Privacy policy

What this policy covers

This policy covers the HoiDutch language-learning website, installable web app and its Android edition. It was last updated on 15 August 2026.

Information we handle

Required account

An account is required to enter the learning app. We store your email address, a one-way password hash, verification status and security-session records. Your readable password is never stored.

Learning and personalisation

We store your learning progress, lesson scores, adaptive review schedule, earned Petals, chosen support language, self-selected interests, theme and avatar settings, and community-consent preference. A local copy is kept on your device for speed and offline continuity, then synced to your account. We do not infer interests from nationality or ethnicity.

Speech and AI coaching

Browser pronunciation uses the Dutch voice installed on your device. If you use speech recognition, your browser or phone may process microphone audio according to its own speech-service settings. When protected AI coaching is enabled, recent conversation text, selected support language and selected interests are sent to OpenAI to generate language feedback. The app server does not store AI conversation text, and OpenAI requests are configured not to be stored by the API.

Community

The optional Community Greenhouse stores a learner-chosen public garden name, an approved milestone and Dutch sentence, reactions, blocks, reports and moderation status. Email, location, photos, links, open-text posts and direct messages are not published. Opting out hides your posts. Account deletion removes posts, reactions, blocks and profile data; limited report records may be retained where necessary to handle safety abuse.

AI portraits

If you choose the portrait studio, your short written description and selected cosmetic traits are checked for safety and sent to OpenAI to create a fictional illustrated avatar. HoiDutch stores the generated image privately with a prompt hash and generation count, not the readable prompt. No face photo is requested or uploaded. You can report or delete the result in the app; account deletion also removes it.

Google Play purchases

When Google Play checkout is activated, Google handles payment details. HoiDutch receives a purchase token and product identifier, verifies them with Google Play, then stores a hashed receipt, currency ledger, balance and cosmetic ownership. HoiDutch does not receive or store a card number. Checkout remains unavailable until the Play configuration is complete.

Operational information

The host may process limited network and security information such as IP address, requested route, time and response status. We do not use advertising identifiers, analytics trackers or cross-app tracking.

Why we use it

• Create and protect the account required to access the app.
• Provide lessons, pronunciation, adaptive review, points and personalisation.
• Sync progress across the learner's devices.
• Verify email addresses and recover passwords.
• Provide protected AI conversation feedback when enabled.
• Secure, diagnose and maintain the service.

Service providers

Oracle Cloud hosts the application, private portraits and encrypted account database. Google Workspace sends transactional account emails. OpenAI processes text supplied to the protected AI coach and optional avatar studio. Google Play will process Android purchases after checkout is activated. Tailscale provides the compatibility connection. Each provider handles data under its own terms and privacy commitments.

Storage, protection and retention

Traffic uses HTTPS. Account passwords are salted and hashed. Sessions use secure HttpOnly cookies. Database backups are encrypted, access-restricted and rotated after 30 nightly copies.

Active account data remains until the account is deleted. After deletion, the live account, synced progress and sessions are removed immediately. A deleted record can remain only inside inaccessible rotating backups for up to 30 days before aging out.

Your choices and rights

• Choose from the available support languages and change self-selected interests at any time.
• Turn protected AI feedback off in the coach.
• Keep community consent off, delete your posts, report content and separately block a learner.
• Report or permanently delete an AI portrait from the avatar studio.
• Reset learning progress from Settings.
• Permanently delete the account and synced data from Account & sync.
• Ask through Support about access, correction, portability, restriction or objection rights that apply to you.

Open the account-deletion guide.

Children

HoiDutch is designed for adult language learners and is not directed to children under 13.

Questions

Use the support page for privacy or data questions. This policy may be updated when the service or its providers change; the date above will change with it.

HoiDutch provides language practice, not immigration, legal, medical or professional-certification advice.