Privacy Policy

SnowFairy AI Labs — SnowFairy AI IntelliRecover (Windows Desktop Software)

Last updated: June 26, 2026  ·  Governing law: India  ·  Designed to support GDPR, UK GDPR, CCPA/CPRA & DPDP Act 2023 rights

SnowFairy AI Labs ("SnowFairy", "we", "us") is committed to transparency about data collection. This Privacy Policy explains exactly what data our Software collects, why, how long it is kept, who sees it, and the rights you have. We have designed the Software with a clear two-stream architecture — one stream is mandatory for the Software to function lawfully and securely, and one is fully optional.

Table of Contents

1. Two Data Streams Overview

The Software's data collection is divided into two clearly defined, separately described streams with different purposes, scopes, and legal bases:

Stream A — Mandatory · Always Active
License Verification · Fraud Prevention · Dispute Evidence

Required for the Software to function. Cannot be disabled without disabling the Software entirely. Covers identity, license, device fingerprint, session data, and recovery evidence (including up to 100 file names per session for chargeback defence). Legal basis: contract performance + legitimate interest in fraud prevention. GDPR Art. 6(1)(b)(f) DPDP Act 2023 §4

Stream B — Optional · Opt-In Only
Anonymised Performance Benchmarking

Disabled by default. Zero file names · Zero file paths · Zero file contents · Zero personal identifiers. Enable via Settings → Privacy → Analytics. Auto-deleted after 30 days. Legal basis: explicit consent. GDPR Art. 6(1)(a) DPDP Act 2023 §5

2. Stream A — What We Collect (Mandatory)

The following data is collected during every session as a condition of using the Software. You consent to this collection by installing and using the Software, as disclosed in the in-app Terms of Service.

a) Account & Identity Data

When you create an account: your email address. If you use OAuth (e.g., Google Sign-In): your display name and profile photo URL as provided by that service. Passwords are managed entirely by Firebase Authentication — we never see or store raw passwords.

b) License & Activation Data

Your License Key, product tier (e.g., Pro, Elite), activation date, expiry date (annual plans), region (India / UK / Global), and a one-way SHA-256 hashed machine identifier derived from hardware properties of your PC. The hash is mathematically irreversible — it cannot be used to identify your PC to anyone other than SnowFairy for the specific purpose of per-device license enforcement.

c) Device & System Profile

Collected at activation: Windows OS edition and build number, CPU model and core count, RAM capacity, GPU model, screen resolution, and connected storage drive labels and capacities. This profile is used to enforce license limits, assist support diagnosis, and provide context in dispute evidence.

d) Network & Session Data

IP address at session start (used for geolocation — see Section 6 — and logged once per session under your license record), session start and end timestamps, cumulative launch count, and features used during each session.

e) Recovery Evidence Data

Per scan session, we record: number of files found and recovered, recovered file types (e.g., .jpg, .docx), recovered total size in MB, drive type and scan mode, scan duration — and up to 100 recovered file names per session. File names (not contents) are captured as evidence of successful recovery for the purpose of defending against fraudulent chargeback and refund claims. The recovery engine never transmits file contents to SnowFairy servers under any circumstances. If you voluntarily paste or share file content via the AI chat assistant or a support request, that content is processed solely as a support communication and is not linked to your recovery session data. We recommend not sharing sensitive personal data via support or chat channels.

This evidence is stored in Firebase Firestore under your license record, accessible only to SnowFairy administrators, and automatically deleted after 90 days via Firestore TTL policy. It may be disclosed to the payment processor or Merchant of Record, acquiring banks, or card network dispute resolution bodies in the event of a chargeback or fraud claim. GDPR Art. 6(1)(f) DPDP Act 2023 §4(1)(b)

Why file names and not just counts? File counts alone can be claimed to be "test scans." Specific file names — combined with device fingerprint, timestamps, and license data — provide evidence that genuine recovery occurred. This data is your protection too: it prevents us from incorrectly rejecting your support request or falsely accusing you of misuse.

f) Payment & Purchase Data

We receive from the payment processor or Merchant of Record (shown at checkout): your purchase email, order reference, product tier purchased, and transaction amount — solely for license delivery and support. We do not receive, process, or store your payment card number, CVV, bank details, or billing address.

3. Stream B — Optional Anonymous Telemetry

Stream B is disabled by default and requires your explicit opt-in action in Settings → Privacy → Analytics. You may withdraw consent at any time by returning to that setting.

When enabled, Stream B collects: scan duration, files-found and files-recovered counts by category, recovery rate percentages, drive type and scan mode, phase timings, and hardware profile (RAM, OS version). This data is:

4. What We NEVER Collect

[v] Absolute Guarantees — Under Any Circumstances

5. Crash Reports & Support Logs

Crash reports are automatically generated if the Software terminates unexpectedly. Before transmission, the report is processed by our SafeLogSanitizer component, which strips file system paths and any strings that may contain user-identifiable data. The sanitised report contains: application version, Windows OS version, error type, and a truncated stack trace. Crash reports are linked to an anonymous session fingerprint, not your email or account. Retained for 90 days, then permanently deleted.

Support logs are generated on your explicit request when you contact support. They use the same sanitisation pipeline. Sharing a log is always your choice — it is never transmitted automatically. Support logs may be reviewed by our support team to diagnose your issue and are retained for the duration of your support case plus 12 months.

6. Geolocation Data (IP-Based)

When the Software launches, it makes a single HTTP request to ipapi.co (a third-party geolocation service) to determine your approximate country, region, and city based on your IP address. This is used to: (a) display the correct currency for your region, and (b) show regionally relevant promotional campaigns via our Campaign system.

The result is cached locally on your device for 24 hours. We do not store your IP address in our own databases beyond the single session-start log entry described in Section 2(d). The session-start IP is subject to the 90-day Stream A retention window.

If you prefer not to share geolocation data, block outbound requests to ipapi.co in your firewall; the Software will default to global (USD) pricing. DPDP Act 2023 §5 GDPR Recital 26

7. Cookies & Session Data (Website)

Our website and web portals (snowfairy.ai and subdomains) use:

We do not use advertising cookies, cross-site tracking, retargeting pixels, or third-party analytics scripts on our website.

8. How We Use Your Data

DataPurposeStreamLegal Basis
Email addressLicense key delivery; renewal reminders; critical security noticesAContract performance
License key & tierValidate license; enforce feature gatesAContract performance
Hashed machine IDEnforce per-device limits; detect concurrent misuseAContract performance
Device & system profileLicense enforcement; support diagnosis; dispute contextAContract / Legitimate interest
Session IP + locationFraud detection; geolocation for pricing; dispute evidenceALegitimate interest
Recovery file names (≤100)Chargeback defence; fraud preventionALegitimate interest (fraud prevention)
Crash reports (sanitised)Bug diagnosis; product stabilityALegitimate interest
Support logs (sanitised)Resolve support tickets (your choice to share)AContract performance
Usage analytics (anonymous)Feature adoption; product developmentBExplicit consent
Benchmark telemetry (anonymous)Public performance benchmarksBExplicit consent

We do not sell your personal data. We do not use your data for advertising profiling. We do not share data with data brokers.

9. Dispute Evidence & Chargeback Defence

Stream A Recovery Evidence (Section 2(e)) exists to protect both parties. From your perspective, it proves what was recovered from your device — useful if your recovery is disputed. From our perspective, it allows us to defend against fraudulent chargeback claims by users who recovered data successfully and then filed a false payment reversal.

In the event of a chargeback, refund dispute, or fraud allegation, Stream A data — including recovered file names, device fingerprint, session timestamps, and license records — may be disclosed to:

This disclosure is lawful under GDPR Article 6(1)(f) (legitimate interests), DPDP Act 2023 Section 4(1)(b) (legal purposes), and equivalent provisions in other jurisdictions. Records are retained for 90 days and then permanently deleted. GDPR Art. 6(1)(f) DPDP Act 2023 §4(1)(b) IT Act 2000 §79

10. Data Storage & Security

All account, license, and telemetry data is stored in Google Firebase (Firestore + Firebase Authentication), hosted on Google Cloud infrastructure in the United States. Google's data processing terms (including Standard Contractual Clauses for EU data transfers) apply.

Security measures:

In the event of a personal data breach that poses a risk to your rights, we will notify you as required by applicable law. GDPR Art. 33–34 IT Act 2000 §43A DPDP Act 2023 §8(6)

11. Data Retention Schedule

Data TypeRetention PeriodDeletion MethodStream
Account data (email, auth)Until you request account deletionManual on requestA
License records7 years (tax & audit compliance)Manual after legal holdA
Device profile + activation logsLife of license + 1 yearManual on account deletionA
Recovery evidence (file names, session data)90 days from session dateFirestore TTL — automaticA
Session IP address90 days (part of session record)Firestore TTL — automaticA
Crash reports (sanitised)90 daysFirestore TTL — automaticA
Support correspondence3 years from last correspondenceManual on requestA
Geolocation cache24 hours — local device onlyAutomatic (local cache expiry)A
Web session cookie (sf_session)1 hour from last activityAutomatic expiryA
Usage analytics (raw, Stream B)30 days, then permanently deletedFirestore TTL — automaticB
Benchmark telemetry runs (Stream B)30 daysFirestore TTL — automaticB
Aggregated benchmark statisticsIndefinite (no personal data)N/AB

12. Third-Party Services

ServicePurposeData SharedPrivacy Policy
Google Firebase Authentication, database, hosting, cloud functions Email, license data (Stream A); anonymous telemetry (Stream B) firebase.google.com/support/privacy
Payment processor / MoR Payment processing — Merchant of Record; dispute handling Email, order reference (processed independently by the payment processor / MoR) paddle.com/legal/privacy
Google (OAuth) Optional sign-in method Display name, email, profile photo (only if you use Google sign-in) policies.google.com/privacy
Groq AI recovery assistant (in-app chat) Query text you submit to the AI assistant. We recommend not including personal data, file names, or sensitive information in chat queries; if included, it is processed as support/query data only under Groq's privacy policy. groq.com/privacy-policy
ipapi.co IP-based geolocation for pricing and regional campaigns Your IP address (one request per 24-hour window per device) ipapi.co/privacy

We do not share your data with any other third parties, except as required by applicable law or as part of a legitimate dispute resolution process as described in Section 9.

13. Your Rights by Jurisdiction

We honour data subject rights for all users regardless of location. The specific rights available to you depend on your jurisdiction:

JurisdictionApplicable LawYour Rights
India DPDP Act 2023 · IT Act 2000 · Consumer Protection Act 2019 Access, correction, erasure, grievance redressal (within 30 days), nomination of representative, right to withdraw consent for Stream B, right to file a complaint with the Data Protection Board of India
EU / EEA GDPR 2016/679 Access (Art.15), rectification (Art.16), erasure (Art.17), restriction (Art.18), portability (Art.20), objection (Art.21), right not to be subject to automated decision-making (Art.22), right to lodge complaint with your national supervisory authority
United Kingdom UK GDPR · Data Protection Act 2018 Same as EU GDPR above; right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
United States (California) CCPA / CPRA No Sale / No Sharing: We do not sell or share your personal information with third parties for cross-context behavioural advertising. Rights: right to know, right to delete, right to correct, right to opt out of sale/sharing, right to limit use of sensitive personal information (none collected beyond what is disclosed), right to non-discrimination. GPC: We honour Global Privacy Control (GPC) signals where technically feasible. Response timeline: 45 days (extendable by a further 45 days where reasonably necessary, with notice). CCPA/CPRA
All other locations Local applicable law We will honour reasonable data requests under principles of transparency and fairness even where local law may not mandate it

To exercise any right: email support@snowfairy.ai with your registered email address and the specific right you wish to exercise. We will respond within 30 days for most jurisdictions, or within 45 days for California residents under CCPA/CPRA (extendable by a further 45 days with notice). We may verify your identity before acting on your request and will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights.

Note on deletion of Stream A data: License records must be retained for up to 7 years for tax compliance. Recovery evidence is deleted after 90 days automatically. We cannot delete records that are subject to an active legal dispute or investigation.

14. Children's Privacy

The Software is not directed at children under the age of 18, or under the higher age threshold required by local law (e.g., under 18 under India's DPDP Act 2023 §9; under 16 in the EU under GDPR Art. 8; under 13 in the US under COPPA). We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a child, contact support@snowfairy.ai immediately and we will delete it without undue delay. DPDP Act 2023 §9 GDPR Art. 8 COPPA (US)

15. International Data Transfers

Our data is stored on Google Firebase infrastructure in the United States. Transfers from the EU/EEA are made pursuant to Google's Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission under GDPR Art. 46(2)(c). Transfers from the United Kingdom are made pursuant to Google's UK International Data Transfer Agreement (IDTA) or the UK Addendum to EU SCCs, as approved by the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) under UK GDPR Art. 46. For Indian users, cross-border data transfers are conducted in accordance with DPDP Act 2023 §16 and applicable rules. We do not transfer data to jurisdictions lacking adequate protection without appropriate safeguards. GDPR Art. 46 UK GDPR Art. 46 DPDP Act 2023 §16

16. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated Policy on our website with a new "Last updated" date and notify you of material changes by email or in-app notification at least 14 days before they take effect. Continued use of the Software after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the revised Policy.

17. Contact & Grievance Redressal

For any privacy question, data subject request, or grievance, contact our designated Privacy & Grievance Officer:

Privacy & Grievance Officer
SnowFairy AI Labs Private Limited
CIN: U62099UP2025PTC226386
Registered Address: 01, Mohansarai–Mataladai Road, Gangapur (Varanasi), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh – 221302, India
Correspondence Address: 01, Mohansarai Tiraha–Mataladai Road (Adalpura Linked Road), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh – 221302, India
Email: support@snowfairy.ai · contact@snowfairy.ai — subject line: "Privacy Request"
Website: snowfairy.ai
Response: acknowledged within 3 business days; resolved within 30 days (or applicable statutory deadline)
Appointed as Grievance Officer under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 §13 and applicable Indian information technology and privacy law.

India DPDP Act grievance: If your grievance is not resolved within 30 days, you have the right to escalate your complaint to the Data Protection Board of India once the Board is operationally established under the DPDP Act 2023. DPDP Act 2023 §13

Language of notice (India): In accordance with the DPDP Act 2023, this Privacy Policy is provided in English. Upon request, we will endeavour to provide a summary of this notice in any language listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. Contact us at support@snowfairy.ai to request a translated summary. DPDP Act 2023 §5(1)

EU/UK: If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your national data protection supervisory authority (e.g., the ICO in the UK; your national DPA in the EU). GDPR Art. 77