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    Privacy Policy

    Effective Date: September 8, 2026

    Contact: privacy@languagebridge.app

    Our Commitment

    LanguageBridge helps students learn. We don't sell data, track browsing, or create profiles. This policy explains exactly what we do and don't do with information.

    What We Collect

    From Students: Almost Nothing

    • Text for translation: When you select text, we send it to Microsoft Azure for translation. We don't store it.
    • Language preference: We remember which language you chose (stored in your browser).
    • Usage stats: Anonymous counts like "150 translations today" (no names, no personal info).
    • Voice recordings (only in Talk to Teacher): When you use the Talk to Teacher conversation feature — and only after you allow microphone access — we capture audio from your microphone while you are actively recording. We send that audio to Microsoft Azure to convert it into text (transcription), and then discard it. We never turn on your microphone at any other time, and we never store voice recordings.

    We do NOT collect:

    Names
    Email addresses
    Student IDs
    Grades
    Browsing history
    Personal information of any kind

    From Schools

    When schools purchase LanguageBridge:

    • School/district name
    • Administrator contact info
    • Number of licenses
    • Aggregate usage data (not linked to individual students)

    Technical Stuff

    • Browser type (for compatibility)
    • Extension version
    • Error logs (no personal info)
    • Language pairs used (aggregated across all users)

    How It Works

    Translation Process

    1. You select text
    2. Text is sent to Microsoft Azure via encrypted HTTPS
    3. Azure returns the translation
    4. LanguageBridge does not store the text or the translation
    5. You hear or see the translation

    LanguageBridge does not retain translation text. Microsoft Azure may retain limited transient logs strictly for abuse prevention, security, and service reliability under its enterprise privacy commitments, and does not use customer data to train its translation models.

    Google Docs & Clipboard

    Why we need clipboard permission:

    Google Docs blocks normal text selection. When you copy text in Google Docs, we read it from your clipboard to translate it.

    What we do NOT do:

    • Monitor your clipboard continuously
    • Read clipboard data outside Google Docs contexts
    • Store anything you copy

    Text-to-Speech

    Same as translation: text is sent to Azure Speech Services over encrypted HTTPS and synthesized audio is returned. LanguageBridge does not store the text or the audio. Audio is played in your browser and discarded.

    Talk to Teacher (voice)

    You tap to record, speak, and tap to stop. Your recorded audio is sent over encrypted HTTPS to Microsoft Azure Speech Services, transcribed into text, and immediately discarded. That text is then translated and read aloud in the other person's language. The audio is never saved.

    What We Don't Do

    We NEVER:

    Sell student data
    Use data for advertising
    Track browsing history
    Create student profiles
    Share data with advertisers
    Store translated text
    Link usage to individual students

    Third-Party Services

    Microsoft Azure Speech Services

    Used for:

    • Translation and text-to-speech
    • Speech-to-text (transcription in Talk to Teacher)

    Processes selected text (to generate read-aloud audio) and, in Talk to Teacher, your spoken audio (to transcribe it into text). Audio and text are used only to produce the translation or transcription and are not retained by Azure or by LanguageBridge.

    What they get:

    Selected text only (no student names/IDs)

    Storage:

    LanguageBridge does not store translation requests or audio. Microsoft Azure may keep short-lived operational logs for abuse prevention, security, and service reliability under its enterprise privacy commitments, and does not use customer data to train its translation models.

    We don't use:

    • Google Analytics
    • Ad networks
    • Social media trackers
    • Data brokers

    Data Security

    • All data encrypted in transit (HTTPS/TLS)
    • Hosted on Microsoft Azure (SOC 2 certified)
    • Multi-factor authentication for admin access
    • Regular security audits

    Minimized breach exposure: Because LanguageBridge does not store student personally identifiable information or education records, the scope of any potential breach involving student data is structurally limited.

    Data Retention

    • Translated text & audio: Not stored by LanguageBridge. Azure may retain short-lived operational logs for security and abuse prevention.
    • Voice recordings: Not stored by LanguageBridge. Sent to Microsoft Azure for transcription, then discarded (0 seconds retained).
    • Student PII: Not collected.
    • Usage stats: Up to 2 years (anonymous, aggregate counts only)
    • School contracts & billing records: Contract duration plus up to 7 years (legal and tax requirements)
    • Error logs: Up to 90 days (no student PII)

    4. Data Sharing and Disclosure

    4.1 We Do NOT Share Data

    LanguageBridge does not share, sell, or disclose any user data to:

    ✗ Third-party advertisers
    ✗ Marketing companies
    ✗ Data brokers
    ✗ Analytics services
    ✗ Any other parties

    4.2 Legal Requirements

    We may disclose information only if required by law, such as:

    • Valid court orders
    • Subpoenas
    • Legal processes

    Because LanguageBridge does not collect or store student PII or education records, in most cases there is no student data available to disclose.

    5. Children's Privacy (COPPA Compliance)

    LanguageBridge is offered to schools as a classroom tool and may be used by students under 13. We comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the FTC's COPPA Rule (16 CFR Part 312).

    Data Minimization:

    No student account, login, name, email, or persistent identifier is collected by LanguageBridge
    No behavioral profiles, advertising IDs, or cross-site tracking
    Translation text is processed to deliver the service and is not retained by LanguageBridge
    Student data is never used for marketing, advertising, or to build student profiles for non-educational purposes

    School Authorization (COPPA School Exception):

    LanguageBridge is provided to K-12 schools and districts for use solely in a school-authorized educational context. Consistent with the FTC's longstanding guidance on COPPA and schools, the school or district may provide consent on behalf of parents for the limited collection of student information needed to deliver the service, in lieu of obtaining direct parental consent, when:

    • Use is limited to the educational context the school has authorized;
    • Any information collected is used only to provide the requested educational service;
    • Information is not used or disclosed for any commercial purpose unrelated to the school-authorized service; and
    • Parents are given notice of the school's use of the service through the district's standard parent notification practices.

    Schools and districts are responsible for providing required notices to parents and for managing parent opt-outs in accordance with their local policies and applicable law.

    No Direct Marketing to Children:

    LanguageBridge does not display advertising, market to students, or use any student information to contact a child directly.

    Talk to Teacher Voice Feature:

    The Talk to Teacher voice feature records audio only while a student is actively speaking, uses it solely to produce a transcription, and never stores it. No voice recordings of children are retained by LanguageBridge.

    6. FERPA Compliance (Student Privacy)

    LanguageBridge complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA):

    No Education Records Created:

    • We do not create, store, or maintain education records
    • No student performance data is collected
    • No grades or assessment data is tracked

    Legitimate Educational Interest:

    • Translation and reading support serve a legitimate educational purpose
    • Real-time processing means no records are created

    Microsoft Azure as School Official:

    7. Data Security

    7.1 Encryption

    • In Transit: All data sent to Azure is encrypted using TLS 1.2+ (HTTPS)
    • At Rest: No data is stored, so no "at rest" encryption is needed

    7.2 Access Controls

    • • Extension code runs in a sandboxed Chrome environment
    • • No external servers controlled by LanguageBridge (we use Azure directly)
    • • No backend database or user accounts

    7.3 Security Best Practices

    • • Regular security audits of code
    • • Minimal permissions requested from Chrome
    • • Open-source code available for review
    • • No third-party tracking scripts or analytics

    8. User Rights and Controls

    8.1 Your Rights

    Access: View your locally stored preferences in Chrome settings
    Delete: Clear all extension data by uninstalling or clearing Chrome data
    Opt-out: Disable or uninstall the extension at any time
    Export: Export settings (manual process)

    8.2 How to Delete Your Data

    Delete All Extension Data:

    1. Go to chrome://extensions/
    2. Find "LanguageBridge"
    3. Click "Remove"
    4. Confirm deletion

    Clear Settings Only (Keep Extension):

    1. Right-click extension icon
    2. Go to "Options"
    3. Click "Reset Settings" (if available)

    8.3 Disabling Data Sync

    To prevent settings from syncing across devices:

    1. Open Chrome Settings
    2. Go to "Sync and Google services"
    3. Turn off "Sync everything" or disable "Extensions" sync

    Changes to This Policy

    We'll notify schools 30 days before changes. Updated policy posted at languagebridge.app/privacy.

    Continued use = acceptance. Schools can cancel if they disagree with changes.

    Transparency Commitments

    We commit to:

    Clear communication about data practices
    Industry-standard security
    Quick response to privacy concerns (2 business days)
    Compliance with all privacy laws
    Minimal data collection
    Never misusing student data

    Contact Us

    Data Protection Officer:

    Justin Bernard

    privacy@languagebridge.app

    Company:

    LanguageBridge, LLC

    Northeast Ohio

    Plain English Summary

    What happens when I use LanguageBridge:

    1. You highlight text
    2. It is translated by Microsoft Azure over an encrypted connection
    3. You hear or see the translation
    4. LanguageBridge does not save the text or the translation

    If you use Talk to Teacher:

    We record your voice only while you're speaking, send it to be turned into text, and then delete it — we never keep voice recordings.

    We don't:

    • Ask for your name, email, or login
    • Save what you translate
    • Track where you go online
    • Sell any information or use it for advertising

    Questions? Email privacy@languagebridge.app

    This policy covers the LanguageBridge Chrome extension and all related services.

    © 2026 LanguageBridge, LLC. All rights reserved.