Privacy Policy

Last Updated: August 2025

At Bridge Chat, we believe that communication should be private and secure. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use our real-time translation chat service.

Our Privacy-First Approach

Bridge Chat is designed with privacy as a fundamental principle. We don't store your conversations, track your usage, or collect personal information beyond what's necessary for the service to function. Our commitment to privacy means:

• No account registration required - Start chatting immediately without providing personal information
• No persistent data storage - Conversations are temporary and automatically deleted
• No behavioral tracking - We don't monitor or analyze your usage patterns
• End-to-end encryption mindset - Messages exist only in active memory during sessions

Information We Collect

Automatically Collected Information

When you use Bridge Chat, we may automatically collect certain technical information necessary for service operation:

• Connection data: Basic connection information required for real-time communication
• Session identifiers: Temporary session tokens to manage chat rooms
• Language preferences: Your selected languages for translation (not linked to personal identity)
• Performance metrics: Anonymous technical data to improve service quality
• Error logs: Technical information about service errors to improve stability

User-Provided Information

The following information is voluntarily provided by users:

• Display name: Optional name for chat identification (not stored permanently)
• Chat messages: Transient data that exists only during active sessions
• Language selections: Your chosen languages for translation

Third-Party Information

We may collect information from third-party services:

• Analytics data: Non-personal usage statistics through Google Analytics
• Translation service data: Messages sent to Groq API for translation processing

What We Don't Collect

We deliberately avoid collecting information that could identify you personally:

• No personal identifiers: No email addresses, phone numbers, or account registrations
• No IP address logging: We don't store or log IP addresses
• No behavioral tracking: No cookies for behavioral tracking or advertising
• No profile information: No personal profile data storage
• No chat history: No message archives or conversation databases
• No device fingerprinting: We don't collect device-specific identifiers

Data Storage and Retention

Temporary Data Only

All chat data is stored temporarily in active memory only and is automatically deleted when:

• The chat session ends
• Participants leave the chat
• The 5-minute room expiration timer completes
• Server restarts or maintenance occurs

No Permanent Storage

We do not store any chat content, user conversations, or personal messages on our servers. Once a chat ends, all data is permanently deleted through secure memory clearing processes.

Data Processing Locations

Your data may be processed in the following locations:

• United States: Our servers are hosted in US data centers
• Cloud providers: Third-party services for translation and analytics

How We Use Your Information

The limited information we collect is used solely for:

• Facilitating real-time translation: Enabling communication between chat participants
• Maintaining service functionality: Ensuring reliable operation of chat rooms
• Improving translation accuracy: Enhancing service quality through technical analysis
• Preventing abuse: Detecting and preventing misuse of the service
• Service analytics: Understanding usage patterns to improve user experience
• Performance optimization: Monitoring and improving service speed and reliability

Third-Party Services

Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with our website and to improve user experience. Google Analytics collects:

• Anonymous usage data: Page views, session duration, and navigation patterns
• Technical information: Browser type, operating system, and device characteristics
• Geographic data: General location information (country/region level)

Google Analytics data is collected anonymously and cannot be used to identify individual users. We've configured Google Analytics to respect user privacy:

• Anonymized IP addresses: IP addresses are anonymized before processing
• No advertising features: Advertising features are disabled
• Limited data retention: Data is retained according to Google's standard policies

You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

Groq API Translation Service

We use the Groq API for real-time translation services. When you send a message:

• Your message is sent to Groq's servers for translation processing
• Groq may have its own privacy policies regarding data processing
• Translated text is returned to our service and displayed to chat participants
• Messages are not stored persistently by Groq for training purposes

Cloudflare

We use Cloudflare for content delivery and security:

• Cloudflare may collect technical information for security and performance
• This data is used for DDoS protection and content optimization
• Cloudflare's privacy policy applies to this data collection

Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information:

• Encrypted communication: All data transmission uses HTTPS/TLS encryption
• Secure server infrastructure: Hosted on secure cloud platforms with regular security updates
• Access controls: Strict access controls limiting employee data access
• Regular security audits: Periodic security assessments and penetration testing
• Data minimization: We collect only the minimum data necessary for service operation
• Secure deletion: Data is securely deleted using industry-standard protocols

Your Privacy Rights

Since we don't store personal data, there's no personal information to access, modify, or delete. However, you have the following rights:

• Right to anonymous usage: Use our service without providing personal information
• Right to data deletion: All temporary data is automatically deleted after sessions
• Right to opt-out: Disable cookies and tracking through browser settings
• Right to information: Contact us for any questions about our privacy practices

Children's Privacy

Bridge Chat is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will promptly delete such information.

International Data Transfers

By using Bridge Chat, you consent to the transfer of your information to our servers located in the United States, regardless of your location. We ensure that all data transfers comply with applicable international data protection laws.

Data Retention and Deletion

Our data retention policy is straightforward:

• Active sessions: Data exists only during active chat sessions
• Session completion: All data is deleted immediately when sessions end
• Server maintenance: Any residual data is cleared during routine maintenance
• No backup retention: We do not maintain backups of chat data

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically for any changes. Significant changes will be communicated through our website or service notifications.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:

• Email: privacy@bridgechat.app
• Postal Mail: Bridge Chat Privacy Team, [Address to be added]
• Response Time: We aim to respond to privacy inquiries within 48 hours

Compliance and Certifications

We strive to comply with applicable privacy laws and regulations:

• GDPR Compliance: We follow GDPR principles for EU users
• CCPA Compliance: We comply with California privacy requirements
• COPPA Compliance: We do not collect data from children under 13
• Industry Standards: We follow best practices for data protection

Data Processing Agreement

For enterprise users or organizations requiring formal agreements:

• We can provide a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) upon request
• Contact our legal team at legal@bridgechat.app for enterprise agreements
• DPAs include specific commitments about data handling and security

Cookie Policy

We use cookies sparingly and only for essential functionality:

• Essential cookies: Session management and language preferences
• Analytics cookies: Google Analytics for service improvement
• Third-party cookies: Limited to analytics services
• Cookie duration: Most cookies expire when browser sessions end

You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings.

Security Incident Response

In the unlikely event of a security incident:

• We have procedures in place to quickly identify and contain incidents
• Affected users will be notified promptly if their data is compromised
• We cooperate with authorities and follow legal reporting requirements
• Post-incident reviews are conducted to prevent future occurrences

User Responsibilities

To help protect your privacy:

• Use strong passwords: If password protection is added in the future
• Keep software updated: Use updated browsers for security patches
• Be cautious with links: Only share chat links with trusted individuals
• Log out properly: Close browser tabs to end sessions completely