Aalto ASR research group built the SaySuomi app as a Free app. This SERVICE is provided by the Aalto ASR research group at no cost and is intended for use as is.
This page is used to inform visitors regarding our policies with the collection, use, and disclosure of Personal Information if anyone decides to use our Service.
If you choose to use our Service, then you agree to the collection and use of information in relation to this policy. The Personal Information that we collect is used for providing and improving the Service. We will not use or share your information with anyone except as described in this Privacy Policy.
The terms used in this Privacy Policy have the same meanings as in our Terms and Conditions, which are accessible at SaySuomi unless otherwise defined in this Privacy Policy.
We only access your microphone when you actively use a speaking function in the app. We do not collect your name, email address, phone number, or other direct contact details through the app for the automated speaking assessment (ASA) research function.
These data are collected and processed only to generate immediate feedback for you. The audio recording from pronunciation practice is not stored after the feedback has been returned, and pronunciation practice sessions are not added to the ASA research dataset.
When you use the ASA function, we collect the data below and store it as part of the research dataset, for scientific research and system development.
SaySuomi’s automated speaking assessment function is part of the DigiTala in Action (DTA) research project. For more information about the wider DTA project, see the official DigiTala in Action privacy notice.
We process personal data for the following purposes:
We do not use the data for advertising, commercial profiling, or unrelated commercial purposes.
The legal basis for processing data collected through the automated speaking assessment function is the performance of a task carried out in the public interest, namely scientific research, in accordance with Article 6(1)(e) of the GDPR and the Finnish Data Protection Act.
We also record your consent choice regarding participation in the automated speaking assessment research function. Where we ask for additional optional permissions, we rely on your consent under Article 6(1)(a) GDPR. You may withdraw such consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.
Access to stored ASA research data is limited to authorised members of the Aalto research team and to persons who need access for research-related tasks such as transcription, analysis, or technical maintenance under appropriate confidentiality and access controls.
Where applicable, trusted service providers acting on behalf of Aalto University may process data for hosting, storage, or technical support.
Personal data collected through the app for the ASA research function is processed within the European Economic Area (EEA). We do not transfer this data outside the EEA.
We protect personal data with appropriate technical and organisational safeguards. Access to stored ASA data is restricted to authorised persons who need the data for research purposes. Security measures may include user authentication, access control, logging, encryption, and secure storage environments.
Because voice data can be inherently identifying, research data is handled using pseudonymous identifiers instead of direct identifiers wherever possible.
The app uses automated speech recognition and automated speaking assessment models to generate scores and feedback. These outputs are intended to support practice, learning, and research. They are not used to make decisions that produce legal effects or similarly significant effects on you.
The automated speaking assessment research function is intended for adult language learners. We do not knowingly collect ASA research data from children. If you believe that a child has provided personal data to us through the ASA function, please contact us so that we can review the situation.
Under the GDPR, you may have the right to:
Because ASA data is stored under a pseudonymous identifier rather than your name, you will generally need to provide that identifier when exercising your rights. Please note that some rights may be limited where data is processed for scientific research and where full deletion or alteration would seriously impair the research.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman in Finland.
We may update this Privacy Notice from time to time. If we make changes, we will post the updated version here and update the “Last updated” date above.
If you have any questions or suggestions about this Privacy Policy, do not hesitate to contact us at nhan.phan@aalto.fi.