Privacy Policy

Last Updated: December 1, 2025

Anchor (“we,” “our,” or “us”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how your personal information is collected, used, and disclosed by Anchor. This policy applies to our website (https://anchordesktop.com) and our web application.

Anchor is a South African entity. By accessing or using our Service, you signify that you have read, understood, and agree to our collection, storage, use, and disclosure of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy.

1. Google User Data & OAuth Scopes

Anchor allows you to sign in using your Google Account and voluntarily integrate Google Calendar data. To comply with Google's API Services User Data Policy, we explicitly disclose the following:

Data Accessed

If you choose to connect your Google account, Anchor requests access to the following restricted scopes:

  • Basic Profile (userinfo.profile, userinfo.email): To authenticate your identity and create your account.
  • Google Calendar (calendar.events.readonly): This is an optional feature. If enabled, we access your calendar events to display them on your dashboard (startpage).

Data Storage & Retention

To ensure performance and reduce loading times, Calendar data is fetched via a secure Cloud Function and temporarily cached in our secure cloud database (Google Firestore). We utilize a Time-To-Live (TTL) mechanism to ensure this data is automatically deleted from our servers after a short period (e.g., to refresh the cache). We do not retain historical calendar data long-term, and we do not use this data for data mining or model training.

Data Sharing

We do not share your Google User Data with third parties, including advertisers or data brokers. All data remains within your secure instance of the application infrastructure.

Limited Use Disclosure

Anchor's use and transfer to any other app of information received from Google APIs will adhere to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements.

2. Other Information We Collect

Apart from Google OAuth data, we collect the following:

  • Account Information: Name, email address, and profile picture (via Firebase Auth).
  • Usage Data: We use Google Analytics to understand how users interact with our app (e.g., button clicks, page views). This data is anonymized.
  • Device Information: Browser type, IP address, and operating system logs for security and debugging.

3. Payment Information (Paddle)

For our paid subscriptions, we use Paddle as our Merchant of Record. Anchor does not collect, store, or process your credit card numbers or financial details.

When you subscribe, you provide your billing details directly to Paddle. Paddle shares the status of your subscription (Active/Cancelled) with us so we can unlock premium features. Paddle's privacy policy can be viewed on their website.

4. Advertising

The free version of Anchor is supported by advertisements. We may work with third-party advertising networks (such as Google AdSense) to display ads.

These third parties may use cookies and similar technologies to collect information about your interaction with the Service to provide relevant advertising. You may opt-out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ad Settings.

5. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

  • Provide, operate, and maintain the Anchor web app.
  • Process your transactions (via Paddle).
  • Send you technical notices, updates, security alerts, and support messages.
  • Detect, prevent, and address technical issues or fraud.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only as long as your account is active. If you request account deletion, we will delete all your personally identifiable information from our servers within 30 days.

Anonymized, aggregated analytics data (which cannot identify you personally) may be retained for a longer period to help us improve the service.

7. International Transfers

Your information, including Personal Data, may be transferred to—and maintained on—computers located outside of your state, province, country, or other governmental jurisdiction where the data protection laws may differ than those from your jurisdiction. We utilize Google Firebase, which has servers primarily in the United States.

8. Your Rights (POPIA & GDPR)

We respect your privacy rights. Whether you are in South Africa (POPIA), Europe (GDPR), or California (CCPA), you have the right to:

  • Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
  • Correction: Request that we correct any information you believe is inaccurate.
  • Deletion: Request that we erase your personal data.
  • Withdraw Consent: You can revoke Anchor's access to your Google Account at any time via your Google Security Settings.

To exercise these rights, please contact us at the email below.

9. Security

We use industry-standard security measures, including HTTPS encryption and secure tokens (OAuth) via Google Firebase, to protect your data. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, or if you wish to exercise your rights under POPIA or GDPR, please contact our Information Officer: