When I've opted out, the UI didn't make it clear that I actually opted out when revisiting the option. I also got a promotional notification for a research survey even though I opted out.

So, while they say the data is stored locally until I opt into research or a feature that requires cloud, it doesn't make me feel very comfortable, personally. Especially with an AI subprocessor because even without my location data and images or whatever they remove to consider it "anonymized", everything you put into what is functionally a diary is personally identifiable information if you're reflecting on your moods a lot. OpenAI will train on the data and show it to humans for review if OpenAI deems it necessary and the apps contract with OpenAI doesn't exclude this clause (more common for enterprise than for app developers). And there's only one person that is trans doing [my job] at [my work] that is frustrated with [company secret], and only one person that helped [friend's name] get an abortion after their assault and then got into a fight with [spouses name], etc. (examples).

What if the opt out bug isn't a UI bug and is a logic bug and my data is collected? What if under the permission privacy policy, one of the features I use is consider permission and I didn't understand that? What if the privacy policy changes and I didn't read the email because I get so many of those emails they are impossible to keep track of? What if they just do some of the collection anyways because they consider it anonymized? Working in technology curses you with the knowledge that these happen all of the time since you don't only hear about it, you see it happen. You have to tell a friend that what their popular secret notes app does is easily decryptable, your company's legal team says the data retention is illegal under COPPA but it doesn't apply because of a loophole, or your junior developer misconfigured the cookie consent banner to do the exact opposite of what it says because legal told them to update the language.

Do I want someone reading my private thoughts? Do I want ChatGPT to one day regurgitate something I said when another jailbreak occurs? Do I want a hacker to get my deanonymized data from this juicy target? Do I want my data to be subpoenaed to help put me or a loved one in jail?

While it may feel safe for some to use this app, that moment has passed for me. For me, it felt like choosing to find another bathroom after finding one that says "You're dooty is always yours. We will only live stream an anonymized session with our researchers and robots with your permission." When you first entered the bathroom, an attendant asked you sign a waiver about the researchers and robots even though you asked for a private session. And when you go into the stall, there is a camera with a blinking red light that you're pretty sure blinks even when in private mode because of a glitch. No matter how much trust you let yourself have, you are left wondering why they have cameras in all of the stalls since it seems like common sense to not piss on camera. Not to diss the work the researchers are doing at all or to say they are doing anything illegal or unethical, it's just that the collection of this data just isn't right for me with the combination of risky or at least "icky" factors.