1. Introduction
Welcome to Binky, a consumer wellbeing app designed to support overwhelmed parents and caregivers in managing stress, “crash-out” moments, and the ongoing mental load of family life. The app provides self-guided tools and educational content only; it is not a medical device, does not provide professional therapy, diagnosis, or crisis support, and is not a substitute for care from a licensed health or mental-health professional. These Terms & Conditions (the "Terms") help ensure a safe and supportive experience for everyone using the app.
2. Acceptance of Terms
By accessing or using Binky, you agree to these Terms & Conditions. If you don't agree, please don't use the app.
3. Eligibility
Binky is designed for parents and caregivers. To use Binky, you must be at least 18 years old or the age of majority in your jurisdiction. This app is not intended for children or use by anyone under the age of 18.
4. Account Registration and Security
To use Binky, you'll create an account using your name, phone number, and optionally your email. During onboarding, you may provide information about your current stress, burnout, mental load, and goals to generate a burnout snapshot and personalize your experience. You may also provide information like your baby's birthdate, but that data is never shared without your explicit consent. Please keep your login credentials secure. You're responsible for all activity under your account.
5. User Conduct
You agree to use Binky respectfully and lawfully. Binky is a calm, emotionally safe space. The following behaviors are not allowed:
- Harassment, judgmental, or dismissive behavior
- Offensive, explicit, or discriminatory content
- Sharing someone else's personal information
- Spam, scams, or impersonation
- Disrupting the app or attempting unauthorized access
- Violating privacy, trust, or our community tone
Breach of these guidelines may result in removal of content or account suspension.
6. Content Ownership and Rights
You own the reflections and content you create in Binky. If you choose to share an entry to the community feed, it is shared anonymously and never includes personal identifiers. You grant Binky a license to use, display, and improve the experience with anonymized and aggregate content. This helps us improve features and generate supportive responses, but we never claim ownership of your personal data.
7. Privacy and Data Protection
Binky collects the following personal data:
- Name: Used for personalization
- Phone number: For login and account protection
- Family info: Name, birthdate (name and exact birthdate are only used for context, never shown to others)
- Onboarding assessment data: Stress, burnout, mental load information for burnout snapshot generation
- Check-in data: Mood, sleep, unmet needs, reflections
- Binky interactions: Conversations and inputs shared with our AI chatbot
- AI outputs: Personalized affirmations, validation, and chatbot responses
- Usage data: Analytics on feature use, engagement, and app performance
We never sell your data or use it for advertising.
Use of Data
We use your data to generate affirmations, personalize your experience, and improve the app. Reflections shared with the community are stripped of identifying details and displayed anonymously.
Data Sharing
Binky does not share user data with third parties for financial gain. We may work with trusted services for moderation, analytics, or infrastructure—but only under strict confidentiality terms.
Data Protection Measures
Binky uses industry-standard encryption and security practices to protect your data and privacy.
8. AI Use and Limitations
Binky includes an AI-powered “Binky Buddy” chatbot that offers conversational, empathetic, and informational support. Users can share how they are feeling or what is happening in their day, and the chatbot responds with validation, gentle reframes, and practical suggestions for coping and self-care.
Important AI Disclaimers
The chatbot's output is generated by artificial intelligence based on patterns in its training data and user inputs; it may be inaccurate or incomplete and should not be relied upon for medical, psychological, legal, or financial decisions. The AI responses are for informational and emotional support purposes only and do not constitute professional advice of any kind.
Binky also uses generative AI to provide personalized affirmations and validation based on the information you provide during check-ins and onboarding assessments. We may use anonymized, aggregated input data to improve the quality and relevance of future responses.
Burnout Snapshot Disclaimer
The burnout snapshot and profiling generated during onboarding are for self-reflection and personalization only and are not clinical assessments or diagnoses. These tools are designed to help personalize your experience within the app and should not be used as a substitute for professional mental health evaluation.
9. Interactive Regulation Tools
Binky offers several interactive regulation tools designed to help you manage stress and regulate your nervous system:
- Tapping Exercise: An on-screen sequence with guided language designed to help you “place” and release stress in the app instead of acting it out in real life.
- Guided Breathing: Simple prompts and animations to guide you through short routines intended to help you slow down and regulate your nervous system.
- Swipeable Affirmations: A “card stack” of supportive messages in a Tinder-style interface where you can swipe through, save what resonates, and pass on what doesn't, creating a personalized collection of emotional support.
These tools are for self-guided wellness and stress management only. They are not medical treatments and should not be used as a substitute for professional mental health care, therapy, or medical treatment.
10. Community Reflections & Sharing
When sharing a reflection to the community feed, your submission is anonymous and labeled only with general context like "Dad of newborn (2m)." No usernames, likes, or comments exist to preserve emotional safety. All shared reflections are reviewed to ensure they are respectful and supportive. We may remove content that violates this tone.
11. Analytics
We collect high-level usage analytics to help improve Binky, including how often people check in, which features they use, and how well the app performs. No advertising or data sales ever.
12. Third-Party Services
Binky uses services like Firebase, analytics platforms, and content moderation tools. These services may access limited, relevant data to help operate or improve the app.
13. Termination of Account
We may suspend or remove accounts that violate our terms or community guidelines. You may also delete your account at any time by contacting support.
14. Limitation of Liability
While we do our best to protect your data and offer emotional support, Binky is not a substitute for medical advice or professional therapy. You use the app at your own discretion and assume responsibility for your use. Binky is provided "as is," without warranties, and we are not liable for data loss, service interruptions, or misuse of content by others.
15. Changes to Terms
We may update these Terms occasionally. You will be notified of any significant changes. Continued use of Binky means you accept the updated Terms.
16. License to Use Services
Binky grants you a personal, non-transferable, non-exclusive license to use the app in accordance with these Terms. This license ends when you stop using Binky or if your account is terminated.
17. Dispute Resolution
We aim to resolve any concerns quickly and respectfully. If a dispute arises:
Arbitration
Any disputes will be resolved through binding arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association (AAA).
Jurisdiction and Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of the state in which Binky operates, without regard to conflict of laws principles.
Class Action Waiver
You agree to resolve disputes individually, not as part of a class action or group claim.
Exceptions
We retain the right to seek legal action in the case of copyright, trademark, or intellectual property violations.
18. Contact or Questions
For questions, feedback, or support, contact us at support@binky.app.