Why do we collect data at Waking Up?

Before answering why we collect data in the Waking Up app at all, we want to start by reassuring you of what we never do.

Our business model is subscription-based. We do not sell our member's attention in the form of ads. Much of the bad data-collection behavior we read about and experience as consumers hinges on this difference. Most ad-based companies need to monetize your data via third parties. We do not.

So, why do we collect data?

Some data we need for the product to work at all. We need your timezone to know when to swap in the correct Daily Meditation. We need your email address to provide access to your subscription across multiple devices and platforms, and to provide any customer support that may become necessary.

Some data—like which features members use, what content they listen to—simply allows us to make the product itself better, and to correct issues. Without any data, we would be designing features in the dark. By knowing what’s working well and what isn’t, we can make your experience of the app continuously better.

Lastly, we collect some data that helps us get better at growing. We do run a business, after all, and we want to be able to support our staff and collaborators, offer as many free subscriptions as people need, and give as much to charity as possible. So, we collect data to figure out things like what kind of checkout experiences work best, the most effective ways to promote Waking Up via email and other channels, and what messaging is most effective at the point of purchase.

Ultimately, our philosophy is always to collect the absolute minimal data necessary, and to use data to provide a great experience for our members—and nothing more. You can read in greater depth about our approach to data in our Privacy Policy.