Privacy Policy
Last updated:
Estia is a Mac writing app made by Andy Nicolaides. In this policy, “I” and “me” refer to Andy as Estia’s developer. This page explains what information I collect through Estia, and which network connections Estia makes on your behalf when you use features that need them.
In short
- You don’t need an Estia account.
- Your writing is stored as files on your Mac, in a location you choose.
- Estia has no developer-operated analytics, no advertising and no tracking.
- I don’t receive your writing through Estia’s normal operation.
- Estia does connect to other services when you ask it to: the feeds and websites you add, and your configured Micropub publishing service if you choose to publish.
What I collect
Through Estia’s normal operation, I don’t collect information about you or your writing. Specifically, Estia:
- doesn’t require an Estia account;
- doesn’t contain analytics operated by me;
- doesn’t contain advertising;
- doesn’t track you;
- doesn’t send your writing to any server operated by me or for Estia;
- doesn’t provide a cloud storage service for your writing.
If you email me for support, I’ll receive your message, your email address and anything you choose to include, as with any email.
Your writing
Estia stores your writing locally on your Mac as files, in a location you choose. Estia doesn’t upload it to me or to any Estia service. If the location you choose is synced by another service, that service’s own terms and privacy practices apply.
Connections Estia makes for you
Some features need to reach the internet. When they do, Estia communicates directly with services you’ve selected or asked it to use. These are not services I operate, and I don’t receive this information.
Feeds and sources
Estia makes network requests directly to the RSS and Atom feeds and other sources you configure. When you open a source, Estia may fetch the article or page content directly from the website it came from. As with visiting any website, those sites receive the request from your Mac, including information such as your IP address.
Writing assistance
Estia’s optional writing-assistance feature (Get Started and Suggest Outline) uses Apple’s on-device Foundation Models, part of Apple Intelligence, on supported Macs. It only runs when you explicitly choose to use it. Processing for this feature is performed on-device, and Estia doesn’t send your writing to an AI service operated by me.
Publishing
Estia can optionally publish to your configured Micropub publishing service (such as Pika). Estia only communicates with that service when you explicitly choose to publish, and it sends the post you’re publishing, along with your credentials for that service, so it can be published. I don’t operate that service.
Publishing credentials
Credentials for your configured publishing service are stored in the macOS Keychain on your Mac, and are used to authenticate with that publishing service.
Third-party services
Feed publishers, websites, your publishing service and Apple each have their own privacy practices and policies. I don’t operate those services and can’t speak for how they handle information, so please review their policies if you have questions about them.
Changes to this policy
If Estia’s behaviour changes in a way that affects this policy, I’ll update this page and the date at the top.
Contact
If you have any questions about privacy and Estia, email apps@thedent.net.