GenoCanvasSecurity and information governance statement
GenoCanvas, made by SmallHoursSoftware. Contact: [email protected]
In short
GenoCanvas is a single web page that runs entirely in the user’s browser. It does not send genogram content, or anything else, to SmallHoursSoftware or to any other party. The person using it, and their organisation, remain the only holders of the data they enter.
What the app does
| Network use | None after the page has loaded. The page’s Content Security Policy sets default-src 'none', so the browser blocks the page from making requests, loading third-party scripts, fonts or images, or being framed by another site. |
|---|---|
| Accounts and sign-in | None. |
| Analytics, cookies, trackers, advertising | None. No cookies are set. |
| Third-party code | None. The app is one file of our own code, pinned by a cryptographic hash in its security policy. |
| Where work is kept | On the user’s device only: in the browser’s local storage if “Keep a copy in this browser” is on (it can be turned off, for shared computers), and in files the user saves (.genogram.json, PNG, PDF, SVG). |
| Encryption | The app does not encrypt saved files or browser storage. Protection of the device and its storage (for example full-disk encryption and a screen lock) is the organisation’s responsibility, as for any other document. |
| Account area | Buyers sign in at account.genocanvas.com (a separate site from the app) to download their licensed copy. It holds the buyer’s email and the names and emails put on licences, never genogram content. It uses one strictly necessary sign-in cookie, only on that site. See the privacy policy. |
| Offline copy | The free web app uses a service worker that stores only the app’s own files (page, icons, manifest) so it works offline. It stores no client data. |
Free and full versions
The free version keeps initials and years only; it cannot store full names, full dates or notes. The full version is a file the buyer downloads from their account and opens from their own computer. It checks its licence offline by verifying a digital signature over the licensee’s name and email address, so it never contacts us to do so. The free app contains none of the full version’s code or licence keys.
What SmallHoursSoftware holds
Only information about buyers: their email address, the order, and the names and emails they put on licences. Payment is taken by Paddle, which holds the payment details (we never see card numbers). We hold no genogram data, because we never receive any. Our website is static pages; the host may keep ordinary server logs of page requests (such as IP address and time) as any website does, and those relate to visiting the website, not to using the app.
Data protection roles
Because the software sends nothing to us, SmallHoursSoftware does not process personal data on behalf of its users. We are not a data processor for genogram content, and no data processing agreement is needed for it. The user’s organisation remains the controller of any personal data entered, and its existing policies on storing and sharing client information apply to genograms and the files made from them.
Recommended practice
- Use initials or a pseudonym for anyone who could be identified, particularly in the free version, which enforces this.
- Keep saved files in the same approved locations as other client records, and delete them when no longer needed.
- On shared computers, turn off “Keep a copy in this browser”.
- Browsers can clear local storage; save a file as the backup.
- Some work networks restrict opening local files in a browser. If so, local ICT may need to allow it for the full version.
Reporting a problem
To report a security issue or ask a question for an assessment, email [email protected]. This statement describes the current version of the app and is updated when its behaviour changes.