Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 6, 2026

Speech Assistant AAC (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard information when you use our app — an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) tool that helps non-verbal users communicate.

1. Information we collect

  • Account information: with Sign in with Apple we receive your Apple user ID and, if you choose to share it, your name and email — used to create and restore your account across devices.
  • Your content: phrases, categories, custom symbols, voice recordings, and texts you save in Read Aloud are stored securely in your private account on Firebase (Google Cloud), so they sync across your devices. This content belongs to you.
  • Suggestions and word prediction: the app learns which phrases and words you use, and when, to suggest them. This learning happens on your device only and is never sent to us.
  • Therapy progress: communication statistics and target-word counts for progress reports are recorded on your device only. A report leaves your device only if you choose to share it.
  • Usage analytics: anonymous app-usage patterns via Firebase Analytics, used only to improve the app.
  • Support messages: what you send us when you contact support.

We do not sell your data. Your phrases, symbols, and recordings are private to your account. Limited text (never audio) is processed by trusted service providers solely to power the optional features in Section 3.

2. Device permissions

  • Camera: head tracking (TrueDepth, processed entirely on-device by ARKit) and scanning pages for Read Aloud (text recognized on-device). Camera images are never stored or transmitted.
  • Microphone: recording personal voice clips (stored in your private account), and Listening Mode, which hears questions spoken near the device. Listening Mode audio never leaves your device.
  • Photo library: only the images you pick for tiles or for Read Aloud; we never scan your library.
  • Speech recognition: on-device transcription, including questions in Listening Mode. Only resulting text may be sent securely for the AI features in Section 3 — audio is never transmitted.

3. AI-powered features

Some optional features in the app use AI processing through our secure server. In all cases only text is transmitted — never audio — and we do not store the content of what is transmitted. The assistant on this website works differently and is described at the end of this section.

Listening Mode

  • Speech is transcribed on your device. The text of a question (with brief recent context) is processed to generate reply suggestions.
  • We keep only a daily usage counter — never transcripts or question text.
  • The person speaking to you is also transcribed on your device; we recommend letting them know Listening Mode is active. The app explains this before first use.
  • Analytics record only the kind of question (for example, yes/no) — never its wording.

Natural Voices (Premium)

  • The text of your phrases — and of Read Aloud texts you choose to hear in a natural voice — is processed to synthesize voice audio, which may be cached on our servers so identical text need not be regenerated.
  • Apple’s Personal Voice is different: it is created and used entirely on your device by Apple and never reaches our servers or any provider.

Website assistant

  • The “Ask a question” assistant on speechassistant.io answers questions about the app and AAC. What you type is processed on our server to write the answer.
  • To improve the answers, we keep each question and answer, the page it was asked from and any thumbs up or down you give, for 180 days. They are not linked to your name, email, account or IP address — only to a random ID stored in your browser.
  • To limit free questions we keep a daily count under a one-way hash of your IP address and that browser ID, deleted after two days.
  • Please don’t type personal or health details into the assistant. To have a conversation deleted, email us the date and roughly what you asked.

Website analytics

  • speechassistant.io counts visits without cookies and without storing anything in your browser. We record which pages are viewed, the site that linked to us, campaign tags in the link, device type, browser language, and actions on the Account pages (for example signing in or exporting a board) — never what you type into them and never your account ID.
  • To count unique visitors we use a one-way hash of your IP address and browser, combined with the date. It changes every day, so it cannot follow you across days or identify you. These records are deleted after 90 days.

Videos on this website

  • Some articles include a video hosted on YouTube. Until you press play we load nothing from YouTube — only a picture stored on our own site. When you press play, the video loads from youtube-nocookie.com and YouTube’s privacy policy applies.

AI processing is performed by established cloud providers acting on our instructions; they do not use your content to identify you. Details of our current providers are available on request via the contact address below.

4. Cloud sync

Your board syncs through Firebase (Google Cloud). Phrases and categories live in Firestore, and images and recordings in Storage, under your private user path. Security rules enforce strict per-user access — only you can access your data.

5. Data retention & deletion

  • Account & content: retained until you delete your account (Settings ▸ User Account ▸ Delete Account removes everything from our servers).
  • Analytics: retained by Firebase for up to 14 months.
  • Listening Mode content: never stored — only daily usage counters.
  • Website assistant: questions, answers and ratings for 180 days; usage counts for two days.
  • Website analytics: 90 days, with no cookies and no account link.
  • Read Aloud texts: stored until you delete them; deleting a text removes it from our servers.
  • Generated voice audio: stored in your account until you delete the phrase or account; a server-side cache may be retained to avoid regeneration.

You can also email us and we will delete your data within 30 days.

6. Third-party services

  • Firebase (Google): authentication, database, storage, analytics.
  • Sign in with Apple: privacy-preserving authentication.
  • RevenueCat: subscription management.
  • AI service providers: language and voice-synthesis processing for the features in Section 3, receiving text only, on our instructions.
  • Crisp: in-app support chat, used only when you contact support.

7. Children’s privacy

Speech Assistant AAC supports users of all ages, including children with communication disabilities, when set up and supervised by a caretaker or parent who controls the account. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children without parental consent — contact us if you believe this has happened and we will delete it promptly.

8. Your rights

You may access the data we hold about you, request deletion, request an export of your phrases and categories, opt out of analytics, and revoke any device permission in iOS Settings at any time.

9. Changes

We may update this policy and will post changes here with a new date; significant changes are announced in the app.

10. Contact

Questions? Email keerthibommareddy94@gmail.com.