Privacy policy
Last updated · 2026-09-18
This Privacy Policy explains how Across Realities handles information in connection with the Acoustic Text mobile app and its introductory website. It distinguishes information processed only on your device from information processed by advertising, hosting and support services.
1. Who we are and the scope of this policy
Across Realities provides Acoustic Text and is responsible for the processing it determines in connection with the service. For privacy questions or requests, contact admin@across-realities.com. No account registration is required to use acoustic messaging.
This policy covers the app, its introductory website and communications you send to us. It does not turn a public sound broadcast into a private conversation. Conditions of use, sound-related precautions and service limitations are addressed separately in our Terms of Use.
2. Information processed on your device
Microphone audio: when reception is enabled and microphone permission is granted, the app processes surrounding sound temporarily in memory to detect and decode acoustic messages. This can include background reception where the operating system supports it. The app does not save microphone audio or generated transmission audio as recordings or audio files, and does not upload this audio to a server.
Messages and preferences: the app stores sent and received message text, timestamps, channel history, display names, a randomly generated acoustic sender identifier, unread counts and preferences such as language, reception and audio output on your device. Pending decoded message data may be kept locally until processing is completed. These are text and protocol data, not audio recordings. The acoustic sender identifier is generated by the app; it is not your phone number or advertising identifier.
Operational diagnostics: the app can display recent reception, transmission and error events locally to help diagnose problems. These app diagnostics are held in memory and are not automatically sent to Across Realities. Advertising SDK diagnostics are separate and are described below.
3. Microphone and audio permissions
Microphone access is used for acoustic message reception, not speech transcription or voice profiling. You can turn reception off in the app or revoke microphone permission in your device settings. Reception cannot operate without microphone access. On supported Android devices, ongoing background reception uses a microphone foreground service and a system notification.
The speaker plays encoded text when you broadcast. Audio routing settings may allow playback through a connected Bluetooth device. The app does not use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi as the transport for acoustic message content. Internet access may still be used by advertising services or when you open external links.
4. Who can receive your broadcasts
Acoustic messages are not encrypted or restricted to a selected person. Anyone within acoustic range using a compatible receiver may decode your text, display name and protocol sender identifier. A channel selection does not authenticate recipients or create a private group.
Recipients can retain, copy or share what they receive. Removing a message or app data from your device does not retract a sound already played or remove another person's copy. Do not broadcast passwords, financial details, health information or other confidential information. Across Realities does not maintain a server copy of your acoustic conversations and cannot retrieve or delete recipients' local copies.
5. Google AdMob and advertising data
The app integrates Google Mobile Ads (AdMob). Ad availability depends on the build and configuration; development versions may use test ads, and release versions display ads only when configured. Test ads do not mean that no information is processed by the advertising service.
When the advertising service operates, Google may process an IP address and approximate location inferred from it, device or advertising identifiers, app and ad interactions, and performance or diagnostic information. The purposes include ad delivery and measurement, advertising analytics, and fraud prevention. Acoustic Text does not pass microphone audio, message text, your display name, your acoustic sender identifier or your selected channel to AdMob.
Our current ad requests request non-personalized ads. Non-personalized advertising can still involve identifiers and other technical information. Device advertising controls may let you reset or delete an advertising identifier or limit tracking; they do not necessarily stop all advertising data processing. Google explains its processing, retention and available controls in its Privacy Policy and advertising information pages. Opening or interacting with an ad may take you to another service governed by its own policy.
6. Website, hosting and browser storage
The introductory website does not request microphone access or receive the messages exchanged by the app. It does not include a first-party analytics script or advertising tracker. It saves your chosen website language in browser local storage under acoustic-language so that it can remember your preference. This is preference storage, not a tracking cookie; you can remove it by clearing the site's browser data.
When you visit the website, its hosting infrastructure receives information needed to deliver and protect the site, such as IP address, requested URL, request time and browser or device information. The site is prepared for hosting on Netlify; where it is served by Netlify, Netlify processes connection and service information under its applicable policies. We do not receive your acoustic messages through website hosting. Links to app stores or other websites are subject to those services' separate privacy practices.
7. Information you send to us
If you email us, we receive your email address and whatever you include, such as your name, request, attachments or diagnostic details. We use this information to respond, resolve issues and handle privacy requests. Please do not include private conversations, recordings, passwords or unnecessary sensitive information. We cannot automatically access your device's message history; sharing it in a support request is a separate action you choose.
Email and service providers used to deliver and manage correspondence may process that correspondence. We do not use support messages as content for advertising targeting.
8. Purposes and applicable legal grounds
We process information as needed to provide the functions you request, retain your local preferences, deliver the website, respond to communications, maintain security and meet applicable legal obligations. We do not operate a cloud message relay, cloud conversation backup or server-side analysis of your message contents.
Where a law requires a legal basis, the applicable basis depends on the activity: providing a requested service, legitimate interests in operating and protecting the service or responding to inquiries, compliance with legal obligations, or consent where required. A device permission is a control for a device feature; it is not blanket consent to unrelated advertising processing. Any advertising processing requiring consent must have the applicable consent separately; this policy is a disclosure, not a substitute for consent.
9. Disclosures and international processing
We do not sell your acoustic messages, audio or local profile information, or upload them to an Across Realities server. Public disclosure to nearby receivers happens through the broadcast you initiate. Separately, advertising and hosting providers process information described above, and support providers may process correspondence you send us.
Information we actually hold, such as support correspondence, may be disclosed when necessary to comply with a binding legal requirement, protect rights or security, or handle a lawful business transfer, subject to applicable safeguards. This does not give us access to conversations held only on your device.
Advertising, hosting and email services may process information in countries other than where you live. The countries, retention arrangements and transfer mechanisms depend on the service and configuration. Refer to the providers' linked policies for their practices, and contact us for information about transfers relevant to your request. We do not claim that your acoustic message contents are transferred internationally by us.
10. Retention and deletion
Audio: temporary processing buffers are reused or released during operation; no recording archive is created. Local message history and preferences: these remain in app storage until that data is removed. You can clear the app's storage in Android settings or delete the app and its data. On iOS, offloading an app can retain its data; use deletion rather than offloading if you want to remove it. The app is configured to exclude its message storage from ordinary automatic backups, but device migration tools, manual copies and recipient copies are outside our control.
Website language preference: retained in your browser until you clear the site's data or change the preference. Support correspondence: kept for as long as reasonably needed to resolve the request, follow up, meet applicable recordkeeping requirements or establish, exercise or defend legal claims. The period depends on the request and any legal requirement; there is no single retention period for all correspondence. When no longer needed, information should be deleted or de-identified.
Google and hosting or email providers apply their own retention arrangements to information they process. Contact us about information held by Across Realities; for provider-held data, their privacy controls or request procedures may also be necessary. Deleting this app does not automatically delete provider-held information or messages on recipients' devices.
11. Security and its limits
Local records are stored in the app's storage area using operating-system protections. No security measure provides an absolute guarantee, particularly on a compromised or shared device. Keep your device and operating system secure and up to date.
Acoustic broadcasts themselves are unencrypted and can be intercepted by compatible receivers. Network protections used by an advertising or hosting provider do not make those sound broadcasts confidential.
12. Your choices and privacy rights
You can disable reception, revoke microphone permission, change your display name, clear local app or browser data, and use available device advertising controls. Changes to a name apply to subsequent broadcasts and do not rewrite copies already received elsewhere.
Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have rights to access or obtain a copy of personal information, correct or delete it, restrict or object to processing, withdraw consent where processing is based on consent, or request portability. Where applicable, you may also have rights concerning sale, sharing or targeted advertising. These rights have legal conditions and exceptions; we do not claim to retrieve information we do not hold.
To make a request, email admin@across-realities.com, describe the request and identify the information or correspondence concerned. We may request proportionate information to verify the request, without asking for passwords or unrelated sensitive information. We will handle requests within the time required by applicable law and explain any inability to act. You may contact your local data protection authority or use an applicable complaint or appeal process. Exercising privacy rights will not be used as a reason for unlawful discrimination.
13. Children and guardians
Acoustic Text does not ask users to provide their age and is not designed to collect children's personal information through an account or profile service. Public broadcasting can disclose information to people nearby regardless of the user's age. Parents and guardians should supervise use and discourage sharing identifying or sensitive information.
If you believe a child has provided personal information to Across Realities, contact us so we can assess the situation and take action required by applicable law. Advertising services have their own age-related requirements; this policy does not represent that parental verification or a child-directed advertising mode has been implemented.
14. Changes and contact
We may update this policy to reflect changes in the service, providers or legal requirements. The date above identifies this version. Material changes will be brought to your attention through an appropriate in-app or website notice; additional consent will be obtained where required. An updated policy does not itself authorize processing that requires a separate legal basis.
Privacy contact: Across Realities — admin@across-realities.com. Website: https://across-realities.com/. English and Korean versions of this policy are available in the app and on the website.