Privacy Policy

Last updated: 4 October 2026

Who we are

HowTheySay (howtheysay.com) is a language-learning tool. It finds a word in a caption index and plays a YouTube clip at that timestamp. This policy covers the website and the official Android / iOS apps.

What we collect

Search queries, interface language, and search language — to return clips and improve the index.
Anonymous usage events (for example search, no results, language change) via self-hosted Umami. No advertising IDs, no cross-app tracking.
If you open a link with a campaign label (src), we store that label, the day, the search language, and whether a clip was played. We do not store the searched word or anything that identifies you with that label.
Technical logs (time, approximate region from IP, error traces) for reliability. We do not sell personal data.
The apps store language preferences only on the device. They do not create accounts.

YouTube

HowTheySay uses YouTube’s official embed / IFrame Player API to play videos. We do not download, store, or re-host YouTube video files.

When you load or play an embedded video, YouTube / Google may collect data such as device and browser information, IP address, and playback events, according to their own policies.

By using HowTheySay, you also agree to be bound by the YouTube Terms of Service.

Please also read the Google Privacy Policy.

Caption index

We may store caption snippets, timestamps, video IDs, titles, and channel names so we can find words in context. We use this data to operate and improve the service. We do not sell it.

Third parties

Translations and dictionary hints may be requested from MyMemory and Wiktionary. Those services receive the searched word only.

Children

The service is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect data from children.

Your rights (EEA / UK)

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or restrict processing of personal data we hold about you, and to object to certain processing. To exercise these rights, contact hello@howtheysay.com. We will respond within a reasonable time (typically within 30 days).

Legal bases (where GDPR applies)

We process data as needed to provide the service (contract / legitimate interests: operating search, security, and reliability) and, where required, based on your consent (for example non-essential cookies).

Contact

Questions: hello@howtheysay.com