Privacy Policy

Last updated: June 1, 2026 · Effective: June 1, 2026

Plain-language summary

  • We collect your email address, playback history, and the chapter-level decisions you make in the app. We use this to run the service — nothing else.
  • Episode audio is sent to Google's Gemini AI to generate chapter summaries. Audio is processed once per episode; results are cached so we don't re-process what's already been summarized.
  • We do not sell your data. We do not run advertising. We do not share your listening behavior with third parties.
  • You can request deletion of your account and all associated data at any time by emailing hello@getsaaro.com.

1. Who we are

Saaro is a podcast app built by Saurabh Kulkarni (operating as PodGenie AI, a sole proprietorship). References to "Saaro," "we," "us," or "our" in this policy refer to PodGenie AI. Contact: hello@getsaaro.com.

2. What we collect

Account data

When you create an account, we collect your email address. We use Firebase Authentication to manage identity; your email is stored in Firebase Auth and in our Firestore database.

Usage data

We collect the following data generated by your use of the app:

  • Playback history: which episodes you've played, how far through each chapter you listened, and whether you completed it.
  • Podcast subscriptions: the feeds you've added to your library, including public feeds and private RSS URLs.
  • Chapter-level decisions: which chapters you've played, skipped, or queued; which episodes you've hidden from your feed.
  • Feed curation decisions: engagement and hide actions that shape your Latest Episodes feed.

Device and diagnostic data

  • Device information: iOS version and app version, collected automatically by Firebase Crashlytics.
  • Crash logs: stack traces from app crashes, collected by Firebase Crashlytics to help us fix bugs.

Episode audio

To generate chapter summaries, Saaro sends episode audio to Google's Gemini AI API. Audio is processed once per unique episode. The resulting chapter summaries are cached in Firestore so that subsequent users of the same episode do not trigger a second processing request. We do not retain audio files; we retain only the chapter summaries and associated metadata (chapter titles, timestamps, topic tags).

3. How we use your data

  • To authenticate your account and sync your state across devices.
  • To provide the core playback and chapter-planning experience.
  • To personalize your Latest Episodes feed based on your engagement history.
  • To generate and serve chapter summaries for episodes you access.
  • To diagnose and fix crashes and bugs.

We do not use your data for advertising, profiling for third parties, or any purpose beyond operating and improving the Saaro service.

4. Sub-processors

We rely on the following third-party services to operate Saaro:

  • Google — Firebase (Auth, Firestore, Cloud Storage, Cloud Functions, Crashlytics, Analytics): Core infrastructure for authentication, database, file storage, server-side logic, crash reporting, and analytics. Data is processed and stored on Google servers. See Firebase Privacy.
  • Google — Gemini AI: Episode audio is sent to Google's Gemini API for chapter summary generation. Google processes this audio under their API terms of service and data processing agreement. See Gemini API Terms.
  • Apple — App Store & TestFlight: Distribution platform for the iOS app. Apple's own privacy policies govern their collection of data related to downloads and app usage through their platform.

We do not use any advertising networks or behavioral tracking SDKs.

5. Data retention

Account data, playback history, and associated preferences are retained for as long as your account is active. If you request account deletion, we will remove all associated personal data from our systems within 30 days of the request. Chapter summaries cached from episode processing may remain in our database (they are not personally identifiable and are shared across users who access the same episode).

6. Your rights

You have the right to:

  • Access the personal data we hold about you.
  • Request correction of inaccurate data.
  • Request deletion of your account and personal data.
  • Object to processing of your personal data in certain circumstances.

To exercise any of these rights, email hello@getsaaro.com. We will respond within 30 days.

7. Data security

We use industry-standard security practices provided by Firebase and Google Cloud, including encryption in transit (TLS) and at rest. Access to Firestore is governed by Firebase Security Rules. We do not store passwords; authentication is handled by Firebase Auth.

8. Children

Saaro is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us data, contact hello@getsaaro.com and we will delete it promptly.

9. Changes to this policy

We may update this privacy policy. When we do, we'll update the "Last updated" date at the top and notify active users via the app or by email if the changes are material.

10. Contact

Questions about this policy? Email hello@getsaaro.com.