Last updated: May 22, 2026
Gather ("we", "us") builds life stories from your photos and data. Your privacy is fundamental to what we do. This policy explains what we collect, how we use it, and your rights.
When we process imported data such as email, calendar, search history, and maps activity, we extract only the life events relevant to your story. The raw source data is permanently deleted after processing. This section describes exactly what happens at each stage.
Step 1: Ingestion. Your uploaded file (email archive, calendar export, etc.) is loaded into server memory, processed, and deleted. For Google Takeout, your export may contain dozens or hundreds of ZIP files. We download a small batch at a time (typically 2–5 files depending on available disk space), process each one, and permanently delete it before downloading more. During active processing, a small number of not-yet-processed ZIP files may temporarily reside on disk in a server temp directory. These temporary files are deleted immediately after processing and are also cleaned up automatically on server restart.
Step 2: Pattern extraction. We scan for subject lines and metadata that match life-event patterns — births, weddings, graduations, moves, new jobs, travel, retirement. We extract only the event type, the date, and any names mentioned.
Step 3: Sensitive content exclusion. The following categories are explicitly blocked from extraction and are never stored:
This exclusion operates at multiple levels: pattern matching rules exclude sensitive email subjects from extraction, an AI prompt instructs our models to never extract financial, medical, or legal details, and a content filter scans every extracted fact for sensitive keywords and removes any that match before storage.
Step 4: User review. Every extracted fact is presented to you in the Facts review step. You can see exactly what was extracted, hide any fact you don't want included, or delete it permanently. No fact is used in your story until you have had the opportunity to review it.
Step 5: Source deletion. After extraction is complete, the original file is permanently deleted from server memory. For Google Takeout data, raw fields including email text, search queries, YouTube watch history, and maps activity logs are purged from our database immediately after the life-event facts have been extracted. Only the structured facts remain.
What is stored permanently: structured life-event facts (e.g., "Started new job at Acme Corp, March 2019"), correspondent names and email frequency (e.g., "Jane Smith, 45 emails, 2018–2022"), and calendar event summaries. No email bodies, no file contents, no search queries, no browsing history.
The "Your Data" tab in your project's Timeline view shows you everything we extracted from your imported data, organized by source. You can review every item and delete anything you don't want included in your story. Deletions take effect immediately.
Your photos and stories are private by default. Content is visible only to:
Gather staff do not view your content except when necessary for technical support you have requested, or as required by law. Administrative tools show only project status and diagnostics — not your personal data. All administrative access is audit-logged.
We are committed to preventing the distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Uploaded content may be scanned for known CSAM using industry-standard hash-matching technology. If CSAM is detected, we will report it to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) as required by US federal law (18 U.S.C. § 2258A), preserve relevant evidence, and disable the account. See our Content Safety Policy for details.
We use session cookies for authentication and a small number of functional cookies (e.g., remembering your engagement stage). We do not use advertising or tracking cookies.
We retain your data for as long as your account is active. You can request deletion of your account and all associated data at any time by contacting us. We will delete your data within 30 days of a verified request, except where retention is required by law.
Gather is designed for adults creating life stories that naturally include photos of family members of all ages. We do not knowingly allow children under 13 to create accounts. If you believe a child under 13 has created an account, please contact us and we will delete it.
If you believe that content hosted on Gather infringes your copyright, you may submit a DMCA takedown notice to our designated agent:
Your notice must include:
We will respond to valid DMCA notices promptly and may remove or disable access to the allegedly infringing material.
If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) provides you with additional rights regarding your personal data:
To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@gather.icu. We will verify your identity before processing your request. We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your CCPA rights.
We may update this policy from time to time. Significant changes will be communicated via email or a notice on the site.
Questions about this policy: privacy@gather.icu
Gather is operated by Roy McDonald. Mailing address available on request.