Ben's Notes

Privacy Policy

Last updated: August 10, 2026

Learn how Ben's Notes handles Google Drive access, local browser recovery data, sharing, and account information.

Information We Collect

Ben's Notes may process the following types of information.

Google account and session information

When you choose to connect Google Drive, Ben's Notes may process basic Google account information such as your email address, display name, account identifier, and related session information. Local file workflows do not require connecting Google Drive.

Documents and presentations

When you choose Save to Drive, Ben's Notes processes the content needed to save and reopen your .bnjsn or .bnslides artifact in your own Google Drive. This may include text, mathematical notation, calculator states, presentation slides, titles, tags, settings, images, and other content you choose to add.

Drive-backed file metadata

Drive-backed files may include or use metadata such as title, file type, Course, Unit, Topic, tags, creation or modification information, sharing state, Google Drive file identity, and organization metadata used by Ben's Notes.

Local browser data

Ben's Notes may store local working and recovery data in your browser, including browser storage such as IndexedDB. This supports local editing, autosave and recovery, and restoration of unsaved work. This working and recovery data remains on that browser and device unless you save or export the document elsewhere.

How We Use Information

Ben's Notes uses information to:

  • connect a Google account when you choose Google Drive functionality;
  • save and open Ben’s Notes and Ben’s Slides files;
  • rename, organize, duplicate, tag, share, and move Drive-backed files to trash;
  • support calculators, document settings, tags, and presentations;
  • provide shared links when an owner chooses to share a file;
  • restore unsaved local work when possible; and
  • maintain security, reliability, and application functionality.

Ben's Notes does not sell user data.

Private and Shared Documents

Files are not publicly shared unless the owner enables sharing. When sharing is enabled, the owner may give the file an anyone-with-the-link, reader permission in Google Drive and Ben’s Notes creates a public Ben’s Notes share URL.

Anyone with that public link may be able to open the shared file. Ben’s Notes presents it as an editable Remix in the recipient’s browser; changes made by the recipient do not modify the sender’s original Google Drive file. A recipient may download the Remix or save a new copy to their own Google Drive.

If you stop sharing, the public link should no longer be able to retrieve the owner’s Google Drive file. This does not remove copies another user previously downloaded, saved locally, or saved to their own Google Drive.

Google Drive Access

Connecting Google Drive is optional. Ben's Notes requests the narrow Google Drive permission https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive.file for files used with this app.

This permission allows Ben's Notes to work with files you create with Ben's Notes or Ben's Slides, and files you explicitly open or select for use through this app. Ben's Notes does not request general access to all files in your Google Drive.

Ben's Notes uses this access to save, open, organize, rename, tag, duplicate, share, and move Ben's Notes and Ben's Slides files to trash where applicable.

You can still open and save local files without connecting Google Drive.

Third-Party Services

Ben's Notes uses third-party services to operate the app. These may include:

  • Google Drive for document storage when you choose to connect Google Drive;
  • Google identity services for Google account authorization;
  • Supabase for limited account, session, and legacy application services;
  • Cloudflare for hosting and delivery;
  • Desmos and GeoGebra for embedded calculator features; and
  • font or media services used by the app interface.

These services may process information according to their own privacy policies.

Calculators and Embedded Content

Ben's Notes supports embedded calculators and mathematical tools. Calculator state may be stored inside a document artifact, which you may save locally or to Google Drive.

If you embed external media or use third-party calculator services, those services may receive technical information necessary to load and display their content.

Students and Schools

Ben's Notes is designed for educational use. Students should use the app with permission from a parent, guardian, teacher, or school when required by local rules.

Teachers and schools are responsible for deciding whether Ben's Notes is appropriate for their students and for following any school, district, or local privacy requirements that apply.

AI Features

Ben’s Notes does not currently send private document content to an AI service or use private documents to train AI models.

Exporting and Deleting Your Work

You can export or download .bnjsn and .bnslides files locally. Local recovery data may also remain in browser storage until it is cleared or replaced by normal recovery behavior.

Drive-backed files can be saved, renamed, duplicated, organized, or moved to trash through Ben’s Notes. Moving a file to trash affects the artifact in your own Google Drive.

Copies another user previously downloaded, saved locally, or saved to their own Google Drive are independent and are not deleted when the original is trashed or unshared.

Security

Google Drive-backed files are protected by the permissions associated with your Google Drive account. Ben’s Notes also uses authenticated application sessions and browser-based recovery storage where applicable.

No online service can guarantee perfect security, so you should avoid storing highly sensitive personal information in documents.

Changes to This Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated as Ben's Notes changes. Material changes will be reflected by updating this policy and its Last updated date.

Contact

Questions about this Privacy Policy or Ben's Notes can be sent to:

[email protected]