1. Information We Collect
We collect the following types of information when you use AkinVox:
- Account information -- your email address and password when you create an account.
- Payment information -- payments are processed by third-party providers (Stripe, PayPal, Ko-fi, or Patreon). We do not store your credit card details or bank account information on our servers.
- Usage data -- listening history, playback progress, chapter positions, voice preferences, and feature interactions to provide and improve the service.
- Device information -- when you sign up for a guest trial, we collect a device fingerprint derived from non-identifying browser characteristics (screen resolution, hardware concurrency, platform, and timezone). This fingerprint is a one-way hash and cannot be used to identify you personally. We also record your IP address during trial registration.
- Uploaded content -- text, EPUB files, and other documents you upload for TTS generation or your personal library.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Provide, operate, and maintain the AkinVox platform.
- Process payments and manage subscriptions through our payment partners.
- Generate text-to-speech audio from your content using AI voice synthesis.
- Provide synchronized read-along and chapter navigation features.
- Improve the platform, fix bugs, and develop new features.
- Communicate with you about your account, service updates, and support requests.
- Prevent abuse and enforce trial limits using device fingerprints and IP address checks. This is done under our legitimate interest in protecting the platform from fraud (GDPR Article 6(1)(f)).
3. Content You Upload
- Creator content -- content uploaded by creators is stored for distribution to their subscribers through the platform. Creators control the visibility and tier-based access to their content.
- Personal library content -- documents uploaded to your personal library are stored privately and are accessible only to you. We do not share, sell, or distribute your personal library content.
- TTS-generated audio -- audio generated from your content is stored on our CDN for streaming and playback. This audio is associated with your account and follows the same access rules as the source content.
4. Third-Party Services
We use the following third-party services to operate the platform:
- Payment processing -- Stripe, PayPal, Ko-fi, and Patreon handle payment transactions. Each provider has its own privacy policy governing how they process your payment data.
- Cloud storage -- we use cloud storage providers (S4/MEGA) to host and deliver media files including audio streams and HLS segments.
- AI voice synthesis -- we use AI text-to-speech engines to generate audio from text content. The text is sent to these services for processing and is not retained by them beyond the generation process.
5. Data Retention
- Account data is retained for as long as your account remains active.
- If you close your account, we will delete your personal data within a reasonable timeframe, except where retention is required by law.
- Content you have uploaded (creator or personal) can be deleted upon request. Once deleted, associated audio files are also removed from our CDN.
- Personal library content is private and is never shared with other users or third parties.
6. Your Rights
You have the right to:
- Access your personal data and account information.
- Correct inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
- Delete your account and associated data.
- Export your content from the platform.
- Close your account at any time through your account settings or by contacting support.
7. Cookies, Local Storage, and Device Fingerprinting
- Session cookie -- we use a single HTTP-only session cookie (
session_id) to maintain your authentication state while you are logged in. This cookie is encrypted, transmitted only over HTTPS, and expires after 7 days (or 30 days if you choose "remember me"). It is strictly necessary for the service to function.
- Local storage -- we store preferences such as your theme setting (light/dark), playback settings (volume, speed), and UI preferences in your browser's local storage. This data stays on your device and is not sent to our servers. All keys are prefixed with
wa_.
- Session storage -- we use session storage (cleared when the tab closes) for frontend diagnostics such as a telemetry session ID and event counter. This data is tab-scoped and not persistent.
- Device fingerprinting -- during guest trial signup only, we generate a one-way hash from non-identifying browser characteristics (screen resolution, hardware concurrency, platform, and timezone) to enforce per-device trial limits. This fingerprint is stored server-side alongside your trial record and is retained for 30 days. It cannot be reversed to identify your device outside our platform.
- WebAuthn passkeys -- if your device supports it, we may use WebAuthn passkey credentials during guest trial registration as an additional layer of device verification. Passkey data is handled by your browser's built-in authenticator and we only store a credential reference server-side.
We do not use third-party tracking cookies or advertising cookies. Third-party services loaded on this site (Stripe for payments, CDN providers for fonts and libraries) may set their own cookies subject to their respective privacy policies.
8. Security
We take reasonable measures to protect your data, including:
- All connections to AkinVox are encrypted using HTTPS/TLS.
- Passwords are hashed using industry-standard algorithms and are never stored in plain text.
- Database connections and internal services use encrypted channels.
- Access to user data is restricted to authorized personnel and automated systems that require it to operate the service.
9. Changes to This Policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you by email or through a prominent notice on the platform. Your continued use of AkinVox after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
10. Contact
If you have questions about this privacy policy or want to exercise your data rights, contact us at [email protected].