This Privacy Policy explains how FirstText ("we," "us," "our," or "FirstText") collects, uses, stores, and protects information when you use our website (firstxt.com), our waitlist and referral program, and our mobile application (the "App"), collectively referred to as the "Services."

We built FirstText to help people reconnect with the ones they love — not to collect their data. This policy reflects that. Please read it carefully. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use our Services.

1. Who We Are

FirstText is a mobile application and associated website that helps users stay connected with people they care about by locking selected social media applications until the user sends a message to a chosen contact. This policy covers both the FirstText mobile app and the FirstText prelaunch/waitlist website.

For questions about this policy, contact us at: privacy@firstxt.com

2. Information We Collect

We collect the minimum information necessary to operate the Services. We separate this into two categories: information collected through the website (waitlist, referrals, account creation) and information collected through the mobile app.

2.1 Information Collected Through the Website

When you join the FirstText waitlist or create an account, we may collect:

• Email address — required to create your waitlist account and to contact you about launch updates.
• Name — if provided during sign-up, used to personalise your experience.
• Google account information — if you choose to sign up using "Continue with Google," we receive your name, email address, and profile picture from Google, in accordance with Google's own privacy practices and the permissions you grant during that sign-in.
• Referral code information — if you arrive at our website via a referral link, we store the referral code associated with that link (via a cookie or local storage) so that signups can be correctly attributed to the person who referred you.
• Referral activity — including how many people you have referred, your waitlist position, and which referral reward tiers you have unlocked.
• Device and usage data — standard web analytics such as browser type, approximate location (city/region level, derived from IP address), pages visited, and referral source. This is collected automatically by standard web analytics tools and is not used to identify you personally.

We do not require a password to create a waitlist account. Email-based accounts use passwordless "magic link" authentication, meaning a one-time secure link is sent to your email address each time you wish to log in.

2.2 Information Collected Through the Mobile App

The FirstText mobile app is built around a core principle: we do not read, store, or transmit the content of your messages. With that principle in mind, here is exactly what the app does and does not collect:

Information stored locally on your device (never transmitted to our servers):

• Names and profile photos of contacts you choose to add to FirstText (sourced from your device's contact list, with your permission)
• The frequency settings you choose for each contact (e.g. "every 3 days," "weekly")
• Pre-written messages and any messages you write during the app's 60-second reflection window
• Your message history within the app (i.e., which contacts you have texted and when, as tracked by the app itself — not the content of what was sent through third-party messaging apps)
• Your settings, including reset time, unlock window duration, and which apps you have chosen to lock
• Your connection streak and weekly activity tracker data

Information we explicitly do not collect, access, or store:

• The content of any message you send via WhatsApp, iMessage, or any other third-party messaging application
• Confirmation or verification of whether a message was actually delivered or read by the recipient
• Your contacts' phone numbers, messages, or any other personal data belonging to the people in your contact list, beyond the name and photo you choose to add within the app
• Any content from the social media applications you choose to lock (e.g. we do not see your Instagram or TikTok activity)

Permissions the App requests, and why:

• Contacts access — to allow you to select people from your existing contact list to add to FirstText. We only access and store the name and photo of contacts you explicitly choose to add.
• Screen Time API access (iOS) — to allow the App to lock and unlock the specific applications you have chosen, based on your settings. This permission allows the App to detect when you attempt to open a locked application, but does not allow us to see your activity within that application.
• Notification permissions — to send you a notification when your unlock window is ready, or when someone in your queue is overdue. We do not send promotional notifications without your consent.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information described above for the following purposes:

• To create and manage your waitlist account and, later, your FirstText app account
• To operate the referral program, including tracking referral counts, unlocking reward tiers, and updating your waitlist position
• To send you essential communications, such as confirmation of signup, updates about launch timing, and reminders related to your free trial (once the app is available)
• To operate the core functionality of the App locally on your device, including the lock screen mechanic, message queue, and message library
• To improve and maintain the Services, including basic, aggregated, non-identifying analytics about website usage
• To respond to support requests or inquiries you send to us directly

We do not use your information for targeted advertising, and we do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

4. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We share information only in the following limited circumstances:

• Service providers — we may use third-party services to operate parts of our Services, such as email delivery providers (to send magic links and waitlist updates), authentication providers (such as Google, for OAuth sign-in), and cloud hosting providers (to store website and waitlist account data). These providers are contractually obligated to handle your information securely and only for the purposes we specify.
• Legal requirements — we may disclose information if required to do so by law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request, or if we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of FirstText, our users, or the public.
• Business transfers — if FirstText is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change and any choices you may have regarding your information.

We never share the contents of messages sent through the App, because we never have access to them in the first place.

5. Data Storage and Security

• Website and waitlist data (email, referral activity, waitlist position) is stored securely on cloud infrastructure provided by reputable third-party hosting providers, using industry-standard encryption in transit and at rest.
• App data (contacts, messages, settings, history) is stored locally on your device. It is not transmitted to or stored on FirstText servers, except where explicitly noted in this policy (currently, no app usage data of this kind is transmitted).
• We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect your information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. However, no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Data Retention

• Waitlist and account data is retained for as long as your account remains active, or until you request deletion (see Section 8, Your Rights and Choices).
• Referral and waitlist position data is retained to preserve the integrity of the referral program until the program concludes or your account is deleted.
• App data stored locally on your device is retained for as long as the App remains installed, and is deleted automatically if you uninstall the App, as it is never backed up to our servers.

7. Children's Privacy

FirstText is not directed at children under the age of 13 (or the relevant minimum age in your jurisdiction), and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under that age. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under the applicable age, we will take steps to delete that information promptly. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at privacy@firstxt.com.

8. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access — you may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction — you may request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Deletion — you may request that we delete your waitlist account, referral data, and associated personal information. Note that App data stored locally on your device can be deleted at any time by uninstalling the App or clearing data within the App's settings.
• Opt-out of communications — you may unsubscribe from non-essential email communications (such as waitlist updates) at any time using the unsubscribe link provided in those emails. You may still receive essential communications related to your account or any active subscription.
• Withdraw consent — where our processing of your information is based on consent (such as Google OAuth sign-in), you may withdraw that consent at any time, which may limit your ability to use certain features of the Services.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@firstxt.com. We will respond to verified requests within a reasonable timeframe, and in accordance with applicable law.

8.1 Additional Rights for Residents of Certain Jurisdictions

If you are a resident of the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, or California, you may have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), UK GDPR, or California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to data portability, the right to object to certain processing, and the right to lodge a complaint with a relevant supervisory authority. Nothing in this policy is intended to limit any rights you may have under applicable law.

9. Third-Party Services and Links

Our website and app may contain links to or integrations with third-party services, including but not limited to:

• Google (for OAuth sign-in)
• WhatsApp and Apple's iMessage (for sending messages via deep links)
• Apple's Screen Time API (for app locking functionality)

These third parties have their own privacy policies, and we encourage you to review them. FirstText is not responsible for the privacy practices of these third-party services. When you send a message via WhatsApp or iMessage through FirstText's deep-link feature, that message is sent and handled entirely within that third-party application, governed by that application's own privacy policy — not ours.

10. International Data Transfers

If you access our Services from outside the country in which our servers or service providers are located, your information may be transferred to, stored in, and processed in a country with different data protection laws than your own. By using our Services, you consent to such transfers, where permitted by applicable law.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. If we make material changes, we will notify you by updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this policy, and where appropriate, through additional notice such as an email or in-app notification. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

Email: privacy@firstxt.com
Website: firstxt.com

By using FirstText's website, waitlist, referral program, or mobile application, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.

Welcome to FirstText. These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the FirstText website (firstxt.com), our waitlist and referral program, and our mobile application (the "App"), collectively the "Services," provided by FirstText ("we," "us," "our").

By accessing or using the Services, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use the Services.

1. Eligibility

You must be at least 13 years old (or the minimum age of digital consent in your jurisdiction, if higher) to use the Services. By using the Services, you represent and warrant that you meet this age requirement. If you are under the age of majority in your jurisdiction, you represent that you have your parent or guardian's permission to use the Services.

2. Description of the Services

FirstText is a mobile application that allows users to lock selected social media applications on their device until the user sends a message to a contact selected by the App's internal queue system. The Services also include a prelaunch website through which users may join a waitlist, create an account, and participate in a referral program prior to the App's public release.

We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the Services at any time, with or without notice, including features, functionality, and the referral program described in Section 6.

3. Account Registration

3.1 Creating an Account

To join the waitlist or use certain features of the Services, you must create an account by providing a valid email address or by signing in through a supported third-party authentication provider (currently, Google). You agree to provide accurate and complete information when creating your account.

3.2 Account Security

Email-based accounts use passwordless "magic link" authentication. You are responsible for maintaining the security of the email account associated with your FirstText account, as anyone with access to that email account may be able to access your FirstText account. You agree to notify us immediately at support@firstxt.com if you become aware of any unauthorized access to your account.

3.3 One Account Per Person

Each person may maintain only one FirstText waitlist account. If you sign up using an email address and later attempt to sign in using a Google account associated with the same email address, the system will treat these as a single account. Creating multiple accounts to circumvent referral program limits or waitlist position mechanics is prohibited and may result in account suspension, as described in Section 9.

4. Acceptable Use

You agree not to:

• Use the Services for any unlawful purpose or in violation of any applicable law or regulation
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the Services, other users' accounts, or any systems or networks connected to the Services
• Use automated means (such as bots, scripts, or scrapers) to create multiple waitlist accounts, inflate referral counts, or otherwise manipulate the referral program described in Section 6
• Interfere with or disrupt the integrity or performance of the Services
• Reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble any part of the App, except to the extent such restriction is prohibited by applicable law
• Use the Services to harass, abuse, or harm another person, including through messages sent via the App's deep-link messaging feature
• Impersonate any person or entity, or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity, when referring others to the Services

5. The App's Core Functionality

By using the App, you understand and agree to the following regarding how it operates:

5.1 App Locking Mechanism

The App uses Apple's Screen Time API (or equivalent platform functionality) to lock applications you have chosen, until you send a message to a contact selected by the App's queue. You are solely responsible for selecting which applications to lock and which contacts to add to your queue.

5.2 No Verification of Message Content or Delivery

The App operates on a trust-based model. When you indicate that you have sent a message via a third-party messaging application (such as WhatsApp or iMessage) through the App's deep-link feature, the App does not read, verify, or confirm the content or delivery of that message. The App unlocks your selected applications based on your own action of returning to the App after a minimum elapsed time, not on any confirmation that a message was actually sent or received.

5.3 Your Responsibility for Message Content

You are solely responsible for the content of any message you send through the App's deep-link feature to any third-party messaging application. We have no control over, and no responsibility for, the content of those messages, or the relationship between you and the contacts you choose to message.

5.4 Local Data Storage

As described in our Privacy Policy, contact information, message content, and usage history within the App are stored locally on your device. You are responsible for any data loss that occurs if you uninstall the App, lose your device, or otherwise lose access to locally stored data, as we do not maintain backups of this information on our servers.

5.5 Third-Party Application Dependencies

The App's functionality depends on third-party platforms and services, including but not limited to Apple's Screen Time API, WhatsApp, and Apple's iMessage. We are not responsible for any changes, interruptions, or discontinuations of these third-party services that may affect the App's functionality.

6. Waitlist and Referral Program

6.1 Participation

By joining the waitlist, you may participate in our referral program, through which you can earn rewards by referring other individuals who join the waitlist using your unique referral link or code.

6.2 Reward Tiers

Reward tiers are described on our website and may include, without limitation: movement up the waitlist position, free months of subscription access upon launch, 12 months access to the App, and recognition as a "Founding Connector." We reserve the right to modify, replace, or discontinue any reward tier at any time prior to the App's official launch, with reasonable notice provided through the website or via email where practicable.

6.3 Referral Attribution

Referral attribution is determined based on the referral code or link used at the time of signup, as described in our Privacy Policy. We reserve the right to review and adjust referral counts in cases of suspected fraud, abuse, or manipulation, including but not limited to the use of fake accounts, automated signups, or duplicate accounts created to inflate referral counts.

6.4 No Guarantee of Launch Date or Specific Rewards

The waitlist and referral program are offered prior to the official launch of the App. We make no guarantee regarding the specific date of launch, and we reserve the right to modify the structure, rewards, or mechanics of the referral program at our sole discretion before launch. Waitlist position and referral tier status do not constitute a binding contractual guarantee of specific App features, pricing, or access timing at launch, though we will make reasonable efforts to honor reward commitments made to waitlist participants.

6.5 Program Termination

We reserve the right to terminate the waitlist and referral program at any time, including upon the official launch of the App, at which point any unredeemed rewards will be honored in accordance with the terms communicated to users at that time.

7. Subscriptions and Payment (Upon App Launch)

7.1 Free Trial

The App may be offered with a free trial period, the length and terms of which will be specified at the time of subscription. You will not be charged during the free trial period unless and until the trial period ends, at which point you will be charged the applicable subscription fee unless you cancel before the trial ends.

7.2 Subscription Billing

Subscription fees, billing frequency (such as weekly or yearly), and pricing will be clearly disclosed at the point of purchase within the App. Subscriptions will automatically renew at the end of each billing period unless cancelled prior to renewal, in accordance with the policies of the applicable app store (Apple App Store) through which the subscription was purchased.

7.3 Cancellation

You may cancel your subscription at any time through your Apple App Store account settings. Cancellation will take effect at the end of the current billing period, and you will retain access to subscription features until that time. We do not provide refunds for partial subscription periods, except as required by applicable law or the policies of the applicable app store.

7.4 Referral Reward Redemption

Referral rewards earned through the waitlist program (such as free months or Founding Connector access) will be applied to your subscription according to the mechanics described on our website at the time the reward was earned, and as confirmed at the time of the App's launch.

8. Intellectual Property

8.1 Our Intellectual Property

The Services, including all content, features, functionality, software, design, logos, and trademarks (including the FirstText name and logomark), are owned by FirstText or our licensors and are protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. Nothing in these Terms grants you any right, title, or interest in our intellectual property, except for the limited license to use the Services as set forth herein.

8.2 Limited License

We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use the Services for your personal, non-commercial use, subject to these Terms.

8.3 Feedback

If you provide us with feedback, suggestions, or ideas about the Services, you grant us a perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free license to use that feedback for any purpose, without compensation or attribution to you.

9. Termination and Suspension

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account and access to the Services, at our sole discretion, without prior notice, if we believe you have violated these Terms, engaged in fraudulent or abusive behavior (including manipulation of the referral program), or for any other reason we deem necessary to protect the integrity of the Services or other users.

You may terminate your account at any time by contacting us at support@firstxt.com and requesting account deletion, or, once the App is live, through account settings within the App.

10. Disclaimers

THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT THE SERVICES WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, ERROR-FREE, OR SECURE, OR THAT ANY DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED.

WE MAKE NO WARRANTY REGARDING THE OUTCOME OF USING THE APP, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY IMPROVEMENT IN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS, SCREEN TIME HABITS, OR EMOTIONAL WELLBEING. THE APP IS A TOOL INTENDED TO ENCOURAGE COMMUNICATION HABITS AND IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH OR RELATIONSHIP COUNSELING.

11. Limitation of Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, FIRSTTEXT AND ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS, REVENUE, DATA, OR GOODWILL, ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO YOUR USE OF THE SERVICES, WHETHER BASED ON WARRANTY, CONTRACT, TORT, OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

OUR TOTAL CUMULATIVE LIABILITY ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO THESE TERMS OR THE SERVICES SHALL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) THE AMOUNT YOU HAVE PAID TO US IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM, OR (B) ONE HUNDRED US DOLLARS ($100).

SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF CERTAIN DAMAGES, SO SOME OF THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

12. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless FirstText and its officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees, arising out of or in any way connected with your access to or use of the Services, your violation of these Terms, or your violation of any rights of a third party, including any contact you message through the App's deep-link feature.

13. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Services shall be resolved through binding arbitration or the state and federal courts located in the State of Delaware, except where prohibited by applicable law.

14. Changes to These Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. If we make material changes, we will provide notice by updating the "Last updated" date at the top of these Terms and, where appropriate, through additional notice such as an email or in-app notification. Your continued use of the Services after any such changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

15. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid under applicable law, that provision will be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary so that these Terms will otherwise remain in full force and effect.

16. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and FirstText regarding the Services, and supersede any prior agreements between you and FirstText regarding the Services.

17. Contact Us

If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us at:

Email: support@firstxt.com
Website: firstxt.com

By using FirstText's website, waitlist, referral program, or mobile application, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms of Service.