Privacy Policy

Effective date: September 10, 2026 · Last updated: September 10, 2026

Sonder is a travel translation app: point your camera at a menu, sign, or medicine box and get a translation and a short explanation. This policy explains what information the app handles, why, where it goes, and what you can do about it.

1. The short version

You do not need an account. We do not ask for your name, email address, or phone number.
Photos, voice, and text you submit are sent to our server and forwarded to a third-party AI model for translation. They are not stored on our servers after the response is produced — but they are transmitted to and processed by that provider.
We keep a short-lived technical log (an anonymous device identifier, a daily usage counter, and the network address your request came from) to run the service and prevent abuse.
We do not sell your information, and we do not use it for advertising or tracking.

2. Who we are

Sonder (the "App") is developed and operated by an independent developer. We are the data controller for the information described here, and we are responsible for it under the laws that apply to us. You can reach us at support@sonder.app.

3. What we handle, and why

3.1 Content you actively submit

When you use camera translation, text translation, voice conversation, or the culture assistant, the App sends the following to our server: the photo you capture or select, the text you type, the audio you record, and the language you asked for. We call this Submitted Content.

We use Submitted Content for one purpose only: to produce the translation and explanation you asked for. Our server holds it in memory while the request is being processed and does not write it to persistent storage. Once the result has been returned, the copy on our server is discarded.

The important part: to produce a translation, Submitted Content is transmitted to a third-party AI provider (see Section 5). We do not store it, but that provider receives and processes it under its own terms. If you do not want a photo, recording, or block of text to reach a third party, please do not submit it.

3.2 Information collected automatically

To operate the service, enforce the free usage limit, and protect against abuse, our server and our infrastructure provider record limited technical data with each request:

What	Why	Retention
A random device identifier generated by the App	Counting how many free requests this device has made today; applying a cached result.	Rolling daily counters are deleted after 24 hours. The identifier itself stays on your device and is regenerated if you reinstall the App.
The IP address your request came from, and standard request metadata (time, endpoint, approximate region, error codes)	Delivering the response, rate limiting, diagnosing faults, and blocking abuse.	Up to 30 days as infrastructure log data, then deleted.
App and iOS version, device model, and interface language	Compatibility, crash diagnosis, and serving the correct interface language.	Up to 30 days.
A one-way hash of the submitted photo or text	Recognising a repeat request so we can return a cached result instead of calling the AI provider again — this is what makes repeat lookups instant.	Cached results are deleted after 24 hours. The hash cannot be reversed to reconstruct your photo or text.

The device identifier is not an advertising identifier and is not used to build a profile of you. We do not collect your precise location, your contacts, your photo library beyond the specific image you choose, your health data, or your advertising identifier. We do not run third-party analytics or advertising SDKs.

3.3 Purchases

Subscriptions and other in-app purchases are processed by Apple. We never see or store your payment card details. We receive only a confirmation that a purchase is active, tied to your Apple account, so the App can unlock the features you paid for. Apple's handling of that transaction is governed by Apple's Privacy Policy.

3.4 Data stored on your device

Translation history, saved phrases, settings, and your language preferences are stored locally on your device. They are not uploaded to us. Deleting the App removes them.

3.5 Device permissions

Camera — used only when you choose to photograph something for translation. Frames are not captured in the background.
Photos — used only to read the single image you pick.
Microphone and Speech Recognition — used only while you hold the voice button, to turn your speech into text for translation.

You can withdraw any of these permissions at any time in iOS Settings; the corresponding feature will simply stop working.

4. Legal bases (EEA, UK and Switzerland)

Where the GDPR applies, we rely on the following legal bases:

Performance of a contract — handling Submitted Content to produce the translation you requested, and processing your purchase.
Legitimate interests — keeping the service secure, enforcing fair-use limits, and preventing abuse. We have weighed these interests against your rights and consider the impact minimal, since the data concerned is a pseudonymous identifier and short-lived technical logs.
Consent — where iOS asks for permission to use the camera, microphone, or speech recognition. You may withdraw it at any time in iOS Settings.

5. Who else is involved

We work with a small number of third-party categories. For each of them, we require the recipient to provide the same or equal protection of your information as described in this policy, and to use it only to deliver the service you asked for:

Recipient	What it receives	Purpose
Third-party AI model providers	Submitted Content — the photo, text, or transcribed speech, plus the target language.	Performing the actual translation and explanation. These providers act as our data processors and process this content outside your country.
Cloud infrastructure and hosting providers	IP address and standard request metadata; transient access to Submitted Content while a request is routed.	Hosting and operating the API that the App talks to.
Apple	Purchase records, and any content you send us by email or in a review.	Processing in-app purchases; distributing the App.

International transfers. Our servers and all of the providers listed above are located outside your country — predominantly in the United States and the European Union. That means your Submitted Content may be transferred to, stored in, and processed in a jurisdiction whose data protection laws differ from your own. Where required, transfers rely on standard contractual clauses or an equivalent safeguard put in place by the relevant provider.

We may also disclose information if we are legally required to do so, or where necessary to protect the rights, safety, or property of any person. If we are ever involved in a merger or acquisition, information may transfer as part of that transaction; we would tell you before your information became subject to a different privacy policy.

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it for cross-context behavioural advertising.

6. How long we keep things

Submitted Content — not retained on our servers after your request is answered.
Translation cache — 24 hours, then deleted.
Daily usage counters — deleted after the day rolls over.
Technical and error logs — up to 30 days, then deleted.
Purchase status — for as long as your subscription is active, plus the period required for tax and accounting, then deleted.
On-device history — until you clear it, or delete the App.

7. How we protect it

Traffic between the App and our server is encrypted with TLS. Access to our production systems is restricted to the developer, and API credentials are held as encrypted secrets rather than in the App binary where they would be extractable. Translation caches are keyed by a one-way hash rather than by your content. No system is perfectly secure, but we have deliberately kept the amount of data we hold small — the strongest protection available is not retaining what we do not need.

8. Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to know what information we hold about you, to access it, to correct it, to delete it, to restrict or object to its processing, to receive it in a portable format, and to complain to your local supervisory authority. Under California law you also have the right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information — and, as stated above, we do not sell or share it in the first place.

An honest note about exercising these rights. Because the App has no account, we cannot identify you from your name or email. What we hold is a random device identifier and short-lived technical logs. We will help you as far as we reasonably can — for example we can delete cached entries or trace a specific request if you can give us the approximate time and describe the content. To make a request, write to support@sonder.app. You also do not need us for most of it: clearing the App's data or deleting the App removes all on-device history immediately.

9. Children

The App is not directed to children and is not intended for use by anyone under 13 (or the minimum age of digital consent in your country, if higher). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has used the App in a way that provided us with personal information, contact us and we will delete it.

10. Changes to this policy

If we change how the App handles information, we will update this page and revise the date at the top. For a material change — for example, if we ever began storing Submitted Content — we would give clear notice inside the App before the change took effect, and where required we would ask for your consent first.

11. Contact

Questions, requests, or complaints about privacy: support@sonder.app.

隐私政策

生效日期：2026 年 9 月 10 日 · 最近更新：2026 年 9 月 10 日

Sonder 是一款旅行翻译 App：把镜头对准菜单、路牌或药盒，即可获得译文和一句简要说明。本政策说明本 App 会处理哪些信息、为何处理、信息流向何处，以及你可以采取哪些措施。

1. 简版说明

本 App 不需要注册账号，我们不会索取你的姓名、邮箱或手机号。
你提交的照片、语音和文字会发送到我们的服务器，并转交第三方 AI 模型进行翻译。翻译完成后，我们不会在服务器上留存这些内容——但请知悉，它们确实会被传输给该服务商并由其处理。
我们会保留短期的技术日志（随机设备标识、每日用量计数、请求来源的网络地址），用于提供服务和防止滥用。
我们不出售你的信息，也不将其用于广告或用户画像追踪。

2. 我们是谁

Sonder（以下称"本 App"）由独立开发者开发和运营。就本政策所述的信息而言，我们是个人信息处理者，并在适用法律范围内对其负责。联系方式：support@sonder.app。

3. 我们处理什么，以及为什么

3.1 你主动提交的内容

当你使用拍照翻译、文本翻译、语音对话或文化助手时，本 App 会将以下内容发送至我们的服务器：你拍摄或选取的照片、输入的文字、录制的音频，以及你选择的目标语言。以下统称「提交内容」。

我们处理提交内容只有一个目的：生成你所需要的译文和说明。服务器在处理请求期间在内存中暂存该内容，不写入持久化存储；结果返回后，服务器上的副本即被丢弃。

需要特别说明的一点：为完成翻译，提交内容会被传输给第三方 AI 服务商（见第 5 节）。我们不会留存它，但该服务商会接触并处理它，并适用其自身的条款。如果你不希望某张照片、某段录音或某段文字被第三方接触到，请不要提交。

3.2 自动收集的信息

为运行服务、执行免费额度限制并防范滥用，我们的服务器及基础设施提供方会随每次请求记录有限的技术数据：

信息	用途	保存期限
本 App 生成的随机设备标识	统计该设备当日的免费请求次数；命中缓存结果。	每日计数在 24 小时后删除。该标识本身保存在你的设备上，重装 App 后会重新生成。
请求来源的 IP 地址及标准请求元数据（时间、接口、大致区域、错误码）	返回响应、限流、故障排查、拦截滥用。	作为基础设施日志最多保留 30 天，之后删除。
App 与 iOS 版本、设备型号、界面语言	兼容性处理、崩溃排查、以正确语言呈现界面。	最多 30 天。
提交照片或文本的单向哈希值	识别重复请求，从而直接返回缓存结果而不必再次调用 AI 服务商——这也是重复查询能做到秒开的原因。	缓存结果在 24 小时后删除。该哈希值无法反推出你的照片或文字。

设备标识不是广告标识，也不会被用于建立你的个人画像。我们不会收集你的精确位置、通讯录、相册（仅限你主动选择的那一张图片）、健康数据或广告标识符。本 App 不接入第三方统计或广告 SDK。

3.3 购买

订阅及其他 App 内购买由 Apple 处理。我们不会接触或存储你的支付卡信息，仅会收到"某笔购买当前有效" 的确认结果（与你的 Apple 账户关联），以便为你解锁已付费的功能。Apple 对该交易的处理适用 Apple 隐私政策。

3.4 保存在你设备上的数据

翻译历史、收藏的常用语、设置项及语言偏好保存在你的设备本地，不会上传给我们。删除 App 即会同时清除这些数据。

3.5 设备权限

相机——仅在你主动拍摄用于翻译的内容时使用，不会在后台取景。
照片——仅用于读取你选定那一张图片。
麦克风与语音识别——仅在你按住语音按钮期间使用，用于将你的语音转为可翻译的文字。

你可以随时在 iOS「设置」中撤回上述任一权限，对应功能将随之停止工作。

4. 处理的合法性基础（欧洲经济区、英国与瑞士）

在 GDPR 适用的范围内，我们依据以下合法性基础处理信息：

履行合同——处理提交内容以生成你请求的译文，以及处理你的购买。
正当利益——保障服务安全、执行公平使用限制、防范滥用。我们已将这些利益与你的权利进行权衡，认为影响极为有限，因为涉及的数据仅为假名化标识和短期技术日志。
同意——在 iOS 就相机、麦克风或语音识别征求授权时。你可以随时在 iOS「设置」中撤回。

5. 信息会流向哪些第三方

我们与数量有限的几类第三方合作。对每一类接收方，我们都要求其提供与本政策所述同等或等同的信息保护，并且仅将其用于交付你所请求的服务：

接收方	接收内容	用途
第三方 AI 模型服务商	提交内容——照片、文字或转写后的语音，以及目标语言。	实际执行翻译与解释。该等服务商作为我们的受托处理者，在你所在国家/地区之外处理这些内容。
云基础设施与托管服务商	IP 地址与标准请求元数据；请求路由期间对提交内容的瞬时访问。	托管并运行本 App 所连接的接口服务。
Apple	购买记录，以及你通过邮件或评论主动发送给我们的内容。	处理 App 内购买；分发本 App。

跨境传输。我们的服务器及上述全部服务商均位于你所在国家/地区之外，主要在美国和欧盟。这意味着你的提交内容可能被传输至、存储于并处理于数据保护法律与你所在地不同的司法辖区。在法律要求的情况下，此类传输依据相关服务商订立的标准合同条款或同等保障措施进行。

如果法律要求，或为保护任何人的人身、权利或财产安全而有必要，我们也可能披露相关信息。若我们未来涉及合并或收购，信息可能作为交易的一部分随之转移；在你的信息适用另一份隐私政策之前，我们会先行告知你。

我们不出售你的个人信息，也不会将其用于跨场景行为广告。

6. 保存多久

提交内容——请求应答后不在我们的服务器上保留。
翻译缓存——24 小时后删除。
每日用量计数——跨天后删除。
技术与错误日志——最多 30 天，之后删除。
购买状态——订阅有效期间，另加税务与会计所要求的期限，之后删除。
设备本地历史——直到你清空它，或删除本 App。

7. 我们如何保护信息

App 与服务器之间的传输采用 TLS 加密。生产系统的访问权限仅限开发者本人，接口凭据以加密密钥形式保管，而非置于可被提取的 App 二进制文件中。翻译缓存以单向哈希为键，而非以你的内容为键。没有任何系统是绝对安全的，但我们有意将持有的数据量压到最低——最有力的保护，就是不保留我们并不需要的东西。

8. 你的权利

视你所在地区而定，你可能有权了解我们持有哪些关于你的信息、查阅、更正、删除这些信息，限制或反对相关处理，以可携带格式获取这些信息，以及向当地监管机构投诉。依据加州法律，你还有权选择退出个人信息的"出售"或"共享"——而如上所述，我们本就不存在出售或共享行为。

关于行使这些权利的一个说明。由于本 App 没有账号体系，我们无法通过姓名或邮箱识别你。我们持有的仅为随机设备标识和短期技术日志。我们会在合理范围内尽力配合——例如在你提供大致时间并描述内容的情况下，删去特定缓存条目或追溯某次请求。如需提出请求，请发送邮件至 support@sonder.app。不过多数情况下你并不需要我们：清除 App 数据或删除 App 即可立即移除全部本地历史。

9. 儿童

本 App 不面向儿童，也不适用于未满 13 周岁（或你所在地区规定的更高数字同意年龄）的用户。我们不会在知情的情况下收集儿童的个人信息。如果你认为有儿童在使用本 App 的过程中向我们提供了个人信息，请联系我们，我们会予以删除。

10. 本政策的变更

如果我们变更了本 App 处理信息的方式，我们会更新本页面并修订顶部日期。对于重大变更——例如我们开始存储提交内容——我们会在变更生效前在本 App 内明确告知；在法律要求的情况下，我们会先征求你的同意。

11. 联系方式

有关隐私的问题、请求或投诉，请联系：support@sonder.app。