Talky Privacy Policy

Effective date: July 16, 2026

Before publishing, replace the bracketed business-contact placeholders below. The rest of this policy is tailored to the current Talky app and backend behavior in this repository.

Talky is a private English speaking practice app. This Privacy Policy explains what information Talky collects, how it uses that information, when information is shared, and what choices you have. This policy applies to the Talky mobile app and the related backend services used to run it.

Who We Are

Talky is provided by Ludo Studio ("Talky," "we," "us," or "our").

Contact email: [email protected]

Information We Collect

Talky collects or processes the following categories of information:

1. Account and profile information

• An anonymous Firebase Authentication user ID created when you start using the app.
• If you sign in with Google or Apple, account details made available by that provider, which may include your display name, email address, and profile photo URL.
• Your selected English proficiency level and the timestamp associated with that learner profile.

2. Conversation generation and usage information

• The practice prompt you type into the app.
• Whether you requested a starter conversation.
• The conversation content generated for you.
• Lifetime conversation-generation usage records used to apply the free usage limit, including count and update timestamps.
• Technical identifiers needed to link the above records to your app account.

3. Premium subscription information

• Subscription product ID, platform, receipt or verification payload, transaction ID, original transaction ID, purchase date, expiration date, entitlement status, and validation timestamps.
• Limited account information needed to associate Premium access with your signed-in account.

4. Advertising and technical operations information

• Ad request and response data, device identifiers, IP address, diagnostics, and ad interaction data that may be processed by Google Mobile Ads/AdMob for free users.
• Technical configuration and service-operation data processed by Firebase and related Google services, including Cloud Functions, Firestore, Authentication, and Remote Config.

5. Information that stays on your device

• Learner audio recordings captured during your speaking turns.
• On-device learner transcripts created by the bundled local speech model.
• Conversation history, local feedback, favorites, renamed session titles, and deleted-session state.
• Cached app-role audio generated or stored for playback.
• Local app settings such as speaking speed and install state.

How We Use Information

We use information processed by Talky to:

• create and maintain your anonymous or signed-in app account;
• save your selected learner level;
• generate private roleplay conversations from your prompt;
• apply the lifetime free conversation limit;
• provide, verify, restore, and manage Premium subscriptions;
• show ads to free users;
• support app playback, recording, review, and history features;
• deliver app configuration such as minimum-version or update messaging;
• maintain security, prevent abuse, troubleshoot problems, and support the service.

What Stays On Your Device

Talky is designed so that your speaking-practice artifacts stay local unless this policy specifically says otherwise. In the current app design:

• learner audio recordings stay on your device;
• on-device learner transcripts stay on your device;
• conversation feedback and history stay on your device;
• cached app-role audio stays on your device.

Talky does not upload learner recordings or local speech transcripts for cloud transcription or cloud pronunciation scoring in the current implementation.

What Is Sent Off Your Device

Talky sends limited information to cloud or platform services when needed to operate the app:

• Firebase Authentication is used to create an anonymous app account and, if you choose, link it to Google or Apple sign-in.
• Firestore stores learner profile data, lifetime conversation-generation usage records, and Premium entitlement records.
• Cloud Functions receive your practice prompt, learner level, starter-conversation flag, and authenticated user ID context so the backend can generate a conversation and enforce usage limits.
• Google Gemini services, through our backend, receive the prompt and learner-level context needed to generate a structured roleplay conversation.
• Apple App Store and Google Play process in-app purchases and subscription restores. Receipt or purchase verification payloads are sent through Talky's backend to validate Premium access.
• Google Mobile Ads/AdMob may process ad-related device, diagnostic, identifier, and interaction data when ads are shown to free users.
• Firebase Remote Config may be used to fetch app configuration such as minimum supported version and update messaging.

Use of AI Services

Talky uses a third-party AI service through our backend to generate conversation content for speaking practice.

The AI service receives only the conversation-generation prompt and learner-level context needed to create the practice conversation. Talky does not send account information, photos, voice recordings, learner audio, local transcripts, conversation history, local feedback, or other personally identifiable information to the AI service.

AI-generated responses are used solely to provide conversation content within the app.

How We Share Information

We do not sell personal information.

We share information only as needed:

• with service providers that operate parts of the app for us;
• with Apple or Google to process purchases and subscription status;
• when required by law, regulation, legal process, or government request;
• to enforce our terms, prevent fraud or abuse, or protect rights, property, and safety;
• as part of a business transfer such as a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, if one occurs.

Service Providers

Talky currently relies on the following categories of service providers:

• Google Firebase and Google Cloud, for Authentication, Firestore, Cloud Functions, Remote Config, and related infrastructure.
• Google Gemini, through the backend, for conversation generation.
• Apple App Store and Google Play, for subscription purchase, restore, billing, and validation flows.
• Google Mobile Ads/AdMob, for ads shown to free users.

These providers may process information under their own terms and privacy policies while delivering services to the app.

Ads and Premium

Talky offers a free tier with a lifetime conversation-generation limit. Free users may see banner or interstitial ads. Premium is an optional subscription purchased through the App Store or Google Play.

Talky does not collect your full payment card details. Billing information is handled by Apple or Google through their store systems.

Data Retention

• Local recordings, transcripts, history, feedback, cached audio, and similar local artifacts remain on your device until you delete them in the app, remove the app, or your operating system removes that data.
• Learner profile, usage-limit, and Premium entitlement records stored in Firebase or related backend services may be retained for as long as needed to operate the service, support subscriptions, prevent fraud, resolve disputes, comply with legal obligations, and maintain business records.
• Provider logs and infrastructure records may be retained according to the retention practices of the service provider involved.

Account Deletion

When you use the in-app account deletion flow, Talky currently:

• stops active audio;
• clears local conversation history stored on the device;
• resets the local created-session counter;
• deletes the current Firebase Authentication user;
• returns the app to a new-user state.

At the time of this policy, the in-app deletion flow may not automatically remove every backend Firestore record associated with that user, including learner profile, usage-limit, or Premium entitlement records. For a full backend deletion request, contact [email protected].

Your Choices

You can:

• decline microphone permission, although speaking practice will not work without it;
• avoid signing in with Google or Apple and continue using the app anonymously, subject to the app's available features;
• delete local practice history from within the app;
• sign out of a linked Google or Apple account;
• request account deletion from within the app;
• manage or cancel Premium through the App Store or Google Play subscription settings;
• contact us using the details below with privacy or deletion questions.

Children's Privacy

Talky is not directed to children under 13, and we do not intend to knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through the app. If you believe a child has provided personal information to us, contact [email protected] so we can review and address the request.

Security

Talky uses standard technical and organizational measures appropriate to the app, including encrypted network connections for supported cloud communication. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

International Processing

Your information may be processed in countries where we or our service providers operate. Those countries may have privacy laws that differ from the laws in your jurisdiction.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make changes, we will post the updated version with a new effective date.

Contact

Ludo Studio [email protected]