Privacy Policy

The RoughCut app /

RoughCut has no user accounts, developer analytics, telemetry, or media servers. The developer does not receive your videos, transcripts, API keys, cut decisions, or in-app usage. Optional providers receive data only for features you choose, as described below.

What stays on your Mac by default /

• Your original video and audio files remain in place; RoughCut references them rather than uploading them to a RoughCut service.
• On-device speech-to-text uses a locally downloaded model and is the default transcription mode.
• Working transcripts, cut decisions and job artifacts are stored locally by the app. Exported SRT/TXT files and FCPXML timelines are saved in the folder you choose and are separate from the app's automatic finished-job cleanup.
• API keys are stored in the macOS Keychain, encrypted by the system.

What leaves your Mac when you choose an online feature /

• AI editing pass: when enabled with your Gemini, OpenAI or Claude (Anthropic) key, transcript text and word timestamps go directly from your Mac to that provider to propose bad-take and tangent removals. Audio and video are not sent for this editing pass.
• Pro Cloud Transcription: when you explicitly choose Cloud Transcription for a job, that job's audio is sent directly to OpenAI under your own key. The choice is shown before processing. On-device transcription remains available as the default.
• Speech-model download: the local transcription model is downloaded from Hugging Face's public content-delivery network.
• Langfuse tracing: advanced users may connect their own Langfuse project. It is off by default and sends trace data only after the user supplies their own project keys and enables it.

These services operate under their own terms and privacy policies: Google, OpenAI, Anthropic, Hugging Face, and Langfuse.

Local ChatGPT and Codex integration /

This section applies if you use the optional RoughCut plugin with a compatible native build. The compatible build is not yet released through the Mac App Store, and the plugin is an OpenAI draft, not an approved public listing. Support depends on the host and a local helper running on your Mac; this notice does not promise browser or mobile availability.

The helper receives task-specific commands, settings and editing goals from ChatGPT or Codex to set up RoughCut, process recordings you authorize, review edits and save exports. The host may receive app and model readiness, license and trial status, selected file and folder names, job identifiers, progress, operation results and available export types. The workspace panel's selection hint contains only the selected job's identifier and normalized status.

Transcript and review text are returned to the host only after separate approval in the native app. The plugin does not request your full conversation history or return your provider API keys. The current local integration has no RoughCut-operated hosted relay.

OpenAI processes your conversation and tool results as the host of ChatGPT or Codex, under its privacy policy and your account's data controls. This is separate from using OpenAI as an optional API provider with your own key. After the relevant native approval, optional AI editing or goal summarization can send transcript or goal text to your selected provider, OpenAI, Google (Gemini) or Anthropic (Claude); a summarized goal can be returned to the host. Optional Cloud Transcription sends audio to OpenAI separately. Provider approval does not authorize sharing transcript or review text into ChatGPT or Codex.

Integration permissions and disconnecting /

You choose accessible recordings, existing jobs and export folders in native dialogs. Permissions belong to the connected plugin and may be used by chats sharing that connection. Declining text sharing leaves review in the native app available.

Use Disconnect in the Plugin section of RoughCut Settings to revoke future plugin access. Jobs already accepted by the native app may continue; you can review or cancel them in RoughCut. Disconnecting or deleting a local job does not erase information already shared with ChatGPT, Codex or an optional provider. Use those services' data controls for their copies.

Do not submit passwords, API keys, verification codes, payment-card data, government identifiers or protected health information through the integration. Enter provider keys only in the native app's settings. Use recordings you have permission to process and share.

Local retention and cleanup /

Finished-job data follows the app's configurable cleanup policy. Defaults are a 24-hour age threshold measured from job creation and a 25 GB storage budget. Older eligible jobs may be removed sooner to meet the budget. Cleanup requires the app to run and the job to be eligible, so these settings do not guarantee deletion at an exact elapsed time. Exports saved in your chosen folder remain until you delete them and are separate from automatic finished-job cleanup.

For the local integration, pairing invitations expire after ten minutes and are removed when used. Local helper connection state is removed during normal helper shutdown. These are separate from saved job data.

The local completed-cut counter, stored in Keychain to account for trial use, has no scheduled automatic deletion. Local records used to prevent duplicate operations contain request fingerprints, connection identifiers and operation results; they also have no scheduled automatic deletion. These records are outside finished-job cleanup. Deleting a job or uninstalling the app does not remove all of these records or separately saved exports. Contact samer@thaka2.ai for questions about the integration or local data cleanup.

This website /

Roughcuteditor.com uses Google Analytics 4 to understand aggregate page visits, navigation and Mac App Store button clicks. Google Analytics may use browser identifiers or cookies and process information such as browser/device details and approximate location. It does not receive your RoughCut media, transcripts, API keys, or in-app activity.

You can limit or block site storage in your browser and can use Google's Analytics opt-out add-on. Read Google's privacy policy for its handling and retention practices.

Optional instructional videos /

Our optional instructional videos are hosted by YouTube, a Google service. On this website, poster images are hosted locally and the YouTube player is loaded only after you choose Play. When you play a video or open it on YouTube, your browser connects to Google, which may receive connection and device information, including your IP address, and processes that information under Google's Privacy Policy.

We use YouTube's privacy-enhanced embed mode on this website. This does not mean that YouTube collects no information. You can use the written instructions without playing a video. The instructional player does not receive your RoughCut recordings, transcripts, cut decisions or API keys.

Purchases /

The one-time core unlock and optional RoughCut Pro subscriptions are processed by Apple through the Mac App Store. The developer does not receive your full payment details. Apple's transaction and account handling is governed by Apple's privacy policy.

Children's privacy /

RoughCut is a professional creator tool and is not directed at children. The RoughCut developer does not collect personal information from app users.

Changes /

If this policy changes, the updated version will be published at this URL with a new effective date. Material changes will describe the relevant app feature or website service directly.

Questions /

Email samer@thaka2.ai with any question about this policy. Support options and troubleshooting guidance are listed on the RoughCut support page.