Privacy Policy of Podego

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how Podego B.V. ("Podego", "we", "us", or "our") collect, use, share, and safeguard your personal data when you access our website, use our mobile application, or interact with any of our services.

Podego is a Netherlands-based media technology company that produces AI-generated daily news podcasts. We aggregate content from public news sources and present it to users in a personalized, voice-driven format tailored to their interests.

Transparency and trust are at the core of our values, especially when it comes to handling your data. This Policy complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and outlines your rights and choices as a user.

2. Who Controls Your Data?

Podego B.V. is the data controller responsible for processing your personal data.

If you have questions or requests related to your personal data, you can reach us at:

Email: hello@podego.com
Mailing Address: Livingstonelaan 860, 3525 JL, the Netherlands

3. What This Policy Covers

Podego B.V. is the entity responsible for collecting and processing your personal data. As the data controller, we determine the purposes and means of the processing of your personal information. Our company is established under the laws of the Netherlands and complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) as enforced across the European Economic Area (EEA).

Our role as a data controller means that we are accountable for safeguarding your personal data, ensuring transparency in how it is handled, and upholding your legal rights with respect to that data. We carefully select third-party service providers and partners and enter into data processing agreements with them to ensure your data remains secure and is only used according to our instructions.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your data in a responsible, fair, and lawful manner. We also provide users with the ability to contact us regarding their personal data, to ask questions, request copies of their data, exercise their rights under the GDPR, or file a complaint.

You can contact Podego B.V. at any time using the following details:

• Company Name: Podego B.V.

• Registered Address: Livingstonelaan 860, 3526 JL, the Netherlands

• Email: hello@podego.com

For any data-related requests, please include your full name, the email address associated with your account, and a clear description of your request so we can assist you efficiently. We aim to respond to all valid requests within 30 days.

4. What Personal Data We Collect and Why

Podego B.V. collects personal data to provide, maintain, and improve our news aggregation and podcast services. We limit our collection to the minimum amount necessary and ensure that all data collected is relevant to the purpose for which it is being processed. Below is a breakdown of the types of personal data we collect and the reasons we collect it:

a. Information You Provide Directly

This includes any information you provide voluntarily when using our services:

• Name: Used for identification, personalization of content and communication.

• Email Address: Required for account creation, service-related notifications, communication, and newsletters (if consent is given).

• News Preferences: Topics and categories selected by you (e.g., Technology, Politics, Sports) to personalize the news and podcast content you receive.

• Feedback and Correspondence: If you contact us for support, submit feedback, or interact via emails or forms, we retain these communications to improve service and provide support.

b. Information Collected Automatically

When you interact with our website or mobile application, we automatically collect certain information using cookies and similar technologies:

• Device Information: Type of device, operating system, browser type, and version.

• IP Address: Used for localization, security, and analytics purposes.

• Usage Data: Interactions within the app or website (e.g., pages visited, features used, time spent), which help us understand how you engage with our services.

• Cookies: Small data files stored on your device to enhance user experience, retain preferences, and perform analytics. You may control or disable cookies through your browser settings.

• Location data: Depending on your device and permissions, we may collect information about your general or precise geographic location. This data helps us tailor content based on your region, provide local news highlights, and comply with regional legal obligations. You can control location sharing at any time through your device settings.

We do not collect sensitive categories of personal data such as health information, political beliefs, or biometric data unless explicitly provided and consented to for a specific purpose.

5. How We Use Your Information

Podego processes your data only when there is a lawful basis to do so. These bases include your consent, the necessity of processing for the performance of a contract, compliance with legal obligations, and our legitimate interests (e.g., improving and personalizing our services).

The key purposes for which we use your personal data include:

• Account Creation and Management: To register you as a user and maintain your account.

• Content Personalization: To tailor news topics and podcast summaries to your selected interests.

• Service Delivery: To provide access to our website and mobile applications, deliver podcast content, and maintain core functionality.

• Communication: To send service-related notices, respond to inquiries, provide updates, and deliver newsletters (if subscribed).

• Analytics and Improvement: To monitor usage patterns, detect bugs, and enhance performance and functionality.

• Security and Fraud Prevention: To ensure the safety and integrity of our services and protect against fraud or unauthorized access.

• Compliance with Legal Obligations: To adhere to applicable laws and respond to lawful requests by public authorities.

We will not use your personal data for purposes incompatible with those described in this policy unless we have your consent or are legally required to do so.

6. AI-Generated Content and Data Use

Podego leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to generate podcast content based on aggregated news sources and user preferences. This AI functionality plays a central role in how we deliver timely, personalized, and relevant news summaries to our users.

We use your selected preferences (e.g., topics or categories you are interested in) to instruct our AI systems on what kind of news to include in your daily briefings. These preferences are processed algorithmically, but they are not used to create user profiles that have legal or similarly significant effects on you.

Here is how AI is integrated into our services:

• Content Aggregation: AI systems identify, retrieve, and summarize news content from public and reputable sources.

• Personalization Engine: Based on your chosen interests, AI customizes the format and subject matter of the podcast episodes.

• Speech Synthesis: AI-generated voices convert written summaries into high-quality, human-like audio. No biometric or voice data from users is used in this process.

• Analytics: AI tools help us analyze user interactions with the content to understand trends, improve recommendations, and optimize the user experience.

We do not use AI for profiling or automated decision-making that produces legal effects. Furthermore, we do not feed your personal messages, recordings, or private content into AI systems. All training of AI tools used by Podego is done on anonymized or publicly available datasets.

If we ever introduce AI-based features that involve more direct or sensitive user data, we will request your explicit consent and provide full transparency about how such data is used and safeguarded.

7. Sharing of Your Data

We take your privacy seriously and limit the sharing of your personal data to what is strictly necessary to deliver and improve our services, comply with legal requirements, or protect our rights. Your data may be shared in the following circumstances:

• With Service Providers: We engage trusted third-party vendors to support our operations, such as cloud hosting services, analytics providers, email delivery services, and app infrastructure partners. These vendors are bound by strict confidentiality and data processing agreements, ensuring they process your data only on our instructions and in compliance with GDPR.

• With Legal and Regulatory Authorities: We may share your data when required to comply with legal obligations, court orders, or lawful requests from government or regulatory bodies. This includes disclosures necessary to detect, investigate, or prevent fraud, abuse, or other illegal activities.

• In Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, your data may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you before your personal data becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

• With Your Consent: In cases where you have explicitly consented (e.g., signing up for a partner-integrated feature or external research), we may share your data as described at the time of consent.

We do not sell your personal data to third parties. We also do not permit third parties to collect personal data about your online activities on our platforms for their own commercial purposes.

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Podego uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to improve your user experience, analyze usage patterns, and deliver personalized content. These technologies help us recognize your device, store preferences, and understand how you interact with our platforms.

a. Types of Cookies We Use:

• Essential Cookies: Required for the operation of our website or app, such as logging in and navigating pages.

• Performance Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our services, allowing us to improve functionality and usability.

• Functionality Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings to provide a more personalized experience.

• Analytics Cookies: Allow us to gather insights into behavior on our platform, such as the number of visits or frequently visited pages.

• Marketing and Advertising Cookies: Used to deliver relevant advertising and track the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.

b. Managing Cookies

You have the right to choose whether or not to accept cookies. You can modify your cookie preferences through our cookie banner or by adjusting your browser settings to refuse some or all cookies. Note that disabling certain cookies may impact the functionality of the site.

Most browsers allow you to:

• View what cookies are stored on your device

• Clear existing cookies

• Block future cookies from being placed

For mobile devices, you may need to adjust your privacy settings within the app or operating system.

For more information on managing cookies, please refer to our full Cookie Policy or contact us at hello@podego.com.

9. International Transfers

Podego B.V. operates primarily within the European Union (EU), but some of the third-party service providers we rely on may process or store your personal data outside the European Economic Area (EEA), including in countries that may not offer the same level of data protection.

Whenever we transfer your personal data internationally, we take appropriate safeguards to ensure your rights remain protected under GDPR. These safeguards may include:

• Adequacy Decisions: Where applicable, we transfer data to countries that the European Commission has deemed to provide an adequate level of data protection.

• Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs): We implement these approved clauses into our contracts with non-EEA data processors to ensure appropriate data protection and legal compliance.

• Supplementary Measures: In certain cases, we apply additional technical and organizational measures (e.g., encryption, pseudonymization) to secure your data.

We ensure that any transfer of your data outside the EEA complies with applicable legal requirements and that your personal data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

If you would like more information on the safeguards we use when transferring personal data internationally, please contact us at hello@podego.com

10. Data Retention

Podego retains your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including to satisfy legal, regulatory, tax, accounting, or reporting requirements. The retention period depends on the nature of the data and the context in which it was collected.

a. Retention Periods

• Account Information: We retain your name, email address, preferences, and related data for as long as your account is active. If you close your account, we will delete or anonymize this data within 90 days unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

• Communication Records: Messages you send to us for support or feedback may be retained for up to 24 months for quality assurance and training purposes.

• Analytics and Usage Data: Aggregated or anonymized analytics data may be stored for a longer period to help us understand historical usage trends and improve our services.

• Legal Obligations: Certain data may be retained longer where necessary for legal defense or compliance (e.g., audit logs or consent records).

b. Data Deletion Requests

You have the right to request the deletion of your personal data at any time, subject to certain legal limitations. Upon receiving a valid request, we will delete or anonymize your data unless we are required to retain it for legal or operational reasons. To request data deletion, please contact us at hello@podego.com

We regularly review our data retention practices to ensure we are not keeping information longer than necessary.

11. Your Rights Under GDPR

As a user in the European Union or European Economic Area, you have specific rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Podego is committed to upholding these rights and providing clear ways to exercise them:

a. Your Rights

• Right to Access: You can request confirmation of whether your personal data is being processed and obtain a copy of your data.

• Right to Rectification: You may ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete personal data we hold about you.

• Right to Erasure ("Right to Be Forgotten"): You can request the deletion of your personal data when it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or where you have withdrawn consent.

• Right to Restrict Processing: You can request that we limit the processing of your personal data under specific circumstances (e.g., while we verify accuracy or assess an objection).

• Right to Data Portability: You can request that we provide your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, or that we transfer it directly to another data controller where technically feasible.

• Right to Object: You can object to the processing of your personal data if it is based on our legitimate interests or used for direct marketing purposes.

• Right to Withdraw Consent: If we process your data based on consent, you can withdraw that consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.

b. Exercising Your Rights

To exercise any of the above rights, please contact us at hello@podego.com. We may require you to verify your identity before fulfilling your request. We aim to respond to all legitimate requests within one month and will notify you if we need more time due to complexity or volume.

If you believe that we have not adequately addressed your concerns, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority. In the Netherlands, this is the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (Dutch Data Protection Authority).

12. Security of Your Data Protection

We take your privacy seriously and employ a range of measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, changes, sharing, or destruction. We use firewalls and restrict access to databases storing personal data, ensuring only authorized personnel can access it. However, please be aware that data privacy laws differ across countries and may not offer the same level of protection as those in your home country. We take reasonable precautions to ensure that your data is protected according to applicable laws.

By sharing your information with us, you understand and consent to its storage and use as described.

While we strive to implement strong administrative, physical, and electronic safeguards to protect your personal information, it’s important to note that no security measure can offer a 100% guarantee. The transmission of data over the Internet carries inherent risks, and we cannot ensure that the information you send to us will be fully secure or free from unauthorized access, disclosure, modification, or destruction.

13. Age Restrictions

Our services are not intended for children under the age of 16, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under this age. If you are under 16, please do not use our services or provide any personal information through our website or mobile application.

If we become aware that we have collected personal data from a child under the age of 16 without verified parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information as quickly as possible.

Parents or legal guardians who believe their child has provided us with personal data without their consent can contact us at hello@podego.com, and we will promptly address the issue.

14. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you via our website or app. The updated version will always have the latest "Effective Date" at the top.

15. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints, please contact us:

Email: hello@podego.com
Mailing Address: Livingstonelaan 860, 3526 JL, the Netherlands