Who we are
Fluent by Ear is a language-learning service provided by Fluent By Ear LLC. This policy covers our website and our iOS and Android apps.
For privacy questions or requests, contact [email protected].
Information used to run your account
When you create an account, we store your email address, an account identifier, a password hash, and sign-in information. We use these to sign you in, protect your account, confirm your email, and help you reset your password.
Website sessions can include your IP address, browser information, and recent activity. Our website uses cookies for sign-in, session security, and remembering your session.
Your learning and device
We store lesson positions, completion status, activity timestamps, learned phrases, and flashcard decks so you can continue learning. When you are signed in, this information can sync with your account.
We also use account creation dates and learning activity in internal reports to understand how the service is used, including new-account counts and which lessons listeners start and finish.
The app also keeps learning data, downloaded recordings, and preferences on your device. The app keeps its sign-in token in the device’s secure storage. Free lesson downloads and device preferences can remain after signing out; you can remove downloads in the app or remove the app from your device.
Payments and support
Payments are processed by the provider used for your purchase, such as Apple, Google Play, or Stripe for the website. We use purchase and subscription identifiers, billing status, and access records to unlock lessons and manage your access. Website billing records can include limited payment-method details such as card type and the last four digits.
If you contact us, your message and the account or device details you choose to send are used to help with your request. Please do not send passwords or full payment-card details.
Service providers and processing locations
Fluent by Ear runs on servers and private file storage provided by DigitalOcean, LLC in the United States (New York). Account records, listening progress, flashcard decks, lesson recordings and transcripts are stored there.
Cloudflare, Inc. sits in front of the website and the apps to protect them, and checks the sign-up and contact forms for abuse (Turnstile). Cloudflare handles the connection details of each request, such as the IP address.
Payments on the website are processed by Stripe, Inc. Stripe receives your payment details directly; we never see or store your full card number. Purchases made inside the iOS and Android apps are processed by Apple or Google under their own terms, and we receive only a confirmation of the purchase.
Emails such as address confirmations, password resets and support replies are sent through Mailgun Technologies, Inc. in the United States.
If you live outside the United States, including in Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland or Australia, your information is transferred to and processed in the United States by Fluent by Ear and the providers above.
Protecting your information
Account passwords are hashed. Access to account information requires authentication, and paid recordings use access checks. No online service or device can guarantee absolute security.
Retention and deletion
You can delete your account in a browser without reinstalling the app, or use Delete account in the app’s account settings. Confirming deletion removes your account, saved learning progress, and flashcard decks from the active account database and revokes its sign-in access.
Deleting an account does not cancel a subscription billed by Apple or Google Play. Cancel it with the store to stop future renewal. A website subscription is cancelled as part of successful account deletion.
After account deletion, we retain a limited purchase-binding record to prevent a store purchase from being reassigned to a different account. It contains the store transaction identifier or a hashed purchase token, an account-binding hash, product, status, and dates. It does not contain your email or the raw Google purchase token. This is a pseudonymous record, not a claim that all purchase information is anonymous.
Your account, listening progress and flashcard decks are kept for as long as your account exists. When you delete your account, from the account page or by writing to us, they are removed from our systems within 30 days.
Billing records are kept for seven years, as tax and accounting law requires. Support messages are kept for up to two years. Server logs are kept for up to 30 days. Backups are kept for up to 30 days and then overwritten, so a deleted account may remain in a backup for that long.
Your privacy choices and rights
You can reset your password, remove downloaded recordings, and delete your account. Contact us about access to or correction of your information, or about a privacy concern. We may need to verify that the account belongs to you.
You can see and change your account information at any time on the account page, and delete your account there or by writing to us. You can also ask us for a copy of the information we hold about you.
Fluent by Ear is for learners aged 13 and over. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13; if you believe a child has made an account, write to us and we will remove it.
We do not sell your personal information and we do not use advertising trackers. We use the information we hold to provide the lessons, keep your progress, bill subscriptions, answer support messages and keep the service secure.
If you are in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, we process your information to perform our contract with you, with your consent for optional emails, and in our legitimate interest in keeping the service secure. You may complain to your local data protection authority.
Changes and questions
Updates to this policy will appear on this page with an effective date. For help understanding your choices, contact support.