Terms and Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing and using Bright Notes, you accept and agree to be bound by the terms and provision of this agreement. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use our service.

2. Use License

Permission is granted to temporarily use Bright Notes for personal, non-commercial transitory viewing only. This is the grant of a license, not a transfer of title, and under this license you may not:

• Modify or copy the materials
• Use the materials for any commercial purpose or for any public display
• Attempt to decompile or reverse engineer any software contained on Bright Notes
• Remove any copyright or other proprietary notations from the materials
• Transfer the materials to another person or "mirror" the materials on any other server

3. User Accounts

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account and password. You agree to accept responsibility for all activities that occur under your account. We reserve the right to refuse service, terminate accounts, or remove content at our sole discretion.

4. User Content

You retain all rights to the content you create and store using Bright Notes. We do not claim ownership of your notes, documents, or any other content you upload. However, by using our service, you grant us permission to store and process your content solely for the purpose of providing the service to you.

5. Service Availability

We strive to provide reliable service but do not guarantee that Bright Notes will be available at all times. We may experience hardware, software, or other problems or need to perform maintenance related to the service, resulting in interruptions, delays, or errors.

6. Disclaimer

The materials on Bright Notes are provided on an 'as is' basis. Bright Notes makes no warranties, expressed or implied, and hereby disclaims and negates all other warranties including, without limitation, implied warranties or conditions of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement of intellectual property or other violation of rights.

7. Limitations

In no event shall Bright Notes or its suppliers be liable for any damages (including, without limitation, damages for loss of data or profit, or due to business interruption) arising out of the use or inability to use Bright Notes.

Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

Account Information:

• Email address (for account creation and authentication)
• Password (stored as encrypted hash - we never store passwords in plain text)
• OAuth provider information (if you sign in with Google, Microsoft, or Yahoo)

Content Data:

• Notes and documents you create
• Images you upload
• Topics and sub-topics you organize

Usage Data:

• Access times and dates
• Browser type and version
• IP address (for security purposes)

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve our service
• Create and manage your account
• Store and sync your notes across devices
• Communicate with you about service updates
• Protect against unauthorized access and abuse
• Comply with legal obligations

3. Data Security

We take data security seriously and implement industry-standard security measures:

• Client-side encryption: Your notes can be encrypted in your browser before being sent to our servers
• Password hashing: Passwords are hashed using bcrypt before storage
• HTTPS: All data transmission is encrypted using SSL/TLS
• Session security: Secure, HTTP-only cookies with expiration
• OAuth integration: Option to sign in with trusted providers (Google, Microsoft, Yahoo)

4. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share information only in the following circumstances:

• With your consent: When you explicitly authorize us to share specific information
• Legal compliance: When required by law or to respond to legal process
• Security purposes: To protect the rights, property, or safety of Bright Notes, our users, or others
• Service providers: With trusted third-party service providers who assist in operating our service (e.g., hosting, database services) under strict confidentiality agreements

5. Data Retention

We retain your account information and content for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, we will delete your personal information and content, subject to a grace period for account recovery and legal retention requirements.

6. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access your personal data
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
• Delete your account and associated data
• Export your data in a portable format
• Opt-out of promotional communications

7. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Maintain your login session
• Remember your preferences (theme, layout settings)
• Analyze site usage and improve our service

You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences, but please note that disabling certain cookies may limit your ability to use some features of the service.

8. Third-Party Services

When you sign in using OAuth providers (Google, Microsoft, Yahoo), those services may collect information according to their own privacy policies:

• Google Privacy Policy
• Microsoft Privacy Statement
• Yahoo Privacy Policy

We only receive your verified email address from these providers and do not have access to your passwords or other account information.

9. Children's Privacy

Bright Notes is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us.

10. International Users

Bright Notes is hosted in the United States. If you are accessing the service from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States where our servers are located.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Terms and Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. You are advised to review this policy periodically for any changes.

12. Acceptance

By using Bright Notes, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Terms and Privacy Policy and agree to be bound by it. If you do not agree, you must discontinue use of the service immediately.