Beacon

Privacy policy

Last updated: October 2026

Beacon is a wellness and mental health support app built for people in Aotearoa New Zealand. We take your privacy seriously. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights under the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020.

1. Who we are

Beacon is operated in New Zealand. If you have any questions about this policy or your data, contact us at: privacy@getbeacon.org.nz

2. What information we collect

When you use Beacon we may collect:

  • Information you provide during sign-up (name, email)
  • Information you share during onboarding (age range, occupation, relationship status, location, mood assessment)
  • Conversations you have with the Beacon AI
  • Journal entries you write
  • Daily check-in scores (mood, stress, sleep, energy, confidence)
  • Habit tracking data
  • Your device’s IP address (stored on our servers to help with support)

We do not collect:

  • Your exact GPS location
  • Biometric data
  • Payment information (payments are processed by third-party providers)

3. How we use your information

We use your information to:

  • Provide the Beacon service and personalise your experience
  • Detect crisis situations and connect you with appropriate support
  • Route you to relevant health and support services (referrals)
  • Improve the app and understand how it is being used across Aotearoa
  • Respond to your support requests

We do not sell your personal information to anyone.

4. AI conversations

Your conversations with Beacon are processed by Anthropic (the company behind Claude AI) to generate responses. Anthropic’s privacy policy applies to this processing. Conversation history is stored on our server (so Beacon can remember the context of your chats) and on your device.

Voice features use ElevenLabs to convert speech to text and text to speech. ElevenLabs’ privacy policy applies to audio processing.

We encourage you not to share sensitive personal information such as your full name, address, or financial details in the chat.

5. Who we share your information with

We may share information with:

  • Support providers (GPs, counsellors, Fathers for Families, crisis services, etc.) — but only when you are referred, and only the information needed to connect you
  • Anthropic — to process your AI conversations (see above)
  • ElevenLabs — to process voice input and output (see above)

We do not share your information with advertisers or data brokers.

6. Where your data is stored

Your account, profile, journal entries, check-ins, habits and chat history are stored on our server in New Zealand. Some of this is also kept on your device.

AI conversations and voice audio are processed by Anthropic and ElevenLabs, whose servers may be located outside New Zealand. By using the chat or voice features, you consent to this transfer.

7. How long we keep your data

Data on your device is kept until you delete the app or use the “Delete Account” option in Settings.

Server-side data (your account, journal, check-ins, chat history, referral records) is kept for up to 2 years or until you request deletion.

8. Your rights (NZ Privacy Act 2020)

Under the NZ Privacy Act 2020, you have the right to:

  • Ask what personal information we hold about you
  • Ask us to correct any inaccurate information
  • Ask us to delete your information
  • Make a complaint to the Privacy Commissioner (privacy.org.nz)

To exercise any of these rights, contact: privacy@getbeacon.org.nz
We will respond within 20 working days.

To delete your account and data, see how to delete your account.

9. Security

We take reasonable steps to protect your information. Your conversations are not accessible to Beacon staff unless you escalate to a live chat session.

You can set a PIN in Settings to lock the app and protect your conversations from anyone who picks up your phone.

10. Children

Beacon is for adults aged 18 and over and is not intended for anyone under 18. If you believe someone under 18 has provided us with personal information, please contact privacy@getbeacon.org.nz and we will delete it promptly.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes through the app. Continued use of Beacon after changes means you accept the updated policy.

12. Contact us

For any privacy questions or requests:

To make a complaint to the Privacy Commissioner: