TalkyPals Privacy Policy

In short

TalkyPals is a play app for young children. There is no sign-in, no account and no server of our own. We do not collect names, photos, contacts or location.

Microphone

While the app is open, the pets listen for a voice so they can repeat it in a funny tone. The sound is kept in the phone's memory only for the few seconds it takes to play it back, then it is discarded. Recordings are never saved to storage and never sent anywhere, to us or to anyone else. The microphone stops whenever the app is in the background or a full-screen ad is showing. Grown-ups can switch listening off in the Grown-ups area (behind a maths question).

Settings on the device

The app remembers a few choices on the phone: which pet was used last, the voice style, the dress-up hat, and the listening sensitivity. They stay on the device and are removed when the app is uninstalled.

Advertising

TalkyPals is free and shows ads from Google AdMob. Every ad request is tagged as directed to children (COPPA child-directed treatment and GDPR under-age-of-consent treatment) with a maximum content rating of "G". This means ads are not personalised, no interest-based or remarketing ads are shown, and the Android advertising ID is not used (the app removes the advertising ID permission).

To deliver ads, measure them and prevent fraud, Google may process limited technical information such as the IP address, device model, operating system and app version. Google's practices are described at policies.google.com/technologies/ads. Optional reward videos (which unlock dress-up hats) are offered only behind a grown-up check.

Children

The app is designed for children under 5 and follows the Google Play Families Policy. Only Google Play–certified, Families-compliant ad technology is used. Grown-up areas, links out of the app and reward videos are behind a simple maths question.

Data sharing and retention

We do not sell or share personal information, and we keep no data on servers. Because nothing is stored by us, there is nothing to export or delete; uninstalling the app removes everything it saved on the device.

Changes and contact

If this policy changes, the new version will be posted on this page with a new date. Questions or requests: homilabs.smc@gmail.com.