Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

Ceptur ("we," "us," or "our") is a mobile and web platform for diaspora communities, offering language learning, social networking, AI-powered tutoring, voice lounges, and a peer-to-peer marketplace. We are operated by Ceptur LLC. If you have questions, contact us at cepturhq@gmail.com.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information in the following ways:

• Account information — name, email address, profile photo, and bio when you register.
• Onboarding and profile data — when you set up your profile, we collect your age, selected diaspora community, interests, intended use of the app (e.g., social, mentorship), and optionally your city and country to surface relevant local events and meetups near you.
• Learning activity — lessons completed, quiz scores, flashcard progress, and AI tutor conversation history.
• Content you create — posts, comments, messages, audio recordings, and marketplace listings.
• Voice and audio — when you use the AI Tutor or speak in Audio Lounges, audio is processed by OpenAI Whisper for transcription. Recordings are not stored permanently.
• Payment information — subscription and marketplace transactions are processed by Stripe or Apple (for App Store purchases). We do not store your full payment card details.
• Usage data — device type, IP address, pages visited, and interactions, to improve performance and detect abuse.

3. How We Use Your Information

• Deliver and personalize language learning, social, and marketplace features.
• Power AI-assisted tutoring and conversation practice (via OpenAI APIs).
• Process subscription payments and marketplace transactions via Stripe.
• Connect you with other community members for matching, messaging, and lounges.
• Send transactional emails (receipts, account alerts) and, with your consent, product updates.
• Detect fraud, enforce our Terms of Service, and comply with legal obligations.
• Improve app features and fix bugs using aggregated, anonymized analytics.

4. Information Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. We share data only in these circumstances:

• Service providers — Firebase (Google) for authentication and database, OpenAI for AI features, Stripe for payments, and Vercel for hosting. Each is bound by their own privacy commitments.
• Other users — your profile, posts, and activity you choose to share publicly are visible to other Ceptur users.
• Legal requirements — we may disclose information if required by law, court order, or to protect safety.
• Business transfer — if Ceptur is acquired or merges, user data may transfer to the new entity under equivalent protections.

5. Data Security

We use Firebase Authentication, TLS encryption in transit, and Firestore security rules to protect your data. We implement rate limiting and server-side access controls on all sensitive endpoints. No system is 100% secure — if you believe your account has been compromised, contact us immediately.

6. Data Retention

We retain your account data for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, we will delete your personal data within 30 days, except where retention is required by law or for legitimate business purposes (such as completed transaction records).

7. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access — request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Correction — update incorrect or incomplete information in your profile settings.
• Deletion — delete your account and associated data from the Settings page or by emailing us.
• Opt-out — unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time using the unsubscribe link.
• Portability — request an export of your data in a machine-readable format.

To exercise any of these rights, email cepturhq@gmail.com.

8. Children's Privacy and Age Requirements

Ceptur has different age requirements depending on the features you use:

• Language Learning (13+) — Lessons, flashcards, quizzes, AI Tutor, and other learning features are available to users aged 13 and older.
• Social Features (18+) — The social feed, direct messaging, audio lounges, matching, and marketplace are restricted to users aged 18 and older.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided us personal information, we will delete it promptly.

Parents or guardians who believe their child has registered or accessed age-restricted features should contact us at cepturhq@gmail.com and we will take immediate action.

9. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies to maintain your authenticated session and remember preferences. We do not use third-party advertising cookies. You can clear cookies in your browser settings, but doing so will sign you out of the app.

10. Voice and Audio Consent

By using the AI Tutor or Audio Lounges, you explicitly consent to your voice and audio being captured and transmitted to OpenAI's Whisper API for real-time transcription and language processing. Audio is processed transiently and is not stored permanently on Ceptur's servers. You may stop voice features at any time. Some US states (including Illinois, Texas, and Washington) have laws governing biometric and voice data — by using these features, you acknowledge this processing and provide the consent required under applicable law.

11. European Users (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, or Switzerland, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or equivalent laws apply to your data. We process your personal data on the following lawful bases:

• Contract performance — to create and maintain your account and provide the services you signed up for.
• Legitimate interests — to improve the App, detect fraud, and ensure security.
• Consent — for marketing communications and optional features like voice processing.
• Legal obligation — where required by applicable law.

In addition to the rights listed in Section 7, EEA/UK users also have the right to:

• Object to processing — object to processing based on legitimate interests.
• Restrict processing — request that we limit how we use your data.
• Lodge a complaint — file a complaint with your local data protection authority (e.g., the ICO in the UK).

To exercise these rights, contact us at cepturhq@gmail.com. We will respond within 30 days.

12. Matching and Sensitive Data

Ceptur's matching feature may involve sensitive personal information including relationship intent (e.g., marriage) and cultural identity. This data is used solely to facilitate connections between users who have opted into the matching feature. It is not shared with third parties for advertising or profiling. Guardians you designate can view your matching activity — you control who is added as a Guardian. You may disable the matching feature or remove Guardians at any time from your account settings.

13. International Users

Ceptur is operated in the United States. If you access the app from outside the US, your information will be transferred to and processed in the US. By using Ceptur, you consent to this transfer. We rely on Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission for transfers from the EEA to the US.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes via email or in-app notification. Continued use of Ceptur after changes take effect constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

15. Contact Us

Questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy? Contact us at:
cepturhq@gmail.com