1. Introduction

Discover Tamil ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application and website.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

Email address (for waitlist registration)
Account information (when you create an account)
Learning progress and preferences
User-generated content (writing practice, voice recordings for pronunciation)

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

Device information (type, operating system)
Usage data (features used, time spent)
Analytics data via Google Analytics (website) and usage analytics events (app) — linked to your account when signed in, and anonymous when opted out

3. How We Use Your Information

To provide and improve our Tamil learning services
To personalize your learning experience
To send you updates about new features and launch notifications
To respond to your inquiries and support requests
To analyze usage patterns and improve our app

4. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data:

SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmission (TLS 1.2+)
Secure cloud infrastructure via Supabase with Row Level Security
HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security) enabled
Regular security audits and updates
Data stored in SOC 2 compliant data centers

5. AI-Generated Content Disclosure

Important Notice: Discover Tamil uses artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance your learning experience. This includes:

AI-powered tutoring and conversation practice
Automated content generation for exercises and quizzes
AI-generated stories, explanations, and cultural content
Pronunciation feedback and assessment

AI Limitations: While we strive for accuracy, AI-generated content may contain errors, inaccuracies, or inconsistencies. Content is provided for educational purposes and should not be considered authoritative for academic, legal, or professional purposes.

6. Data Sharing

We do not sell your personal information. We may share data with:

Supabase — Database hosting and authentication (SOC 2 compliant)
Google Cloud — AI features via Gemini API (text generation, translation, pronunciation scoring), Speech-to-Text API (voice recognition for speaking practice), and Text-to-Speech API (audio pronunciation). Text and audio you submit to AI features is processed by Google Cloud services.
Google Analytics — Website usage analytics (with consent)
Brevo — Transactional email delivery
Legal authorities when required by law

7. Your Rights

You have the right to:

Access — View your personal data held by us
Correction — Request correction of inaccurate data via your profile settings
Deletion — Delete your account and all associated data directly in the app (Settings → Delete Account). Deletion is immediate and permanent.
Data export — Export a copy of your learning data (Settings → Privacy & Data → Export My Data)
Opt-out of analytics — Disable usage analytics at any time (Settings → Privacy & Data → Analytics)
Opt-out of marketing — Unsubscribe from any email communication via the unsubscribe link in each email

8. Children's Privacy (COPPA)

Discover Tamil is designed for learners of all ages, including children under 13. We take children's privacy seriously and have implemented the following protections:

Parental consent during onboarding — When a child selects an age group under 13 (ages 3–12), the app requires a parent or guardian to enter their email address and give explicit consent during the onboarding process. AI features and third-party data sharing are blocked server-side until consent is recorded.
Minimal data collection — For child accounts, we collect only information necessary for the educational service: learning progress, XP, and preferences.
No advertising — We do not serve any advertising to children under 13, targeted or otherwise.
Limited third-party processing — Children's data is only shared with Supabase (database provider). AI features (chat, speech recognition, image analysis) are blocked server-side for accounts under 13, so no child data is sent to Google Cloud AI services.
Parental rights — Parents or guardians may review or request deletion of their child's data at any time by contacting us at vanakkam@discovertamil.com or using the in-app account deletion feature.
Account deletion — Child accounts can be deleted immediately through the app (Settings → Delete Account) or by emailing us.

8a. GDPR & International Users

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, or other jurisdictions with data protection laws, you have the following additional rights:

Data portability — Export your data in JSON format via Settings → Privacy & Data → Export My Data
Restriction of processing — Disable analytics tracking via Settings → Privacy & Data → Analytics toggle. This stops all usage data collection immediately.
Right to object — Contact us at vanakkam@discovertamil.com to object to any processing
Right to complain — Lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority

Our legal basis for processing is: (a) your consent given at sign-up, (b) performance of our educational service, and (c) our legitimate interest in improving the app (which you can opt out of via the Analytics toggle). Data is stored on servers in the United States (Supabase infrastructure, SOC 2 compliant).

9. Contact Us

For privacy-related inquiries, contact us at: vanakkam@discovertamil.com