Privacy Policy

History Cake is a location-based audio storytelling product operated by History Cake, Inc. ("History Cake," "we," "us"). This policy covers our website and our mobile app.

We collect the following categories of data:

• Account data. Email, name if you provide one, and the sign-in method you use (Google, Apple, or emailed magic link).
• Purchase data. Which tours you have purchased, the amount, and the Stripe payment intent or app-store transaction identifier. Full card details are handled by Stripe — we never see them.
• Location during an active tour.While you have a tour running in the mobile app, we receive your device's coordinates so we can trigger the right story at the right place. See Location data below.
• Listening progress. Which stories you have started or finished, and how far through each one you are, so we can resume where you left off.
• Device and diagnostic data. App version, OS version, crash reports, and basic analytics events (page views, feature usage).
• Cookies and similar. Session cookies for sign-in, and optional analytics/error cookies (see our Cookie Policy).

• Run the service (sign-in, playing stories, saving progress).
• Process purchases and issue refunds.
• Trigger stories as you approach their locations.
• Diagnose crashes and measure aggregate usage so we can improve the app.
• Send you transactional email (receipts, magic-link sign-in).
• Comply with law and prevent abuse.

We do not sell your personal information. We do not use your data to train third-party AI models.

To trigger stories while your phone is in your pocket or your car mount, the mobile app requests backgroundlocation access. When a tour is active, the app samples your coordinates at intervals and, when you enter a story's trigger radius, records the visit so you can resume later and we can measure which stories get listened to.

• When we sample. Only while a tour is active. When you end a tour, background sampling stops.
• What we store. The coordinates at which each story triggered and the time it happened, tied to your account and the tour instance. We do not continuously stream your full movement history.
• How to opt out.Don't start a tour, revoke the app's location permission in your device settings, or delete your account. No tour = no location sampling.

We share only what each provider needs to do its job under a data processing agreement:

• Stripe — payment processing and fraud prevention.
• Amazon Web Services — hosting audio, images, and databases.
• Sentry — crash reporting (opt-in via cookie banner on the web; opt-out in app settings on mobile).
• Google Analytics — aggregate site analytics (opt-in via cookie banner).
• Our email provider — magic-link sign-in and purchase receipts.

We may also disclose information if legally compelled, if needed to protect the service or another user, or as part of a business transfer (merger, acquisition, etc.).

We keep account, purchase, and progress data for as long as your account is active. When you delete your account we remove personal data within 30 days, except where we are required to retain it (e.g., tax and financial records for up to 7 years).

Trigger coordinates from completed tours are retained to support resume and analytics for up to 24 months.

You can request a copy of your data, ask us to correct or delete it, or withdraw consent at any time. Email [email protected] from your account email, or use in-app account deletion.

If you are a California resident, you have the right to know what personal information we collect about you, to delete it, to correct it, and to opt out of its sale or sharing. We do not sell personal information. To exercise any of these rights, email [email protected]. We will not discriminate against you for exercising these rights.

If you are in the EU, EEA, or UK, our legal bases are: contractual necessity (providing the service you signed up for), your consent (optional analytics and marketing), and our legitimate interests (security, fraud prevention, service improvement). You have the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict, or port your data, and to object to processing. Contact us at [email protected]. You may also lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority.

[TODO: product] Appoint an EU/UK representative if we actively offer the service in those markets.

History Cake is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, contact us and we will delete it.

If we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date above and, where appropriate, notify you in the app or by email. Continued use after changes means you accept the revised policy.

Questions, requests, or complaints: [email protected].