Privacy Policy

Last Updated: March 28, 2026

At Pastewaves ("we," "our," or "us"), we take your privacy seriously. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our audio sharing platform ("Service").

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Audio Files and Content

When you upload audio files to our Service:

• Audio files: We store your audio files on secure cloud infrastructure (Amazon S3) to provide sharing and playback functionality
• File metadata: We collect technical information about your files to optimize service performance
• Content analysis: We do NOT analyze, process, or examine the actual audio content of your files

1.2 Technical Metadata We Collect

To improve our Service and optimize storage, we collect technical metadata from uploaded audio files, including:

Important: This metadata is purely technical and does not include any analysis of the actual audio content, speech, music, or any information contained within your files.

1.3 Account Information

If you create an account (when authentication is enabled), we may collect:

• Email address
• Name or display name
• Account credentials (password, stored securely and hashed)
• Authentication tokens
• Account preferences and settings

1.4 Payment Information

For Pro tier subscriptions:

• Payment processing: All payment information is processed by Stripe, our PCI-DSS compliant payment processor
• What we store: We do NOT store your credit card information on our servers
• What Stripe collects: Payment method details, billing address, transaction history
• Subscription data: We store subscription status, plan tier, and billing cycle information

1.5 Usage Data

We automatically collect certain information about your interaction with our Service:

• Device information: Browser type, operating system, device type
• Access logs: IP address, access times, pages viewed
• Usage patterns: Number of uploads, storage usage, feature usage
• Performance metrics: Load times, error rates, service availability

1.6 Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use minimal cookies and similar technologies:

Cookies we use:

• Essential cookies: Required for authentication and basic functionality (always active, cannot be disabled)
• Preference cookies: Remember your settings, preferences, and choices

Analytics: We use Plausible Analytics, a privacy-friendly, cookieless analytics service that does not collect personal data or track users across websites. No consent banner is required under GDPR because Plausible does not process personal data.

We do not use third-party advertising cookies, trackers, or invasive analytics tools.

2. How We Use Your Information

2.1 To Provide the Service

• Store and serve your audio files
• Process and convert audio formats for optimal playback
• Process Pro subscription payments through Stripe
• Enforce storage quotas (250GB for Pro tier)
• Generate shareable links
• Manage your storage quota and file retention
• Send billing notifications and service updates
• Provide customer support

2.2 To Improve the Service

• Analyze aggregate usage patterns and trends
• Monitor service performance and reliability
• Optimize storage and processing efficiency
• Identify and fix technical issues
• Develop new features and improvements

2.3 To Communicate With You

• Send service-related notifications
• Respond to your inquiries and support requests
• Notify you of changes to our terms or policies
• Send important security or account updates

2.4 What We DO NOT Do

3. How We Share Your Information

3.1 Service Providers

We share information with trusted third-party service providers who help us operate our Service:

• Cloud infrastructure (AWS): For file storage (S3), serverless computing (Lambda), and database services (DynamoDB)
• Payment processing (Stripe): For Pro subscription billing and payment processing (PCI-DSS compliant)
• Monitoring services (CloudWatch): For service health and performance monitoring
• Content delivery (CloudFront): For fast and reliable file delivery
• Authentication services (AWS Cognito): For secure user authentication
• Analytics (Plausible): For privacy-friendly, cookieless usage analytics

These providers are contractually obligated to protect your data and use it only for the purposes we specify.

Third-Party Privacy Policies:

• Stripe Privacy Policy: stripe.com/privacy
• AWS Privacy Notice: aws.amazon.com/privacy
• Plausible Privacy Policy: plausible.io/privacy

3.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to:

• Valid legal processes (subpoenas, court orders)
• Requests from law enforcement or government agencies
• Protection of our rights, property, or safety
• Protection of users or the public

3.3 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the new owner. We will notify you of any such change and your options.

3.4 With Your Consent

We may share your information for other purposes with your explicit consent.

4. Data Storage and Security

4.1 Where We Store Your Data

Your data is stored in secure data centers operated by Amazon Web Services (AWS) in the following region:

• Primary region: US East (Ohio) - us-east-2

4.2 How We Protect Your Data

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information:

• Encryption in transit: All data transmitted between your device and our servers is encrypted using HTTPS/TLS
• Encryption at rest: Audio files stored on S3 are encrypted using AWS server-side encryption
• Access controls: Strict access controls and authentication for our infrastructure
• Regular security audits: Periodic security reviews and updates
• Secure authentication: Industry-standard authentication protocols (OAuth 2.0, JWT)

4.3 Data Retention

We retain your data for as long as necessary to provide our Service:

Over-Quota Files: Pro users exceeding 250GB quota will have new uploads converted to 7-day temporary storage until space is freed.

Note: Upon account deletion or cancellation, all data is permanently removed within 30 days, including backup copies. We recommend keeping your own backups of important files.

5. Your Privacy Rights

5.1 Access and Portability

You have the right to:

• Access your personal information
• Request a copy of your data
• Download your uploaded files at any time

5.2 Correction and Update

You can:

• Update your account information
• Correct inaccurate data
• Modify your preferences

5.3 Deletion

You have the right to:

• Delete individual files at any time
• Request deletion of your account and associated data
• Withdraw consent for data processing (where applicable)

To exercise these rights, contact us at legal@pastewaves.com

5.4 Opt-Out Rights

You can opt out of:

• Non-essential cookies (through browser settings)
• Marketing communications (if we send any)
• Certain data collection practices

6. International Users

Our Service is operated from the United States. If you access our Service from outside the U.S., please be aware that:

• Your information will be transferred to and stored in the United States
• U.S. data protection laws may differ from those in your country
• By using our Service, you consent to this transfer

7. Children's Privacy

Our Service is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we discover that we have inadvertently collected such information, we will delete it immediately.

If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us at legal@pastewaves.com

8. Third-Party Services

Our Service may contain links to third-party websites or services. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third parties. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of other websites or services.

Third-party services we use:

• Amazon Web Services (AWS): Cloud infrastructure and storage (AWS Privacy Policy)

9. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right to know: What personal information we collect, use, and share
• Right to delete: Request deletion of your personal information
• Right to opt-out: Opt out of the sale of personal information (we don't sell data)
• Right to non-discrimination: We won't discriminate against you for exercising your rights

To exercise these rights, contact us at legal@pastewaves.com

10. European Users (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

10.1 Legal Basis for Processing

We process your data based on:

• Contract performance: To provide our Service to you
• Legitimate interests: To improve and secure our Service
• Consent: Where you have given explicit consent
• Legal obligations: To comply with applicable laws

10.2 Your GDPR Rights

• Right to access your data
• Right to rectification (correction)
• Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten")
• Right to restrict processing
• Right to data portability
• Right to object to processing
• Right to withdraw consent
• Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

11. Do Not Track Signals

Some browsers support "Do Not Track" (DNT) signals. Our Service does not currently respond to DNT signals, as there is no industry standard for compliance. We do not track users across third-party websites.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of significant changes by:

• Posting the updated policy on this page
• Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top
• Sending email notifications for material changes (if we have your email)
• Displaying a notice on our Service

Your continued use of the Service after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:

14. Data Protection Officer

If required by law, we will appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO). For privacy matters, you can contact us at legal@pastewaves.com

Summary: We collect minimal data to provide our Service, never analyze your audio content, never sell your data, and give you full control over your information. Your privacy matters to us.

View our Terms of Service