Democruit (“Democruit,” the “Service”), operated by Aequovia, LLC (“Aequovia,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy ("Policy") explains how we collect, use, store, and share your information, including information that may identify you as an individual ("Personal Data"). Aequovia, LLC is the data controller responsible for your Personal Data. This Policy is designed to align with applicable data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). By using our Services or agreeing to this Policy as a Marketing Recipient (defined below), you acknowledge that your information will be processed as described in this Policy.

If you have any questions about this Policy, please contact us at info@democruit.com. Capitalized terms not defined in this Policy have the meanings given to them in our Terms of Service.

We use your data to provide and improve our Services. By using our Services, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Policy.

1. About Democruit

Democruit is a candidate-first job search management and AI-assisted career support tool. It is not an employer, recruiter, job board, or hiring decision-maker. Democruit helps users create, improve, and manage job application materials, track job search activity, and receive AI-generated insights and coaching. Outcomes - such as securing a job or passing a screening - depend on many factors outside our control, and we make no guarantees.

2. Who This Policy Applies To

This Policy applies to:

• Registered users of the Democruit platform
• Visitors to our website who interact with our Services
• Marketing Recipients: Individuals who receive our marketing or promotional communications but may not otherwise use the platform. See Section 6.5 for marketing consent details.

If you are a Customer's End User (i.e., you access Democruit through a business or organization that has a separate agreement with us), your data is primarily controlled by that organization. Please review their privacy policy. We process your data on their behalf as a data processor.

3. Information We Collect and Use

We collect various types of Personal Data for different purposes to provide and improve our Services. We adhere to the data minimization principle, meaning we collect only the data necessary to deliver and support our product features, customer support, and account features, in compliance with GDPR. We collect the following categories of Personal Data:

3.1 Personal and Contact Information

While using our Services, we may ask you to provide the following Personal Data:

• Email address
• Password (stored in hashed form)
• First name and last name
• Phone number
• Profile photo
• Links to professional websites or online profiles (e.g., LinkedIn, GitHub)
• Location (city, region, country)
• Usage Data (as defined below)
• Device ID

If you are a Marketing Recipient, See Section 6.5 for marketing consent details.

3.2 Career and Application Information

This includes any information you provide to build, edit, or manage your resumes, cover letters, or other application materials. It may include professional summaries, work experience, education, skills, certifications, languages, awards, references, career objectives, and similar content. You may also upload existing documents such as resumes (e.g., PDFs) or job descriptions, which we may parse and store to enable AI-powered content generation and analysis.

This also includes content you create or provide while using our Services, such as application notes, recruiter or contact details, job application status logs, and any custom sections or fields you add. When using AI-powered features, you may provide free-text inputs such as achievements, motivations, or role-specific information to personalize generated content.

If you choose, you may upload additional materials such as offer letters or similar documents, which may contain sensitive information. Providing such data is optional and at your discretion.

3.3 Location Data

We may collect and store information about your location if you grant us permission. This data helps us provide and improve our Services. You can enable or disable location services through your device settings at any time.

3.4 Usage Data

We may collect information automatically when you visit or access our Services, including:

• Your device’s Internet Protocol (IP) address
• Browser type and version
• Pages visited, features used, time and date of visit, and time spent on those pages and features
• Feature interaction logs (e.g., AI retries, ATS checks performed)
• Session and engagement data
• Unique device identifiers, diagnostic data and error logs

If you access our Services via a mobile device, we may also collect:

• Mobile device type and unique ID
• Mobile operating system
• Mobile Internet browser type and IP address
• Unique device identifiers and diagnostic data

3.5 Derived and Inferred Data

We generate additional data based on your inputs and use of the Services. This may include scores, skill gaps, structured profiles, insights, and personalized recommendations.

This data is created using our AI systems and algorithmic scoring methods and is used to personalize your experience and improve our Services. It is informational in nature and is not shared with employers.

3.6 Third-Party Personal Data You Provide

When using the Job Tracker, you may input contact information for recruiters or other third parties (such as names, email addresses, or phone numbers). You represent that you have the right to provide this information and that doing so does not violate any applicable laws or obligations.

We process this information solely to provide the functionality of the Service to you and do not use it for marketing, profiling, or independent purposes. Because this information is provided by users and used only within their accounts, we may not be able to provide direct notice to such individuals, and you represent and warrant that you have the legal right to provide such data and that doing so complies with applicable data protection laws. However, this Privacy Policy describes how such data is processed.

3.7 Document Storage (“Drive”)

We may allow you to upload, store, and manage documents (such as resumes, cover letters, or other career-related files) within your account (“Drive”).

These documents are stored to enable you to access, reuse, and manage your materials across different features of the Service. We process and store these documents solely to provide this functionality and related features, such as AI-assisted content generation or document parsing.

Document storage limits (such as file size, number of files, or total storage capacity) may apply depending on your plan.

You are responsible for the content you upload and should avoid storing sensitive personal data unless necessary.

3.8 Guest Usage (Local Storage and AI Processing)

You may use certain features of our Services (such as creating resumes or other materials) without creating an account (“Guest Usage”).

During Guest Usage, the information you enter is primarily stored locally in your browser. However, when you use AI-powered features, your inputs may be transmitted to our servers and shared with third-party AI service providers to generate the requested outputs.

We do not store this information as part of a persistent user account unless you choose to create one.

Because locally stored data remains on your device, clearing your browser data or using a different device may result in loss of your content.

If you create an account, your data may be transferred to and stored on our servers to provide continued access.

While the application can access and manage locally-stored data within your browser session, Democruit does not receive, store, or have server-side visibility into such data unless it is explicitly transmitted to our servers (for example, when using AI-powered features or creating an account).

3.9 Other Data

If you choose to participate in our tree planting program, we may collect and share your name, email address, and (if provided) photo for the purpose of facilitating the planting and dedication of a tree in your honor.

We may also collect and store non-personal or technical data (such as device and usage information) that may be associated with your account or device and, when combined with other information, could be used to identify you. This includes:

• Language
• Country, region, state, city, and DMA (Designated Market Area)
• Device type, operating system, and carrier
• Device ID

4. How We Collect Information

We collect information in the following ways:

• Directly from you: when you create an account, fill in forms, upload files, or use features of the Service
• Automatically: through cookies, usage logs, and similar technologies when you interact with the Service
• Third-party sources: through third-party authentication providers (e.g., Google or LinkedIn)
• Inferred/derived data: data generated from your inputs, including AI-generated outputs and analytical results

1. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

When you first visit our Services, we display a cookie consent banner that allows you to accept or decline each category of cookie before any non-essential cookies are placed. You may change your preferences at any time by clicking the 'Cookie Settings' link in the footer of our website.

• Session Cookies: Required to operate our Services (exempt from consent requirement).
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and language. May require your consent depending on applicable law.
• Security Cookies: Used for fraud prevention and authentication (legitimate interest / strictly necessary).
• Analytics Cookies: Understand how you use our Services. Require your consent.
• Advertising Cookies: Deliver relevant ads. Require your explicit consent.

You may withdraw consent at any time via Cookie Settings. Note that disabling session or security cookies may impair functionality.

6. Use of Data

We use the collected data for various purposes, including:

• Providing and maintaining our Services
• Gathering analysis to improve our Services
• Providing customer support
• Notifying you about changes to our Services
• Allowing you to participate in interactive features
• Monitoring usage and addressing technical issues
• Fulfilling contractual obligations
• Sending account-related notices and updates
• Processing payments and managing plan access
• Sending reminders related to candidate-first pricing obligations as part of our contractual relationship with you
• Sending promotional content or marketing communications (with your consent)
• Facilitating and personalizing the tree planting program (with your consent)
• Any other purpose with your consent

We may combine data you provide across different features of the Service - such as resumes, job descriptions, job tracking activity, and AI-generated outputs - to deliver more relevant insights, recommendations, and functionality.

6.1 AI-Powered Features

Our AI assistant ("Demi") and AI-powered tools process your content - such as your resume, job descriptions, and personal inputs - to generate suggestions, cover letter drafts, and improvements to your experience bullet points. Specifically:

• Your inputs are sent to third-party AI providers (e.g., large language model providers such as OpenAI or similar providers) to generate content. These providers may process data in jurisdictions outside your country, subject to appropriate safeguards.
• We do not use your personal content to train any external AI model. We require such providers not to retain or use your data for their own purposes beyond providing the requested services to us.
• AI-generated content is provided as informational assistance only. See Section 15 for important disclaimers about the limitations and informational-only nature of AI-generated content.
• AI retry and generation limits may apply based on your plan.

We ensure that third-party AI providers are bound by contractual data protection obligations, including confidentiality, security measures, and restrictions on data use, in compliance with applicable data protection laws such as GDPR and CCPA.

6.2 Algorithmic Scoring (ATS Engine)

Our ATS Resume Checker uses a hybrid system: AI classifies and extracts evidence, while a deterministic backend engine applies weighted scoring and penalty rules to produce a match score. Important disclosures:

• This is not a real ATS system used by employers.
• Scores are approximate and informational only.
• The scoring methodology may change over time.

Results should not be relied upon as a guarantee of how your resume will perform with any employer's system.

6.3 Personalization and Profiling

We analyze your activity, application history, and inputs to provide personalized insights, recommendations, and behavioral nudges. This constitutes profiling under applicable data protection laws but does not produce legal or similarly significant decisions. Because this profiling is based on our legitimate interests in improving user experience and service effectiveness, you have the right to object to it at any time - see Section 10.1 (Right to Object) for details on how to exercise this right.

6.4 Service Improvement and Analytics

We analyze aggregated and anonymized usage data to improve the features and performance of our Services. We also monitor the platform for errors, technical issues, and potential abuse, and conduct research on product effectiveness using non-identifiable data.

6.5 Communications

We send account-related communications, such as plan expiry reminders and feature updates, to keep you informed about the Services. For Marketing Communications - Consent and Opt-Out, we may also send marketing, promotional, or newsletter communications only to individuals who have explicitly opted in, where required by applicable law ('Marketing Recipients'). By opting in, you consent to receiving these communications. You may withdraw consent at any time by:

• clicking the Unsubscribe link in any marketing email, or
• emailing info@democruit.com with the subject 'Unsubscribe'.

Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of any processing carried out before withdrawal, and does not affect your receipt of transactional / account-related communications.

6.6 Security and Abuse Prevention

We monitor usage to enforce rate limits, prevent fraud, and maintain the security of our platform. We also use this information to enforce our Terms of Service and fair use policies.

6.7 Legal Compliance

We use your information to meet legal obligations, respond to lawful requests, and comply with applicable laws and regulations.

7. Legal Bases for Processing Personal Data (GDPR)

If you are located in the EU or EEA, we rely on the following legal bases to process your Personal Data:

• Contractual necessity: Processing required to deliver the Services you have requested (e.g., operating the resume builder, job tracker, and AI features)
• Consent: Where we rely on your agreement (e.g., marketing communications, tree planting program, optional features)
• Legitimate interests: Where processing serves our legitimate business interests and does not override your rights (e.g., analytics, security monitoring, product improvement, profiling for personalized coaching). We have assessed that such interests do not override your fundamental rights and freedoms.
• Legal obligation: Where processing is required to comply with applicable law

Where we rely on legitimate interests, you have the right to object. Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.

8. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, rent, or trade your Personal Data to third parties for monetary or marketing purposes or share it for cross-context behavioral advertising as defined under applicable law. We do not share your Personal Data with employers, recruiters, or third-party hiring platforms unless you explicitly choose to do so. We may share your Personal Data with service providers as described in Section 8.1 solely to operate and improve our Services.

8.1 Service Providers

We share data with trusted third-party vendors who assist us in operating our Services:

• AI providers: for processing resume and cover letter content to generate suggestions and drafts
• Hosting and infrastructure providers: for storing and serving our platform
• Payment processors: We use Stripe to process payments. We share your name and email with Stripe solely to facilitate payment. We do not receive your full payment card details. Please review Stripe's Privacy Policy at stripe.com/privacy
• Analytics providers: for understanding platform usage (using aggregated or anonymized data where possible)
• Customer support tools All service providers are bound by Data Processing Agreements (DPAs) that require them to protect your Personal Data in compliance with GDPR and other applicable law. We share only the minimum data necessary for them to perform their functions.

8.2 Tree Planting Partner

If you participate in our tree planting program, we share your name, email, and optional photo with our third-party planting partner solely to facilitate the planting and dedication. We will obtain your explicit consent before sharing this data.

8.3 Legal and Safety Disclosures

We may disclose your Personal Data where required or permitted by law:

• To comply with a legal obligation, court order, or regulatory requirement
• To protect and defend our rights, property, or the safety of our users
• To prevent or respond to an emergency involving risk of death or serious physical harm

8.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or substantially all of our assets, your Personal Data may be transferred to the acquiring entity. We will notify you of any such transfer and any changes to this Policy.

8.5 Aggregated and Anonymized Data

We may share aggregated or de-identified data - which cannot reasonably be used to identify you - with partners or publicly for research, product improvement, or industry analysis purposes.

9. Data Retention

We retain your Personal Data for as long as necessary to provide the Services and fulfill the purposes described in this Policy.

• Active accounts: Data is retained for the duration of your account.
• Expired plans: When your paid access ends and your account reverts to the free plan, your data remains stored and accessible subject to free plan limitations. We do not automatically delete your data upon plan expiry.
• Paused plans: If you pause your plan (where available), your account is treated as active for retention purposes to preserve your data and ensure continuity of the Service upon reactivation.
• Inactive accounts: We define an account as inactive when there has been no login or meaningful platform activity for 24 consecutive months. Before deleting data from inactive accounts, we will send at least two email reminders - the first at 18 months of inactivity and a final notice 30 days before deletion - to the email address on record. You may reactivate your account at any time before deletion to preserve your data.

We may retain certain information for longer where necessary to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, or enforce our agreements.

Usage Data is generally retained for a shorter period unless needed for security or service improvement. We may retain aggregated or anonymized data for analytical purposes without limitation.

Data submitted to AI-powered features may be processed transiently and is not retained longer than necessary to generate outputs, unless it is saved as part of your account data.

You may request deletion of your account and associated Personal Data at any time.

Retention periods are summarized as follows:

10. Your Rights

10.1 Rights Under GDPR (EU/EEA Residents)

If you are located in the EU or EEA, you have the following rights:

• Right of access: Request a copy of the Personal Data we hold about you
• Right to rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Right to erasure: Request deletion of your Personal Data, subject to legal exceptions
• Right to restriction: Request that we limit processing of your data in certain circumstances
• Right to data portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Right to object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests, including the profiling described in Section 6.3. To exercise this right, contact us at info@democruit.com. We will cease processing unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds that override your interests, rights, and freedoms.
• Right to withdraw consent: Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent
• Right to lodge a complaint: Contact your local supervisory authority (e.g., your EU Data Protection Authority or the UK ICO)

10.2 Rights Under CCPA (California Residents)

If you are a California resident, you may have certain rights under applicable California privacy laws, including:

• Right to know: Request information about the Personal Data we collect and use
• Right to correct: Request correction of inaccurate Personal Data
• Right to delete: Request deletion of your Personal Data, subject to legal exceptions
• Right to opt out of sale or sharing: We do not sell or share Personal Data for advertising or commercial purposes
• Right to non-discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights

10.3 How to Exercise Your Rights

You may exercise your rights by:

• Using the “Delete Account” option in your account settings (where available), or
• Contacting us at info@democruit.com

You may also contact our Data Protection Officer at dpo@democruit.com.

We will respond to your request within 30 days, subject to applicable legal obligations.

11. International Data Transfers

Your Personal Data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside your jurisdiction, including the United States, where data protection laws may differ from those in your country.

For transfers from the European Economic Area (EEA) and the United Kingdom (UK), we rely on Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission or other appropriate safeguards to ensure an adequate level of protection.

For more information about the transfer mechanisms we use, you may contact us at info@democruit.com.

By using our Services, you acknowledge that your data may be transferred internationally as described in this Policy.

12. Security of Your Data

We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your Personal Data against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, or alteration. These measures include encryption, secure hosting with reputable infrastructure providers, and access controls.

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. While we implement strong security measures, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. To the extent permitted by applicable law, we disclaim liability for unauthorized access, loss, or alteration of your data that occurs beyond our reasonable control.

12.1 Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach that is likely to result in a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify affected users and relevant supervisory authorities within 72 hours, as required by applicable law. We will take appropriate steps to mitigate the breach and may notify you via email or a prominent notice on our Services. For breach-related concerns, you may contact us at info@democruit.com.

13. Children's Privacy

Our Services are not intended for individuals under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect Personal Data from children under 16. If we become aware that we have collected Personal Data from a child, we will take steps to delete that information promptly. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a child, please contact us at info@democruit.com.

14. Sensitive Data

Our Services may allow you to upload or enter sensitive information, such as offer letters, salary details, or personal circumstances relevant to your job search. Providing this information is entirely optional and at your own discretion. We do not require sensitive data to deliver our core features, and we will not process it for any purpose beyond what is necessary to provide the Service feature you have chosen to use.

15. No Professional Advice

All content generated by Democruit - including AI-generated resume improvements, cover letters, ATS scores, skill recommendations, and dashboard insights - is provided for informational purposes only. It does not constitute professional career, legal, financial, or employment advice, and is not a guarantee of any employment outcomes. AI-generated content may be inaccurate or incomplete. You are solely responsible for reviewing, verifying, and deciding whether to use any content before submitting it to a prospective employer. Democruit is not an employer, recruiter, or hiring decision-maker. Outcomes depend on many factors outside our control.

16. Links to Third-Party Sites

Our Services may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

17. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our Services, legal requirements, or data practices. When we make material changes, we will:

• Post the updated Policy on this page with a new effective date
• Notify you via email and/or a prominent notice on our Services before the change takes effect

We encourage you to review this Policy periodically. Your continued use of our Services after any update constitutes your acceptance of the revised Policy.

18. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, your data, or your rights, please contact us:

• General inquiries: info@democruit.com
• Data Protection Officer (GDPR/Privacy): dpo@democruit.com