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Privacy Policy for Pookey.app

Last Updated: November 2, 2024

Welcome to Pookey.app! Your privacy is of utmost importance to us, and we are dedicated to ensuring that your information is protected. This Privacy Policy provides a comprehensive overview of how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our language learning application, Pookey.app, which utilizes Chat-GPT's AI model. By using Pookey.app, you consent to the collection and use of your data as outlined in this policy. We encourage you to read this policy carefully to fully understand our data handling practices and your rights.

1. Information We Collect

Phone Number Verification: To create an account, users are required to verify their phone number. This verification process is essential for maintaining the security of your account and preventing unauthorized access, thereby ensuring the integrity of our community.

Personal Information: When registering for an account, we collect personal details such as your first name, surname, email address, and password. This information allows us to manage your account, provide personalized experiences, and support customer inquiries. By collecting this data, we ensure your learning progress is saved and we can communicate important updates to you.

Language Information: We collect information about the language you are learning (target language) and your native language. This allows us to personalize your learning experience and tailor content to meet your specific learning objectives. Understanding your language preferences helps us offer the most relevant content to facilitate effective learning.

Sign-In Services: Pookey.app integrates third-party sign-in services, including "Sign in with Google" and "Sign in with Apple." By using these services, we collect information associated with those accounts, such as your name and email address. This facilitates a streamlined sign-in process, allowing easy and efficient access to our services.

AI-Interaction Data: Words and phrases that you submit to our AI model may be used to train and improve the AI, both by us and by OpenAI, the provider of the Chat-GPT model. To protect your privacy, all data used for training purposes is anonymized. This ensures that personal identifiers are removed while still allowing us to enhance the AI's capabilities to provide more accurate and effective language learning assistance.

Microphone Data: When you grant permission, we access your device's microphone for speech recognition features during language learning conversations. Your voice input is processed and sent to our AI models to enable interactive speaking practice and pronunciation feedback. This audio data is used only for the immediate conversation and is not stored permanently. You can control microphone access through your device settings at any time.

2. How We Use Your Information

3. Third-Party Services

Pookey.app uses Chat-GPT's AI model, which is provided by OpenAI. By using our app, you agree to OpenAI's privacy policy, which outlines how data provided to their models may be processed. We recommend that you review OpenAI's privacy policy for more details about their data handling practices, including their use of data for research and AI model enhancement.

For payment processing, we use Stripe, a secure third-party payment processor. When you make a payment, your payment information (such as credit card details) is collected and processed directly by Stripe. We do not store your complete payment information on our servers. By using our payment features, you agree to Stripe's privacy policy and terms of service. We receive only limited information about your transactions, such as the last four digits of your card, the card type, and expiration date, which we use for customer support and account management purposes.

Additionally, if you choose to sign in using "Sign in with Google" or "Sign in with Apple," the respective privacy policies of these services will also apply to the data shared with us. We encourage you to review those policies to understand how your information may be managed by these third parties.

4. Data Security

We take appropriate measures to protect your information from unauthorized access, misuse, or disclosure. Your account password is encrypted using industry-standard encryption techniques, and all sensitive data is transmitted securely. We also implement a combination of administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to protect the personal information that we collect and store. However, please note that no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

5. Your Rights

California Privacy Rights: If you are a California resident, you have certain rights regarding your personal information. You may request details about the categories of data we collect, the purposes for which we use it, and the third parties with whom we share it. You also have the right to request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions, and to opt out of any sales of your personal data (note that we do not sell user data). You can exercise these rights by contacting us at support@pookey.app.

Access and Control: You may access and update your personal information through your account settings. Keeping your personal information current ensures that we can provide you with the best possible service and experience.

Delete Your Account: You have the right to delete your account at any time by logging in to your account settings and deleting the account, or by contacting us at support@pookey.app. However, some data may be retained as required by law or for legitimate business purposes, such as fulfilling legal obligations or resolving disputes.

Privacy Choices: If you do not agree with any part of this Privacy Policy, please discontinue use of our services. If you have specific concerns, you may contact us, and we will do our best to accommodate your privacy preferences.

6. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, legal obligations, or other operational reasons. We will inform you of any material changes by posting the updated Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date above. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we handle and protect your data. Your continued use of Pookey.app after the posting of any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

7. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data handling practices, please feel free to reach out to us at support@pookey.app. We are committed to addressing your concerns and ensuring that your privacy is respected and safeguarded.

8. Legal Disclaimer

This Privacy Policy is provided to inform you about our practices concerning your personal data. It is not a legally binding contract and does not create any legal rights or obligations beyond those established by applicable law. This policy is subject to change, and we recommend revisiting it periodically to stay informed.

9. Parental Consent

Pookey.app is not intended for users under the age of 13. If you are between the ages of 13 and 18, you must have parental or guardian consent to use Pookey.app. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. Should we become aware that we have inadvertently collected information from a user under 13 without parental consent, we will take steps to promptly delete that data.

10. Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach that affects the privacy or security of your personal information, we are committed to notifying affected users as soon as reasonably possible, in accordance with applicable laws. Notifications may be sent via email, in-app alerts, or other appropriate methods. We will provide details on the nature of the breach, the data involved, and any protective actions you may take to minimize risks.

11. Dispute Resolution

If you have any concerns or disputes regarding our use of your personal information or this Privacy Policy, please contact us at support@pookey.app. We are committed to resolving disputes efficiently and in good faith. If we are unable to resolve the dispute informally, you may be entitled to resolve the issue through binding arbitration, as permitted by law.

12. Cookies Policy

Pookey.app uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to provide, enhance, and personalize our services, as well as to analyze usage patterns. Cookies are small data files that are stored on your device when you visit a website or use an app. The types of cookies we use include:

You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings and opt out of specific types of cookies. However, please note that disabling cookies may affect your ability to use some of the app's features.

13. Restricted Use for Non-U.S. Residents

Pookey.app is intended exclusively for users within the United States. If you are located outside the United States, you are not authorized to use our services. This restriction may be updated as we expand our service availability to other regions. Please discontinue use of the service if you are accessing Pookey.app from outside the U.S. until we officially support your region.

14. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as your account remains active or as needed to provide our services. Data generated from interactions with the AI, which is used to improve the model, is anonymized and retained indefinitely for training purposes. Other personal information is retained only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy or to comply with legal obligations. Once the data retention period expires, we will either delete or anonymize your data to ensure it cannot be linked back to you. Retaining anonymized data allows us to continue improving our services while respecting your privacy.