Privacy Policy

Last updated: January 2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to Firehose ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your data when you use our podcast learning platform.

2. Information We Collect

We collect several types of information to provide and improve our services:

2.1 Account Information

  • Display name and email address (when provided)
  • Firebase authentication ID
  • Profile photo URL (when provided)
  • Account preferences (autoplay, notifications, topic feeds)

2.2 Usage and Behavioral Data

  • Listening history and play sessions (including timestamps and duration)
  • Content interactions (clicks, reactions, bookmarks)
  • Search queries and search history
  • Content preferences and category selections
  • Feed interactions and engagement patterns
  • Device information and app usage analytics

2.3 Machine Learning Data

  • Vector embeddings of your content preferences and interactions
  • User behavior patterns for personalization algorithms
  • Content recommendation data

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information for the following purposes:

  • Service Provision: To provide our podcast learning platform and personalized content recommendations
  • ML Processing: To generate vector embeddings and power our recommendation algorithms
  • Personalization: To create personalized feeds, suggest relevant content, and improve your learning experience
  • Content Discovery: To help you discover new podcasts and topics based on your interests
  • Platform Improvement: To analyze usage patterns and improve our services
  • Communication: To send notifications and updates about our platform
  • Technical Support: To provide customer support and troubleshoot issues

4. Third-Party Services and Data Sharing

We use the following third-party services to operate our platform:

  • Firebase (Google): For user authentication and account management
  • OpenAI: For ML features including embeddings, content processing, and recommendations
  • Google Cloud: For speech-to-text transcription and cloud storage
  • Amazon S3: For audio file storage and content delivery
  • Sentry: For error tracking and performance monitoring
  • Podcast Index: For podcast discovery and metadata

These services are bound by their own privacy policies and our data protection requirements. We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate security measures to protect your personal information, including:

  • Encryption of data in transit and at rest
  • Secure authentication through Firebase
  • Regular security audits and updates
  • Access controls and data protection measures

6. Data Retention

We retain your data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide our services. When you delete your account, we will remove all your personal data, including:

  • Account information and profile data
  • Listening history and play sessions
  • User interactions and preferences
  • Search queries and bookmarks

Some data may be retained for a limited period for legal or legitimate business purposes.

7. Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

  • Access: Request a copy of your personal data
  • Correction: Update or correct your personal information
  • Deletion: Delete your account and associated data
  • Portability: Request a copy of your data in a portable format
  • Opt-out: Opt out of certain data processing activities
  • Preferences: Control your notification and privacy settings

8. Children's Privacy

Our service is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us.

9. International Data Transfers

Your data may be processed and stored in countries other than your own. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new policy on our website and updating the "Last updated" date.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

  • Email: privacy@exalto.ai
  • Support: support@exalto.ai
  • Address: 2261 Market Street STE 85419, San Francisco, CA 94114