Privacy Policy

Last updated: 1 October 2026

This policy explains what personal data we collect when you use the Hired mobile app and this website, why we collect it, and what your rights are. We have tried to keep it plain and honest.

1. Who we are

The controller responsible for your data is:

Privacy questions and requests: cognitivestream+hired-privacy@proton.me
Further legal information is in our Impressum.

2. Who can use Hired

You must be at least 16 years old to use the Hired app. We do not knowingly collect data from anyone under 16.

3. What the app collects

Account data. When you first open the app, we create a temporary account identified only by a random user ID. To continue beyond the free part, you sign in with Apple (iOS) or Google (Android). We then receive your email address, a user identifier and, if you share it, your name. If you use Apple’s “Hide My Email”, we only see the relay address.

Your recordings. When you answer an exercise, the app uses your camera and microphone to record your video and audio answer. We store these recordings, and thumbnail images generated from them, so you can rewatch your answers and follow your progress.

Transcripts and feedback. We extract the audio from your recording and turn it into a text transcript using a speech-to-text model. An AI language model then generates written feedback on that transcript, which the app presents as coming from REC, our feedback robot. The feedback is fully automated; it does not make any decision about you with legal or similarly significant effect. Your video is not sent to the AI provider. It stays in our storage so you can rewatch it.

Learning progress. Which lessons and exercises you have completed and your answer history, so the app can show your progress and suggest what to practise next.

Purchase data. If you subscribe, we receive your subscription status and a purchase identifier. Payments are handled by Apple (or Google on Android). We never see or store your card details.

Device and diagnostic data. Technical information such as device model, operating system, app version, language, IP address, and crash and error logs, so we can keep the app working and fix problems.

4. Camera and microphone

We only use your camera and microphone to record your answers, and only after you grant permission. You can withdraw permission at any time in your device settings; exercises cannot be recorded without it.

5. Why we use your data, and our legal basis

• To provide the app: create your account, record, store and play back your answers, generate feedback, and track your progress. Legal basis: performance of our contract with you (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR).
• To record your video and audio and process your answers. Legal basis: your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR), which you can withdraw at any time.
• To improve the quality of our feedback. We may occasionally review answers and use them to refine the prompts and instructions we give the language model. Legal basis: your consent and our legitimate interest in improving the service (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR).
• To keep the app secure, prevent abuse and fix bugs. Legal basis: our legitimate interest (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR).
• To handle payments and meet tax and accounting obligations. Legal basis: contract and legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(b) and (c) GDPR).

We do not sell your personal data, and we do not use your recordings to train AI models. Only your answer’s audio and its transcript are sent to our AI provider (Groq), never your video. Groq processes this only to return the transcript and feedback, does not retain it by default and does not use it to train its models.

6. Human review

To keep feedback quality high and to answer support requests, a small number of answers may occasionally be reviewed by our team. We keep this to what is necessary and treat it confidentially.

7. Who we share data with

We use the following providers to run Hired. They process your data only on our instructions:

• Amazon Web Services (AWS): storage of your recordings and thumbnails (S3), and video processing and delivery (MediaConvert, CloudFront).
• Google Firebase: sign-in and authentication, file storage, crash reporting (Crashlytics), and hosting of this website.
• Groq: speech-to-text transcription of your answer’s audio and generation of your written feedback.
• Sentry: error and performance monitoring.
• RevenueCat: managing your subscription status across the app stores.
• Apple: the App Store, Sign in with Apple and payment processing.
• Google: Google Play, Google sign-in and payment processing, once Hired is available on Android.
• Expo (EAS): building the app and delivering app updates.

We may also disclose data if the law requires it, or to protect our rights, our users or the public.

8. International transfers

Some of these providers process data outside the EU/EEA, including in the United States. Where that happens, we rely on appropriate safeguards, such as the EU–US Data Privacy Framework or the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses.

9. How long we keep data

• Recordings, thumbnails, transcripts and feedback: while your account exists, until you delete your account.
• Account and progress data: until you delete your account.
• Diagnostic and crash logs: for a limited period, then deleted or anonymised.
• Purchase and tax records: as long as the law requires.

10. This website

This website has no user accounts, forms, advertising, analytics or tracking. It does not set cookies. Fonts and media are served from this website itself, not from third-party services.

The website is hosted on Firebase Hosting, provided by Google. When you visit it, Google processes technical information needed to deliver and secure the website, such as your IP address, the date and time of the request, the requested page or file, and your browser and device information. This processing is based on our legitimate interest in operating the website securely and reliably (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). More information is in Firebase’s privacy information.

The website links to third-party services such as the Apple App Store. When you follow such a link, that provider’s privacy policy applies.

11. Your rights

Under the GDPR you have the right to access your data, correct it, delete it, restrict or object to its processing, receive a copy in a portable format, and withdraw consent at any time (this does not affect processing already carried out). To exercise any of these rights, email cognitivestream+hired-privacy@proton.me.

You can delete your account, including all recordings, from within the app under Settings → Delete Account.

If you think we have mishandled your data, you can complain to the Bulgarian Commission for Personal Data Protection (cpdp.bg) or to the data protection authority in your country.

12. Security

We protect your data with encryption in transit, access controls and reputable infrastructure providers. No system is completely secure, but we take reasonable steps to protect your information.

13. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy. If we make significant changes, we will tell you in the app. The “last updated” date above always shows the current version.