Privacy Policy

1. Data Controller

Responsible for data processing under the GDPR:

Carsten Losch
Matterhornstraße 48
14129 Berlin
Germany
Email: carsten.losch@mac.com

2. Data We Collect

2.1 Website Usage

When you visit this website or provide your email address to download Sophist, we may process:

• Email address (voluntary, when requesting the download)

2.2 Software Usage (Sophist App)

Sophist is a macOS application that runs entirely on your local device. Sophist (the operator) does not receive, store, or process any of your audio data or transcriptions.

• Audio data: Audio is recorded and processed locally on your Mac. If you choose an online speech recognition provider (e.g. Soniox, ElevenLabs), audio is sent directly from your device to that third-party provider according to their privacy policy. If you choose an offline model (e.g. FluidAudio, Whisper, Apple Speech), no audio data ever leaves your device.
• Transcribed text: All transcriptions remain locally on your Mac.
• Knowledge base: All documents you add to the knowledge base are stored and processed locally on your device.

2.3 Technical Data (Website)

When accessing this website, the following data is automatically collected by the hosting provider:

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Operating system
• Referrer URL
• Time of access

3. Purpose of Data Processing

We process your data for the following purposes:

• Providing the website and the software for download
• Notifying you about updates (if you provided your email)
• Security and technical operation of the website

4. Legal Basis

Data processing is based on:

• Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR: Consent (e.g. providing your email for download)
• Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR: Legitimate interests (technical operation and security of the website)

5. Data Retention

• Email addresses (download): Until you request deletion or withdraw consent
• Server log data: Stored by the hosting provider according to their retention policy

6. Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your data:

• Right of access: Learn what data we store about you
• Right to rectification: Correct inaccurate data
• Right to erasure: Request deletion of your data
• Right to restriction: Restrict processing of your data
• Right to data portability: Export your data
• Right to object: Object to data processing

7. Data Security

All data transmitted via this website is encrypted using HTTPS/TLS.

8. Hosting & Third Parties

This website is hosted on the Base44 platform (base44.app). When you visit this website, data is processed on Base44's servers, including technically necessary session and authentication cookies (used only if you log in, e.g. to the admin area). For more information, please refer to Base44's privacy policy.

In addition, the following third-party services are loaded when you visit this website. They may receive your IP address and basic browser information as part of the standard HTTP request, but do not set tracking cookies:

• Bunny Fonts (fonts.bunny.net) — used to load the typefaces "Fraunces" and "Inter". Bunny Fonts is a privacy-first, GDPR-compliant font service hosted in the EU with a zero-logging policy — no personal data is stored. Provider: BunnyWay d.o.o., Dunajska cesta 165, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. See fonts.bunny.net.
• Simple Icons CDN (cdn.simpleicons.org) — used to display third-party brand logos on the compatibility section. Provider: jsDelivr / Simple Icons contributors.
• Unsplash (images.unsplash.com) — used to display illustrative stock photos. Provider: Unsplash Inc., 1 Adelaide Street East, Toronto, Canada.

Legal basis for the use of these services is Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest in a uniform and appealing presentation of our website).

We do not share your data with any other third parties unless required by law.

9. Third-Party Speech Recognition Providers

If you choose to use an online speech recognition provider within the Sophist app (such as Soniox, ElevenLabs, or Avalon), your audio data is transmitted directly from your device to that provider. Sophist acts only as a local interface — we do not route, intercept, or store any of this data. Please review the respective provider's privacy policy for details on how they handle your data.

If you choose an offline model (FluidAudio, Whisper, Apple Speech), no audio data leaves your device at all.

10. Cookies & Local Storage

We only use technically necessary cookies and local browser storage for the functionality of the website. No consent is required for these under § 25(2) TTDSG / Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR.

• Authentication cookies (set by the Base44 platform): only set if you log in (e.g. to the admin area). Used to keep you signed in.
• Local storage entry "sophist-theme": stores your chosen light/dark mode preference in your browser. No personal data is transmitted to us.

We do not use any tracking, analytics, advertising, or marketing cookies.

11. Changes

We reserve the right to update this privacy policy as needed. The current version is always available on this page.

12. Contact

For questions about data protection, contact us at:
carsten.losch@mac.com

You have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority. The responsible authority is:
Berliner Beauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit
Friedrichstr. 219
10969 Berlin
www.datenschutz-berlin.de