Overview

BabelCite is a free legal research tool that provides semantic search across Hong Kong court decisions. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have.

Information We Collect

Search queries

When you search, we log your query text, the search mode used (AI, keyword, or manual), and the results returned. This helps us improve search quality and identify abuse. Search queries are not linked to your identity unless you are signed in.

Usage data

We collect anonymous analytics including pages visited, time spent, click-through rates on search results, and interaction events (such as saving or viewing a case). We use this to measure and improve product performance.

Account data (optional)

Account creation is optional. If you sign in, we store your email address and any cases you bookmark or notes you save. You can delete your saved data at any time.

Technical data

We log IP addresses for rate limiting and security monitoring. Cloudflare, our CDN provider, may also process request metadata as described in their privacy policy.

How We Use Your Information

To operate, maintain, and improve the search platform
To monitor and prevent abuse, scraping, or excessive usage
To analyze search quality and relevance of results
To provide and sync your saved cases and notes (if you have an account)
To communicate with you about service changes or support requests

What We Do Not Do

We do not sell your data to third parties
We do not use your search history to build advertising profiles
We do not generate legal advice or answers from your queries — BabelCite is a search tool, not an advice engine

Data Retention

Search logs and analytics data are retained for up to 12 months. Saved cases and notes are retained until you delete them or close your account. IP addresses in rate-limit logs are rotated frequently and not persisted long-term.

Third-Party Services

Cloudflare — CDN, DDoS protection, TLS termination
OpenRouter — AI model API calls for query expansion and embeddings (queries are sent for processing, not stored)
Qdrant — Vector database hosting (self-hosted on our infrastructure)

Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data, including TLS encryption in transit, access controls, and regular security review. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your information.

Your Rights

You may request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal data by contacting us at the email below. If you have an account, you can delete saved cases and notes directly from the platform.

Children's Privacy

BabelCite is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected such data, please contact us.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The effective date at the top of this page indicates when it was last revised. Material changes will be noted on the platform.

Contact

Questions about this Privacy Policy: [email protected]