Thought DeskPrivacy Policy
Last updated October 24, 2026
In short
- Your notes are stored on your computer. We never receive them.
- The app has no analytics or ads. It only goes online to check for updates, and for online features you choose to use.
- If you make an account, we keep only what those features need: your sign-in, profile, friends and invitations.
- We don't sell your information.
Who we are
Thought Desk ("we") makes the Thought Desk app and runs thoughtdesk.org. This policy covers the app, this website and the optional online features. You can reach us at support@thoughtdesk.org.
Your notes
Your pages, databases, assignments, events, flashcards and files are stored on your computer, in a folder you choose. They aren't uploaded to us or to anyone else, so we can't see, analyse or sell them. Keeping them backed up is in your hands; you can export everything as Markdown at any time.
What the app sends
- Update checks. When it starts, the app asks GitHub whether there's a new version, and downloads it if you choose to install it. GitHub sees your IP address, as with any download.
- Pictures from the web. A picture you add from a web address is loaded from that website.
Nothing else. The app has no analytics, crash reporting, ads or trackers.
Accounts and writing together
Friends and writing together, which are coming soon, need an account. Making one is optional. If you do:
- Signing in is handled by Clerk. It keeps your email address, plus your name and profile picture if you sign in with Google or GitHub. It also records sign-in details such as your IP address and browser, to keep your account secure.
- Your profile, friends and invitations are stored with Supabase, in Frankfurt, Germany: your display name, @username and picture; your friends and friend requests; when you were last in the app; and your invitations to write together, including the title of the page.
- Writing together. While you and a friend write a page, its text passes between your computers through our relay on Cloudflare. The relay doesn't store it. The page is kept on both of your computers.
Your friends can see your profile and whether you're in the app. Someone who types your exact @username can see your name and picture, to send you a friend request. Nobody else can look you up or see your friends.
Buying Thought Desk
If we offer paid plans, Polar (polar.sh) sells them for us as the merchant of record: Polar handles the payment, taxes and receipts. Polar and its payment provider, Stripe, receive your payment details; we never see your card number. We receive your name, email address, country and what you bought, so we can provide it and help with any problems.
This website
thoughtdesk.org uses no cookies, analytics or trackers. It's hosted on Cloudflare, which processes your IP address and the pages you request in order to deliver the site and protect it from attacks. Downloads come from GitHub.
If you write to us, we use your email address and message to reply, and keep them as long as we need to help you.
Who else handles your information
- Clerk: signing in (United States).
- Supabase: profiles, friends and invitations (Germany).
- Cloudflare: this website and the relay for writing together (worldwide).
- GitHub: downloads and updates (United States).
- Polar and Stripe: payments, if you buy something.
Each handles your information to provide its part of Thought Desk, under its own privacy policy. Some are in the United States and protect information sent there under their own data protection agreements. We don't sell your information or share it for advertising.
Why we use it
We use account information to provide the features you ask for. We use website and security logs because we have a legitimate interest in keeping Thought Desk running safely. If you buy something, we use your purchase details to provide it and to meet tax and accounting rules.
How long we keep it
Account information is kept while you have an account. To delete your account, email us from the address you sign in with, and we'll delete your profile, friends and invitations within 30 days. Purchase records are kept as long as tax law requires.
Your rights
You can ask for a copy of your information, ask us to correct or delete it, or object to how we use it, by emailing support@thoughtdesk.org. If you're in the EU or the UK, you can also complain to your data protection authority.
Children
Accounts are for people aged 13 or older.
Changes
If this policy changes, we'll update the date at the top. For important changes, we'll also tell you in the app.