Last Updated: February 4, 2025
1. Introduction
This Privacy Policy explains:
- What data we collect
- How we use, store, and protect your information
- Your rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
By using our services, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. For details on subscription terms, refunds, cancellations, and use, please refer to our Terms & Conditions.
Remember: If a service is free, it likely means you are the product. (E.g. You don’t pay for Facebook, so they charge advertisers to show you ads).
Our business model is simple: Members pay a monthly or yearly fee to access podcast transcriptions, learning Units, and other content that supports European Portuguese learners around the world. The small amount of personal data we need to collect is for the sole purpose of providing these services, and making them better over time.
We don’t sell ads, and especially don’t sell or share your data with advertisers or other marketing companies… no shenanigans!
Many users often don’t realize that even with a simple business models like ours, we do need to rely on third-party services (that we administrate), to securely process payments, store and organize your data, send out our email newsletters, etc.
If you have any concerns, or would like us to elaborate on any of the points below, please get in touch.
2. What Data We Collect & Why
2.1 Personal Data
We collect personal data when you:
- Sign up for an account
- Subscribe to a paid plan
- Contact support
- Participate in our community forum
- Opt into our mailing list
Examples of Personal Data We Collect:
- Name
- Email address
- Billing information (processed by Stripe/PayPal or app stores; we do not store payment details)
- Account preferences (e.g., learning progress, settings)
2.2 Usage Data
When you use our website or mobile app, we automatically collect:
- Device information (browser type, OS, device model)
- IP address & location data
- How you use our platform (page views, interaction history, etc.)
- Voice recording for pronunciation analysis
- Some Lessons allow users to record their voice to receive automated pronunciation feedback. Users have the option to skip this activity.
- We do not use, store, or share recordings for any purpose beyond providing automated scoring, and if needed for support requests.
We use this data to analyze performance, improve features, and enhance user experience.
2.3 Cookies & Tracking
We use cookies and tracking technologies to:
✅ Keep you logged in
✅ Save your site preferences
✅ Analyze website traffic
✅ Improve user experience & content recommendations
3. How We Use Your Data
We process your data to:
✅ Provide, maintain, and improve our services
✅ Personalize content based on learning progress
✅ Process payments securely
✅ Send account updates and notifications
✅ Respond to customer support requests
✅ Monitor security and prevent fraud
✅ Allow you to participate in interactive features of our service
✅ Detect, prevent, and address technical issues
✅ Provide you with special offers, information, and updates (unless you have opted out of our newsletter)
❌ We do NOT sell or share your data with advertisers or third-party marketing firms.
4. How Long We Keep Your Data
We retain your data only as long as necessary for business operations, legal compliance, and customer support:
- Active Users: We keep personal data while your account is active.
- Inactive Users: Due to the nature of our service, we save your account data after cancellation so that you can continue your learning progress if you choose to resubscribe later. We do not have a fixed auto-deletion period, but we may periodically review and remove data that is no longer needed.
- Legal & Accounting Purposes: Some billing records must be retained for tax compliance and fraud prevention.
Users can request deletion of their data at any time by contacting us at [email protected].
5. Data Transfers & Third-Party Services
We use third-party service providers to handle payments, analytics, data storage, and customer support. These providers process user data as needed for their specific function and are subject to their own privacy policies. Some providers may securely process data outside of the EU.
5.1 Payments & Subscription Processing
We do not store payment details. All payments are securely processed by third-party providers:
- Stripe: Privacy Policy
- PayPal: Privacy Policy
- Apple App Store & Google Play Store subscriptions: Payments are processed directly by Apple or Google and are subject to their policies.
5.2 Other Third-Party Services
Other examples of third-party services we use include, but are not limited to:
- HelpScout – This is the CRM / help ticket software that integrates with the forms on our site, allowing us to provide customer support. Privacy Policy
- MailChimp – Used for our newsletter, i.e. communicating updates about our site and services. Users have the option to unsubscribe from the list. Privacy Policy
- Discourse – Our member’s forum is hosted here, which allows members to post, comment, and engage in discussions. Forum activity is publicly visible unless posted in private areas. Privacy Policy
- Google Analytics – A web analytics service offered by Google that tracks and reports website traffic. Google uses the data collected to track and monitor the use of our service. This data is shared with other Google services. Google may use the collected data to contextualize and personalize the ads of its own advertising network. You can opt-out of having made your activity on the Service available to Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on. The add-on prevents the Google Analytics JavaScript (ga.js, analytics.js, and dc.js) from sharing information with Google Analytics about visits activity. For more information on the privacy practices of Google, please visit the Google Privacy & Terms web page.
- ChargeDesk – This service aggregates payment history from Stripe, PayPal, etc., into one place, which allows us to assist customers with their billing-related inquires from within HelpScout. Privacy Policy
- Gmail – When a user subscribes or fills out a form on our site, a copy of those details are sent to a Gmail account for the purposes of notifying the owners (Rui Coimbra & Joel Rendall) of activity on the site. Privacy Policy
- Dropbox – We use a Dropbox Business account to securely store backups of our website’s database. Privacy Policy
6. Disclosure of Data
We may disclose your personal data if required to do so by law or if we believe in good faith that such action is necessary to:
- Comply with legal obligations (e.g., court orders, regulatory requirements).
- Protect and defend our legal rights or prevent fraud.
- Investigate possible misconduct or security threats related to our services.
- Ensure the safety of users and the public in cases of harm or illegal activity.
7. Your Rights Under GDPR
As a user, you have the right to:
- Request a copy of your data
- Update or fix inaccurate information
- Request permanent removal of your account & data
- Opt-out of marketing emails at any time
- Restrict how we use your data
To exercise these rights, contact us at [email protected].
8. Security Measures
We take security seriously and implement:
✅ SSL encryption for secure data transmission of payments
✅ Strict access controls (only authorized staff can access user data)
While we do everything possible to protect your data, no system is 100% secure. Users should use strong passwords and avoid sharing login credentials. In the unlikely event of a security breach that affects user data, we would take immediate action to assess and resolve the issue. If required by law, we will notify affected users and relevant authorities.
9. Third-Party Links & External Content
Our website may link to third-party content (e.g., YouTube, external resources). We do not control their privacy policies, and users should review them separately.
10. Children’s Privacy
Our services are available to users under 13, but we require parental or guardian consent for account registration. We only collect the necessary information to provide our services (e.g. name, email address).
Parents or legal guardians can contact [email protected] to:
- Review, correct, or delete their child’s data
- Request account deletion if they no longer want their child to use our platform
11. Testimonials & Reviews
We may feature user testimonials and feedback on our website or social media channels, which may include first name and/or initials, location (if provided), and message. If you do not want your feedback featured, contact [email protected] to request removal.
12. Changes To This Privacy Policy
We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.
13. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your rights, contact us at:
📩 Email: [email protected]
🌍 Website: Contact Page