InnerAscent
Anonymity isn't a feature we bolted on — it's the starting point. In the Twelve Step tradition, anonymity protects members and keeps the focus on principles rather than personalities — see AA’s Twelve Traditions and program basics on NA.org. We designed InnerAscent to carry that same value into your phone.
Privacy and design mechanisms
How InnerAscent implements privacy protections and supports Twelve Step practice:
- Encryption in transit and at rest — not end-to-end. Recovery content is protected with industry-standard encryption while moving and while stored; we do not claim that only you hold a unique end-to-end key.
- Nickname-first accounts; email optional; no phone required to sign up. You can start with a display nickname and never give a phone number for account creation; email is optional for recovery and premium.
- Anonymous display names by default. Your nickname does not have to be your legal name, and we never require a real profile photo — illustrated avatars are available instead.
- Journals and Step writing stay private until you sync or share. Content is offline-first on your device; when you use cloud sync, it is stored in Google Firebase with encryption in transit and at rest. Sponsor sharing is always explicit opt-in.
- Deletion on request, with limited retention for legal needs. Delete from Profile → Privacy in the app, or use Delete account / email info@innerascent.app (subject: “InnerAscent account deletion request”). We typically complete verified email requests within about 30 days; limited records may remain when required for legal, security, or accounting reasons.
- Named third parties only where needed. Google Firebase (auth, storage, push), optional OpenAI for AI Reflection, and Google Analytics on the website with IP anonymization. We do not sell personal information.
- Legal disclosures when required by law. We may disclose information if required by law or to protect user safety; we do not publish a separate law-enforcement playbook beyond that policy commitment — see our Privacy Policy.
You choose how much to share
When you create an account, all you need is a nickname. It doesn't have to be your real name. You can use the core of the app — the Twelve Steps journey, journaling, meeting finder, and clean-time tracking — without ever telling us who you are.
Adding an email is optional. If you do add one, it's only used to recover your account and to grant any premium access. We never sell it, and we never display it to other members.
Your recovery content belongs to you
Journal entries, step writing, and inventories are yours. They're encrypted in transit and at rest. When you use sponsor features, you decide exactly what to share and with whom — nothing is shared automatically.
A word about the AI assistant
The optional AI Reflection Assistant references your own journal and step progress so its responses are grounded and relevant. Prompts are processed to generate a response — not to identify you — and the assistant is never a replacement for your sponsor or a professional.
Profile pictures, without the photo
To protect anonymity, we never ask for a real photo. If you want a profile image, the app can generate an anonymous, illustrated character for you instead. You can regenerate or remove it anytime.
Delete anytime
You can remove your recovery content from within the app whenever you like, or contact us to delete your account entirely. Your recovery, your terms.
For the full details, see our Privacy Policy.