Privacy Policy
Contents
Introduction
Totem is a web-based naming engine that helps you score and analyze brand name candidates using cognitive science. We're transparent about what data we collect and why.
Totem is available internationally. This policy is written to comply with privacy laws where our users live, including the EU/UK (GDPR), California (CCPA/CPRA), Canada (PIPEDA), and the Philippines (DPA). If anything here conflicts with your local laws, your local laws win.
Information We Collect
Email Addresses (Voluntary)
We collect your email when you choose to provide it at certain points in the app:
- Scorecard gate (before viewing your brand score)
- Results banner (before exporting your results)
- Export gate (when downloading a PDF)
- Pro waitlist (to register interest in paid features)
You don't need an account to use Totem. Email collection is optional and gated by your choice to proceed with these actions.
Usage Analytics
We use a privacy-respecting product analytics service to track anonymized usage events and understand how people use the tool. We record:
- Screen views
- When you auto-fill competitors
- When you request AI-suggested names
- When you view example outputs
- When you capture your email (success or error)
- When you skip an email gate
These events are connected to a session ID, not your personal identity. The analytics service may also capture your IP address, browser details, and device fingerprint as part of standard analytics.
Rate Limit Counters
We store rate limit counters by your IP address in a caching layer to prevent abuse. These are automatically deleted after 24 hours and contain no personal information.
AI Processing Data
When you enter an industry description or competitor names, Totem sends that text to a third-party AI provider to generate name suggestions and analysis. We do not store this data. You should not include sensitive business information.
What We Don't Collect
- No credit card information (service is free)
- No account usernames or passwords
- No uploaded files or documents
- No identifying information without your consent
How We Use Information
Email addresses: Sent to our email marketing provider for product updates and announcements. You can unsubscribe anytime from any email.
Analytics data: Used to improve the product, identify bugs, and understand user behavior. We use it to answer questions like "Which features are people using?" and "Where do people drop off?"
Rate limit data: Used only to prevent abuse and ensure the service remains fair for all users.
AI processing: Text sent to our AI provider is used only to generate suggestions and analysis for you in real-time. It is not stored by Totem.
We do not sell or rent your data. We do not use it for advertising profiling. We do not share it with data brokers.
Service Providers
To operate Totem, we rely on a small number of trusted service providers who process data on our behalf. These fall into the following categories:
- Hosting and infrastructure provider — serves the website and runs our backend functions. May process server logs as part of normal operations.
- Product analytics provider — collects anonymized usage events, session IDs, and standard browser/device information. Used only to improve the product.
- Email marketing provider — stores email addresses you voluntarily submit and delivers product updates.
- AI/language model provider — processes the industry descriptions and competitor text you enter in order to generate name suggestions.
- Typography/font provider — serves web fonts used to render the site.
Each provider is contractually bound by their own privacy obligations and industry standards. We do not authorize any provider to use your data for their own marketing or advertising purposes. If you want to know the specific vendors we use at any given time, contact us and we will provide that information on request.
Cookies and Tracking
Analytics and measurement cookies: If you accept cookies via our consent banner, we may set session, identification, and measurement cookies from our analytics and advertising partners. These are used to measure anonymized usage, understand how visitors reach the site, and evaluate the performance of marketing campaigns. They are not required to use the core naming engine.
What we do not do: We do not sell your personal data, and we do not allow partners to use the data collected through Totem for their own independent marketing, profiling, or advertising outside of our service.
Your controls: You can accept or decline non-essential cookies via our consent banner. You can also block or clear cookies in your browser settings, though some functionality may be affected. We honor Do-Not-Track (DNT) signals where our analytics and advertising partners support them.
Your Rights
The rights you have depend on where you live. Here's what we owe you:
GDPR (EU, UK, and other EU territories)
If you're in the EU or UK, you have the right to:
- Access: Request a copy of all data we hold about you
- Rectification: Correct inaccurate information
- Erasure: Request deletion ("right to be forgotten")
- Portability: Receive your data in a portable format
- Object: Opt out of marketing emails or certain processing
- Restrict: Limit how we use your data
Email privacy@totemnaming.com to exercise these rights. We will respond within 30 days.
CCPA / CPRA (California)
If you're in California, you have the right to:
- Know: Request what personal information we collect and use
- Delete: Request deletion of your personal information
- Opt-out: Opt out of "sales" of personal information (we don't sell; this still applies to sharing)
- Non-discrimination: We won't penalize you for exercising these rights
Email privacy@totemnaming.com with "CCPA Request" in the subject line. We will respond within 45 days.
PIPEDA (Canada)
If you're in Canada, you have the right to:
- Access: Request access to your personal information
- Correction: Request correction of inaccurate data
- Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent to collection or use (though this may limit service access)
Email privacy@totemnaming.com. We will respond within 30 days.
Philippines Data Privacy Act (DPA)
If you're in the Philippines, you have the right to:
- Access: Request information held about you
- Correct: Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
- Delete: Request erasure of your information
- Object: Opt out of marketing or processing
Email privacy@totemnaming.com. We will respond within 15 calendar days.
Data Retention
Email addresses: Stored with our email marketing provider until you unsubscribe or request deletion.
Analytics data: Retained per our analytics provider's default retention period (typically up to 7 years) or until you request deletion.
IP rate limit counters: Automatically deleted after 24 hours.
AI processing data: Not stored by Totem. Our AI provider may retain request data per their own API terms.
International Data Transfers
Totem is operated and delivered internationally. Our service providers may process, store, and transfer data across multiple countries as part of providing the service to you.
For EU/UK users: We rely on Standard Contractual Clauses and other approved mechanisms to ensure adequate protection for cross-border transfers. You can request a copy of our data transfer documentation.
By using Totem, you consent to data being transferred to and processed in countries outside your home country, which may have different privacy laws.
Children's Privacy
Totem is not intended for children under 13 (or 16 in some EU countries). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we learn that we have collected data from a child, we will delete it immediately.
If you are a parent or guardian and believe we have collected information about your child, email privacy@totemnaming.com.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy as our service changes. We will post the updated policy here and update the "Last updated" date. For material changes, we will notify users via email if you've provided one.
Your continued use of Totem after changes means you accept the updated policy.
Contact Us
Questions about privacy? Email us at privacy@totemnaming.com
General inquiries? Email us at hello@totemnaming.com
We will respond within 7 business days.