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Privacy & Terms

Plain language. No legalese where we can avoid it. Last reviewed April 2026.

Privacy Policy

Last updated: April 2026

The short version: We collect only what's needed to run the service. We don't sell your data. We don't share it with advertisers. Your emergency profile information is used for one purpose — helping you be found and helped.

What we collect

When you create a Helper-ID account or profile, we collect:

  • Your email address (used for login and account communication)
  • Profile information you provide (name, emergency contacts, medical information)
  • Payment information processed by Stripe (we never see or store your card number)
  • Access logs — when and how your profile was accessed (NFC tap or CODE+PIN entry)

What we don't collect

  • We don't track your location
  • We don't use cookies for advertising
  • We don't build behavioral profiles
  • We don't sell or share your data with third parties for marketing purposes

Who can see your profile

Your hosted profile is accessible only via the correct CODE and PIN combination. Anyone with both can view it — that's by design. The CODE and PIN are yours to share or keep private. You control who has them.

How we store your data

Your profile data is stored in an encrypted database hosted on infrastructure managed by industry-standard cloud providers. Data is encrypted at rest — meaning it is unreadable at the storage layer without the encryption keys managed by our hosting environment. All connections to and from Helper-ID are encrypted in transit over HTTPS.

Data retention

Your profile data is retained as long as your membership is active. If your membership lapses, your profile is deactivated immediately — your CODE and PIN will no longer work. Your data is retained for 30 days to allow reactivation. If no renewal occurs within 30 days, your profile and all associated data are permanently deleted. You will receive an email with a copy of your profile data before deletion.

Access logs (records of when your profile was viewed) are retained for 90 days, then automatically purged.

If you request account deletion at any time, your data is removed within 30 days. Email [email protected] with the subject "Delete My Account."

Third-party services

We use the following third-party services to operate Helper-ID:

  • Stripe — payment processing
  • Supabase — database and file storage
  • SendGrid — transactional email
  • DigitalOcean — application hosting

Each of these services has their own privacy policies. We've chosen providers with strong data practices, but we encourage you to review their policies if you have questions.

Terms of Service

Last updated: April 2026

The short version: Use Helper-ID honestly. Don't misuse other people's profile access. We provide this service in good faith and ask the same from you.

What Helper-ID is

Helper-ID is an emergency identification and information service operated by Empathy Lab, Inc. We provide NFC tags, hosted emergency profiles, and related tools for individuals and communities.

Your responsibilities

  • You are responsible for the accuracy of the information in your profile
  • You are responsible for keeping your CODE and PIN secure and sharing them appropriately
  • You may not use Helper-ID to store or share information that is false, illegal, or harmful
  • You may not access another person's profile without a legitimate need to do so

Our responsibilities

We commit to keeping your profile accessible, your data secure, and the service operational. We provide support for members and work to resolve issues promptly.

[PLACEHOLDER] Add specific uptime commitments, SLA language, or any service level expectations you want to set here.

Limitation of liability

Helper-ID is an information access tool — not a medical device, emergency dispatch system, or substitute for 911. We are not liable for outcomes that occur during emergency situations. The accuracy of your profile depends entirely on the information you provide.

Changes to these terms

We may update these terms from time to time. We'll notify active members by email of material changes. Continued use of Helper-ID after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

Governing law

[PLACEHOLDER] Specify jurisdiction — Oregon, USA, or wherever Empathy Lab, Inc. is incorporated.

Data Practices

Last updated: April 2026

Access logging

Every time your profile is accessed — whether by NFC tap or CODE+PIN entry — we log the date and time, access method (NFC or CODE+PIN), and the IP address of the request. Failed PIN attempts are also logged. Logs are retained for 90 days, then automatically purged.

You can view your access history in your member dashboard, including any failed attempts. This gives you full visibility into when and how your profile has been seen — and whether anyone has tried to access it incorrectly.

Profile photos

Headshot photos you upload are stored in a private, encrypted storage bucket. They are not publicly accessible — they are only served when a valid CODE+PIN lookup is completed.

Medical information

Medical data (allergies, medications, conditions, blood type) is stored encrypted at rest and is only displayed to someone who has successfully completed a CODE+PIN lookup. We treat this data with the highest level of care in our system.

Requesting your data

You can request a copy of all data we hold about you at any time. Email [email protected] with the subject "Data Request" and we'll respond within 7 business days.

Deleting your data

You can request full deletion of your account and all associated data at any time. Email us with the subject "Delete My Account." Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone.

Security

Last updated: April 2026

The short version: We don't just say we take security seriously — we've built specific protections into every layer of the platform. Here's what that means in plain language.

Your connection is always encrypted

Every interaction with Helper-ID travels over an encrypted connection. Your browser is permanently instructed to use encryption when connecting to Helper-ID, even if you type a plain web address.

Your data is encrypted at rest

Your profile information — including any medical details you've added — is stored encrypted. The underlying data is unreadable without the encryption keys managed by our infrastructure provider.

Profiles require server-side authentication to access

Your profile data cannot be queried directly from our database. Every lookup goes through our application server, which enforces authentication before any data is returned. This protection lives at the database layer — it cannot be bypassed at the application level.

Your PIN is never stored

When you set a PIN, we immediately convert it into a one-way cryptographic value and discard the original. We never store your PIN in a readable form — not in our database, not in our logs, nowhere.

Automated attacks are actively blocked

The profile lookup system is protected against automated attempts to guess PINs. Repeated failures — whether from one location or many — are detected and blocked. Every failed attempt is logged.

Every profile access is recorded

Any time your profile is viewed, we record the date, time, and access method. You can see this history in your member dashboard. You always know when your information has been accessed.

We never touch your payment information

Billing is handled entirely by Stripe, a PCI-DSS certified payment processor. Helper-ID never sees, receives, or stores your card number or banking details.

Tier 2 NFC members: your data stays on your tag

If you use a self-sovereign NFC tag, your profile data is read directly from the tag by the person scanning it — it never passes through our servers. Your information goes from your tag to their screen and nowhere else.

Questions about our security practices? [email protected]

Refund Policy

Last updated: April 2026

Digital downloads

Digital download purchases ($9) are non-refundable once the profile URL has been generated and delivered. If you have an issue with your purchase, contact us and we'll make it right.

NFC Pack

Physical NFC tag orders ($35) can be refunded within 14 days of purchase if the tags have not been written. Once an NFC tag has been written with your profile data, it cannot be refunded. Contact us if your tags arrive damaged.

Full Membership

Annual memberships ($55/yr) can be refunded within 30 days of purchase if you're unsatisfied for any reason. After 30 days, no refunds are issued but your membership remains active until the end of the billing period.

How to request a refund

Email [email protected] with your order details and reason. We respond within 2 business days.

Contact

Questions about privacy, your data, or these terms? We're a small team and we respond personally.

Email: [email protected]
Company: Empathy Lab, Inc.
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