At SnapAnnotate, ensuring your privacy while providing a useful screenshot editing tool is fundamental. This notice details the approach to data, especially concerning anonymous usage statistics (analytics).
Understanding How SnapAnnotate is Used (Analytics)
If you choose to allow it, SnapAnnotate uses Google Analytics to collect **anonymous** information about how the application is used. This data is purely statistical and helps understand which features are popular, identify areas for improvement, and make the app better for everyone. This data is never linked to you personally.
A small example of what is collected (if you opt-in):
Imagine SnapAnnotate sees that many users select the 'Pen' tool, but very few use the 'Emoji' tool. This anonymous insight might suggest that the Pen tool is highly valued, or perhaps the Emoji tool needs to be more discoverable or useful. SnapAnnotate might also see that a particular export format (like PNG) is used 90% of the time, helping prioritize its performance.
Other examples include:
- Which pages are visited (e.g., Editor, User Guide).
- Which editing tools are selected (if 'Enhanced' analytics is chosen, e.g., 'Pen', 'Crop'). This helps know which tools are most valued.
- General usage patterns like whether an image is imported or if an export action is performed.
- Anonymous technical information such as browser type (e.g., Chrome, Firefox), device category (desktop/mobile), and general geographic region (e.g., country – your specific IP address is anonymized by Google Analytics before storage). This helps ensure compatibility.
What Data is NEVER Collected
Regardless of your analytics choice, the following data is NEVER collected or transmitted by SnapAnnotate:
- Your Images and Annotations: The content of your screenshots, any drawings you make, text you type, blurs you apply, or specific emojis you place are processed **entirely within your browser**. This data is NEVER uploaded to any SnapAnnotate servers (SnapAnnotate does not operate servers for this purpose), and NEVER sent to Google Analytics or any other third party.
- Personally Identifiable Information (PII): SnapAnnotate does not collect or try to associate analytics data with your name, email address, precise location, or any other information that could directly identify you. Google Analytics also anonymizes IP addresses by default before storage.
- Specific Text Typed or Detailed Annotation Content: While it might be known that the 'Text' tool was used (if 'Enhanced' analytics is chosen), SnapAnnotate does not know *what* specific text was typed. Similarly, for shapes or pen strokes, only the tool usage would be known, not the intricate details of what you created.
Why This Data Is Collected (If You Opt-In)
- To improve SnapAnnotate: Understand feature popularity, identify user experience pain points, and guide future development.
- To ensure compatibility: Optimize the app for different browsers and devices.
- To make informed decisions about new features or changes based on aggregate, anonymous usage.
Third-Party Service: Google Analytics
If you consent, SnapAnnotate uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google LLC. Google Analytics uses cookies (small text files stored on your device) to help analyze how users use the site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of SnapAnnotate (including a portion of your IP address, which is anonymized by Google before storage) will be transmitted to and stored by Google. Google uses this information to compile reports on website activity for SnapAnnotate.
You can learn more about Google's practices by visiting www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/, and about Google Analytics' data safeguarding at support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245.
Your Control Over Analytics: Opt-In System
SnapAnnotate uses an **opt-in** system for analytics. This means it will **NOT** collect any anonymous usage data described above unless you explicitly click an "Accept" option on the consent banner that appears when you first visit, or if your preference isn't set.
If you click "Decline All" or simply close/ignore the consent banner, no analytics tracking will be enabled for your session.
The consent banner offers different levels of anonymous tracking:
- Decline All: No analytics data is collected.
- Accept Basic Only: Allows collection of general anonymous usage data like page visits and basic technical information (browser type, device category).
- Accept Enhanced: Includes 'Basic' tracking plus anonymous tracking of editor-specific interactions, such as which tools are used (e.g., Pen, Crop) and key actions (e.g., image import, export). This provides more detailed insights to improve features.
Loading your current preference...
Your choice is saved in your browser's local storage and can be changed here at any time.
SnapAnnotate will always be transparent if more granular options or changes to this system become available.
Local Storage for Preferences
SnapAnnotate uses your browser's local storage to remember essential preferences, such as your analytics consent choice (if made) and your default tool settings (like preferred pen color or size). This information is stored **only on your device** and is not sent to SnapAnnotate's servers or any third party.
Changes to this Notice
This Privacy & Analytics notice may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. It's encouraged to review it periodically.
Contact
If you have any questions or concerns about your privacy or how SnapAnnotate handles data, please feel free to connect via the LinkedIn link in the website footer.