Privacy Policy

Last updated: June 2026.

This policy explains, in plain language, what Katie's Car App: Buyer Shield (“Katie's Car App,” “we,” or “us”) collects, how we use it, and the choices you have. We've written it to be read, not decoded. Questions anytime: support@drivekatie.com.

The short version

We collect only what we need to run Katie's Car App.
We don't sell your information, and we never share your phone number or your text opt-in with anyone else for their marketing.
You can stop texts or delete your data anytime.

What we collect

Your email and mobile number — to sign you in and reach you.
Your search — the cars, trims, listings, preferences, and notes you add to your board.
Insurance photos you choose to upload — kept private and encrypted. We never ask for, and never store, a driver's license.
Messages with dealers — the texts, call recordings, transcripts, and emails you exchange with dealers through your Katie's Car App (Shield) number and inbox.

How we use it

To run the app and keep your household's information strictly separate from every other household's. We enforce this separation in our database, not just by policy, so one household can never see another's board, notes, insurance photos, or dealer messages.
To build your call notes and run features. Calls with dealers and messages relayed through the app are recorded so the app can create your call notes and summaries. A Katie's Car App admin may also review them for quality and training. We tell you this when you sign up, and you agree to it as a condition of using the service.
To improve the product and keep it working well.

We use your information to provide the service — not to advertise to you, and not to hand off to others to advertise to you.

Website, cookies, and analytics

Essential cookies. We use cookies that are necessary to run Katie's Car App and to keep you signed in. We don't use cookies to track you across other websites.
No third-party ad or analytics trackers. We don't currently use advertising cookies or third-party analytics services to profile you.
How you found us. If you arrive from a link, we may carry simple attribution tags — like UTM parameters or a referral code — in the web address so we know which link or referral brought you. If you apply, we store that with your application.
Standard technical logs. Like most websites, our hosting provider records basic technical information, such as your IP address and browser type, to operate, secure, and troubleshoot the service.

Texting (SMS)

This section describes our text-messaging program in full. It's the part carriers and careful readers look at most closely, so here is exactly how it works.

What you agree to when you opt in. Our SMS consent checkbox reads, word for word:

"I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy, and I consent to receive texts from Katie's Car App at the number above (login codes, account updates, and dealer messages to my Katie's Car App number). Msg frequency varies; msg & data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help."

Here's what that means, point by point:

Program. Katie's Car App sends you transactional, customer-service text messages only. We do not send marketing or promotional texts.
What you'll get. Three kinds of messages, which is what the consent label above covers:
- One-time login passcodes — to sign you in securely.
- Account updates — which includes account, application, and listing updates (for example, a change to your account, a status update on an application, or a change to a car you're tracking). These may include links.
- Two-way dealer messages — the messages you exchange with dealers, carried through your Katie's Car App (Shield) number so a dealer's outreach reaches the app instead of your personal phone.
How often. Message frequency varies depending on your activity and the conversations you're having with dealers.
Costs. Message and data rates may apply — these come from your mobile carrier, not from us.
Opt out. Reply STOP to any text to opt out at any time. After you reply STOP, we'll send one confirmation message and then stop texting you.
Help. Reply HELP for help, or email us at support@drivekatie.com.

Mobile carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.

We do not sell your personal information. We do not share your phone number or your SMS/text opt-in (consent) with any third parties, and we never share them for anyone else's marketing or promotional purposes.

No mobile information will be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Sharing with the service providers that help us operate the messaging program (such as our messaging delivery provider) is permitted. Text messaging originator opt-in data and consent will not be shared with any third parties.

Your consent to receive texts from Katie's Car App stays between you and us.

If you're a dealer we contact on a buyer's behalf

Sometimes a buyer who uses Katie's Car App will give you their Katie's Car App (Shield) number — for example, at a test drive — and ask us to handle messages on their behalf. If you opt in to hear from us:

We send you texts and calls on that buyer's behalf about the specific vehicle(s) you discussed — things like availability, pricing, and appointments. We don't send you marketing.
Reply STOP at any time to opt out, or HELP for help. Message and data rates may apply.
We keep a record of your opt-in — your number, the consent language you saw, and when — and the messages exchanged, so the buyer has an accurate history. Calls may be recorded as described above.
We don't sell your number, and we never share it for anyone else's marketing.

Questions? Email us at support@drivekatie.com.

Who we share with

We don't sell your data, and we don't share it for anyone else's marketing. We use a few trusted service providers strictly to operate Katie's Car App for you — for example, to deliver text messages, send email, and securely store your data — and they may only use your information to do that work on our behalf, under confidentiality obligations. We may also share information when the law requires it. We never share your phone number or your SMS/text opt-in with anyone for their own marketing or promotional purposes.

How we protect your information

We use industry-standard safeguards, including encryption and access controls, and the insurance photos you upload are encrypted. Each household's data is kept strictly separate from every other household's, enforced in our database. No system is perfectly secure, but we treat your information carefully, limit who can access it, and collect only what we need.

How long we keep it

We keep your information only as long as we need it to run the app or to meet legal obligations. When you deactivate your account, we delete the insurance photos you uploaded, along with the recordings, transcripts, and conversation history tied to your account.

Your choices

Stop texts anytime by replying STOP.
Delete your account anytime — when you do, we delete the insurance photos you uploaded, along with the recordings, transcripts, and conversation history tied to your account.
Ask us anything about your data, including a copy or a correction, by emailing support@drivekatie.com.

Age

You must be 18 or older to use Katie's Car App. It is not directed to children under 18.

Changes

If we update this policy, we'll change the “Last updated” date above and post the new version here at https://drivekatie.com/privacy.

Contact

Questions about your privacy? Email us at support@drivekatie.com.