Hermes Content Factory's use and transfer to any other app of information received from Google APIs adheres strictly to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements. We do not sell, lease, or trade Google user data, nor do we use Google user data to serve advertisements or train generalized AI foundation models.
01.Operator Identity & Scope of Application
Hermes Content Factory (“Hermes,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) is operated by Hermes Content Studio Engineering & Operations. Hermes is an autonomous, multi-agent media production and publishing suite designed to assist digital creators in researching market trends, authoring original video scripts, generating voiceovers and visual assets, and orchestrating video releases to connected distribution channels such as YouTube.
This Privacy Policy governs our processing of administrative credentials, connected channel telemetry, YouTube API data, and user-provided creative inputs across both self-hosted local deployments and cloud/VPS instances.
02.Google & YouTube API Scopes Requested
To enable authorized publishing, channel health monitoring, and analytics-driven content strategy, Hermes requests only the minimum required OAuth 2.0 scopes from Google Identity Services:
| Scope URI | Purpose & Usage in Hermes | Authorization Type |
|---|---|---|
| https://www.googleapis.com/auth/youtube.upload | Uploads videos, sets privacy status, and assigns tags/descriptions for productions explicitly approved by the user in the Review Gate. | Sensitive |
| https://www.googleapis.com/auth/youtube.readonly | Retrieves connected channel titles, thumbnails, and public upload status to verify publishing confirmations and channel binding. | Sensitive |
| https://www.googleapis.com/auth/yt-analytics.readonly | (Optional) Reads historical channel retention and view telemetry to calibrate estimated RPM and topic whitespace gap recommendations. | Sensitive |
| https://www.googleapis.com/auth/userinfo.profile | Displays your Google account display name in the channel management dashboard. | Non-sensitive |
| https://www.googleapis.com/auth/userinfo.email | Identifies the authenticated channel administrator for session management. | Non-sensitive |
03.YouTube API Data Retention & Refresh Schedule
In strict compliance with the YouTube API Services Developer Policies (Section III.E), Hermes enforces strict, granular retention schedules for all YouTube API data:
Cached public statistics (e.g. view counts, subscriber counts, competitor video metrics) are refreshed continuously and are never stored for more than 30 calendar days without a fresh API call. Stale records older than 30 days are automatically purged by background scheduled routines.
OAuth access and refresh tokens are retained strictly while your channel remains connected. Upon channel disconnection by the user or token revocation, stored credentials are permanently wiped from the database within 24 hours.
Whenever an operator disconnects a channel or submits a deletion request, all stored Google/YouTube user data, channel records, and cached metrics are deleted as soon as possible and within seven (7) calendar days across all active databases and backup files.
Operational logs recording upload job status, render execution times, and errors are retained for a maximum of 90 days for performance diagnostics, after which log rotations purge historical entries. Logs never record raw credentials.
04.AI Model Processing & Model Training Policy
Hermes does not intentionally use Google user data to train, tune, or improve generalized artificial intelligence or machine learning foundation models. Google API user data is not shared with third-party AI inference providers for model training purposes.
Hermes processes user-provided prompts, scripts, reference materials, and custom creative parameters through the AI and media-generation providers configured by the operator. Depending on the workflow you trigger, information may be transmitted to the following providers:
- Text & Script Generation: Prompts, topic keywords, and blueprint outlines are routed to LLM endpoints (such as OpenRouter, DeepSeek-V3/R1, or Google Gemini) to generate structured video scripts.
- Voice Synthesis: Approved script narration text is sent to ElevenLabs or Edge TTS to synthesize spoken audio tracks.
- Visual & Video Synthesis: Scene prompts and thumbnail layout instructions are processed by configured visual APIs (e.g. ByteDance Seedance, Kling, or Cloudflare Flux).
- Local Audio Processing: Timestamp alignment and caption synchronization are performed locally using Faster-Whisper on your host machine with no third-party audio transmission.
Third-Party Provider Policies: Data retention, ephemeral logging, and model-training practices for non-Google creative content depend on the specific provider, account tier, and API agreements configured by the operator. Users should review the privacy terms of configured inference providers before processing confidential materials.
05.Authentication Methods & Credential Safeguards
Hermes strictly complies with Google Developer Policies: we never ask for, collect, process, or store Google account usernames or passwords. All Google authorization is conducted either via standard OAuth 2.0 consent screens hosted on Google's verified domain, or through user-directed interactive browser sessions.
We provide two distinct channel connection mechanisms:
You log in directly on accounts.google.com. Hermes receives signed authorization codes with state parameters preventing CSRF attacks. Tokens are exchanged over TLS and stored in the isolated database to conduct verified API uploads.
If using browser-based automation for YouTube Studio uploads, an interactive browser window opens directly to YouTube. You authenticate directly with Google; Hermes only captures the resulting session cookies locally, protects them under strict POSIX file permissions, and never transmits them to any third party.
06.Technical Security Architecture & Implementation
Hermes employs accurate, industry-standard engineering controls to protect the integrity of the system:
- Admin Session Authentication: Operator tokens are cryptographically signed using HMAC with SHA-256 (
HS256) with configured expiration windows (default: 24 hours). Unauthenticated requests to protected endpoints or live WebSocket feeds are rejected with HTTP 401. - Password Verification: Administrator passwords configured in server environment variables are verified via constant-time cryptographic comparisons to resist timing side-channel attacks.
- Encryption in Transit: All communication with external APIs (Google, YouTube, OpenRouter, ElevenLabs) enforces TLS 1.3/HTTPS. Operators deploying to VPS environments are instructed to terminate client traffic through an HTTPS reverse proxy (such as Nginx, Caddy, or Cloudflare).
- Access Control at Rest: Database files (
storage/hermes.db) and media directories reside under restricted file permissions accessible exclusively by the host operating system user executing the Hermes service process.
07.Market Analysis & Niche Analytics Distinction
Hermes differentiates strictly between publicly available market research data and private, authenticated channel telemetry:
- Public Market Data: Niche saturation scores, topical keyword demand, and competitor video cadence are compiled from publicly accessible YouTube metadata.
- Authenticated Channel Analytics: When you explicitly authorize YouTube Analytics access, private retention and view velocity curves are analyzed strictly to calibrate your channel-specific whitespace gaps and revenue projections. These metrics are never aggregated into public datasets.
08.Self-Hosted & Cloud Deployment Boundaries
For self-hosted installations (on a creator's local workstation or privately managed VPS), the operator retains exclusive physical and logical custody over the server environment, database, media storage, and configured credentials.
If external cloud-based AI, voice, image, or video APIs are enabled, relevant creative prompts are transmitted over encrypted TLS connections to those providers for execution. Hermes does not claim that all processing occurs offline unless local open-source models (e.g., local Faster-Whisper, local Ollama, and local FFmpeg) are explicitly configured.
09.Data Deletion Rights & Privacy Contact
You have the right to request the deletion of all personal data, connected channel identifiers, and operational records held by Hermes. To initiate data deletion:
- Direct In-App Deletion: Navigate to the Hermes Channels tab and click “Disconnect Channel”, or use the Settings panel to purge campaign records and credentials immediately.
- Written Request: Email our designated Privacy & Compliance Officer at privacy@hermescontent.io with your Channel ID and installation reference.
All confirmed deletion requests are completed as soon as possible and within seven (7) calendar days in accordance with YouTube API Services Developer Policies.
Designated Privacy Officer Contact:
Hermes Content Studio Privacy & Data Protection
Email: privacy@hermescontent.io
Support & Security: support@hermescontent.io
10.Policy Updates & Notice of Material Changes
We may periodically update this Privacy Policy to reflect modifications to YouTube API regulations, legal requirements, or studio pipeline features. Material changes that affect how personal data or Google user data is processed will be announced via an in-app notification banner in the Hermes Studio header, and renewed acknowledgment will be requested where required by law.