Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

We collect information in the following categories:

1.1 Account Information

When you create an account, we collect your name, email address, and password (stored in hashed form). If you sign in through a third-party provider (such as Google), we receive your name, email address, and profile picture from that provider.

1.2 Learning Data

As you use LingoLens, we store data related to your learning progress, including your word bank entries, word status (new, learning, known), flashcard history and review intervals, study session statistics, and video watch history (YouTube video IDs and timestamps associated with words you save).

1.3 Usage and Device Data

We automatically collect technical information such as browser type and version, operating system, device type, IP address (used for security and approximate geolocation at the country level), pages visited and features used, and the date and time of your interactions with the Service.

1.4 Payment Information

If you purchase a subscription, payment processing is handled by Stripe. We do not store your full credit card number, CVV, or bank account details. We receive and store a Stripe customer ID, the last four digits of your card, card brand, billing country, and transaction history (amounts, dates, and subscription status).

1.5 Browser Extension Data

The LingoLens browser extension processes YouTube subtitle data locally in your browser to provide real-time translations and word tracking. Subtitle text is sent to our servers only when a translation or definition lookup is required. The extension does not track your general browsing activity outside of YouTube.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve the Service
• Personalize your learning experience (e.g., word recommendations, flashcard scheduling)
• Process payments and manage your subscription
• Sync your learning data across the extension and web dashboard
• Send transactional emails (account verification, password resets, billing receipts)
• Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and security incidents
• Analyze aggregate usage trends to improve features and performance
• Comply with legal obligations

We do not use your data to build advertising profiles, and we do not serve third-party ads.

3. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share data in the following limited circumstances:

• Service providers: We use third-party vendors to help operate the Service, including hosting (Vercel), payment processing (Stripe), email delivery, and error monitoring. These providers access data only as needed to perform their services and are bound by confidentiality obligations.
• Translation APIs: Subtitle text and individual words are sent to third-party translation and dictionary APIs to provide translations and definitions. These requests do not include your identity or account information.
• Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, regulation, legal process, or enforceable government request.
• Business transfers: If LingoLens is acquired, merged, or sells assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

4. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Service. If you delete your account, we will remove your personal data within 30 days, except where we are required to retain it for legal, tax, or compliance purposes (typically up to 7 years for financial records). Aggregated, anonymized data that cannot identify you may be retained indefinitely for analytics.

5. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information, including encryption in transit (TLS/HTTPS), hashed passwords, secure authentication tokens, and access controls limiting employee access to personal data. Despite these measures, no system is 100% secure. If we become aware of a security breach that affects your personal information, we will notify you in accordance with applicable law.

6. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Correction: Update or correct inaccurate information via your account settings.
• Deletion: Request deletion of your account and associated data through your account settings or by contacting us.
• Export: Export your learning data (word bank, flashcard progress) from the dashboard.
• Opt out of emails: Unsubscribe from non-essential communications using the link in any email. Transactional emails (security alerts, billing) cannot be opted out of.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at the address listed below. We will respond within 30 days (or sooner if required by law).

7. International Data Transfers

LingoLens is operated from the United States. If you access the Service from outside the United States, your information may be transferred to and processed in the United States or other countries where our service providers operate. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for such transfers, including standard contractual clauses where required.

8. Children's Privacy

LingoLens is not directed to children under the age of 13 (or the applicable minimum age in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we learn that we have collected information from a child below the applicable age, we will delete it promptly. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us.

9. Third-Party Links

The Service may contain links to third-party websites (such as SpanishDict, YouTube, or Stripe). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and, if appropriate, notify you by email or through the Service. Your continued use of LingoLens after the changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data rights, please contact us at:

Email: privacy@lingolens.app