Privacy Policy

1. Information We DON'T Collect

Podzooka is designed to collect as little information as possible while providing essential functionality:

• No Personal Information: We don't ask for or store names, email addresses, phone numbers, or any personal identifiers
• No Registration Required: You can use Podzooka without creating an account
• No Listening Tracking: We don't track what specific podcasts you listen to, when you listen, or how much you listen
• No Location Data: We don't access or store your precise location information
• No Device Fingerprinting: We don't create unique device profiles for identification
• No Social Media Integration: We don't connect with or share data to social media platforms

2. Analytics (Google Analytics)

To help us improve Podzooka, we use Google Analytics. Analytics are enabled by default, but you can opt out at any time:

What Analytics Data We Collect:

• Page Views: Which pages of our app you visit (not specific podcast content)
• General Location: Country and region (not precise location)
• Device Information: Browser type, screen size, operating system
• Usage Patterns: How you navigate through the app interface
• Performance Data: Page load times and technical errors

What We DON'T Track Even With Analytics Enabled:

• Specific podcasts you listen to or search for
• Episode titles, descriptions, or content
• Your listening history or preferences
• Personal identifiers or account information (we don't have accounts)
• Precise location or IP addresses (Google Analytics anonymizes IPs)

Your Choice:

• Enabled by Default: Analytics are active to help us improve the app
• Easy Opt-Out: You can disable analytics at any time in Settings
• No Impact: All app features work the same whether analytics are on or off
• Transparent: You can see your analytics status in Settings

3. Local Data Storage

Podzooka stores data locally on your device to enhance your experience:

What's Stored Locally:

• App Preferences: Your theme choice (dark/light mode), playback speed settings, and other customizations
• Queue and Favorites: Episodes you've added to your queue or marked as favorites
• Playback Progress: Where you left off in episodes (stored only on your device)
• Cache Data: Temporarily cached podcast information for faster loading
• Downloaded Episodes: Audio files you choose to download for offline listening

How Local Storage Works:

• All data is stored in your browser's local storage or device storage
• This data never leaves your device unless you explicitly export it
• You can clear this data at any time through your browser settings or the app's data management tools
• If you uninstall the app or clear browser data, all local data is permanently deleted

4. Network Requests

To provide podcast content, Podzooka makes the following network requests:

Podcast Data Sources:

• iTunes/Apple Podcasts API: To search and retrieve podcast information
• Podcast Index API: To access additional podcast directories
• RSS Feeds: Direct connections to podcast RSS feeds for episode information
• Radio Browser API: For radio station information and streaming
• Content Delivery Networks: For podcast artwork and episode audio

Privacy Protection:

• We use proxy services where possible to prevent direct connections that could reveal your IP address
• No personal identifiers are sent with these requests
• We don't log or store information about these requests

5. Cookies and Tracking

Cookies We Use:

• Analytics Cookies: Google Analytics cookies (_ga, _ga_*, _gid) to understand how the app is used
• Preference Cookie: A single cookie to remember if you've opted out of analytics

Cookies We DON'T Use:

• Advertising or marketing cookies
• Social media tracking cookies
• Cross-site tracking cookies
• Third-party advertising networks

6. Data Sharing

Since we don't collect personal data, we have nothing to share. Specifically:

• We don't sell data to third parties
• We don't share data with advertisers
• We don't provide data to analytics companies
• We don't share data with social media platforms
• We don't share data with government agencies unless legally required

7. Data Export and Portability

You have complete control over your data:

• Export: Use the built-in export feature to download your preferences, queue, and favorites as a JSON file
• Import: Import your data into a new device or browser
• Deletion: Clear all app data instantly through the settings menu

8. Security

We implement security best practices:

• HTTPS: All connections use secure HTTPS encryption
• No Server Storage: Since we don't store data on servers, there's no risk of data breaches
• Open Source: Our code is publicly auditable for transparency
• Content Security Policy: We implement CSP headers to prevent malicious scripts
• Analytics Security: When enabled, Google Analytics uses secure, encrypted connections

9. Children's Privacy

Podzooka is safe for users of all ages:

• We don't collect personal information from anyone, including children under 13
• Analytics can be easily disabled, giving parents full control
• No age verification is required because no personal data is collected
• Parents can opt out of analytics in Settings if preferred

10. International Users

Podzooka respects international privacy laws:

• GDPR Compliance: Compliant with European privacy regulations through easy opt-out controls
• CCPA Compliance: Meets California privacy law requirements with user choice controls
• Cookie Laws: Compliant with international cookie laws through transparency and opt-out options
• Global Accessibility: Available worldwide with the same privacy protections

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

If we make changes to this privacy policy:

• We'll update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page
• Significant changes will be highlighted in the app
• We'll always maintain our core privacy-first principles
• Users will always have the option to opt out of analytics

12. Open Source Transparency

Podzooka is open source, which means:

• You can review our code to verify our privacy claims
• Security researchers can audit our implementations
• The community can contribute to privacy improvements
• Analytics implementation is transparent and auditable