Places, or Apple Maps as a fallback, to suggest and complete your delivery address. Stripe handles payment details. Lulu receives the print files and delivery details needed to manufacture and ship your order.

Recordings and transcription

When you save a recording, the app keeps the original audio on your device and uploads it to your private Firebase account storage for backup. Recordings and transcripts are associated with the account and the partner’s answer. Microphone permission lets you record; it does not grant permission to send audio to a transcription provider.

If you choose transcription and give separate permission, OurStory sends the selected recording through its servers to OpenAI to turn speech into text. This permission is stored for your account on this device. A requested transcription may retry when the connection returns while this permission remains enabled. In Settings, open AI sharing permissions and choose Stop future AI sharing to stop future transcription and illustration submissions from this account on this device. This does not recall audio already sent or erase saved recordings and transcripts. A pending transcription can resume if you allow transcription again. The original recording is retained if transcription succeeds or fails, and an existing written answer is not automatically replaced. You can record and write without choosing transcription. OpenAI processes submitted audio under its applicable policies and service terms. Only record or share speech you have permission to use, including your partner’s.

Stories and illustrations

With your permission, selected answers, partner names, photos, images to be edited, and editing instructions are sent through OurStory servers to Google Gemini and OpenAI to create your book and generate or edit illustrations. Your book keeps each person’s original answer. These providers process the content under their own applicable policies and service terms. Only add photos and personal information you have permission to use, including your partner’s.

You can decline this sharing and continue writing or editing your book by hand. In Settings, open AI sharing permissions to stop future illustration and transcription sharing from that account on this device. This choice does not undo processing that has already happened.

Memory links and QR codes

When you create or update a book, included answers with a recording automatically receive a memory QR code. Preparing that book publishes the named person’s answer, selected photos, and attached recording at an unguessable link. Anyone with the code or link can open that content without an OurStory account. Treat a QR code like a share link. Answers with sharing enabled in an earlier version can also retain a memory link.

Saving an answer or completing private backup alone does not publish it. Editing a draft, replacing a recording, or removing it from the draft does not automatically change an already published memory. Creating or updating a book can update the memory at its existing link, including the link in previously printed pages.

To request that an individual shared link be switched off, contact support. We may need to verify account ownership. Account deletion also revokes the account’s shared memory links. Revocation makes that link unavailable in previously printed pages; removing a code from a page does not itself revoke the link. Creating or updating a book later with the recorded answer can publish a new link without reactivating the revoked one.

Copies people already saved cannot be recalled. A signed photo or recording link already issued may remain available for up to ten minutes after revocation.

Service operation and purchases

OurStory and its infrastructure providers process technical information such as service requests, errors, app installation and device identifiers, device model, operating system, app version, timestamps, and request performance to run and protect the service. Request counts, success and failure counts, processing time, usage quantities, and estimated service costs may be associated with your account. These records support service reliability, capacity, and cost management.

Firebase Crashlytics processes crash and diagnostic information to help us fix failures. Infrastructure providers also use SDK diagnostics to understand SDK and version adoption. Optional Firebase Analytics collection is disabled in the launch configuration; operational records and infrastructure diagnostics remain active. If in app purchases are offered, Apple and RevenueCat process purchase records and entitlement information so the app can recognize and restore access. Payment card numbers are not stored by OurStory.

Backup and account recovery

A normal app update is intended to preserve the app’s local data. Deleting the app removes its local copies. Restoring uploaded stories, photos, recordings, profiles, and book editions requires access to the same account. A guest account does not provide reliable recovery after deletion or a change of phone: link it to Apple, Google, or email before relying on account recovery.

A save on this device is different from a completed account backup. New answers, recordings, photos, and page edits can remain only on the device while offline or while backup is pending. The app retries unfinished backup when you reopen it or reconnect, but deleting the app before upload finishes can lose those changes. Keep the app installed and check any backup notice before deleting it. Linking an account does not by itself finish pending uploads.

Your choices and deletion

You can edit your stories and choose the photos and recordings you attach. Removing a recording from an answer does not recall an already published copy. Contact support to request revocation of its shared memory link. Use Delete account in Settings to request removal of your account and associated private cloud content. A recent sign in may be required. Shared memory links are revoked as part of account deletion. Local exports, printed books, and copies saved by other people are outside this deletion process.

Payment and order records may remain for fulfillment, support, refunds, dispute resolution, or legal obligations. While an order is outstanding, we keep the exact print PDFs and the information needed to fulfill it. Recent unpaid checkout details may be kept through a checkout window of 48 hours so a late payment can be handled; scheduled cleanup removes expired checkout details and print files no longer needed for an outstanding order.

Contact support for access, correction, deletion, or questions about a particular order or memory. We may need to verify that the account is yours before acting on a request.

Storage and security

We use account access controls and encrypted network connections. Service providers may process information in countries other than your own. No storage or transmission system can guarantee absolute security. Keep account credentials and memory links secure.

Changes

This page will reflect updates to how OurStory handles information. Material changes that require your permission will be presented in the app before the relevant processing.