Privacy Policy

1. Information We Don't Collect

Unlike most apps, CastKeeper is designed to collect as little information as possible. We do not collect, store, or transmit:

• Your podcast subscriptions - We never see what podcasts you subscribe to
• Your listening history - We don't track which episodes you play or when you listen
• Your playback preferences - Speed settings, skip intervals, and other preferences stay on your device
• Your downloaded episodes - We have no knowledge of which episodes you've archived
• Your transcription data - Generated transcriptions never leave your device
• Analytics or usage data - We don't use analytics tools that track individual user behavior
• Device identifiers - No tracking via advertising IDs or device fingerprinting
• Location data - We never request or access your location
• Contact information - Unless you email us for support, we don't have your contact details

2. How Your Data Is Stored

On-Device Storage

All core app functionality happens locally on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac:

• Podcast library: Your subscriptions and episode metadata are stored in your device's local database, iCloud, or other cloud storage providers
• Playback state: Current position, playback speed, and listening progress stay on your device or iCloud.
• AI processing: Transcription, chapter detection, and all AI features run entirely on-device using Apple's Core ML framework, WhisperKit, and Apple Intelligence.
• User preferences: All settings and customizations are stored locally or in iCloud.

iCloud Sync

If you enable iCloud sync:

• Your podcast library data syncs across your devices using Apple's CloudKit service
• This data is stored in your personal iCloud account, which we cannot access
• Apple provides end-to-end encryption for CloudKit data
• We never have access to your iCloud data or credentials
• You can disable iCloud sync at any time in the app settings

Third-Party Storage (Optional)

If you configure third-party storage (such as Cloudflare R2):

• Podcast audio files are stored in your own storage account that you create and control
• You provide your own credentials, which are stored securely in your device's keychain
• We never see or have access to your storage account, credentials, or stored files
• Storage costs and data handling are subject to your chosen provider's terms and policies

3. Third-Party Services

CastKeeper integrates with certain third-party services to provide core functionality. Here's how your data interacts with these services:

iTunes Search API (Apple)

• Purpose: Search for podcasts when you explicitly use the search feature
• Data shared: Only your search queries when you search
• Our control: We don't control Apple's data handling; see Apple's Privacy Policy

RSS Feed Providers

• Purpose: Download podcast episode information and audio files
• Data shared: Your IP address and basic HTTP headers when fetching feeds
• Our control: These are third-party podcast hosts; we don't control their data practices

Apple CloudKit

• Purpose: Sync your library across your Apple devices
• Data shared: Your podcast library metadata (subscriptions, playback state)
• Our control: Data is stored in your iCloud account; see Apple's Privacy Policy

Storage Providers (Optional)

• Purpose: Store archived podcast audio files if you choose this option
• Data shared: Audio files and associated metadata you choose to archive
• Our control: You configure and control these services directly; refer to their privacy policies

4. On-Device AI & Machine Learning

CastKeeper uses advanced AI features for transcription and content analysis. Here's our privacy-first approach:

• Local processing only: All AI models run on your device using Apple's Core ML and other on-device frameworks
• No cloud AI services: We don't send audio to cloud AI services like OpenAI, Google, or Amazon
• No training data: Your content is never used to train or improve AI models
• Complete privacy: Transcriptions and AI-generated content are not stored on our servers

5. Data You Control

You have complete control over your data in CastKeeper:

Viewing Your Data

• All your data is accessible within the app's interface
• You can view your subscriptions, listening history, and preferences at any time

Deleting Your Data

• Delete the app: Uninstalling removes all locally stored data from your device
• Clear library: Remove all subscriptions and episodes from within the app
• iCloud data: Disable iCloud sync in Settings to stop syncing; delete data from iCloud settings
• Storage data: Delete files from your storage provider's dashboard

Exporting Your Data

• Export your podcast subscriptions as an OPML file
• Access your stored audio files directly from your storage provider
• Share individual episodes or playlists

6. Children's Privacy

CastKeeper does not knowingly collect information from children under 13 (or the applicable age of digital consent in your jurisdiction). The app is designed for general audiences and does not target children.

If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, please contact us immediately at privacy@castkeeper.app.

7. Security

We take the security of your data seriously:

• Credential storage: Storage credentials are stored in your device's secure keychain using Apple's Keychain Services
• Encrypted transmission: All network requests use HTTPS/TLS encryption
• No remote access: We have no backend servers that could be compromised
• Local data protection: App data is protected by iOS/macOS device encryption and your device passcode
• Minimal attack surface: By not collecting data, there's nothing for us to lose in a breach

8. International Users

CastKeeper is available worldwide. Because all processing happens on your device and we don't collect personal data:

• We don't transfer your data across borders (it stays on your device or in your chosen storage)
• GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy regulations are inherently satisfied by our architecture
• You maintain full control and sovereignty over your data

9. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have specific privacy rights. Because we don't collect personal data, many of these rights are automatically satisfied:

• Right to access: All your data is accessible within the app
• Right to deletion: Delete the app or clear data at any time
• Right to portability: Export your subscriptions and access stored files
• Right to opt-out: No tracking to opt out of
• Right to rectification: Edit or update your data within the app

10. Email Communications

We do not send marketing emails or newsletters. The only emails you might receive are:

• Support responses: If you contact us for help
• Critical updates: In rare cases, important security or legal notifications

We will never sell or share your email address with third parties.

11. Crash Reports & Diagnostics (Optional)

If you opt-in to sharing diagnostics with Apple:

• iOS/macOS may send anonymous crash reports to Apple and app developers
• These reports contain technical information about app crashes but no personal data
• This is controlled by your device's privacy settings, not by our app
• We use these reports solely to fix bugs and improve stability

12. Changes to Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you by:

• Displaying a notice in the app
• Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy

Your continued use of CastKeeper after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

13. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have specific rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act:

• We do not sell personal information - We don't collect it in the first place
• We do not share for cross-context behavioral advertising
• Right to know: We've outlined all data practices in this policy
• Right to delete: Simply delete the app

14. European Privacy Rights (GDPR)

If you are in the European Economic Area, UK, or Switzerland:

• Legal basis: Our processing (minimal as it is) is based on your consent and contract performance
• Data controller: 121 Gigawatz is the data controller for any processing that occurs
• Right to lodge complaint: You can complain to your local data protection authority
• Data protection officer: Given our minimal data processing, we don't require a DPO

15. Our Philosophy

Privacy isn't just a legal requirement for us—it's a design principle. We built CastKeeper to prove that you can create powerful, feature-rich applications without surveillance capitalism. Your podcast listening is personal, and it should stay that way.

16. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your data, please contact us:

Privacy Email: privacy@castkeeper.app
General Support: support@castkeeper.app

We will respond to all privacy inquiries within 30 days.