A substance-use journal may contain sensitive details about health, relationships and routines. Before choosing a tool, decide what you are comfortable recording and ask where that information will go. Privacy claims should describe actual behavior clearly enough to support that decision.
Five questions to ask
- Where are entries stored? Distinguish records on the phone from copies sent to a service. “Local” describes location; it does not by itself mean encrypted.
- What does a lock protect? A device or app lock can restrict ordinary access. It is a different feature from encrypting stored records.
- If a tool offers sync, what happens when it is enabled? Check what is uploaded, which account can access it and what happens when you later turn the feature off.
- What are you sharing deliberately? Community posts, screenshots and exports may expose information beyond a personal journal.
- How can you leave? Check deletion and export options, including what happens to copies, backups and information already shared.
What this means in Remedy
Remedy stores tracking records on the device and provides manual export and import for backups. Content you choose to post to Community is shared with other users. Those are separate choices; using local tracking does not mean every feature keeps all information on the phone.
The current substance and journal storage uses AsyncStorage, which its maintainers describe as unencrypted storage. The current code does not add app-level encryption to these records. We therefore do not claim that local records are encrypted by Remedy or that nobody could access them. Device protections and your app and account settings still matter.
We make Remedy. This explanation is based on the current implementation, not an independent security audit or a claim of regulatory certification. Read the relevant settings and privacy information before deciding what to store.
Keep only the detail you need
A date and a short observation may answer your question without naming other people or recording an entire conversation. If an amount or time is uncertain, say so. Review whether a field is useful before making it part of every entry.
For examples, see tracking use cases and a limited daily record. A paper journal also has storage and access considerations.
Check ordinary sharing moments
- Before showing a screen, look for names, dates or other entries visible around the item you want to share.
- Before exporting a backup, choose a destination you are comfortable using for sensitive data.
- Before posting to Community, consider which details belong in that shared setting.
- Before changing devices or deleting an account, review the available backup and deletion information.
If a data practice is unclear, ask for an explanation before relying on it. A useful tracking tool should fit both your recording needs and your comfort with its actual data handling.
Keep a daily record with Remedy
Record use, no-use days and journal context.
