- We never sell your data
- No ad profiles from listening
- Card details stay with our processor
- Delete your account any time
- Deleted within 30 days
- Encrypted in transit and at rest
What we collect
When you create an account we ask for your name and email address. If you become a paid member, our payment provider handles your card details; we never see or store your full card number.
We also keep a light record of how you use Hearstory, such as which episodes you start, how far you get and which creators you follow, so your library stays in sync across devices.
How we use it
We use your information to run your account, deliver the episodes and newsletters you ask for, and recommend shows you are likely to enjoy.
We do not sell your personal information, and we never let advertisers build profiles of you from your listening.
Cookies and similar tools
We use a small number of cookies to keep you signed in and remember your preferences, like dark mode and playback speed.
Our privacy-friendly analytics count visits in aggregate. They do not follow you around the web.
Who we share it with
We work with a handful of trusted services for hosting, email delivery and payments. Each one only receives what it needs to do its job and is bound by a written agreement.
If we are ever required by law to share information, we will tell you first unless we are legally prevented from doing so.
Creators and your data
When you follow or support a creator, they can see your name and the fact that you support them. They cannot see your email unless you choose to share it.
How long we keep it
We keep your account information for as long as your account is open. If you close it, we delete or anonymise your personal data within 30 days, apart from records we must keep for tax or legal reasons.
Your rights and choices
You can view, download, correct or delete your information at any time from your account settings, or by writing to us.
You can unsubscribe from any newsletter with one click at the bottom of every email.
Keeping it safe
We encrypt data in transit and at rest, limit who on our team can access it and review those permissions regularly. No system is perfect, so we will let you know promptly if something goes wrong.
Changes to this policy
If we change how we handle your information in a meaningful way, we will email you and update the date at the top of this page before the change takes effect.
Questions about any of this? Get in touch and we'll explain in plain words.