Tako Talk Privacy Policy

Effective October 9, 2026

Tako Talk is an AI-assisted Japanese-learning app operated by Tetsuya Maeda. This policy explains the information we process, why we use it, and the choices available to you.

Information we process

How we use information

We use information to authenticate accounts, sync learning progress, personalize learning, generate AI responses and speech, verify purchases, prevent abuse, enforce service limits, fix crashes, and operate Tako Talk. Operational reports show account totals, accounts created in a reporting period that still exist, and purchase metrics. We do not treat sign-in counts as daily active users. These reports do not contain search queries or promotion-code text.

AI processing and your permission

Our third-party AI provider is Google, through the paid Gemini API. We collect the content you type or speak in AI features and send Google your microphone audio during live AI calls, messages, conversation history and transcriptions, text submitted for speech or reading generation, and words or conversation excerpts submitted for explanations and feedback. We also send your learning display name, learning preferences, and approved memories or plans when needed to personalize a response. Personal information you include in your conversations is part of this content.

Google processes this information to generate AI conversations, speech, transcriptions, readings, vocabulary explanations, reviews, and conversation stamps. Text and learning requests pass through our secure backend before reaching Google; live AI audio connects directly from the app to Google using short-lived credentials. Google may also receive network and technical request information, including your IP address for direct connections. Your sign-in email, purchase receipts, and account authentication credentials are not included in AI prompts.

Before sending this content, the app identifies Google (Gemini) and summarizes the shared data in an early onboarding step. You must select the initially unchecked consent checkbox, then choose Continue. The checkbox summarizes voice, chats and learning data shared with Google (Gemini). Continue is disabled until you select the checkbox. The AI & Privacy link opens the detailed disclosure, including audio, transcriptions, practice text, learning display name and preferences, and approved memories or plans; opening or closing it does not grant permission. You can leave setup without agreeing, and no AI content is sent. Existing users are asked once when updating to a version that introduces this permission. Signing in, completing earlier onboarding, and granting microphone access do not grant this permission. The choice is stored on your device and is not assumed from a synchronized learning profile. AI features remain off unless you agree. You can withdraw permission in Settings → Data & Privacy, which prevents new AI requests; withdrawal does not undo processing that has already occurred. Re-enabling AI shows the disclosure again. A new device or reinstall may require a new choice, and material changes to the recipient or shared data require renewed permission.

We require our AI service provider to provide the same or equal protection for shared personal data as described in this policy. For paid Gemini processing, Google’s Gemini API terms and Data Processing Addendum provide purpose limits, confidentiality and security commitments, and deletion obligations. Google states that paid-service prompts and responses are not used to improve its products or train its models. Google may log prompts and responses for a limited period for safety, abuse prevention, and required legal disclosures. This is separate from our server-log minimization and does not mean Google retains no content. Technical service data is also subject to the Google Privacy Policy.

Usage measurement

Minimal measurement versions disable Firebase Analytics regardless of a previous sharing preference, and do not show an analytics consent prompt or sharing switch. Earlier released versions may still collect optional Firebase Analytics events after you choose to share; their sharing setting remains in Settings → Data & Privacy. Updating the app does not delete previously collected data. Crash diagnostics, security operations, purchase processing, and learner-initiated YouTube playback described in this policy continue separately.

Call troubleshooting and optional reports

Technical call diagnostics help us investigate connection, microphone-processing, and playback problems. They are separate from Firebase Analytics and Crashlytics. A microphone permission does not itself authorize sharing a support report. You can review recent technical details in Settings → Call troubleshooting and choose to share a short summary. Sending feedback or sharing a report is optional. Opening the feedback form does not automatically attach your email address or diagnostic identifiers to its URL.

Local call summaries have a 7-day retention deadline and a maximum of 20 recent calls; earlier removal may occur when storage limits are reached. They are excluded from iCloud backup. The app removes expired reports on its next retention check; it cannot perform deletion while it is not running. Local reports are also cleared on sign-out or data deletion. Where server collection is enabled, call summaries have a 7-day retention deadline measured from the call, not a later retry. Cloud deletion processing can continue after that deadline, so it is not a guarantee of immediate physical erasure. Copies you deliberately export to another app or recipient are controlled by that recipient and its retention practices.

Firebase Crashlytics has a separate retention policy: Google describes beginning deletion of crash data after 90 days. The 7-day call-summary deadline does not apply to Crashlytics, independently required security records, or copies you choose to export.

Service providers and disclosure

Tako Talk uses Apple for sign-in, device integrity, and App Store purchases. It uses Google services including Firebase Authentication, Firestore, Analytics, Crashlytics, Cloud Run, Hosting, Gemini, and YouTube for account services, secure storage, diagnostics, hosting, AI processing, and learner-initiated video examples. App versions with purchase reporting enabled use RevenueCat for customer purchase records and subscription reporting. Providers process information under their own terms and privacy commitments. We may disclose information when required by law or to protect users and the service.

We do not sell personal information or track you across other companies’ apps and websites. The standard YouTube player may show ads under Google’s policies; Tako Talk does not operate its own advertising network.

Journey video playback is also subject to the YouTube Terms of Service and Google Privacy Policy.

Storage and international processing

For support access and additional conversation allowances, we record an opaque account identifier, the operator, the reason, the allowance and its expiry. Support allowance settings and their audit records are retained for up to 400 days, with deletion processed by our storage provider after the retention deadline. Daily operational snapshots contain aggregate counts without account identifiers and are retained for up to 400 days. Completed RevenueCat deletion-request evidence has a 30-day retention deadline and is removed through our conditional cleanup process; unfinished requests are kept until resolved.

Your account and synchronized learning snapshot remain until you delete them. Security challenges, usage ledgers, subscription status, diagnostic records, and fraud-prevention records are retained only as needed to provide and protect the service, meet legal obligations, and resolve disputes. Apple may retain purchase records independently. Our production backend is hosted in the United States, and Apple, Google, and RevenueCat may process information in other countries where they operate.

Your choices and rights

You can export or remove conversations and learning data in the app. You can delete your Tako Talk account from Settings after reauthentication; this removes the synchronized learning snapshot and Firebase account. In versions with RevenueCat enabled, the app submits a purchase-record deletion request before deleting your Firebase account. This request is processed separately; purchase and security records may be retained where needed for legal obligations or dispute resolution. Account deletion does not cancel an App Store subscription, which is managed separately through Apple.

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or restrict certain processing. Contact us to make a request.

Security, changes, and contact

We use transport encryption, short-lived credentials, Apple device-integrity checks, access controls, and minimized server identifiers. No system is completely secure. We may update this policy as Tako Talk changes and will update the effective date or provide additional notice when required.

Questions or privacy requests: support@maepace.com

Tako Talk Support