Table of Contents
Developer / Data Controller: Gyatam (operated by Krishna Pandit)
Contact Email: contact.talkative@gyatam.com
Package ID: com.gyatam.talkative
Introduction
Talkative ("we", "our", "us") is a voice calling app that helps people in India practice spoken English by connecting them with real conversation partners. This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and your rights regarding your data.
By using Talkative, you agree to the collection and use of information as described in this policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of the app.
Information We Collect
2.1 Information You Provide Directly
| Data | Why We Collect It |
|---|---|
| Mobile Phone Number | Sole authentication method. Used to verify your identity via OTP. We store only the verified number — never shared publicly. |
| Full Name | Displayed to your conversation partner during a call. |
| Date of Birth / Age | To verify you meet the minimum age requirement (18+) and to match you with appropriate conversation partners. |
| Gender | Used for matching preferences and profile display. |
| Indian State / Union Territory | Used to personalise the experience and for regional insights. |
| Profile Photo | Displayed on your profile and on the incoming call screen of your partner. Optional to update. |
2.2 Information Collected Automatically
| Data | Why We Collect It |
|---|---|
| FCM Token | Required to deliver incoming call notifications to your device, even when the app is in the background or closed. |
| Device Model & OS Version | Used to enforce single-session login (prevents your account from being used on two devices simultaneously). |
| Online / Presence Status | Your online/offline/searching/in-call status is stored in our real-time system so the matching engine can connect you with available partners. This data is ephemeral — automatically deleted when you go offline or close the app. |
| Call History | Records of your past calls including duration, date/time, and the anonymous user ID of your conversation partner. Used to display your call history in-app. |
| App Analytics & Session Events | Aggregate usage events (e.g., call initiated, call ended, screen transitions) collected via PostHog. In production builds, screen interactions (taps, scrolls, navigation) may be recorded via PostHog Session Replay for UX improvement. No conversation content is captured. Analytics data is stored on PostHog's EU servers (eu.posthog.com). |
| Crash & Error Reports | Technical error logs, stack traces, and device/OS info collected via Sentry. Used to identify and fix bugs. No personally identifiable information is sent automatically. |
| IP Address | Your IP address is recorded at sign-in and stored in our database against your session. Used to detect suspicious login activity and for single-session enforcement. |
2.3 Voice / Audio
✓ We do NOT record, store, or transmit your voice conversations.
✓ Audio during calls is streamed in real-time between you and your partner using encrypted WebRTC/LiveKit infrastructure.
✓ Once a call ends, no audio data is retained anywhere.
2.4 What We Do NOT Collect
— We do not collect your location (no GPS, IP-based location, or cell-tower data).
— We do not access your contacts, photos, or files beyond the single profile photo you choose to upload.
— We do not access your SMS messages.
— We do not collect payment card details (handled entirely by Google Play Billing).
How We Use Your Information
| Purpose | Data Used | Legal Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Authenticate your identity | Phone number, OTP | Contract (providing the service) |
| Create and display your profile | Name, age, gender, state, photo | Contract |
| Match you with a conversation partner | User ID, presence status, age, gender | Contract |
| Deliver incoming call notifications | FCM token | Contract |
| Display caller info on incoming call screen | Name, profile photo | Contract |
| Maintain call history | Call duration, date, partner user ID | Contract |
| Prevent account sharing across devices | Device model, user ID | Legitimate interest (security) |
| Improve app features and UX | PostHog analytics and session replay events | Legitimate interest |
| Fix technical bugs and errors | Sentry crash and error reports | Legitimate interest |
| Subscription management | User ID, subscription type, status | Contract |
How We Store Your Data
| Data Type | Storage Location | Retention |
|---|---|---|
| Profile data (name, age, gender, state, photo URL) | PostgreSQL database (our VPS) | Until account deletion |
| Profile photos | Cloudflare R2 cloud storage | Until account deletion or photo update |
| Call history | PostgreSQL database | Until account deletion |
| Authentication tokens | Android Keystore (on-device secure storage) | Until logout |
| Online / presence status | Redis in-memory store (auto-expires) | Deleted automatically on sign-out or timeout |
| Subscription data | PostgreSQL database | Until account deletion |
| Analytics & session data | PostHog (eu.posthog.com — EU servers) | Per PostHog's data retention policy |
| Crash & error reports | Sentry (sentry.io) | Per Sentry's data retention policy |
| IP address (sign-in session) | PostgreSQL database (our VPS) | Until account deletion |
| Cached profile (offline access) | SharedPreferences (on-device storage only) | Until logout or app uninstall |
Data Sharing & Third Parties
We do not sell your personal data. We share data only with the following trusted service providers who help us operate the app:
| Service | Purpose | Privacy Policy |
|---|---|---|
| MSG91 | Sending OTP SMS for phone number verification | msg91.com/privacy-policy |
| LiveKit | Real-time encrypted voice call infrastructure | livekit.io/privacy |
| Firebase (Google) | Push notifications (FCM) only | firebase.google.com/support/privacy |
| PostHog | App analytics and session replay (EU servers) | posthog.com/privacy |
| Sentry | Crash reporting and error monitoring | sentry.io/privacy |
| Cloudflare R2 | Profile photo storage and delivery | cloudflare.com/privacypolicy |
| Google Play Billing | In-app subscription purchases | policies.google.com/privacy |
We may also disclose your information if required by Indian law, court order, or to protect the safety of our users.
Data shared during a call: When you are connected to a partner, that partner can see your display name and profile photo. They cannot see your phone number.
Android Permissions
| Permission | Why It Is Needed |
|---|---|
INTERNET | Essential for all app functionality (API, WebSocket, LiveKit) |
RECORD_AUDIO | Required to capture your voice during English practice calls |
READ_PHONE_STATE | Required during OTP-based phone number verification |
MODIFY_AUDIO_SETTINGS | Required to toggle audio routing between earpiece and speaker during a call |
com.android.vending.BILLING | Required to access Google Play Billing for in-app subscriptions |
REQUEST_IGNORE_BATTERY_OPTIMIZATIONS | Allows the app to request Android exempt it from battery optimisation, preventing the OS from killing the app mid-call on certain devices (Xiaomi, Realme, Samsung) |
POST_NOTIFICATIONS | Required on Android 13+ to show incoming call notifications |
USE_FULL_SCREEN_INTENT | Allows the incoming call screen to appear on your lock screen, similar to WhatsApp calls |
FOREGROUND_SERVICE / FOREGROUND_SERVICE_MICROPHONE | Keeps the microphone active during a call when you switch apps, preventing call drops |
BLUETOOTH / BLUETOOTH_CONNECT | Routes audio to Bluetooth headsets if one is connected |
WAKE_LOCK | Keeps the screen from sleeping while you are in an active call |
Children's Privacy
Talkative is not intended for users under 18 years of age. We require users to enter their date of birth during account creation and reject registrations from users below the minimum age (18).
If we become aware that we have collected data from a user under 18, we will delete that data immediately. If you believe a minor has registered, please contact us at the email address at the top of this policy.
Your Rights (Under Indian IT Act / DPDP Act 2023)
Under applicable Indian data protection law, you have the right to:
Access
Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Correction
Request correction of inaccurate data. You can update most data directly in the app's Profile screen.
Erasure
Request deletion of your account and all associated personal data.
Withdraw Consent
You may withdraw consent at any time by deleting your account. This does not affect the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.
Grievance Redressal
Lodge a complaint with us at the contact email below. We will respond within 30 days.
Account and Data Deletion
You may delete your account at any time from within the app (Settings → Delete Account) or by contacting us via email. Upon deletion:
Security
We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your data:
No system is 100% secure. If you believe your account has been compromised, contact us immediately.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this document and, for significant changes, notify you via an in-app notification. Your continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy, please contact:
Gyatam
General Enquiries: contact.talkative@gyatam.com
Bug Reports: bug.talkative@gyatam.com
App: Talkative — English Speaking Practice
Package: com.gyatam.talkative
This policy was last updated on March 22, 2026 to reflect the current technical implementation of Talkative, including the adoption of PostHog for analytics (EU servers), Sentry for crash reporting, and updated Android permissions.