Privacy Policy

Last Updated: July 23, 2025

Introduction

SEO HERO AI Alt Text Generator is operated by Designful Inc., a Canadian corporation committed to protecting your privacy and personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your information when you use our AI-powered alt text generation platform for Shopify stores.

Information We Collect

Personal Information

We collect the following types of personal information:

Shopify Store Information: Store name, domain, and basic store configuration
Contact Information: Email addresses associated with your Shopify account
Product Data: Product images, titles, descriptions, and existing alt text from your Shopify store
Account Information: Subscription details, usage analytics, and billing information
App Usage Data: Generated alt text content, customization settings, and processing history

How We Collect Information

Shopify Integration: Information automatically collected through Shopify’s API when you install our app
Direct Input: Brand voice preferences, SEO keywords, and customization settings you provide
Generated Content: Alt text created by our AI system for your product images
Usage Analytics: Data about how you use our app features and processing patterns

How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information to:

Generate AI-powered alt text for your Shopify product images
Process bulk alt text generation requests for your product catalog
Apply your brand voice and SEO keyword preferences to generated content
Provide our core app features within the Shopify admin interface
Process payments through Shopify’s billing system
Provide customer support through our Crisp chat integration
Improve our Secret Recipe AI algorithm and develop new features
Send product updates and feature announcements (with your consent)

Data Processing and AI Services

Third-Party AI Processing

We process your product data and generate alt text using AI services from:

OpenAI (United States)
Anthropic (United States)

Important: We only use AI models from North American providers. Your product data is sent to these services for alt text generation but is not stored permanently by these AI providers.

Data Minimization

We only process the minimum amount of data necessary to generate high-quality alt text and provide our Shopify app features.

Data Storage and Security

Storage Locations

Primary Hosting: Fly.io servers located in the United States
Data Backup: Secure encrypted backups stored in Canada through Digital Ocean VPS
Shopify Integration: Some data temporarily cached through Shopify’s infrastructure

Security Measures

Encryption: All data is encrypted in transit and at rest
Access Controls: Role-based access to data with multi-factor authentication
Secure Infrastructure: Enterprise-grade security standards on Fly.io platform
OAuth 2.0: Secure authentication through Shopify’s OAuth system
Regular Security Audits: Ongoing monitoring and vulnerability assessments

Shopify Platform Integration

Data Access Through Shopify

Our app accesses your Shopify store data through official Shopify APIs, including:

Product information (titles, descriptions, images)
Store configuration and theme data
Existing alt text for comparison and optimization
New product uploads for automatic processing

Shopify Billing Integration

Payments are processed through Shopify’s secure billing system
We use Shopify’s AppSubscription and ApplicationCredit APIs
Your payment information is handled exclusively by Shopify

Shopify Webhooks

We receive notifications about:

New product uploads for automatic alt text generation
App uninstallations for data cleanup procedures
Store changes that may affect our service delivery

Data Retention and Deletion

Retention Period

Active Account Data: Retained while your app subscription is active
Generated Alt Text: Stored for quality improvement and re-generation purposes
Usage Analytics: Retained for 24 months for service improvement

Automatic Deletion

Upon app uninstallation, we provide a 90-day grace period for data recovery
All personal information and generated content is permanently deleted 90 days after uninstallation
Shopify webhook data is processed and deleted within 30 days

Data Export

Export your generated alt text and settings at any time through the app interface
Contact our support team for comprehensive data exports before uninstallation

Your Privacy Rights

Under Canadian Law (PIPEDA)

You have the right to:

Access your personal information we hold
Request correction of inaccurate information
Withdraw consent (subject to legal or contractual restrictions)
File a complaint with the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

Under California Law (CCPA)

California residents have the right to:

Know what personal information we collect and how it’s used
Request deletion of personal information
Opt-out of the sale of personal information (Note: We do not sell personal information)
Non-discrimination for exercising privacy rights

Under European Law (GDPR)

EU residents have the right to:

Data portability and access to your information
Rectification of inaccurate personal data
Erasure of personal data (“right to be forgotten”)
Restriction of processing under certain circumstances

Data Sharing and Disclosure

We Do Not Sell Your Data

SEO HERO AI Alt Text Generator does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties.

Limited Sharing

We may share your information only in these circumstances:

AI Processing: With OpenAI and Anthropic for alt text generation (temporary processing only)
Shopify Platform: Through official Shopify APIs as required for app functionality
Legal Requirements: If required by law, court order, or regulatory authority
Business Protection: To protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of our users

Service Providers

We work with trusted service providers who help us operate our platform:

Fly.io: For primary application hosting in the United States
Digital Ocean: For secure backup storage in Canada
Shopify: For billing, authentication, and store data access
Crisp: For customer support chat (does not access your product data)

International Data Transfers

Cross-Border Data Processing

Primary Storage: United States (Fly.io hosting platform)
Backup Storage: Canada (Digital Ocean VPS)
AI Processing: United States (OpenAI and Anthropic)
Shopify Integration: Global Shopify infrastructure

Data Protection Safeguards

All international transfers are protected by appropriate contractual safeguards
We limit processing to North American providers only
Encryption and security standards are maintained across all jurisdictions

Cookies and Tracking

App Interface

Our Shopify app may use local storage and cookies to:

Remember your customization settings and preferences
Maintain your session within the Shopify admin interface
Improve app performance and user experience

Marketing Website

Our website (designful.ca) may use cookies to:

Analyze website usage and performance
Provide personalized content and recommendations
Support our marketing and advertising efforts

You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences.

Children’s Privacy

SEO HERO AI Alt Text Generator is designed for business use and is not intended for users under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable laws. We will:

Post the updated policy on our website and in our app
Notify active users of material changes via email or in-app notification
Update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this policy
Provide 30 days notice for any significant changes affecting data processing

Contact Information

Privacy Officer

Designful Inc.
SEO HERO Privacy Officer
Email: privacy@designful.ca
Address: 222 Queen St 10th Floor, Ottawa, ON K1P 5V9

Customer Support

For questions about this Privacy Policy or your personal information:

Email: support@designful.ca
Subject Line: “Privacy Policy Inquiry – SEO HERO”
Live Chat: Available through our Crisp integration in the app

Response Times

Free Users: 24 hours
Basic Users: 12 hours
Premium Users: 4 hours
Premium Plus Users: 2 hours

Complaints and Regulatory Contact

If you have concerns about our privacy practices:

Contact us first using the information above
You may also file a complaint with:
- Canada: Privacy Commissioner of Canada (priv.gc.ca)
- California: California Attorney General (oag.ca.gov)
- European Union: Your local Data Protection Authority

Definitions

Personal Information: Information that identifies you as an individual or relates to an identifiable individual
Product Data: Images, titles, descriptions, and related metadata from your Shopify store
Generated Content: Alt text and related content created by our AI system
Processing: Any operation performed on personal information, including collection, use, storage, and deletion
Secret Recipe: Our proprietary AI algorithm that combines image context, brand voice, and SEO keywords

Compliance Statement

This Privacy Policy is designed to comply with:

Canadian Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)
California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)
European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Shopify App Store privacy requirements

By using SEO HERO AI Alt Text Generator, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and consent to the collection, use, and processing of your information as described herein.