1. Overview
TravelTalk ("we", "our", or "the app") is a real-time translation app for Android. We are committed to protecting your privacy and being transparent about the data that is processed to make the app work.
This policy applies to the TravelTalk Android application published on Google Play under the developer account Limon.
2. Data We Collect
Account Information
When you create an account or sign in with Google, we collect:
- Email address
- Display name and profile photo (from Google, if you use Google Sign-In)
- Firebase Authentication UID (an anonymous identifier)
Conversation Sessions (Optional)
If you choose to save conversation sessions to your Journal, the transcript text is stored in Firebase Firestore linked to your account. You can delete any saved session at any time from within the app.
Translation Requests
Speech audio is streamed to Deepgram's speech-to-text service to produce transcripts. Text is then sent to translation services (ML Kit on-device, or OpenAI / Anthropic APIs via our Firebase backend). Audio is never stored. Text sent for translation is transient and not retained by TravelTalk after the translation is returned.
Camera / OCR
The camera is used only to capture an image for on-screen text recognition (ML Kit OCR). Images are processed entirely on-device and are never uploaded to any server.
Usage & Crash Data
We may collect anonymous crash reports via Firebase Crashlytics to improve app stability. These reports do not contain personally identifiable information.
3. App Permissions Explained
| Permission | Why it is needed | When used |
|---|---|---|
RECORD_AUDIO |
Capture your voice for speech-to-text translation | Only while you hold the mic button |
CAMERA |
Capture images for on-screen text translation (OCR mode) | Only when Camera Translation screen is open |
INTERNET |
Connect to translation APIs and Firebase services | Always (required for cloud translation) |
VIBRATE |
Haptic feedback when recording starts/stops | Recording events |
POST_NOTIFICATIONS |
Daily vocabulary builder notification (optional) | Only if you enable Vocabulary Builder in Settings |
RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED |
Reschedule vocabulary reminders after device restart | On device boot, only if Vocabulary Builder is enabled |
4. Third-Party Services
TravelTalk uses the following third-party services. Each has its own privacy policy:
Google Firebase (Auth, Firestore, Functions, Crashlytics)
Used for authentication, storing saved sessions, hosting backend functions, and crash reporting.
firebase.google.com/support/privacy
Deepgram
Speech audio is streamed over a secure WebSocket for real-time speech recognition. Deepgram processes audio transiently to return a transcript; TravelTalk does not store the audio.
Google ML Kit
On-device machine learning for text recognition (OCR) and offline translation. All ML Kit processing happens locally on your device — no data leaves your phone.
developers.google.com/ml-kit/terms
OpenAI
Used as a fallback translation service for improved accuracy with complex languages. Text-only; no audio is sent. Requests are routed through our Firebase backend and are subject to OpenAI's data usage policies.
openai.com/policies/privacy-policy
Anthropic (Claude API)
Used for cultural intelligence features (Trip Mode country profiles and contextual tips). Text-only requests routed through our Firebase backend.
5. Data Storage & Retention
- Account data is retained while your account exists. You can delete your account from the app Settings screen.
- Saved conversation sessions (Journal) are retained until you delete them manually or delete your account.
- Translation text is transient — it exists in memory only during the translation request and is not persisted.
- Audio is never stored anywhere.
- Offline phrase packs are stored only on your device and can be deleted from Settings → Offline Packs.
All data stored in Firestore is hosted on Google Cloud infrastructure in the us-central1 region.
6. Children's Privacy
TravelTalk is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.
7. Your Rights
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Access — request a copy of the data we hold about you
- Correction — ask us to correct inaccurate data
- Deletion — delete your account and all associated data from within the app Settings, or contact us
- Portability — request an export of your conversation journal data
- Opt-out of notifications — disable Vocabulary Builder in Settings at any time
To exercise any right, contact us at the email below.
8. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the Effective Date at the top of this page. Significant changes will be communicated via an in-app notice.
Continued use of TravelTalk after a policy change constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
9. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your data, please contact us:
- App: TravelTalk
- Developer: Limon
- Email: limon.nawaj@gmail.com
We aim to respond to all privacy-related inquiries within 5 business days.