Privacy policy

Who we are

Language In Use is an independent language-learning project operated by Enrico Rossini. For the purposes of the UK GDPR and the EU GDPR, we are the data controller for the personal data described here. You can reach us at hello@languageinuse.com or via our contact page.

What we collect

Information you give us

• Account details — your email address, display name and password (stored only as a salted hash). If you sign in with an external provider, we receive your email address and name from that provider.
• Profile information — anything you choose to add, such as your avatar, biography, the languages you are learning and your level in each. Your Languages & privacy page controls whether your profile appears in the public directory.
• Content you create — posts, comments, notes, highlights, bookmarks, personal dictionaries, group memberships and chat messages.
• Messages you send us — including anything submitted through the contact or bug-report forms.

Information collected automatically

• Usage data — pages and articles you view, words you look up, and activity used to build your learning history, streaks and points.
• Technical data — IP address, browser type and version, device type, operating system, language preference and referring page.
• Cookies and similar technologies — see the section below.

Why we use it

• To create and secure your account and keep you signed in (necessary to perform our contract with you).
• To provide the service — showing articles, saving your dictionaries, tracking your progress (contract).
• To operate community features such as groups, profiles and chat (contract).
• To understand how the site is used so we can improve it (consent, via analytics cookies).
• To display advertising that funds the site (consent, via advertising cookies).
• To keep the service safe, prevent abuse and meet our legal obligations (legitimate interests and legal obligation).

Cookies and similar technologies

We use cookies and comparable browser storage in three categories. You choose which non-essential categories to allow through the consent banner shown on your first visit, and you can change your mind at any time by clearing the banner's stored choice in your browser settings.

• Strictly necessary — authentication, anti-forgery protection, load balancing, and remembering your cookie choices. These cannot be turned off because the site does not work without them.
• Analytics — Google Analytics, which helps us see which pages and articles are useful. Set only if you accept analytics cookies.
• Advertising — used by Google and its partners to select and measure ads. Set only if you accept advertising cookies.

Advertising

Language In Use is funded in part by advertising. We work with Google, and the following disclosures apply:

• Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this website or other websites.
• Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to you based on your visit to this and/or other sites on the Internet.
• You may opt out of personalised advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings. You can also opt out of a third-party vendor's use of cookies for personalised advertising at aboutads.info or, in Europe, at Your Online Choices.
• Where required, we ask for your consent before any advertising cookie is set, and we pass your choice to Google.

You can read how Google uses information from sites that use its services in Google's partner-sites policy.

Who we share data with

We do not sell your personal data. We share it only with service providers who help us run the site:

• Google — advertising (AdSense) and analytics.
• Microsoft Azure — hosting, database, and the text-to-speech service behind the pronunciation buttons.
• Email delivery providers — to send account and notification emails.
• Payment providers — if you buy a subscription, payment details are handled by the payment provider and never stored on our servers.

We may also disclose data where we are legally required to, or to protect our rights and the safety of our users.

International transfers

Some of our providers process data outside the UK and the European Economic Area. Where that happens we rely on the safeguards those providers offer, such as the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or the EU Standard Contractual Clauses.

How long we keep it

We keep your account data for as long as your account exists. If you delete your account, we remove your personal data within 30 days, except where we must keep records longer to meet a legal obligation. Content you posted publicly may remain visible in an anonymised form unless you ask us to remove it.

Your rights

If you are in the UK or the EEA you have the right to access your data, to have it corrected or erased, to restrict or object to how we use it, to receive a portable copy, and to withdraw consent at any time. To exercise any of these, email hello@languageinuse.com.

If you believe we have handled your data badly, you may complain to your local supervisory authority — in the UK, the Information Commissioner's Office.

Children

Language In Use is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from them. If you believe a child has given us personal data, contact us and we will delete it.

Changes to this policy

We will update this page when our practices change and revise the "last updated" date above. Significant changes will be announced on the site.