Privacy Policy

Last Updated: August 2026

At Outsmart Notes (accessible from outsmartnotes.com), your privacy is not an afterthought — it is the foundational architecture of our product. We operate under a zero-knowledge, local-first privacy model.

1. Local Storage Architecture (Your Notes Stay on Your Device)

By default, all notes, text, titles, drafts, and preferences created on Outsmart Notes are stored exclusively inside your local web browser using client-side storage technologies (IndexedDB and localStorage).

  • No Server Plaintext Storage: Our web servers never receive, transmit, read, index, or store your active notes.
  • Offline Resilience: Your data remains accessible on your device even without an internet connection.
  • Complete Control: You can export your data at any time (via JSON backup or text exports) or permanently delete your local database using the "Clear All" button in the Saved Notes Library.

2. Zero-Knowledge Encrypted Sharing

If you explicitly use the "Encrypted Share Link" feature to share a note with someone else:

  1. Client-Side Encryption: Your browser generates a cryptographic 256-bit AES-GCM key and encrypts your note locally before any network request is made.
  2. Key Isolation in Hash Fragment: The secret decryption key is appended to the URL as a hash fragment (e.g., https://outsmartnotes.com/share/xyz#key=SECRET). By the HTTP specification, hash fragments are strictly client-side and are never sent to web servers in HTTP request headers.
  3. Ciphertext Storage: Our database only stores an unreadable blob of encrypted ciphertext. Without the hash key (which only you and the recipient have), it is mathematically impossible for us or any third party to decrypt the note.
  4. Automatic Expiration & Purge: Shared notes automatically expire and are permanently purged from our database after their designated time-to-live (TTL, typically 48 hours).

3. Information We Collect

Because we do not require user accounts, passwords, or email registrations to use the notepad, our data collection is limited to standard, non-personally identifiable server telemetry:

  • Server Access Logs: Standard web server logs including IP addresses, browser user-agent strings, referring URLs, and request timestamps, used solely for system security, DDoS mitigation, and server diagnostics.
  • No Tracking Pixels or Invasive Ad Networks: We do not sell, rent, or monetize your personal data or behavioral typing patterns.

4. Cookies & Local Browser Storage

Outsmart Notes uses local browser storage strictly for essential functional operations:

  • Theme Preference: Remembering your selected editor theme (Dark, Light, Slate, Amber, Monokai, Synthwave).
  • Editor Settings: Font family, font size, and line number preferences.
  • Service Worker Cache: Caching application assets so the application loads instantly and functions offline.

5. Your Rights (GDPR / CCPA / California Privacy)

Under international privacy regulations (including GDPR and CCPA), you have the right to access, export, and delete your data. Because your data is stored locally in your browser, you can exercise these rights directly within the app:

  • Data Portability: Click Saved Notes → Backup All to download a complete JSON export of all stored notes.
  • Right to Erasure: Click Saved Notes → Clear All or clear your browser's site data to permanently delete all stored notes from your device.

6. Contact Us Regarding Privacy

If you have any questions or security inquiries about this Privacy Policy, please contact our data protection team at: admin@outsmartnotes.com