Privacy Policy
Last updated: June 2026
ClearPath AI respects your privacy. This policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and the steps we take to protect it.
Table of Contents
Introduction
ClearPath AI respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy describes how we handle data when you use our AI-powered community resource navigator.
We built ClearPath AI with a privacy-first approach. We do not train models on your data, and we do not share your information with advertisers. Guest sessions are ephemeral by design. For authenticated users, we store only what is needed to provide cross-session functionality. Our architecture was designed from the ground up to minimize data collection and maximize your control.
By using ClearPath AI, you agree to the practices described in this policy. If you have any questions, please contact us at team@clearpath-ai.org.
Information We Collect
We collect the absolute minimum amount of data necessary to provide our service. Here's what we process:
What you type
Your search queries and conversation inputs are processed to classify your needs and find relevant resources. Processing is in-memory only and nothing is written to disk. Sessions are stateless — no personal data is retained between visits.
Classification results
The AI-generated category labels and confidence scores are generated in real-time and displayed to you. For guests, they are not stored after your session ends. For account holders, they are saved as part of conversation history.
What we do NOT collect: Personal identifiers, location data, browsing history, device information, cookies for tracking, or any data for advertising purposes.
How We Use Information
Your input is used for exactly one purpose: to classify your needs and find the most relevant community resources for you.
- Classify your query into categories like housing, food assistance, mental health, legal aid, etc.
- Calculate confidence scores so you know how certain the AI is about each result
- Detect crisis situations so we can prioritize emergency resources and hotlines
- Present resource recommendations from verified databases like 211.org
We never use your data for:
- Training machine learning models
- Targeted advertising or marketing
- Selling or sharing with third parties
- Building user profiles or behavioral tracking
Data Storage
Queries are processed in real-time and not persistently stored. No personal data is retained between visits.
ClearPath AI uses an in-memory processing architecture. This means:
- Guest sessions are processed in-memory with no persistent storage. Queries are processed in real-time and not persistently stored
- Queries are processed in real-time and not persistently stored — no personal data is retained between visits
- No session data can be retrieved after the browser tab is closed
- All sessions are stateless — no personal data persists beyond the current visit
Crisis Detection Data
ClearPath AI includes a crisis detection layer that identifies when someone may be in danger. This is a safety-critical feature designed to connect people in crisis with immediate help.
Crisis keywords are processed locally
Detection happens entirely in-memory. Crisis-related keywords trigger immediate resource recommendations (988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 911, etc.) without any data being logged or stored.
Never logged, never stored
We never record which crisis keywords were detected, when they were detected, or who triggered them. The detection result is used only to display emergency resources and then it's gone.
Third-Party Services
ClearPath AI integrates with the following third-party services to deliver its functionality:
Hugging Face API
Used for AI classification (BART-large-MNLI). Your query is sent to the API for classification, and only the category label and confidence score are returned. Hugging Face's own privacy policy applies to data in transit.
211.org
Used for verified community resource data. We query 211.org's database for resource listings. No personal information is sent to 211.org — only category and location filters.
We do not integrate with any advertising networks, analytics platforms that track users, or data brokers. Period.
Your Rights
You have the following rights regarding your data:
Right to Know
You have the right to know what data we process. Guest sessions are processed in real-time with no persistence. For account holders, we store conversation history and saved resources — you can view and request a copy of your data at any time.
Right to Delete
You have the right to request deletion of your data. Guest sessions have no persistent data to delete. Account holders can request full data deletion at any time through our contact page — we will remove all stored data within 30 days.
Right to Opt Out
You can stop using the service at any time. Guest sessions leave no trace when you close the tab. Account holders can delete their account and all associated data at any time.
Children's Privacy
ClearPath AI is designed with privacy-first principles (no personal data collected from anyone) for users of all ages, including children and teenagers who may need community resources. No formal compliance certification — this is a hackathon build.
- We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13
- Account creation is optional — guests need no names, emails, or birthdays; accounts require minimal information
- There is no authentication system. No personal data is collected from anyone — adult or minor.
- Crisis detection works the same way for all users, including children, ensuring immediate access to help
If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has interacted with our service and have concerns, please contact us. Guest sessions leave no persistent data to remove. For account holders, we can delete all stored data upon request — and we take all concerns seriously.
Security Measures
We take security seriously. Our architecture was designed to minimize risk:
In-Memory Guest Processing
Guest data processed in RAM, never persisted to disk. No user data is persistently stored
Encrypted Storage
No user data is persistently stored; guest sessions never touch disk
HTTPS Encryption
All data in transit is encrypted using TLS 1.3
While no system is 100% secure, our approach minimizes data exposure. Guest sessions leave no trace, and no user data is persistently stored. You can't breach what was never stored.
Data Processing Legal Basis
Under GDPR Article 6, all data processing must have a lawful basis. ClearPath AI processes data under the following legal bases:
Legitimate Interest
Processing your query text to classify your needs and present relevant community resources. This is the core functionality you expect when using our service. Our legitimate interest is providing the AI navigation service you requested.
Data types: Query text, classification results, confidence scores
Vital Interest
Crisis keyword detection is processed under the vital interest legal basis. When someone may be in danger, processing their input to detect crisis signals and connect them with emergency services is necessary to protect their vital interests — their life and safety.
Data types: Crisis keyword matching (in-memory only)
Consent
If you voluntarily provide location information to improve resource relevance, this is processed based on your explicit consent. You can withdraw this consent at any time by clearing your location in the interface. No consequences for refusing.
Data types: Opt-in location data (ZIP code only)
Data Controller Information
ClearPath AI is the data controller for all processing described in this policy. For privacy inquiries, contact us through our contact page. We use the Hugging Face Inference API for text classification. Hugging Face may process your text temporarily as part of their API service. We do not send personal identifiers to Hugging Face.
International Data Transfers
ClearPath AI's architecture minimizes international data transfer concerns. Here is how cross-border data handling works in our system:
Countries where data may be processed
Our application servers are hosted in the United States. The Hugging Face API (used for AI classification) may process queries in US-based data centers. 211.org resource queries are routed to their US-based servers. No other international transfers occur.
Safeguards in place
Guest session data is not stored, so the risk from international transfers is minimal for guests. For authenticated users, data is stored in an encrypted database. Query text is processed in real-time via the Hugging Face API. All data in transit is encrypted using TLS 1.3 regardless of destination.
Standard contractual clauses
Where our third-party service providers (Hugging Face) may process data outside the EEA, they operate under Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission. For guest sessions, all processing is ephemeral. For account data, we apply appropriate safeguards for cross-border transfers.
Automated Decision-Making
ClearPath AI uses automated processing to classify your queries and present resource recommendations. Under GDPR Article 22, you have specific rights regarding automated decision-making. Here is what our system does and does not do:
What automated decisions are made
- Query classification into resource categories (e.g., housing, food assistance, mental health)
- Confidence score calculation indicating the model's certainty about its classification
- Crisis keyword detection triggering immediate emergency resource display
- Clarification question generation when confidence is below 70%
Right to human review
You always have the right to request human review of any AI-generated recommendation. Our “Talk to a Navigator” button connects you to a trained 211.org professional who can provide human-verified guidance. This is not a hidden option — it is prominently displayed on every result and at every stage of the interaction.
How to opt out of automated processing
You can bypass AI classification entirely by contacting a 211 navigator directly. Call 2-1-1 or use the “Talk to a Navigator” button to speak with a human. You can also simply close the browser tab — no automated decisions persist after your session ends.
Important: Our automated decisions do not produce legal effects or similarly significant effects on you. We recommend resources — we do not determine eligibility, approve applications, or make decisions about your access to services.
Data Retention Schedule
Our data retention is simple: we don't retain guest data; account data is kept only as long as needed. Here is the complete schedule showing what happens to each type of data:
| Data Type | Retention Period |
|---|---|
| Query text (guest) | Session only (seconds) |
| Query text (account) | Until account deletion |
| Classification results (guest) | Session only (seconds) |
| Classification results (account) | Until account deletion |
| Confidence scores | Session only (guest) / Until deletion (account) |
| Crisis keyword matches | Not stored at all |
| Location data (ZIP) | Session only (if provided) |
| Session metadata | Session only |
| Anonymous feedback | 1 year |
| Server logs | 7 days |
| API call metadata | Not stored |
| Resource database cache | 24 hours |
Privacy by Design
Privacy by Design is not a feature we added — it is the foundation we built on. Our architecture decisions were made with privacy as the primary constraint, not as a compliance afterthought.
Architecture Decisions for Privacy
In-memory processing for guests
Guest sessions eliminate entire categories of data breach risk. You cannot exfiltrate data that was never stored.
Optional user accounts
Accounts are optional — guests can use the service with no identifiers. No personal data is retained between visits, and all processing is stateless.
Zero-shot classification
We use a pre-trained model without fine-tuning on user data. Your queries improve nothing about the model.
Session-based architecture
All state is ephemeral. When you close the tab, every trace of your interaction is gone from our servers. No data persists beyond the current session.
Opt-in location sharing
Location is never requested automatically. If you choose to share a ZIP code for better results, it stays in your session only.
Privacy Impact Assessment Results
We conducted a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) prior to launch. Key findings: (1) Guest sessions collect no personal data; authenticated accounts collect minimal data; (2) In-memory processing for guests reduces data breach risk; encrypted storage for accounts protects data at rest; (3) Crisis detection operates without storing sensitive health information; (4) Hugging Face API processes text temporarily as a data processor; we do not send personal identifiers; (5) Overall privacy risk rating: Low.
Technical Safeguards
TLS 1.3 Encryption
All data in transit encrypted end-to-end
In-Memory for Guests
Guest sessions use RAM processing with no disk persistence
Input Sanitization
All user inputs sanitized before processing
No Persistent Storage
No user data is persistently stored; all sessions are ephemeral
No Tracking
No analytics, pixels, or behavioral tracking
Optional Accounts
Guests need no identifiers; accounts are optional
Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your data, please reach out:
We aim to respond to all privacy-related inquiries within 48 hours. For GDPR-related requests (data access, deletion, portability), we respond within 30 days as required by law.
Privacy is a feature, not a trade-off
Experience AI that respects your privacy by default. Minimal data collection, optional accounts, no compromises.