Who we are
Spoken (spoken.md) is operated by Stephan Kaag, registered in the Netherlands (KvK 42067203, BTW NL005469689B81). We are the data controller for the personal data described below. For questions about this policy or your data, contact support@spoken.md.
What data we collect
We collect the minimum data needed to provide the service:
- API key — generated when you purchase credits. Stored on your key record, with a SHA-256 hash of it beside it for lookup.
- Email address and name — as you enter them at Stripe checkout. Stripe passes both back to us and we store them on your API key record, so we can send you your key and the service emails described below.
- Credit balance and usage — the credits remaining on your key, and a record of which episodes that key has fetched and when. The usage record is what makes a repeat fetch free rather than charged twice, and it is what your account page shows you.
- Shows you follow — which shows your key follows or has muted. A show is followed automatically when you fetch from it, and you can follow or mute one yourself. This is what the new-episode list and the new-episode alerts are built from.
- App connections — if you connect an AI app such as Claude or ChatGPT to Spoken, a record that the app is linked to your key. See Connecting an AI app.
- Cached transcripts — transcripts are cached to improve response times. These are podcast transcripts, not your personal data.
We do not collect addresses, phone numbers, or any other personal information beyond the above. Your card details never reach us — see Payment processing.
Payment processing
Payments are handled by Stripe. We do not store credit card numbers or payment details. Stripe processes your payment data under their own privacy policy.
Analytics
We use Google Analytics (GA4) to understand how visitors use the site. This collects anonymized usage data such as pages visited, referral source, and device type. You can opt out using a browser extension.
Cookies
Google Analytics sets cookies to distinguish unique visitors. We do not use cookies for advertising or tracking across other sites. The spoken.md API itself does not use cookies. The sign-in page for connecting an AI app sets a cookie to carry you through that one sign-in; it expires within 15 minutes.
Connecting an AI app
You can connect an AI app to Spoken at spoken.md/mcp. The app asks you to sign in, and you do that by pasting your API key on a spoken.md page. We do not create an account or ask for a password.
When you connect, we store:
- The link itself — a record that the app may act for your key, and a refresh token the app uses to stay connected. Both are tied to a hash of your key, never the key itself, and expire after 90 days without use.
- The app's registration — the name and return address the app gave us, where it registered with us. This says which app connected, not who you are, and is removed 180 days after it was last used.
- A usage count — how many requests the connection made with your key, and on which days.
The app sends us only what each request needs: your search text, or the id of the show or episode you asked for. We do not receive your conversation with the app, and we do not log search text. A transcript fetched through an app is recorded in your usage like any other fetch.
To disconnect, remove Spoken in the app's settings, or email support@spoken.md and we will remove the link. A link that is no longer used expires on its own after 90 days.
Where your data lives and who processes it
Spoken runs on Amazon Web Services in the Ireland region (eu-west-1). Key records, usage records and cached transcripts are stored there, encrypted at rest with AWS-managed keys, and only the operator has access to production systems. Four other companies process data on our behalf:
- Stripe — payment, and the name and email you enter at checkout.
- Proton — delivers the emails listed below, so it handles your email address.
- Sentry — receives reports of server errors so they can be fixed. A report describes the failure and the request that caused it.
- Anthropic — receives transcript text, and nothing about you, to resolve speaker names. Transcripts are podcast content, not your data.
Google Analytics is covered under Analytics above. There are no other processors.
How we use your data
- To authenticate API requests and track credit usage
- To deliver your API key after purchase
- To process payments via Stripe
- To send the service emails described below
- To understand site usage via analytics
We do not sell, share, or rent your data to third parties.
Emails we send
We send email to the address you gave at checkout. Some of it is transactional and some of it is not, so here is the full list:
- Your API key, once, after your first purchase.
- Credit warnings — when your balance runs low, and when it reaches zero.
- New-episode alerts — when a show you have recently fetched from publishes a new episode. You are included in these by default, because fetching from a show is how we infer you follow it; you are not asked to opt in first.
- Re-engagement and win-back email — occasional email if your key has sat idle with credits on it, or if your credits ran out and you have not topped up. This is marketing email. We would rather name it than claim we do not send any.
Opting out. The three kinds above each carry an unsubscribe link, and one click stops all three. You can also unsubscribe at any time at spoken.md/unsubscribe?key= followed by your API key, or by emailing support@spoken.md. Opting out does not stop the first two kinds — the delivery of a key you have paid for, and warnings about the balance on it — because those are account mail about a purchase, not promotion.
Data retention
Your API key, credit balance and usage record are retained as long as the key is active, because they are what the service runs on. A connection to an AI app is retained until you disconnect it or it has gone 90 days without use, whichever comes first. Cached transcripts are retained indefinitely to improve performance; they contain podcast content, not personal data about you. You can request deletion of your personal data at any time — note that deleting the key record also destroys any credits remaining on it, so we will confirm with you before doing it. Deleting your data does not remove cached transcripts, because they are not about you. A podcast owner who wants their show removed can ask under the terms, and an excluded show's cached transcripts are deleted.
Your rights (GDPR)
As we are based in the Netherlands, GDPR applies. You have the right to:
- Access your personal data
- Correct inaccurate data
- Request deletion of your data
- Export your data in a portable format
- Object to processing
To exercise any of these rights, email support@spoken.md.
Changes
We may update this policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated date.