Privacy Policy

1. Scope of This Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to personal information handled in connection with:

• The SpeakJP website
• Online one-on-one Japanese conversation sessions
• Online group Japanese conversation sessions
• Session packages
• Group-session subscriptions
• The Japanese Learners Community
• Online community events and meetups
• Booking, payment, notification, and customer-support services
• AI-powered captions, translation, recordings, and transcripts
• Any other service offered under the SpeakJP name

Third-party websites, platforms, and applications used in connection with SpeakJP may be governed by their own privacy policies.

2. Information We May Collect

Depending on how you use SpeakJP, we may collect the following categories of information.

2.1 Information You Provide

We may collect information that you provide when you purchase, book, register for, participate in, or contact SpeakJP, including:

• Full name
• Email address
• Telephone number, if requested or voluntarily provided
• Country or region
• Preferred language
• Time zone
• Booking date and time
• Selected service or plan
• Booking and attendance history
• Package or subscription information
• Information entered into a booking form
• Questions, requests, feedback, and other communications
• Information you provide during customer-support correspondence
• Discord, Whop, Zoom, or other account details required to provide access to a service
• Any other information that you choose to provide

Please do not provide sensitive personal information unless it is reasonably necessary for us to provide the service.

2.2 Purchase and Payment Information

When you purchase a SpeakJP service, we may receive information such as:

• The service or plan purchased
• Payment date and amount
• Payment currency
• Payment status
• Transaction or receipt identifier
• Subscription status and renewal information
• Refund, dispute, or chargeback information
• Limited payment-method information, such as the card brand and last digits, where provided by the payment processor

Payment processing may be handled by third-party providers such as Stripe or Whop.

SpeakJP does not ordinarily receive or store your complete credit or debit card number, card security code, or full bank-account credentials. Such information is handled directly by the relevant payment provider.

2.3 Booking and Session Information

When you book or attend a session, we may collect or generate:

• The booked service
• Session date and time
• Time-zone information
• Attendance status
• Rescheduling history
• Cancellation or no-show information
• Notes reasonably necessary to deliver or manage the service
• Communications relating to the booking
• Zoom meeting access and participation information
• Technical information associated with joining the session

2.4 Session Audio, Video, Captions, and Transcripts

SpeakJP may provide AI-powered captions and translation during online sessions.

Depending on the features used, audio from a session may be processed by Zoom or another service provider to generate:

• Real-time captions
• Speech recognition
• Translated captions
• AI-generated transcripts

For one-on-one sessions only, a session recording and AI-generated transcript may be made available when the participant requests or agrees to this feature.

Such materials may include:

• The participant’s voice
• The participant’s image, if the camera is enabled
• Spoken statements
• On-screen names or profile information
• Session chat messages
• Captions and translated captions
• AI-generated transcript text

Unless otherwise stated, recordings and transcripts provided by SpeakJP are available for up to 12 hours after the session and are deleted afterward from the location used to provide access.

Participants who wish to keep a copy must download it before the stated deletion time.

SpeakJP does not ordinarily record group sessions.

2.5 Community Information

If you join or participate in the SpeakJP community, we may process information including:

• Your Discord or Whop username and account identifier
• Membership and access status
• Roles or permissions assigned to your account
• Messages and content you post in community spaces
• Voice-channel participation
• Reports, complaints, or moderation information
• Records of warnings, restrictions, or removal where reasonably necessary
• Information relating to member voting or session scheduling

Content posted in shared community spaces may be visible to other community members. You should avoid sharing sensitive or unnecessary personal information in public or shared channels.

2.6 Website and Technical Information

When you access the SpeakJP website or related online services, certain information may be collected automatically, including:

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Device type
• Operating system
• Language settings
• Approximate geographic location
• Referring website or source
• Pages viewed
• Links or buttons clicked
• Date and time of access
• Time spent on pages
• Cookie and similar identifier information
• General website-interaction and performance data

This information may be collected through server logs, cookies, analytics tools, and similar technologies.

3. How We Use Information

We may use information for the following purposes.

3.1 Providing the Services

We may use information to:

• Accept and manage bookings
• Process purchases and payments
• Provide one-on-one and group sessions
• Manage packages, subscriptions, and remaining session credits
• Confirm eligibility for promotional pricing
• Provide access to Zoom sessions
• Provide access to the SpeakJP community
• Assign or remove community roles and permissions
• Deliver AI-powered captions, translation, recordings, and transcripts
• Organize member voting and session schedules
• Operate community meetups and related events

3.2 Communications

We may use contact information to:

• Send booking confirmations
• Send session reminders
• Send payment or receipt-related information
• Notify you of schedule changes or cancellations
• Provide Zoom or community-access information
• Respond to questions or support requests
• Send operational or security notices
• Notify you of important changes to SpeakJP services or policies

We do not currently use your contact information for unrelated third-party advertising.

3.3 Service Administration and Improvement

We may use information to:

• Maintain and improve the website and services
• Understand how visitors use the website
• Evaluate demand for sessions and time slots
• Improve session scheduling and service design
• Diagnose technical problems
• Review the effectiveness of website content
• Develop or modify services and features

3.4 Safety, Security, and Enforcement

We may use information to:

• Prevent fraud and unauthorized payments
• Protect user accounts
• Investigate chargebacks or payment disputes
• Detect spam, harassment, impersonation, or abusive conduct
• Enforce the Terms of Service and community rules
• Protect participants, the host, and third parties
• Prevent misuse of recordings, transcripts, accounts, or service access
• Maintain the security and integrity of SpeakJP services

3.5 Legal and Administrative Purposes

We may use or retain information to:

• Comply with applicable laws and regulations
• Respond to valid legal requests
• Maintain tax, accounting, payment, and transaction records
• Establish, exercise, or defend legal claims
• Resolve complaints and disputes
• Meet requirements imposed by payment processors and service providers

4. Legal Bases and Consent

Where applicable law requires a legal basis for processing personal information, we may process information on one or more of the following grounds:

• Processing is necessary to provide a service that you requested
• Processing is necessary to perform or administer an agreement with you
• You have provided consent
• Processing is necessary to comply with a legal obligation
• Processing is necessary for legitimate operational, security, fraud-prevention, or service-improvement interests, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights
• Processing is otherwise permitted by applicable law

Where processing relies on consent, you may withdraw that consent, subject to legal and operational limitations.

Withdrawing consent does not affect processing that occurred lawfully before withdrawal.

5. Cookies and Similar Technologies

SpeakJP may use cookies and similar technologies to operate the website, remember settings, understand website usage, and improve performance.

Cookies are small data files placed on or accessed through your device.

Cookies may be used for purposes including:

• Maintaining essential website functions
• Remembering preferences
• Understanding how visitors navigate the website
• Measuring page performance
• Detecting technical problems
• Preventing misuse or security incidents

You may control or delete cookies through your browser settings.

Blocking certain cookies may affect the availability or proper operation of some website functions.

Where required by applicable law, we may request consent before placing non-essential cookies.

6. Google Analytics

SpeakJP may use Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with the website.

Google Analytics may collect or process information such as:

• Pages visited
• Approximate location
• Device and browser information
• Referring source
• Interaction and usage data
• IP address and cookie or similar identifier information

Google may use information received from websites that use Google services to provide, maintain, protect, and improve those services, measure performance, and prevent misuse.

Information processed through Google Analytics is handled according to Google’s applicable terms and privacy practices.

You may limit the use of cookies through your browser settings. Google also provides tools and controls that may allow users to limit Google Analytics collection.

SpeakJP does not currently use Google Analytics advertising features, remarketing, or targeted-advertising functions unless this Privacy Policy is updated to disclose such use.

7. Third-Party Service Providers

SpeakJP relies on third-party services to operate its website, bookings, payments, online sessions, communications, and community.

These providers may process information on our behalf or independently under their own terms and privacy policies.

Providers may include:

SimplyBook.me

SimplyBook.me may be used for:

• Booking management
• Session-package management
• Customer registration
• Automated confirmations and reminders
• Scheduling and time-zone display
• Service and availability management

Information submitted through a SimplyBook.me booking page may be processed and stored by SimplyBook.me.

SimplyBook.me acts as one of our service providers (data processor) for booking-related services and processes personal data on our behalf in accordance with its Privacy Policy and Data Processing Agreement (DPA). For more information, please refer to SimplyBook.me's Privacy Policy and Data Processing Agreement.

Stripe

Stripe may be used to:

• Process payments
• Authenticate payment methods
• Prevent fraud
• Issue receipts
• Manage refunds, disputes, or chargebacks
• Provide transaction records

Stripe processes payment information according to its own terms and privacy policy.

Whop

Whop may be used for:

• Payments
• Subscription management
• Purchase records
• Customer communications
• Community-access management
• Discord integration
• Role assignment and removal

Information associated with a Whop purchase or account may be processed by Whop.

Zoom

Zoom may be used for:

• Online sessions
• Real-time captions
• Translation
• Recording
• AI-generated transcripts
• Meeting communications and technical operation

Audio, video, chat, captions, or transcript information may be processed by Zoom when the relevant feature is enabled.

Discord

Discord may be used to provide the SpeakJP community.

Discord may process:

• Account information
• Messages and posts
• Voice-channel participation
• Server roles and access
• Technical and usage information

Information shared in Discord is also subject to Discord’s terms and privacy policy.

Google

Google services may be used for:

• Website analytics
• Email communications
• File or document access where applicable
• Other administrative functions

Other Providers

SpeakJP may also use hosting providers, website infrastructure, email providers, security services, or other contractors reasonably necessary to operate the service.

8. Disclosure and Sharing of Information

We may disclose or share information in the following circumstances.

8.1 Service Providers

We may provide information to service providers that perform functions such as:

• Payment processing
• Booking management
• Video conferencing
• Email delivery
• Analytics
• Website hosting
• Community management
• Fraud prevention
• Data storage
• Technical support

Such access is limited to what is reasonably necessary for the relevant service.

8.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose information where reasonably necessary to:

• Comply with applicable law
• Respond to a court order, subpoena, or lawful government request
• Cooperate with a valid investigation
• Protect our legal rights
• Prevent fraud, abuse, threats, or security incidents
• Protect the safety of participants, the host, or others

8.3 Business Transfer

If SpeakJP is reorganized, transferred, sold, or succeeded by another operator, relevant information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to applicable law.

8.4 With Your Direction or Consent

We may disclose information when you request, direct, or consent to the disclosure.

SpeakJP does not sell personal information.

9. International Processing and Data Transfers

SpeakJP operates from Japan and provides services to users in multiple countries.

Third-party services used by SpeakJP may process, transfer, or store information in Japan, the United States, the European Economic Area, or other countries where they or their service providers operate.

Privacy and data-protection laws in those countries may differ from the laws in your country of residence.

Where required, we will take reasonable steps to use service providers and transfer mechanisms consistent with applicable law.

10. Data Retention

We retain information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy.

Retention periods may depend on:

• The type of information
• The service used
• Whether an account, package, or subscription remains active
• The need to manage bookings or customer support
• Fraud-prevention and security needs
• Payment, tax, accounting, and legal requirements
• The need to resolve disputes or enforce agreements

Examples include:

• Booking and transaction records may be retained for accounting, dispute, and legal purposes.
• Customer communications may be retained while reasonably necessary to respond to or document a request.
• Community moderation records may be retained where necessary to prevent repeated misuse or protect participants.
• One-on-one session recordings and AI transcripts provided by SpeakJP are ordinarily available for up to 12 hours and deleted afterward from the location used to provide them.

Deletion from an active system may not immediately remove information from encrypted backups, security logs, or records that a third-party provider must retain under its own legal obligations.

11. Data Security

SpeakJP takes reasonable technical and organizational steps to protect personal information against:

• Unauthorized access
• Improper use
• Accidental loss
• Unauthorized alteration
• Unauthorized disclosure
• Destruction

Measures may include:

• Use of reputable third-party platforms
• Password and account controls
• Access restrictions
• Secure payment processors
• Software and service updates
• Reasonable monitoring and incident response

However, no online system, payment platform, email provider, video-conferencing service, or community platform can guarantee absolute security.

You are responsible for:

• Keeping passwords confidential
• Protecting access to your email and linked accounts
• Using secure devices and networks
• Reporting suspected unauthorized access promptly

12. Shared Spaces and Other Participants

SpeakJP includes group sessions and community areas where information may be visible or audible to other participants.

When participating in a group session, Discord channel, voice channel, meetup, or similar shared environment:

• Your display name may be visible
• Your voice may be heard
• Your image may be visible if you enable your camera
• Messages or content you post may be read by others
• Information you voluntarily disclose may be copied or remembered by another participant

SpeakJP cannot fully control what another participant does with information that you voluntarily share.

Do not share confidential, sensitive, financial, medical, identification, or other unnecessary personal information in shared spaces.

13. Your Privacy Rights and Requests

Depending on applicable law, you may have the right to request:

• Confirmation of whether we hold personal information about you
• Information about the purposes for which it is used
• Access to certain personal information
• Correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion of certain information
• Suspension or restriction of certain processing
• Withdrawal of consent
• Objection to certain uses
• Information regarding certain disclosures or transfers

These rights are subject to applicable legal exceptions.

For example, we may be unable to delete information that must be retained for:

• Payment and accounting records
• Tax obligations
• Fraud prevention
• Security
• Dispute resolution
• Legal compliance
• Establishing or defending legal claims

To submit a request, contact:

SpeakJP
Email: speakjapanese01@gmail.com

We may request information reasonably necessary to verify your identity and protect your information from unauthorized disclosure.

14. Email and Service Communications

SpeakJP may send transactional or operational communications relating to:

• Purchases
• Payments
• Bookings
• Reminders
• Schedule changes
• Community access
• Subscription status
• Policy updates
• Security or account matters

These messages are necessary to provide and administer the service and may not be treated as optional marketing communications.

If SpeakJP introduces promotional email marketing in the future, we will provide any legally required notices and opt-out method.

15. Children and Minors

SpeakJP is not intended to collect personal information from children who are legally unable to consent to the service on their own.

If a user is a minor and parental or guardian consent is required under applicable law, the parent or legal guardian must:

• Approve the purchase
• Approve the booking
• Consent to the handling of the minor’s personal information
• Supervise the minor’s use where appropriate

If you believe that a child’s information has been submitted without required authorization, contact us so that we can review the matter.

16. Third-Party Links

The SpeakJP website or communications may contain links to third-party websites, booking pages, payment pages, community platforms, or applications.

SpeakJP is not responsible for the privacy, security, availability, or content of third-party services.

You should review the privacy policy and terms of each service before providing information.

17. Automated and AI-Generated Content

AI-powered captions, translations, and transcripts may contain errors.

These tools may misunderstand speech, names, accents, context, or specialist terminology.

SpeakJP may use such tools to support communication and review, but does not guarantee that AI-generated information will be complete or accurate.

AI-generated captions, translations, and transcripts should not be treated as authoritative records.

18. Privacy Incidents

If we become aware of unauthorized access, disclosure, loss, or misuse of personal information, we will assess the incident and take reasonable action.

Where required by applicable law, we may notify affected individuals or the relevant authority.

19. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy when:

• SpeakJP services change
• We begin or stop using a provider
• Data-processing practices change
• Legal or regulatory requirements change
• New security or operational measures are introduced

The updated Privacy Policy will be posted on the SpeakJP website with a revised “Last Updated” date.

Where a change is material, we may also provide notice by email, through the booking service, through the community, or through another appropriate method.

20. Governing Principles

This Privacy Policy is intended to be interpreted consistently with applicable privacy and data-protection laws, including the laws of Japan.

Nothing in this Privacy Policy is intended to limit privacy rights that cannot legally be waived or excluded.

21. Contact

For questions, concerns, or requests concerning this Privacy Policy or personal information handled by SpeakJP, contact:

SpeakJP
Email: speakjapanese01@gmail.com
Website: https://speakjp.website/