Privacy Policy

Last updated: August 9, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains what data Talkz collects, how we use it and the choices you have. Talkz is operated by Fort Valley. On this website, we use your browser language and timezone and, when available, a country-level estimate provided by Cloudflare to tailor language suggestions; the landing page does not include these signals in the app link. When you open Talkz from this landing page — whether through a CTA or after submitting the language form — the pending, allowlisted landing attribution is stored locally on your device for up to 30 days. When onboarding claims it, UTM campaign values, an experiment/cell ID, your selected spoken and learning languages, and technical click identifiers (gclid, gbraid and wbraid) may be associated with your account to measure acquisition and activation (first server-confirmed DM, first reply and reciprocal conversation). These records never include message content. The associated attribution, activation timestamps and durable DM chat identifier are kept until account deletion, even if the underlying message expires or is deleted.

1. Data we collect

Account data

• Email and authentication identifier. When you sign in with Email, Google or Apple, we receive your email and a stable user identifier from the provider.
• Profile data you provide. Display name, optional biography, gender (Male / Female / Prefer not to say), date of birth, country of residence, languages you speak and are learning, and a profile picture if you upload one.

Content you create

• Text messages, voice notes, images and stickers you send in 1-on-1 chats and groups.
• Groups you create or join.
• Reports and blocks you submit, with the content reported.

Device and technical data

• Device push notification token (Firebase Cloud Messaging) to deliver notifications.
• App version, build number and platform, used for the minimum-version check.
• Approximate language preference of your device (used to localize the app).

Usage analytics

Talkz logs pseudonymous product events with Firebase Analytics, such as normalized screen templates, message lifecycle, and Discover use. Event payloads do not include message bodies, media URLs, email, usernames, or raw chat/message IDs. When you turn product analytics off in Settings, Talkz first records the opt-out locally and closes its own product-event gate. It then asks Firebase to stop collection and clear its Firebase Analytics user ID. If Firebase cannot confirm that change, the app keeps the recorded request fail-closed, retries on a later foreground session or app start, and labels the setting as pending rather than claiming collection is already off. If local storage is unavailable, Talkz remains fail-closed for the current session and asks you to retry; it does not claim a durable opt-out until it is saved and Firebase confirms it.

Crash reports

If the app crashes or hits an unexpected error, we send a stack trace plus device/OS metadata to Sentry to help us fix the problem. Crash reporting is separate from the product-analytics setting and remains on when analytics is disabled. We avoid sending personally identifying content in error reports.

2. How we use your data

• To run the service — deliver your messages, build the discover list, render your profile.
• To keep the service safe — apply our acceptable-use rules, investigate reports.
• To send transactional notifications (new messages, account events).
• To improve the product — diagnose bugs and understand which features are used.
• To comply with the law when required.

We do not sell your personal data and we do not run third-party advertising in Talkz.

3. Third parties that process your data

• Supabase — authentication, database and media storage. supabase.com/privacy
• Fly.io — hosts our backend API. fly.io/legal/privacy-policy
• Firebase (Google) — push notifications and analytics. firebase.google.com/support/privacy
• Sentry — crash and error reporting. sentry.io/privacy
• Google / Apple — sign-in providers. They share your email and a stable identifier with us when you authenticate.
• Cloudflare — hosts this website. cloudflare.com/privacypolicy

These providers operate in regions including the United States and the European Union. By using Talkz you understand that your data may be processed in those regions.

4. Notifications and messages

Push notifications include the sender display name and a preview of the message. You can turn notifications off in your device settings at any time. Messages are stored on our servers so they sync across your devices and reach the recipient.

5. Data retention

• Account profile data: kept while your account is active.
• Messages: stored server-side for up to 7 days, then deleted from Talkz servers. Your device or the recipient's device may retain local app or operating-system caches until they are cleared on that device; those caches are distinct from server storage.
• Reports: kept for moderation purposes for as long as needed.
• Analytics and crash reports: kept according to the providers' default retention windows.
• Pending landing attribution. Before onboarding claims it, the allowlisted landing handoff is stored locally on your device for up to 30 days and is removed when it expires or after a successful onboarding claim.
• Landing attribution and activation facts. After onboarding claims the handoff, UTM/campaign and cell data, selected language codes, technical click identifiers, activation timestamps, and the durable DM chat identifier are associated with your account until account deletion, even if the underlying message expires or is deleted. These records do not contain message content.

6. Your rights and choices

You can:

• Access and update your profile data from inside the app.
• Delete your account at any time from the app (Settings → Delete account) or via talkz.app/delete-account. Account deletion removes your profile, messages you authored, blocks and reports linked to your account. Some logs and backup snapshots may persist for a short time before they age out.
• Block or report other users from the chat or profile screens.
• Turn off product analytics at any time in Settings. This controls Firebase Analytics only; Sentry crash reporting is described separately above.

If you are in the European Economic Area, the UK or Brazil, you also have the rights to request a copy of your data, ask for correction, restrict processing and lodge a complaint with your local data-protection authority. Write to support@talkz.app to exercise any of these rights.

7. Children

Talkz is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If you believe a child created an account, contact us and we will remove the account.

8. Security

We use encryption in transit (HTTPS) and at rest, and apply row-level security rules so each user only sees the data they should. No service can promise perfect security; please use a strong password and keep your device secure.

9. Changes

We may update this Policy. When we make material changes, we will surface the updated version inside the app or by email before the change takes effect.