Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

indieTJ (Independent Trader Journal) is a browser-based trading journal application available at indietj.com and as a browser extension for Chrome and Firefox. The application is built and maintained by an independent developer as a private, local-first software tool for retail stock traders.

indieTJ is not a financial services provider, broker, investment advisor, or data processor in the conventional sense. It is a standalone offline application that runs entirely within your browser.

2. Data We Do NOT Collect

We want to be explicit. indieTJ does not collect, store, transmit, or process any of the following:

• Your name, email address, or any other personal identifiers
• Your portfolio data, positions, transactions, or trade history
• Your Finnhub API key or any other API credentials
• Your IP address or device fingerprint
• Your browser type, operating system, or hardware configuration
• Usage analytics, session duration, clicks, or behavior data
• Error logs, crash reports, or performance metrics
• Location data of any kind
• Cookies of any kind (we set none)
• Any form of tracking identifiers

3. How Your Data Is Stored

All data created within indieTJ — including your portfolio positions, transaction history, notes, AI prompts, and application settings — is stored exclusively in your browser's localStorage under the key indietj_v1.

localStorage is a browser-native storage mechanism that is:

• Stored entirely on your local device
• Never automatically transmitted to any server
• Isolated to the domain or extension context
• Under your full control at all times

Your Finnhub API key, if provided, is stored in a separate localStorage key and is explicitly excluded from all export and backup operations. It is never included in JSON backups, never transmitted to any server other than Finnhub's own price API endpoint when you request a price refresh.

4. Finnhub API Integration

indieTJ offers optional live stock price fetching via the Finnhub public API (finnhub.io). This feature is entirely optional. When you choose to use it:

• Your API key is sent directly from your browser to Finnhub's servers to fetch price data
• Only ticker symbols (e.g., AAPL, TSLA) are included in these requests — no personal information
• Price data is cached locally in your browser session for 60 seconds to minimize API calls
• Finnhub's own privacy policy and terms of service apply to all requests made to their API
• You can use indieTJ without any API key — live prices are optional

We have no access to, and do not log, any data exchanged between your browser and Finnhub.

5. Export and Import

indieTJ allows you to export your portfolio data as a JSON file to your local device at any time. This file is created in your browser and saved directly to your device — it does not pass through any server. You are responsible for the security and backup of exported files.

When you import a JSON backup, the file is read locally by your browser and loaded into localStorage. It is never uploaded to or processed by any external server.

6. Browser Extension

The indieTJ browser extension for Chrome and Firefox operates with the same privacy principles as the web application. The extension:

• Requests only the minimum permissions required to function
• Does not access browsing history, tabs, or other websites
• Stores all data in extension-scoped localStorage or storage API
• Does not communicate with any indieTJ-controlled server
• Is published on official browser extension stores (Chrome Web Store, Firefox Add-ons)

7. Third-Party Links

indieTJ's landing page (indietj.com) may contain links to third-party services such as the Chrome Web Store, Firefox Add-ons store, and Finnhub. These external sites have their own privacy policies that apply when you visit them. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of any third-party websites.

8. Children's Privacy

indieTJ is intended for adult retail traders. We do not knowingly collect information from individuals under the age of 18. Since we collect no data at all, there is no risk of inadvertent collection of children's data through the application itself.

9. Data Deletion

Since all your data is stored locally in your browser, you are in complete control of deletion:

• Clear your browser's localStorage for indietj.com to remove all application data
• Uninstall the browser extension to remove all extension-stored data
• Delete any exported JSON backup files from your device manually

There is no account to delete and no server-side data to request removal of, because none was ever collected.

10. Security

The best security measure we can offer is that your data never leaves your device. We recommend:

• Keeping regular JSON backups of your portfolio using the built-in Export function
• Storing backup files in a secure location on your device
• Using a strong, unique Finnhub API key and not sharing it
• Keeping your browser updated for the latest security patches

11. Changes to This Policy

If this privacy policy is updated, the updated version will be published at indietj.com/privacy.html with a revised effective date. Since indieTJ collects no contact information, we cannot notify users of changes directly. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

Our core commitment — no personal data collection, no analytics, no cloud storage — will not change. Any expansion of data practices would require explicit user consent and a clearly communicated policy change.

12. Contact

If you have questions about this privacy policy or indieTJ's data practices, you can reach us at: privacy@indietj.com