Privacy Policy

1. Overview

JINS TECH STUDIO (“we,” “us,” or “our”) built Sotto with privacy as a core principle, not an afterthought. Sotto is a macOS application that performs all voice recognition, transcription, and translation entirely on your device. We do not collect your voice data, your transcriptions, or any personally identifiable information. This policy explains what little information is involved when you use Sotto and how it is handled.

2. Information We Do Not Collect

Sotto is designed to work without collecting data. The following is never collected, stored, or transmitted:

• Audio recordings or voice samples
• Transcription text or translation output
• Usage analytics, telemetry, or crash reports
• Hotkey inputs or keyboard activity
• Device identifiers or hardware information
• User accounts or personal profiles
• IP addresses or location data

3. Information Collected by Third Parties

When you purchase Sotto, payment processing is handled by Stripe, a third-party payment provider. We do not have access to your full payment details (such as credit card numbers). Stripe may collect payment information, billing address, and email address necessary to process your transaction and comply with legal requirements.

Please review Stripe’s Privacy Policy for details on how they handle payment data. The free trial requires no payment information whatsoever.

4. Local Processing (Default)

By default, all voice recognition and transcription in Sotto runs on-device using AI models executed on your Mac’s Apple Silicon GPU. This means:

• Your voice and audio never leave your Mac
• No data is transmitted to external servers during dictation
• Your transcriptions are not used to train or improve any AI model
• The App functions fully offline and in airplane mode
• No API keys or cloud accounts are required

5. Optional Cloud API for Translation

Dictation, subtitles, and hands-free modes always run 100% locally on your device. However, when using the translation feature, Sotto optionally supports cloud-based AI models through user-provided API keys (e.g., OpenAI, Groq). This is entirely opt-in and disabled by default. When you choose to use a cloud API for translation:

• Your transcribed text (not raw audio) may be sent to the third-party API provider for translation
• Your API key is stored locally on your device and is never shared with us
• We do not have access to any data transmitted to these providers
• The third-party provider’s privacy policy and terms of service apply to any data sent to their servers
• You can switch back to fully local translation at any time

We strongly recommend reviewing the privacy policies of any third-party API provider before enabling cloud translation. Sotto does not control how these providers handle your data.

6. Data Storage

Sotto stores only the information required for its operation, entirely on your local Mac:

• App configuration and preferences are stored at ~/.config/sotto/config.json
• AI models are stored locally on your Mac
• No cloud sync, remote backup, or external storage is used

You can delete all Sotto data at any time by removing the App and its configuration directory. We do not retain any copies of your data.

7. macOS Permissions

Sotto requires certain macOS permissions to function. These are managed entirely by macOS through System Settings and can be revoked at any time:

• Accessibility — used to insert transcribed text into other applications
• Microphone — used to capture audio input for voice recognition
• Input Monitoring — used to detect global hotkeys for hands-free activation

Data accessed via these permissions is used solely for the App’s core functionality and is processed entirely on-device. We do not receive or have access to any information gathered through these permissions.

8. Children’s Privacy

Sotto is not specifically designed for or directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect any personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided personal information in connection with a purchase, please contact us and we will take steps to address it.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of the App after changes to this policy constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

10. Contact

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at support@jinstechstudio.com.au.