Privacy Policy

Last updated: [DATE]

myco.ai is operated by [legal entity name pending LLC formation], doing business as "myco.ai" ("we," "us," "our"). This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect through the myco.ai website (the "Service") and how we use it.

1. What we collect

If you join the mailing list ("waitlist"):

• Email address
• An optional free-text note about what you're interested in
• An optional self-reported answer about how you first heard about us
• Optional research-survey responses about your role, intended uses, observation-submission rates and barriers, and fungi or taxa of interest
• A randomly generated anonymous browser ID (see "Visitor ID" below)
• Where you signed up from (e.g., the alpha map)
• Your browser's user-agent string and referring page
• Timestamp
• The consent text you agreed to at signup

As you use the Service, we automatically record limited product-usage events, specifically: viewing the alpha map, opening or submitting the waitlist form, opening the alpha-details panel, and changing map controls. Each event is tagged with the same anonymous browser ID, a source label, timestamp, user-agent, referring page, and a small set of properties describing the event (for example, which map layer was toggled). We do not track scrolling, mouse movement, or any activity outside this fixed, short list of events.

For signed-in founder testing:

• We store your account email and the setup, privacy, territory, and contribution choices you make.
• If you connect iNaturalist, iNaturalist authorizes myco.ai with a broad write-capable grant. We use the resulting access token only to verify your iNaturalist user ID and username, then discard it. We do not persist that token, post to iNaturalist, or request private or obscured coordinates.
• After verification, we import your public fungal observation history using public iNaturalist data. Disconnecting stops future linked-account syncing but does not automatically delete public observations already ingested into the shared corpus. Provider-side revocation may also need to be completed in your iNaturalist account settings.

We do not currently collect:

• Your precise browser GPS location. The web map uses manual pan/zoom and search; the founder mobile app has separate, explicit location controls.
• Payment information (the Service does not currently process payments).
• Any information beyond what's listed above — there is no analytics SDK, ad pixel, or third-party tracker embedded in the Service beyond the basemap tile provider described below.

2. Visitor ID

To tell repeat visits apart from new ones without asking you to log in, we generate a random identifier and store it in your browser's local storage. It is not derived from your device, IP address, or any personal information, and it resets if you clear your browser's site data. It is not used to build a cross-site advertising profile.

3. Third-party services

• Map tiles: Base map imagery is served by a third-party tile provider (OpenFreeMap), which receives a direct request from your browser for map tiles as you pan and zoom. That provider may log standard web request data (such as IP address) under its own terms; we do not control or receive that data.
• Underlying model data: Separately from anything your browser sends, our backend pipelines pull environmental and observation data from public sources (e.g., iNaturalist, weather data providers) to compute area scores. This process does not involve your personal data in any way.

We do not sell your data, and we do not share it with third parties for their own marketing purposes.

4. Why we collect this

• To send you occasional alpha updates you've opted into, and let you know when we launch features you asked about.
• To understand, in aggregate, which parts of the alpha are being used, so we can prioritize fixes and improvements.
• To understand who is interested in myco.ai, how they may use it, and which product and collaboration needs we should prioritize.
• To detect abuse (e.g., spam signups) via user-agent/referer patterns.

5. Retention

We retain waitlist and event data for as long as the Service remains in active development, or until you ask us to delete it. We periodically review and delete data that's no longer needed.

6. Your choices

• Unsubscribe: every alpha update email includes an unsubscribe option; you can also email us directly.
• Delete your data: email help@myco.ai with the email address or approximate signup date, and we will delete the corresponding waitlist and event records.
• Clear your visitor ID: clearing your browser's site data for myco.ai resets your anonymous ID.

7. Children's privacy

The Service is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect data from them.

8. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as the Service evolves. Material changes will be reflected by an updated "last updated" date above.

9. Contact

Questions about this policy: hello@myco.ai. Requests to access or delete your data: help@myco.ai. See also our contact page.