Privacy & HIPAA Notice

Last updated September 30, 2026

Our Commitment to You

Bestie is designed to support your mental and physical wellness journey. We take your privacy seriously and use encryption, role-based access controls, and other safeguards to protect the personal information you share with us. Whether these protections are legally required under HIPAA for your specific use is a determination for your legal counsel.

Information We Collect

  • Account data: name, email, and role within the app.
  • Wellness data: mood check-ins, journal entries, session completions, and progress.
  • AI conversations: messages you send to the Bestie AI companion are stored to your account so you can return to them later, and are sent to a third-party AI service to generate responses. Conversation data is removed as part of the account-deletion process.
  • Usage data: features used and interaction patterns to improve your experience.
  • Coaching data: appointment details and notes shared with your assigned coach.
  • SMS data (optional): if you text Bestie's SMS number, your phone number and message content are processed to reply.

How We Protect Your Data

  • Data is transmitted over encrypted (HTTPS/TLS) connections.
  • Access to your records is restricted by role-based permissions.
  • You can only see your own data; coaches only see data for their assigned participants.
  • Administrators have audited access for support and maintenance only.

Third Parties & AI Processing

  • Hosting and authentication provider: hosts your data, provides authentication, and runs the AI and text-to-speech services that power Bestie.
  • AI provider: your messages to Bestie are sent to a third-party AI service to generate responses. AI-generated summaries may also be created for your Cognitive Specialist.
  • Payment processor (Wix): processes membership subscription payments, specialist-pack purchases, and renewal events.
  • Twilio (optional): if you use Bestie by text message, your phone number and messages are processed to deliver replies.
  • Google / Apple: if you sign in with Google or Apple, those providers process your sign-in.

Your Rights

  • Access: You can request a copy of your stored data at any time.
  • Amend: You can edit your journal entries and profile information.
  • Restrict: You can limit what you share — only provide what you're comfortable with.
  • Delete: You can delete your Bestie data from the Profile screen in the app, which logs a deletion request. You can also request deletion by emailing someone@meetbestie.org or visiting our Delete Account page. Canceling your membership is a separate action (see Terms of Use). Our team then removes your login account from our system.
  • Revoke consent: You can withdraw consent at any time by contacting support.

Business Associate Agreement

Bestie may engage third-party service providers (hosting, payments, AI) that could encounter PHI. A Business Associate Agreement (BAA) should be executed with each such provider before any PHI is processed. This screen serves as acknowledgment that a BAA review is pending for the current platform infrastructure — consult your legal counsel before storing sensitive health records.

Not a Medical Device

Bestie is an AI-powered mind-training support, not a medical device or clinical service. It does not diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition. The AI companion provides general support and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health care. If you are experiencing a crisis, contact emergency services or a licensed professional immediately.

View our Terms of Use

This notice is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Have questions? Visit our Support page.