Privacy policy

My Life Tales helps families record life stories in their own voice and bring them together in a hardcover book. To provide that service we process personal data. In this privacy policy we explain in plain language what data we collect, why we do so, who we share it with and what rights you have.

This policy applies to our website, the recording platform and the books we make for you. My Life Tales is the controller of the personal data processed through this service. This policy is meant as clear information and is not legal advice.

Data you give us yourself: your name, email address, phone number and delivery address, and the content you add to a story, such as voice recordings, photos, captions and written answers.

Data about other people that you give us: if you order as a gift or invite a storyteller or reader, we process the name and contact details you give us for that person, so we can send the invitation.

Data from the order steps: what you fill in during the order steps, such as your name, e-mail address, the storyteller's name and your own questions, is saved as soon as you fill it in, even if you do not complete the order. That way we can help you if you get stuck. If you do not complete the order, we send you at most seven e-mails in the ten days after to pick up where you left off, with tips and help for your book; every mail has a one-click unsubscribe link at the bottom. If you do not complete the order, we delete that data after 180 days.

Data created automatically: limited technical data such as the device, browser and IP address you use our service with, and data about payments, which we record to provide, secure and improve the service.

The heart of our service is the storyteller’s voice recordings. We store this audio, automatically turn it into text (a transcript) and edit that into readable stories, so they can appear in the book.

To process recordings we use third-party technology: a speech-to-text service turns the audio into text, and a language model edits that text into a flowing story. These parties process the data only on our instructions, to make your book.

We treat voice recordings and transcripts as especially valuable, personal content. We use them only to make your book and run the platform, and never to train third-party models without your explicit consent.

We use your data to record and write up stories, to put your book together and have it printed, to process orders and payments, to send you questions and reminders, and to communicate with you about your account and your book.

When we regularly send you a question or reminder, we do so to provide the service you signed up for. You can change or stop the rhythm of these reminders at any time. We only send marketing messages with your consent, which you can always withdraw.

Under the UK GDPR we only process your data when we have a lawful basis. Usually that is the performance of our contract with you (providing the service and making your book, Article 6(1)(b)) or compliance with a legal obligation (such as our accounting and record-keeping duties, Article 6(1)(c)).

We also sometimes process data on the basis of your consent (Article 6(1)(a)), for example for analytics cookies and marketing, or on the basis of a legitimate interest (Article 6(1)(f)), such as securing and improving the platform. You can always withdraw your consent.

We never sell your data. To provide the service we work with carefully chosen partners who process data on our behalf: hosting, database and storage of recordings and photos (Hetzner, Germany), speech-to-text and language models (OpenAI), photo restoration (Replicate), email (Resend), text messages (Twilio), WhatsApp messages (WhatsApp), error tracking (Sentry), the printer (Lulu) and the payment service provider (Mollie).

We have data processing agreements with these processors, so they only process your data on our instructions and with appropriate safeguards. We may also share data where the law requires us to, or in a business takeover, in which case your rights remain protected.

We are based in the Netherlands and prefer to store your data within the European Economic Area (EEA), which the UK recognises as providing adequate protection. For some parts of the processing, data is processed by parties outside the UK and the EEA, mainly in the United States: speech-to-text and language models (OpenAI), photo restoration (Replicate), email (Resend), text messages (Twilio), WhatsApp, error tracking (Sentry) and the printer (Lulu), which receives your name and address to print and send the book.

Where data is transferred outside the UK and the EEA, we put appropriate safeguards in place, such as standard contractual clauses approved by the European Commission together with the UK Addendum, the UK International Data Transfer Agreement, or a valid adequacy decision or UK adequacy regulations, so your data stays protected there too.

We keep your data for as long as needed for the service and your book, and after that for as long as the law requires, for example seven years for our financial records.

If you want us to delete your recordings, transcripts or account, you can ask us to. We will then delete your data, except where we have to keep it for legal reasons.

We use functional cookies that are needed for the website and the platform to work. We always set these.

With your consent to analytics cookies, we measure how our service is used with Google Analytics and PostHog (EU servers), including anonymised session recordings in which filled-in fields are masked. We also remember for 90 days which campaign or website brought you to us. We also measure ourselves, on our own servers, which pages you view, what you click and which options you pick in the order steps, to improve the site; we share that data with no one and delete it after 180 days. Without that consent we never link visits to each other: we then only use a temporary visit number that stays in your browser tab and disappears when you close it.

With your consent to marketing cookies, we measure which adverts work with Google Ads, Meta (Facebook and Instagram) and TikTok. When you place an order, we then share an encrypted (hashed) version of your email address and phone number with those parties, so they can link the purchase to an advert. With the same consent those platforms can later show you our adverts if you visited the site or started an order, and stop once you have ordered. For this we put your encrypted email address on an audience list with those platforms; an unpaid order leaves that list after 30 days. Without that consent we share nothing with advertising platforms.

You can change or withdraw your choice at any time through ‘Cookie settings’ at the bottom of every page.

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018 you have the right to access your data, to have it corrected or erased, and to restrict its processing. You also have the right to data portability, you can object to certain processing, and you can withdraw consent you have given.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at info@mylifetales.com. We will respond within the legal time limit. If you disagree with how we handle your data, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ico.org.uk), the UK supervisory authority.

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data, including encryption of data and limiting staff access to what they need.

No system is completely invulnerable, but we do everything we can to keep the risk of loss, misuse or unauthorised access as small as possible, and we review our measures regularly.

Our service is intended for adults. A storyteller may be very old, but may also be young; if the storyteller is a minor, consent and supervision from a parent or guardian is required.

We do not knowingly collect data from children without the proper consent. If we find out that this has happened, we delete that data.

We may update this privacy policy from time to time, for example when our service changes or new legislation calls for it. You will always find the latest version on this page, with the date of the last change.

If we make important changes that affect your rights, we will tell you in advance where possible, for example by email or through a notice on the platform.

If you have questions about this privacy policy or about how we handle your data, you can reach us at info@mylifetales.com. We are happy to help.

My Life Tales is a brand of Akemy, registered at Keizersgracht 452, Amsterdam. Further company details are available on request.