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Privacy Policy

Effective Date: June 7, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how AcornKB collects, uses, stores, discloses, and protects information when you use our website at www.acornkb.com, desktop application, license services, documentation, updates, support channels, and related services (collectively, the "Service").

AcornKB is operated by Chenjun Xu, an individual developer doing business as AcornKB ("AcornKB", "we", "us", or "our").

By using the Service, you agree to this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, you must not use the Service.

1. Summary

AcornKB is designed as a local-first desktop application. By default, your local knowledge library, local databases, local source files, transcripts, generated notes, indexes, and related artifacts are stored on your device or in locations you configure.

We do not upload your entire local knowledge library to our servers by default.

However, some features may involve network access or third-party services, including license activation, license verification, payment processing, AI providers, transcription providers, support requests, diagnostics, updates, and security-related checks.

You are responsible for reviewing the privacy practices of any third-party AI provider, transcription provider, API endpoint, platform, or service that you configure or connect to AcornKB.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect the following categories of information.

2.1 Information You Provide

We may collect information that you provide directly to us, including:

  • name or contact name;
  • email address;
  • support messages;
  • refund or billing-related communications;
  • feedback, bug reports, and feature requests;
  • files, screenshots, logs, diagnostics, or other materials you choose to send to us;
  • any other information you intentionally provide.

2.2 License, Subscription, and Activation Information

When you purchase, activate, verify, or use a license, we may collect or process information such as:

  • license key;
  • plan type;
  • trial status;
  • subscription status;
  • activation status;
  • entitlement information;
  • device count or device limit information;
  • activation date, renewal date, expiration date, or cancellation status;
  • approximate device or installation identifier;
  • IP address and request metadata;
  • fraud prevention, abuse prevention, or security-related signals.

We use this information to activate, verify, refresh, enforce, and manage licenses, subscriptions, free trials, device limits, and entitlements.

2.3 Payment and Billing Information

Payments for the Service may be processed by Paddle, which may act as the merchant of record, reseller, payment processor, tax calculation provider, invoicing provider, subscription management provider, and refund handling provider.

We may receive limited payment-related information from Paddle or other payment providers, such as:

  • purchaser email address;
  • order ID;
  • product or plan purchased;
  • subscription status;
  • transaction status;
  • renewal status;
  • refund status;
  • chargeback or dispute status;
  • country or region for tax and compliance purposes.

We do not directly store full credit card numbers or complete payment card details.

Paddle processes payment, billing, tax, invoice, subscription, and refund information according to Paddle's own terms and privacy notices.

2.4 Local App Data

AcornKB may create and store local data on your device or in locations you configure, including:

  • local databases;
  • source files;
  • transcripts;
  • generated notes;
  • summaries;
  • tags;
  • indexes;
  • knowledge pages;
  • configuration files;
  • logs;
  • workflow state;
  • app settings;
  • provider settings;
  • local cache files.

This local app data is generally stored on your device and is not uploaded to our servers by default.

You are responsible for securing, backing up, exporting, deleting, and managing your local app data.

2.5 AI, Transcription, and Provider Data

If you configure or use an AI provider, transcription provider, model API, embedding provider, or other third-party endpoint, selected content may be sent to that provider for processing.

This may include:

  • prompts;
  • source text;
  • transcript text;
  • audio or extracted audio;
  • metadata;
  • generated outputs;
  • document excerpts;
  • knowledge items;
  • configuration data required to call the provider.

The third-party provider may process, store, retain, or use that information according to its own terms, privacy policy, data processing terms, and retention rules.

AcornKB is not responsible for the privacy, security, retention, or data practices of third-party providers that you configure or use.

2.6 Website and Usage Information

When you visit our website or use connected features, we or our service providers may collect:

  • IP address;
  • browser type;
  • device type;
  • operating system;
  • referring page;
  • pages visited;
  • timestamps;
  • approximate region;
  • cookies or similar identifiers;
  • error logs;
  • diagnostic events;
  • security-related events.

We may use this information to operate the website, improve the Service, prevent abuse, diagnose issues, and understand usage at an aggregate level.

2.7 Support and Diagnostic Information

If you contact support, we may collect and process information needed to respond to your request, including:

  • email address;
  • support message content;
  • screenshots;
  • logs;
  • device or operating system information;
  • app version;
  • license status;
  • error messages;
  • local file paths;
  • limited excerpts or metadata that you choose to provide.

Please do not send sensitive information, confidential files, passwords, API keys, or private content unless necessary for support.

3. How We Use Information

We may use information to:

  • provide, operate, maintain, and secure the Service;
  • activate, verify, and manage licenses, trials, subscriptions, and device limits;
  • process payments, refunds, renewals, invoices, and billing support;
  • provide customer support;
  • troubleshoot bugs, crashes, and technical issues;
  • send service-related notices;
  • prevent fraud, abuse, unauthorized access, chargeback abuse, license abuse, and security incidents;
  • comply with legal, tax, accounting, regulatory, and payment provider obligations;
  • improve the Service, website, documentation, reliability, and user experience;
  • enforce our Terms and policies;
  • respond to lawful requests and protect our rights, users, and systems.

We do not sell your personal information.

We do not use your locally stored knowledge library to train AI models.

We do not access or upload your local knowledge library by default.

4. Legal Bases for Processing

Where applicable law requires a legal basis for processing, we may process information based on:

  • your consent;
  • performance of a contract with you;
  • our legitimate interests, such as operating, securing, improving, and supporting the Service;
  • compliance with legal obligations;
  • protection of rights, safety, security, and prevention of fraud or abuse.

5. How We Share Information

We may share information with the following categories of recipients.

5.1 Payment Providers

We may share or receive payment-related information with Paddle or other payment providers for payment processing, tax calculation, invoicing, subscription management, fraud prevention, chargeback handling, and refund processing.

5.2 Service Providers

We may use service providers for hosting, analytics, licensing, email, support, security, logging, diagnostics, infrastructure, and other operational purposes.

These providers may process information on our behalf according to contractual, technical, and legal safeguards.

5.3 Third-Party Providers You Configure

When you configure an AI provider, transcription provider, API endpoint, browser integration, platform, or other third-party service, information may be sent to that provider as necessary to perform the requested function.

Your use of those providers is governed by their own terms and privacy policies.

5.4 Legal and Safety Reasons

We may disclose information if we believe it is reasonably necessary to:

  • comply with law, regulation, legal process, or government request;
  • enforce our Terms or policies;
  • detect, prevent, or address fraud, abuse, security, or technical issues;
  • protect the rights, property, or safety of AcornKB, users, payment providers, service providers, or others.

5.5 Business Transfers

If AcornKB is involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, sale of assets, or similar transaction, information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to appropriate safeguards.

6. Data Retention

We keep information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer period is required or permitted by law.

For example:

  • license, subscription, transaction, tax, refund, and billing records may be retained as needed for accounting, legal, tax, payment provider, and fraud prevention purposes;
  • support communications may be retained to provide support, resolve disputes, and improve service quality;
  • logs and diagnostics may be retained for security, troubleshooting, and operational purposes;
  • local app data remains on your device unless you delete it, export it, back it up, or send it to us or a third-party provider.

7. Local Data, Backups, and Deletion

Because AcornKB is local-first, much of your content may be stored only on your device or in locations you configure.

We generally cannot access, recover, delete, or restore local data stored only on your device.

You are responsible for:

  • backing up local data;
  • deleting local data;
  • securing local files;
  • managing local databases;
  • removing API keys or provider credentials;
  • uninstalling the app;
  • deleting local cache or configuration files.

Deleting the app may not automatically delete all local data, depending on your operating system and configuration.

8. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Our website or service providers may use cookies, local storage, or similar technologies to operate the website, remember preferences, analyze usage, prevent abuse, and support checkout or account flows.

You may control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect website functionality.

9. International Data Transfers

The Service, our providers, and Paddle may process information in countries other than where you live.

These countries may have data protection laws that differ from those in your jurisdiction.

Where required, we use appropriate safeguards for international transfers.

10. Security

We use reasonable technical and organizational measures designed to protect information. However, no system, software, network, storage method, transmission method, payment provider, AI provider, or digital service can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

You are responsible for securing your device, operating system, accounts, API keys, provider credentials, local files, backups, and network environment.

If you believe there has been a security issue, contact us at support@acornkb.com.

11. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have rights to:

  • access personal information;
  • correct personal information;
  • delete personal information;
  • object to or restrict certain processing;
  • request portability;
  • withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;
  • opt out of certain types of processing;
  • lodge a complaint with a data protection authority.

To exercise privacy rights, contact us at support@acornkb.com.

We may need to verify your identity before responding. Some information may be retained where required or permitted by law, including for legal, tax, accounting, security, fraud prevention, and dispute resolution purposes.

12. California and U.S. State Privacy Notices

We do not sell personal information.

We do not knowingly share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

If applicable state privacy laws grant you additional rights, you may contact us at support@acornkb.com to exercise those rights.

13. Children's Privacy

The Service is not intended for children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

If you believe a child has provided us personal information, contact us at support@acornkb.com and we will take appropriate steps.

14. Third-Party Links and Services

The Service may contain links to third-party websites, platforms, providers, documentation, checkout pages, support pages, or integrations.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices, content, security, availability, or policies of third-party services.

You should review the terms and privacy policies of third-party services before using them.

15. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time.

If changes are material, we will provide reasonable notice through the website, app, email, or another appropriate channel.

The updated Privacy Policy will be effective as of the effective date stated in the updated version.

Your continued use of the Service after the updated Privacy Policy becomes effective means that you accept the updated Privacy Policy.

16. Contact

For questions about this Privacy Policy, contact us at:

AcornKB Operated by Chenjun Xu, an individual developer Business contact address available upon lawful request. Email: support@acornkb.com Website: www.acornkb.com