Cardinal Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 2026-06-23
Last Updated: 2026-06-23

This Privacy Policy describes how Cardinal Inc. ("Cardinal," "we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, and shares information when you use the Cardinal mobile application (the "App").

1. Who We Are

Cardinal is operated by Cardinal Inc., located at Delaware, US. If you have questions about this policy, contact us at support@cardinal-app.ai.

2. What Information We Collect

2.1 Card Photos and Images

When you scan a trading card, your device captures photos using the camera. These images are uploaded to our backend servers (hosted on AWS infrastructure, including S3) so our AI systems can grade the card. Card images are the core data that makes the App work. Images you capture are:

• Transmitted to our backend API (api.cardinal-app.ai) and stored in AWS S3.
• Processed by our AI grading pipeline.
• Passed to third-party AI services when needed for card identification (see Section 4).

Card photos are not linked to your name, email address, or any other personally identifying information.

2.2 Anonymous Install Identifier

When you first install the App, a random identifier (a UUID — universally unique identifier) is generated and stored on your device. This identifier:

• Is random and not derived from any hardware identifier, advertising ID, or personal information.
• Is sent with every API request so our backend can associate multiple frames from a single scan session and maintain consistency across requests.
• Resets when you uninstall and reinstall the App or clear app data.
• Is used (now and in upcoming releases) to key analytics events and crash reports to a single install, without tying them to a real identity.

This identifier is an opaque pseudonymous token, not personally identifiable information.

2.3 Device and Technical Metadata

When images are uploaded for grading, we also send technical metadata that helps improve grading accuracy:

• Device model and OS version
• App version
• Camera sensor data captured at the time of the scan (gyroscope, accelerometer, exposure settings, ISO, focus distance)
• Detection confidence and image quality scores computed on-device

This metadata is attached to the grading job and stored alongside the uploaded images.

2.4 App Activity and Crash Reports (Phase B — Upcoming)

We plan to add Firebase Analytics and Firebase Crashlytics in a near-future release. Once added, we will collect:

• Usage events: In-app actions (e.g., scans started, grades viewed, screens visited), keyed to the anonymous install identifier described above.
• Crash logs: Technical diagnostic data about app crashes, including device type, OS version, app version, and a stack trace. Crash logs do not include card images or card-grading content.

Analytics and crash data will be keyed to the anonymous install identifier only. We do not collect advertising IDs, and we do not use analytics data for advertising.

3. How We Use Your Information

We do not use any data for advertising or sell any data to third parties.

4. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your data. We share data only with service providers necessary to operate the App:

4.1 AWS (Amazon Web Services)

Card images and job metadata are stored in AWS S3 and processed on AWS compute infrastructure. AWS acts as a data processor for Cardinal. AWS's privacy information is available at https://aws.amazon.com/privacy/.

4.2 Card Identification: Server-Side Fallback Services

When our on-device identification system cannot confidently identify a card, we send the card image to one or more of these services for identification:

• CardSight AI — used for sports card identification.
• Google Gemini — used for trading card game identification (Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and similar).

These services receive the card image and return card identity information (name, set, number). They do not receive your name, email, or anonymous install ID. The on-device identification system (which runs entirely on your device) does not transmit images for the identification match itself.

4.3 Market Pricing Data

Card market pricing is sourced from third-party pricing data providers (including Scrydex). Cardinal queries pricing data using the card's identity (game, set, card number). No card images or personal identifiers are sent to pricing providers.

4.4 Firebase (Google) — Phase B

Once added, Firebase Analytics and Crashlytics will process app activity and crash data on Google's infrastructure. Events are keyed to the anonymous install identifier. Firebase's privacy information is available at https://firebase.google.com/support/privacy.

4.5 Other Disclosures

We may disclose information if required by law, legal process, or to protect the rights and safety of Cardinal, our users, or the public.

5. Data Retention

• Card images and grading job data: Retained on our servers until you request deletion (see Section 7).
• App activity and crash logs (Phase B): Retained for up to 14 months in Firebase and BigQuery; crash logs are retained for up to 90 days.
• Anonymous install ID: Persisted on your device until you uninstall the App or clear app data. The backend retains the ID in association with grading jobs for the job retention period above.

6. Data Security

All data transmitted between the App and our servers is encrypted in transit using HTTPS/TLS. Card images are stored in AWS S3 with server-side encryption.

7. Your Choices and Data Deletion

Cardinal does not require you to create an account, so there is no account to delete. Because all data is associated with your anonymous install identifier rather than a name or email address:

• To remove your data: Uninstalling the App clears your install identifier from your device. To request deletion of card images and grading job data associated with your install ID from our servers, contact us at support@cardinal-app.ai and include the phrase "data deletion request." We will delete the associated data within 30 days.

8. Children's Privacy

The App is not directed to children under 13 (or under 16 in the European Economic Area). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under these ages. If you believe a child has submitted information through the App, contact us at support@cardinal-app.ai and we will delete it.

9. International Users

Cardinal is operated from the United States, and your information is processed in the United States. If you are located in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or California and wish to exercise applicable data-protection rights (such as access, correction, or deletion), contact us at support@cardinal-app.ai and we will respond as required by applicable law.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date above. Continued use of the App after the updated policy is posted constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

11. Contact Us

For privacy questions or data deletion requests, contact:

Cardinal Inc.
Delaware, USA.
Email: support@cardinal-app.ai

This privacy policy is hosted at: https://cardinal-app.ai/privacy