Effective September 14, 2026

Privacy policy

This policy describes Comedy Archive, including the Material Ingest capture app and Comedy Archive browser for macOS, operated by Van Robichaux. Contact: van@van.media.

What the app accesses

Local capture reads metadata in the folders you approve. File contents are opened read-only only when you select them for copying or verify saved copies. The app records source identity, inventory, selection, acquisition results and verification records alongside the archive.

If you choose Google authorization, the app requests account identification, read-only Google Drive access to view and download files, including Google Docs, and read-only Gmail access. Google’s Drive permission covers all Drive files the account can access, even when the archival scope you approve is narrower. You review those permissions on Google’s consent screen. Authorization saves an encrypted grant and does not itself download content. You can connect several Google accounts and choose Drive, Gmail, or both separately where those services are available. If you then start a Google Drive or Gmail session, the app reads account identity and inventories accessible file or message metadata. After you review and save a selection and start copying, it downloads selected files, supported Google-document exports or raw email messages with their attachments to the drive. It retains original provider identifiers, locations and available source metadata. You can view supported captured formats inside the app. During Drive selection, an explicit Preview action downloads one supported file or PDF export into a temporary cache on the encrypted drive, limited to 20 MiB. A preview does not select or archive that item; each session keeps at most one cached source preview, replaced by the next preview. The cache can remain after the app closes and can be removed from the drive. Inventory covers the chosen account source; narrower exclusions must be applied when reviewing the selection. Unsupported or inaccessible items are recorded as coverage gaps.

Gmail search and selection lists retrieve message headers. The app saves each account’s chosen message IDs and contributing search queries on the encrypted drive so selections survive new searches and reopening. When you choose Preview email, the app reads that message’s body and attachment metadata; Google may include small inline attachments in this response. Message text is displayed without loading remote images or scripts. The Shared links tab shows recognized file-sharing links found in the message, including their actual destinations. Linked files are not fetched automatically. Preview attachment retrieves the requested attachment when needed, up to 20 MiB, and keeps at most one cached attachment per account on the encrypted drive. Previews do not add items to your capture selection. Preview caches can remain after closing the app and can be removed from the drive.

The Comedy Archive browser reads saved capture metadata to search across imports. Selecting a result reads its metadata and saved-file list. Choosing Preview saved item verifies and reads the chosen captured file. Saved email previews decode the captured message locally, without connecting to Google or loading remote images or scripts; recognized sharing links open only on an explicit action. Saved email decoding and Office previews are limited to 20 MiB per captured file. Temporary Office and saved-attachment previews share a cache of at most eight files per import, each at most 20 MiB, on the encrypted drive. This cache can remain after closing the apps and can be removed without removing captured originals. Media does not play automatically. Opening an original source location is a separate explicit action and may involve the source application or website.

Why this information is used

Local metadata and copied files support the archive you expressly select, including completeness reporting and verification. Google grants are used only for the identity and service-availability checks, read-only inventory and search, explicitly requested Drive, email and attachment previews, and archival captures you approve, including refreshing access during those operations. Original references link snapshots back to the source; copies do not replace or reorganize the originals. The app does not request document editing, sharing, email sending or deletion permissions.

Storage and protection

Captures, application state and working files are stored on the encrypted external drive. Google access and refresh tokens are stored in a separate authenticated, encrypted vault. The app generates its unlock key and stores it in a dedicated protected credential folder on the encrypted drive, allowing authorization to travel to another Mac. Each Mac can cache that key in its own macOS Keychain without iCloud synchronization. Anyone able to unlock and read the drive can use its saved Google authorization while the grant remains valid. Account tokens and unlock keys are not included in ordinary capture bundles or application logs.

Google sign-in takes place on Google’s website in your browser, using a temporary callback that listens only on the local computer. Google and your browser process that sign-in under their own policies. macOS and source applications may maintain permission records, caches, swap or other operating-system records outside the drive.

Sharing and third parties

The app does not automatically upload your local files or Google account contents to this website, a hosted archive, an advertising service, or an AI service. It does not sell data, use it for advertising, or send it to an AI model. Access to a physical archive or a later copy depends on whom you choose to give the drive, its unlock credentials, or the copied archive. Merely authorizing Google does not share original documents with a collaborator.

If you choose Open link in browser, the destination service and your browser process that visit under their own policies. Simply viewing the Shared links list does not contact those services.

Google processes authorization requests and issues the access grant. This informational website is hosted through Sites and Cloudflare; those providers may process ordinary connection and security information, such as IP addresses and request logs, to serve and protect the website. The pages contain no analytics scripts, tracking pixels, upload forms or account sign-in forms.

Retention, deletion and revocation

Archive files and encrypted grants remain on the drive until you or an authorized operator remove them. They are not automatically deleted when the app closes. Disconnecting a saved Google connection removes its portable unlock key and this Mac’s Keychain entry while preserving captured files and the encrypted grant record. Other copies of the drive may retain their own saved authorization. You can revoke the app’s Google access at Google Account connections. Revocation stops future authorized access; it does not remove files you have already copied. To delete local data, remove the relevant archive session or credential vault from the drive and any copies you control. Contact van@van.media for help with copies held by the archive operator. File deletion is not a promise of forensic erasure.

Google Limited Use

Comedy Archive’s use and transfer of information received from Google APIs will adhere to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including its Limited Use requirements.

Changes and questions

The current policy will remain available here with its effective date. Material changes to how the app uses Google data will be disclosed in the app before the changed behavior is enabled. For privacy questions, deletion requests or assistance revoking access, contact van@van.media.