Privacy Policy

Last Updated: December 2025

Our Commitment

Ping is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains what data we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and what you can do about it.

We only use your data to talk to you, not to sell you.

1. Data We Collect

1.1 Bank Transaction Metadata

We collect the following information about your transactions:

  • Amount: Transaction amounts
  • Merchant: Merchant or vendor names
  • Date: Transaction dates
  • Category: Transaction categories (e.g., "Food", "Retail")
  • Account ID: Encrypted account identifiers (not full account numbers)

What We Do NOT Collect:

  • Bank login credentials (passwords, PINs)
  • Full account numbers
  • Routing numbers
  • Ability to move money or make payments
  • Account balances (unless required for context)

1.2 Phone Number

  • Your phone number is required to send SMS messages
  • Phone numbers are encrypted and stored securely
  • We use your phone number as your primary identifier

1.3 Message History

  • We store recent message history (SMS conversations)
  • This allows us to provide context-aware responses
  • Message history is retained for a limited time (see Data Retention Policy)

1.4 App Preferences

  • Message frequency settings
  • Tone preferences
  • Notification settings
  • Quiet hours settings

1.5 Usage Data

  • Basic usage statistics (e.g., message delivery status)
  • Error logs (for system reliability)
  • No personal information is included in logs

2. How Data Is Collected

2.1 Bank Integration

  • Data is collected via read-only bank API connections
  • We use third-party services (e.g., Teller, Plaid) that are compliant with financial regulations
  • You authorize the connection during onboarding

2.2 SMS Interactions

  • When you send SMS messages to Ping, we collect and store the message content
  • This allows us to respond to your questions and maintain conversation context

2.3 App Usage

  • Preferences and settings are collected when you use the app
  • This data is stored locally on your device and optionally synced to our servers

3. How Data Is Used

3.1 Primary Uses

  • Generate Messages: To create personalized spending insights and notifications
  • Respond to Replies: To answer your questions about transactions
  • Improve Service: To enhance message quality and system reliability

3.2 What We Do NOT Do

  • We do not sell your data to third parties
  • We do not use your data for advertising or targeted advertising
  • We do not share your data with marketers
  • We do not use your data for purposes other than providing the service
  • We collect only the data necessary to operate the service

3.3 AI Usage Disclosure

Important: Messages may be generated using artificial intelligence (AI).

  • AI is used to create conversational, personalized messages
  • AI does not make financial decisions for you
  • AI outputs may be imperfect or contain errors
  • You should always verify important information independently

4. Data Sharing

4.1 Third-Party Processors

We share data only with third-party services necessary to provide Ping:

  • Bank API Providers (e.g., Teller, Plaid): To access transaction data
  • SMS Providers (e.g., Bird, Twilio): To send and receive messages
  • AI Providers (e.g., Google Gemini): To generate message content
  • Hosting Services: To store and process data securely

All third parties are contractually required to:

  • Use data only for providing the service
  • Maintain appropriate security measures
  • Comply with applicable privacy laws
  • Not use data for their own purposes

4.2 No Marketing Resale

  • We do not sell, rent, or share your data with marketers
  • We do not use your data for advertising purposes
  • We do not create advertising profiles

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose data if required by:

  • Law or legal process
  • Government requests
  • Protection of rights, property, or safety

5. Data Security

5.1 Security Measures

We implement industry-standard security measures:

  • Encryption of sensitive data (phone numbers, account identifiers)
  • Secure API connections (HTTPS/TLS)
  • Access controls and authentication
  • Regular security audits

5.2 No Guarantees

While we take security seriously, no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. User Rights

You have the following rights regarding your data:

6.1 Access

  • Request a copy of your data
  • View your transaction history
  • Review your message history

6.2 Deletion

  • Request deletion of your data
  • Delete your account (which deletes all associated data)
  • Disconnect bank accounts (which stops data collection)

6.3 Correction

  • Update your preferences
  • Correct inaccurate information (where applicable)

6.4 Opt-Out

  • Stop receiving messages (reply STOP or use Settings)
  • Pause messages temporarily
  • Disconnect bank accounts

7. Children's Privacy

Ping is intended for users aged 13 and older, including high school students. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 years of age.

7.1 Users Under 13

If we become aware that we have collected personal data from a child under 13 without appropriate consent, we will delete such information promptly. If you believe we may have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately at ping.finance.app@gmail.com.

7.2 Users Aged 13-17

Ping is designed to support high school students (ages 13-17) in building healthy money habits. Parental consent is not required for users aged 13-17, but we encourage parents and guardians to be involved in their teen's use of Ping and to contact us with any questions or concerns.

7.3 Age Verification

During account creation, users are required to confirm that they are 13 years of age or older. Users who indicate they are under 13 will not be able to create an account.

8. International Users

If you are using Ping from outside the United States:

  • Your data may be transferred to and processed in the United States
  • By using the service, you consent to this transfer
  • We comply with applicable data protection laws

9. Changes to Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by:

  • Posting the updated policy in the app
  • Sending a notification (if significant changes)
  • Updating the "Last Updated" date

10. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your data, please contact us:

By using Ping, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.