Privacy Policy

1. Scope and operator

This Privacy Policy applies when you visit FrenchPal.ai, create or use a FrenchPal account, practice with an AI tutor or conversation partner, use speaking and pronunciation features, purchase or manage a subscription, contact support, or otherwise use a FrenchPal service that links to this Policy.

For purposes of applicable privacy laws, Cloudvale LLC generally acts as the controller or business responsible for personal information collected through consumer-facing FrenchPal services, except where another arrangement is stated in a separate agreement.

2. Information we collect

The information we collect depends on how you use FrenchPal. We aim to collect information that is reasonably necessary to provide, secure, support, and improve the service.

Account and contact information

When you register, sign in, contact us, or use account-based features, we may collect information such as your name or display name, email address, account identifiers, language preferences, authentication information, and support contact details.

Learning, conversation, and content information

When you use FrenchPal learning features, we may process information such as:

• text that you type or submit during conversations;
• AI prompts, responses, corrections, and conversation context;
• language level, learning preferences, selected scenarios, vocabulary, and progress information;
• pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, fluency, and other learning feedback generated through the service; and
• content you choose to provide in support requests or other communications.

Voice and audio information

If you choose to use microphone or speaking features, FrenchPal may process audio input, voice recordings, speech-to-text transcripts, timing information, pronunciation-related signals, and associated conversation context. The exact processing may vary depending on the feature, device, browser, and service provider used to deliver the feature.

Device, usage, and technical information

We may automatically receive information such as IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, language settings, referring pages, pages or features used, approximate location derived from IP address, timestamps, diagnostic information, and security or error logs.

Transaction and subscription information

If you purchase a paid plan, we may receive limited transaction information such as subscription plan, purchase or renewal status, billing country or region, transaction identifier, payment status, and other information returned by the payment provider. Full payment-card details are generally handled by payment service providers rather than stored directly by FrenchPal.

Cookies and similar technologies

We and service providers may use cookies, local storage, pixels, SDKs, or similar technologies to keep you signed in, remember preferences, maintain security, measure service performance, understand usage, and, where used and legally permitted, support analytics or marketing.

3. How we use information

We may use personal information for the following purposes:

• Provide the service. Create and manage accounts, operate AI conversations, process speech, provide pronunciation and language feedback, and maintain learning history and preferences.
• Personalize learning. Adapt prompts, scenarios, difficulty, vocabulary, feedback, and other learning experiences to your selected goals and prior activity.
• Process subscriptions and transactions. Confirm purchases, manage access, support renewals, process refund requests, and maintain transaction records.
• Communicate with you. Send service-related notices, security messages, account information, support responses, and, where permitted, product or marketing communications.
• Maintain safety and security. Detect abuse, spam, fraud, account compromise, prohibited activity, and technical attacks.
• Troubleshoot and improve FrenchPal. Diagnose errors, measure performance, understand feature usage, improve reliability and usability, and develop new features.
• Comply with legal obligations. Maintain records, respond to lawful requests, protect rights, enforce agreements, and handle complaints, chargebacks, or legal claims.
• Use aggregated or de-identified information. We may use information that has been aggregated or de-identified so that it is not reasonably linked to an identifiable individual for analytics, research, and service improvement.

4. Legal bases for processing

Where laws such as the GDPR or UK GDPR require a legal basis, FrenchPal may rely on one or more of the following bases depending on the processing activity:

• Performance of a contract: when processing is needed to provide the FrenchPal service you request, manage your account, deliver paid features, or administer a subscription.
• Legitimate interests: when reasonably necessary to secure the service, prevent fraud, maintain reliability, understand product performance, improve functionality, and protect FrenchPal, our users, or others, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights and interests.
• Consent: where we ask for permission, including for certain optional cookies, communications, or other processing for which consent is required by law. You may withdraw consent where applicable.
• Legal obligations: when processing is necessary to comply with tax, accounting, consumer protection, law-enforcement, court, regulatory, or other legal requirements.

5. Voice, speech, and AI processing

FrenchPal is an AI-powered language-learning service. To provide conversation, speaking, and pronunciation features, information you submit may be processed by automated systems and service providers that support artificial intelligence, speech recognition, text-to-speech, translation, content delivery, or related functions.

Voice and speech features

When you activate a microphone or speaking feature, audio may be transmitted for speech recognition, transcription, pronunciation analysis, generation of a response, or playback of AI-generated speech. Audio, transcripts, and related technical data may be retained for a period reasonably necessary to provide the feature, maintain security, investigate errors, comply with legal obligations, or support other purposes described in this Policy.

FrenchPal voice-learning features are designed for language practice. We do not describe ordinary pronunciation analysis as identity verification or biometric authentication unless a feature specifically tells you otherwise.

AI-generated responses and feedback

AI systems may use your current message, prior conversation context, selected language, proficiency information, and other relevant learning data to generate responses, corrections, vocabulary suggestions, pronunciation guidance, and learning feedback. AI output can be inaccurate, so users should exercise judgment when relying on generated content.

Automated processing

FrenchPal may automatically evaluate language-related signals to provide educational feedback, such as a conversation level or pronunciation score. These learning features are designed to support language practice and are not intended to make decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects about you.

6. Payments and subscriptions

FrenchPal may offer free and paid services. When you purchase or renew a subscription, payment information is processed by third-party payment providers and financial institutions.

FrenchPal generally does not directly store your complete payment-card number or card security code. We may receive and retain limited payment-related information, such as transaction identifiers, subscription status, plan type, payment status, billing country or region, and information needed to provide access, issue refunds, respond to billing questions, prevent fraud, manage chargebacks, or meet accounting and legal obligations.

Payment providers process information under their own terms and privacy notices. Their privacy practices are separate from this Policy.

7. Cookies and similar technologies

FrenchPal may use cookies and similar technologies for purposes that include:

• keeping sessions and accounts secure;
• remembering language, account, or display preferences;
• supporting login, fraud prevention, and core site functionality;
• measuring site and feature performance;
• understanding how users interact with FrenchPal; and
• supporting analytics, communications, or marketing where used and permitted by law.

Where applicable law requires consent for non-essential cookies or similar technologies, FrenchPal will request consent before using those technologies. You can also use browser controls to manage many cookies, although blocking necessary cookies may affect service functionality.

8. How we disclose information

We may disclose personal information in the following circumstances:

• Service providers. Companies that help us operate cloud infrastructure, hosting, databases, AI functions, speech recognition, text-to-speech, email, analytics, security, customer support, payment processing, and related technology.
• Payment and financial partners. Payment processors, banks, card networks, and fraud-prevention providers involved in purchases, refunds, disputes, or transaction security.
• Business or education customers. If your account is provided or managed by an organization, school, employer, or other customer, certain account or usage information may be available to that organization as described in the applicable agreement or notice.
• Legal and safety disclosures. Authorities, courts, regulators, advisers, or other parties when we reasonably believe disclosure is required by law or necessary to protect rights, safety, security, investigate fraud, enforce agreements, or respond to legal claims.
• Corporate transactions. A buyer, investor, lender, adviser, or successor in connection with a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, bankruptcy, sale of assets, or similar transaction, subject to appropriate safeguards.
• With your direction or consent. When you ask us to share information or otherwise authorize the disclosure.

We do not disclose personal information to unrelated third parties except as described in this Policy or as otherwise disclosed to you at the time of collection.

9. International data transfers

Cloudvale LLC is based in the United States, and FrenchPal is offered internationally. Your personal information may therefore be processed in the United States and in other countries where FrenchPal or its service providers operate.

Privacy and data-protection laws may differ between countries. Where applicable law requires safeguards for international transfers, we may rely on legally recognized mechanisms such as adequacy decisions, Standard Contractual Clauses, contractual protections, or other lawful transfer mechanisms.

10. Data retention

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Policy, unless a longer period is required or permitted by law. Retention periods may differ based on the type of information and the reason it is processed.

When information is no longer reasonably needed, we may delete, anonymize, or aggregate it, subject to backup cycles and legal requirements.

11. Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, authentication, encryption in transit where appropriate, monitoring, logging, vendor controls, and other safeguards suited to the nature of the information and service.

No online service, transmission method, or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. You are responsible for protecting your account credentials and should notify us if you believe your account or personal information has been compromised.

12. Your privacy rights

Depending on where you live and subject to applicable exceptions, you may have rights regarding your personal information. These may include:

To exercise a privacy right, contact [email protected]. We may need to verify your identity before completing certain requests. Authorized agents may submit requests where permitted by applicable law and where appropriate authorization can be verified.

Some rights are not absolute. We may deny or limit a request where an exception applies, including when information must be retained to comply with law, protect security, prevent fraud, complete a transaction, or establish or defend legal claims.

13. Additional information for EEA, EU, and UK users

If the GDPR, UK GDPR, or similar European data-protection law applies to your personal information, you may have the rights described above, including rights of access, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability, objection, and withdrawal of consent where applicable.

You may also have the right to lodge a complaint with the data-protection authority in the country where you live, work, or where you believe a violation occurred. We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to address your concern.

For cross-border transfers from the EEA, EU, or UK, FrenchPal may use applicable safeguards described in Section 9, including approved contractual transfer mechanisms where required.

14. U.S. state privacy rights

Residents of certain U.S. states may have additional privacy rights under applicable state law. Depending on the law and whether it applies to FrenchPal, these rights may include the right to know or access categories and specific pieces of personal information, correct inaccurate information, delete information, obtain a portable copy, opt out of certain targeted advertising, sale, or sharing activities, limit certain uses of sensitive personal information, and receive non-discriminatory treatment for exercising privacy rights.

If FrenchPal engages in an activity that is legally considered a “sale” or “sharing” of personal information, or targeted advertising, and an applicable law gives you an opt-out right, you may submit a request through [email protected] or through any privacy control we make available for that purpose. Where legally required, we will also process recognized browser-based opt-out preference signals.

We may verify requests where permitted or required. If applicable state law provides a right to appeal a decision on your request, you may appeal by replying to our response or contacting the same email address with the subject “Privacy Appeal.”

15. Canada and Québec privacy information

For users in Canada, FrenchPal handles personal information in accordance with applicable Canadian privacy requirements. Our practices are designed around principles such as accountability, identifying purposes, appropriate consent, limiting collection, limiting use and retention, accuracy, safeguards, openness, access, and the ability to challenge compliance.

Canadian users may request access to personal information held about them and may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information, subject to applicable exceptions. You may also withdraw consent to certain processing where consent is relied upon, although withdrawal may affect our ability to provide features that require the information.

Québec users

For Québec users, privacy inquiries and requests concerning personal information may be directed to our Privacy Officer using the contact information below. Where required by applicable Québec law, we consider privacy impacts and appropriate safeguards when personal information is communicated outside Québec.

16. Children’s privacy

FrenchPal consumer services are not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without appropriate authorization where required by law. If we learn that personal information from a child was collected in violation of applicable law, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

Age thresholds and parental-consent requirements differ by jurisdiction. If you are a parent or guardian and believe a child has provided personal information to FrenchPal in a way that is not permitted, please contact [email protected].

17. Education and business accounts

FrenchPal may provide services to schools, universities, companies, and other organizations. If your access is provided by an organization, the organization may control certain account information, settings, access permissions, or learning records, depending on the service arrangement.

In some cases, Cloudvale LLC may process personal information on behalf of an organization under a separate agreement. Where a separate data-processing agreement, education agreement, enterprise agreement, or institutional privacy notice applies, that document may provide additional or different details for the relevant account.

18. Third-party services and links

FrenchPal may contain links to third-party websites, payment services, authentication services, or other external services. Those third parties operate under their own privacy policies and terms. This Privacy Policy does not govern independent third-party services that FrenchPal does not control.

We encourage you to review the privacy information provided by third parties before submitting personal information to them.

19. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in FrenchPal features, technology, legal requirements, service providers, or privacy practices. When we update the Policy, we will revise the “Last updated” date at the top of this page.

If a change is material, we may provide additional notice where appropriate, such as through the service, by email, or through another reasonable method. Your use of FrenchPal after an updated policy becomes effective is subject to the updated Policy, to the extent permitted by law.