Privacy, handled with care

Privacy Policy

Last updated: September 10, 2026

Talking Ancestors helps families preserve stories, photos, voices, and memories. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices available to you.

Important: This is a plain-language draft for the current Talking Ancestors product. It should be reviewed by qualified counsel for the jurisdictions where the service is offered before it is treated as final legal advice.

1. Information we collect

Account and contact information

When you create an account, contact us, or receive an invitation, we may collect your name, email address, account credentials, role, and communications with us.

Family and ancestor content

You may provide names, dates, places, family relationships, biographies, stories, photos, recordings, written notes, and other information about an ancestor or loved one. This may include information about other people. Please only provide content you have the right and permission to share.

Audio, images, and generated content

We process uploaded photographs, voice recordings, and related files to provide profile, voice, avatar, obituary, and conversation features. The service may create generated audio, video, images, or text from content you provide.

Genealogy imports

The service may let you import a GEDCOM file. In the current browser-based importer, the file is parsed locally so you can select a deceased person before creating an ancestor profile. Imported facts remain subject to your review and correction.

Technical information

We may receive device, browser, log, approximate location, and usage information needed to secure, operate, troubleshoot, and improve the service. We also use cookies or similar technologies as described in our cookie section below.

2. How we use information

Provide, maintain, secure, and improve Talking Ancestors.
Authenticate accounts and manage invitations, family access, and permissions.
Store, process, and display content at your direction.
Generate requested conversations, audio, video, or other media.
Respond to support requests and communicate about the service.
Detect fraud, abuse, security incidents, and violations of our terms.
Comply with legal obligations and protect rights, safety, and property.

3. How we share information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share information in these limited circumstances:

With people you authorize: Family members, contributors, funeral-home staff, or other users who receive access through the service.
With service providers: Hosting, storage, authentication, analytics, communications, media processing, and AI providers that process information to help us operate the service.
For safety or legal reasons: When reasonably necessary to comply with law, enforce our agreements, investigate abuse, or protect people and property.
As part of a business change: In connection with a merger, financing, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, subject to appropriate protections.

4. AI and sensitive content

Talking Ancestors uses automated systems to create requested experiences from the content you provide. Generated responses may be inaccurate and should not be treated as historical fact, professional advice, or a statement made by the deceased person. Do not submit information you are not authorized to share, and avoid adding highly sensitive information unless it is necessary for the experience you want to create.

5. Retention and deletion

We retain information for as long as needed to provide the service, maintain security and records, resolve disputes, and comply with legal obligations. You may request deletion of your account or content through our contact page. Some copies may remain temporarily in backups or where retention is legally required.

6. Your choices and rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, export, restrict, or delete personal information, or to object to certain processing. To make a request, contact us with enough information to identify your account. We may need to verify your identity before completing a request.

7. Children

Talking Ancestors is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided information, please contact us.

8. Security and international processing

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards, but no online service is completely secure. Information may be processed in countries other than your own, where privacy laws may differ.

9. Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies for essential operation, authentication, security, preferences, and analytics. You can control cookies through your browser. Disabling some cookies may affect site functionality.

10. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as the service changes or legal requirements develop. We will post the updated version here and change the date above. Material changes may also be communicated through the service or by email.

11. Contact

Questions or privacy requests can be sent through our contact page.