Privacy

Privacy policy

SmartBuddy Privacy Policy

Last updated: 21 October 2026

KIWIAGENT LIMITED ("we", "us", "our") provides SmartBuddy, a personal AI assistant app (the "Service"), available on the Apple App Store and Google Play. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you use SmartBuddy or visit our website, why we collect it, who we share it with, how long we keep it, and the choices you have.

We are based in New Zealand and comply with the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020. Where you use the Service from Australia, we also handle your information in line with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (including the Australian Privacy Principles).

1. Information We Collect

Information you give us

  • Account information: your email address, name, and password (stored only as a one-way hash). If you sign in with Google or Apple, we receive your name and email address from them.
  • Profile and preferences: your avatar, language, time zone, your buddy's name, personality and voice, and other settings you choose.
  • What you send your buddy: text messages, photos, files and voice messages, and the replies, files and errands your buddy creates for you.
  • Connected email accounts (optional): we never ask for your email password. For Gmail, iCloud or Yahoo you create an app-specific password in your email account — it works only for mail and you can revoke it there at any time. For Outlook you sign in with Microsoft and we receive a sign-in token. We store the app-specific password or token encrypted (AES-256); it is never shown to your buddy or to anyone else.
  • Reports and support: if you report a buddy reply, we keep your report and a copy of that reply; if you contact us, we keep that correspondence so we can respond.

Information collected only if you turn it on

  • Approximate location: if you turn on "Let my buddy use my approximate location", the app reads your location only while you are using it, and sends us your suburb and city and coordinates rounded to about 1 km. We keep only the latest one. It is off by default.
  • Calendar: if you turn on calendar sync, the app uploads the times of your calendar events from 30 days ago to 12 months ahead. Event titles and places are included only if you also choose "include titles and places". It is off by default.
  • Google Calendar (optional): if you connect Google Calendar in Buddy → Connections, you sign in with Google and allow SmartBuddy to see the list of your calendars and to view and edit their events. We don't store your events: your buddy reads them from Google only when your request needs them, and adds, changes or deletes events only on your primary calendar when you ask. It never invites anyone, and Google sends no invitations on your behalf. We keep only an encrypted access token (AES-256).

Payment information

  • If you subscribe on our website, payment is processed by our payment provider Stripe. We do not receive or store your full card details; Stripe handles them under its own privacy policy (stripe.com/privacy). We keep a record of your subscription and payments.

Information collected automatically

  • Device and notification data: a push-notification token and your device platform (iOS or Android), so we can send the notifications you have enabled.
  • Technical data: basic information such as app version and server logs, used to keep the Service running and secure.

The app does not include advertising, advertising trackers, or third-party analytics.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

  1. Provide the Service — understand your messages, reply, carry out the errands you ask for (for example reminders, summaries, drafts and plans), and send you the notifications you have enabled;
  2. Act on your connected email accounts when you ask — for example reading or summarising messages and drafting replies. Your buddy never sends an email or other message in your name without asking you first, every time;
  3. Keep the Service safe — prevent abuse, review reports, and diagnose problems;
  4. Manage your subscription and payments, and respond to your requests and provide support;
  5. Comply with legal obligations.

We do not use your messages, files, email or calendar to train AI models, and we do not use them for advertising. We do not sell your personal information.

Google user data. SmartBuddy's use and transfer of information received from Google APIs adheres to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements. We use Google Calendar data only to provide the calendar features you ask for; we pass it to our AI service providers only as needed to answer your request; we do not use it for advertising, do not sell it, and do not use it to develop, improve or train AI or machine-learning models; and no person reads it unless you ask us to, it is needed for security, or the law requires it.

3. AI Processing

SmartBuddy is powered by artificial intelligence. Before you send your first message, the app asks for your agreement to the processing described here.

  • To understand you and reply, the text, photos, files and voice messages you send your buddy — and, when relevant to your request, content from your connected email, your calendar and your approximate location — are sent to third-party AI service providers that we work with. These include providers of large language models (understanding and replying), speech recognition (turning voice messages into text) and speech synthesis (your buddy's voice replies).
  • These providers process the content to return results to us.
  • Processing is automated. AI can make mistakes — please check important information. You can report any reply from its long-press menu.
  • You can withdraw your agreement at any time in Settings → Privacy → About AI. Your buddy can't chat with you until you agree again; your existing data is not deleted by withdrawing.
  • When you use "read aloud" in the app, the text is spoken by your phone's own text-to-speech.

4. Who Can See Your Information

  • Your buddy only. Your location, calendar and email are used only by your own buddy, never by other users or their buddies.
  • Our team, only when needed. No one at SmartBuddy reads your messages except: (a) a reply you have reported, which we review; (b) when you ask us to look into an issue; (c) to investigate security problems or abuse; or (d) when required by law.

5. How We Share Information

We share information only:

  1. With service providers that run parts of the Service for us and act only on our instructions — cloud hosting and storage, AI services, sign-in and push notifications, and payment processing;
  2. With your own email provider, when your buddy reads or sends mail you asked for;
  3. When required by law or a valid legal request, or to protect the rights, property or safety of our users, the public or us;
  4. In a business transfer — if KIWIAGENT LIMITED is involved in a merger, acquisition or sale of assets, under this policy;
  5. With your consent — in any other case.

6. How Long We Keep Information

  • Chats: messages and the errands your buddy records are kept while you use the Service, and deleted when you delete your buddy or your account (or when your plan ends, see below). Photos, files and voice messages are deleted automatically 30 days after they are sent (from storage within about a day after that). You can delete chat messages and files earlier.
  • Your buddy's memory and settings: the notes your buddy keeps to remember your preferences, its personalisation and scheduled tasks are kept while you use the Service, and deleted when you delete your buddy or your account.
  • Location: only the latest approximate location is kept; it is deleted as soon as you turn location sharing off.
  • Calendar: each sync replaces the previous one; everything is deleted as soon as you turn calendar sync off.
  • Google Calendar: your events are not stored. The encrypted access token is kept until you disconnect Google Calendar (which also removes our access at Google) or delete your account. You can also remove access at myaccount.google.com/permissions.
  • Connected email: the encrypted app-specific password or sign-in token is kept until you disconnect the mailbox or delete your account.
  • If your plan ends: your buddy is paused and its data, including your chats, is kept for 30 days so you can continue, then deleted.
  • Payment records: kept as long as required by tax and accounting law (in New Zealand, generally 7 years).
  • Reports: a report and its copy of the reported reply are kept for up to 1 year, and deleted sooner if you delete your account.
  • Account deletion: you can delete your account in Settings → Delete account, or by emailing us. Your account is deleted 30 days after the request (logging in before then cancels it). Your buddy, its memory, your messages, files, connected mailboxes, location, calendar and reports are then deleted. We keep payment, credit and redemption records only where needed for legal or accounting reasons, in a form no longer linked to your name or email where possible.

Security: we use encryption in transit, encrypt stored email credentials, limit staff access, and review our security regularly.

7. Where Information Is Stored and Processed

Our servers are in Sydney, Australia. Our service providers process information on our behalf, and we take reasonable steps to make sure your information is protected in line with this policy wherever it is processed.

8. Age

The Service is for adults and is not directed to anyone under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you believe we hold information about someone under 18, contact us and we will delete it.

9. Your Rights and Choices

You can:

  • Access the personal information we hold about you, and ask for a copy;
  • Correct information that is wrong;
  • Delete your chat messages, your buddy or your account (Section 6);
  • Turn off location sharing and calendar sync in Settings at any time;
  • Disconnect connected mailboxes at any time;
  • Withdraw your agreement to AI processing in Settings → Privacy → About AI;
  • Turn off notifications in your phone's settings;
  • Complain about how we handle your information.

To make a request, email [email protected]. We may need to confirm your identity. We usually respond within 10 working days, and always within 20 working days.

10. Website

You can also sign in to your SmartBuddy account on our website, smartbuddy.co.nz — for example to redeem a code. Your sign-in is kept in your browser's local storage so you stay signed in; the website doesn't use advertising or analytics cookies.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy. If we make material changes, we will tell you in the app or by email before they take effect, and ask for your agreement again where the law requires it.

12. Complaints

If you are not satisfied with how we handle your personal information, please contact us first and we'll do our best to put it right. You can also complain to the regulator:

  • New Zealand: Office of the Privacy Commissioner (www.privacy.org.nz)
  • Australia: Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (www.oaic.gov.au)

13. Contact Us

  • Email: [email protected]
  • Privacy Officer / Company: KIWIAGENT LIMITED, 528 Beach Road, Murrays Bay, Auckland 0630, New Zealand