Privacy Policy

Last updated: July 6, 2026

The short version. Whitespace is a local-first Mac app. Your boards live on your own computer — we never receive or store them. The AI assistant is bring-your-own-key: when you use it, your prompts go straight to the AI provider you chose, under their policy, not through us. This website uses privacy-respecting analytics to understand traffic. That's it.

This policy explains what data the Whitespace desktop app and this website (whitesp.com) do and don't collect, and who else is involved when you use them.

1. The Whitespace app

Your boards stay on your Mac

Whitespace is a native macOS application. The boards you create are saved locally on your own device (in the app's Application Support folder). They are never uploaded to us, and we have no server that receives them. There is no account to create and no sign-in. The app does not send us usage analytics or telemetry.

The AI assistant is bring-your-own-key (BYOK)

The optional AI assistant only works when you supply your own API key for a provider you choose — Anthropic, OpenAI, or a local model via Ollama. When you send a request:

Your prompt and the relevant board content are sent directly from your Mac to the provider you configured — not to us. We do not proxy, receive, log, or store it.
That data is handled under your chosen provider's privacy policy and terms. If you use a local model (Ollama), nothing leaves your machine at all.
Your API keys are stored in the macOS Keychain on your device and are never transmitted to us.

The MCP server is local-only

If you enable the built-in MCP server (which lets AI tools like Claude Code operate your board), it binds to loopback only (127.0.0.1) and is token-gated. It is reachable only from your own machine and is not exposed to the internet.

Automatic updates

The app checks for new versions using Sparkle, which fetches an update feed hosted on GitHub. This is a standard network request; GitHub may see your IP address and request metadata as with any download. We do not send GitHub any personal information about you.

2. This website (whitesp.com)

Analytics

The website uses PostHog to understand aggregate traffic — which pages are viewed and how visitors move through the site. This may include your approximate location (derived from IP), device and browser type, and pages visited, and may use cookies or local storage. It is used only to improve the site. We do not sell it or use it to build advertising profiles.

Hosting & downloads

The site is hosted on Vercel, which keeps standard server logs. App downloads are served from GitHub Releases. Each of those providers processes requests under its own privacy policy.

3. Third parties

Depending on how you use Whitespace, the following independent services may process data, each under its own policy: the AI provider you choose (Anthropic / OpenAI / Ollama), GitHub (downloads and update checks), Vercel (website hosting), and PostHog (website analytics).

4. What we don't do

We don't require accounts or collect names, emails, or passwords to use the app.
We don't upload, read, or store the contents of your boards.
We don't sell your data or share it with advertisers.

5. Your choices

Don't configure an AI key, and no prompts or board content ever leave your machine via the app.
Use a local model (Ollama) to keep AI fully offline.
Browser "Do Not Track" settings and content blockers will limit or stop website analytics.

6. Children

Whitespace is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect data from them.

7. Changes

We may update this policy as the product evolves. Material changes will be reflected here with a new "Last updated" date.

8. Contact

Questions about this policy? Reach the maintainer via the LinkedIn link in the footer.