Privacy

1. Data controller

Email: info@clevercast.net

Contact me directly about privacy or to exercise your rights.

2. Hosting and access data

Clevercast runs on a virtual private server (VPS) provided by STRATO GmbH, Otto-Ostrowski-Straße 7, 10249 Berlin, Germany. STRATO provides the infrastructure; the Clevercast operator named above is responsible for the website, application and their configuration.

Accessing the site involves processing your IP address, request time and destination, browser and operating system details. Depending on configuration, these may appear in access, error or security logs. Search terms within requested URLs may also be logged.

This supports site delivery, troubleshooting and abuse prevention. The legal basis is GDPR Art. 6(1)(f), with a legitimate interest in secure, reliable operation.

VPS log storage and deletion depend on web server, operating system and application settings. Logs are retained as long as needed to detect and investigate errors or security incidents; specific incidents may require longer retention as evidence.

For the infrastructure provider’s processing, see the STRATO privacy notice and the STRATO data processing agreement.

For sign-in, Clevercast stores server-side session data: a session ID, user ID where applicable, IP address, browser identifier and last activity time.

3. Account, ratings and recommendations

Creating an account requires a display name, email address and password. Passwords are stored as hashes, never as plain text. An account cannot be created without these details; the public catalog remains usable without an account.

When you use the relevant features, we also store:

• selected interests, languages, episode length and new-topic settings;
• favorite podcasts and stations, and hidden or removed shows;
• thumbs, stars and ratings for topic, depth, clarity, entertainment and voice;
• listening time linked to podcasts and episodes, and supported playback positions.

These data enable your account, library, resumed playback and recommendations. The legal basis for providing the features you use is GDPR Art. 6(1)(b). Interests and ratings are optional.

How recommendations work

Recommendations are ranked in your browser. Interests and ratings influence topics and shows; listening time is a weaker positive signal. Hiding a show is a selection choice, not a negative rating. Required profile data are stored with your account on the server and loaded at sign-in.

Personalization automatically evaluates listening preferences (profiling) to change recommendation selection and order. It makes no decisions with legal or similarly significant effects under GDPR Art. 22. No external AI service receives profile data for this calculation.

What others can see

Average star ratings and rating counts for podcasts and stations are public. Your name and email are not shown. Individual ratings, listening time, interests and favorites are not displayed as a public profile.

4. Cookies and storage on your device

Clevercast uses cookies and browser storage for:

Language choice

The clevercast_locale cookie remembers your language for up to a year. During language changes, session storage briefly keeps the current view and filters, then removes them.

Sign-in and protection against forged requests

The session cookie clevercast_session and XSRF-TOKEN support the session and secure form requests. Sessions currently last 120 minutes of inactivity; continued use extends them.

Playback positions

Browser storage keeps up to 250 recent episode positions per account or guest, replacing older entries. They are device-specific. Supported positions are also stored on the server for signed-in users.

Greeting

A local flag records whether you have visited Clevercast in this browser, allowing a shorter greeting. It contains no name or email and remains until site data are cleared.

Downloads

Downloaded audio and its podcast and episode details are linked to your account in a local browser database. They remain until you remove the download or clear site data; signing out does not delete them. Incomplete paused downloads exist only in memory and are lost on reload.

App files

The browser caches the app’s styles, scripts and fonts. Updates replace older versions. Clevercast serves its own fonts.

Storage access strictly necessary for an expressly requested feature falls under § 25(2)(2) TDDDG. Account and playback data processing is based on GDPR Art. 6(1)(b); security measures on Art. 6(1)(f). The necessary-storage exception does not automatically cover every convenience feature. See § 25 TDDDG.

Your browser lets you delete or restrict cookies and site data. Doing so may lose your sign-in, saved positions and downloads.

5. Covers, stations and audio from other providers

Covers, station logos and audio usually load directly from media providers or their delivery services. Depending on the content, recipients include publishers, podcast or radio hosts and delivery or measurement services. They may receive your IP, browser details, access time and requested file.

Images may load when a card appears. Opening an episode list also triggers brief requests to audio providers to check download availability for visible episodes, before Play or Download is pressed. Playing and downloading access the audio source directly.

Requested playback and downloads are based on GDPR Art. 6(1)(b). Covers and availability checks help navigate the catalog and provide working controls, based on Art. 6(1)(f).

Media providers may compile access statistics or integrate other services. Clevercast does not send them your account, email or ratings. Their connection-data processing follows their own privacy notices. Providers and original sources are linked in podcast, episode or station details.

Recipients outside the EU and EEA may be involved, depending on the source. Recipients, retention and safeguards differ by source, so exclusively European processing cannot be guaranteed. This notice does not grant blanket consent to tracking or transfers to third countries.

A podcast’s catalog listing does not mean your profile is sent to that directory. Directory data are imported server-side. Sharing creates a link to Clevercast’s podcast page; your chosen app or platform then handles the sharing action.

6. Contact by email

When you write to info@clevercast.net your sender address, message and any attachments are processed to handle your request. The email services used participate in delivery. This site has no contact form.

Account-use inquiries rely on GDPR Art. 6(1)(b); other inquiries on Art. 6(1)(f) and the interest in answering requests. Providing details is voluntary, but a reply requires a return address.

7. Retention and deletion

Account data and settings generally remain for the account’s lifetime. Your profile lets you export data, reset learning or delete your account. Resetting removes ratings, thumbs, saved listening time and server-side positions; selected interests and favorites remain.

Deleting an account removes its records and linked library, rating and listening data from the active database. The app also removes its downloads and local positions in the browser used. Clear site data separately on other devices. Expired sessions are removed by automatic session cleanup.

Contact requests remain as long as needed to handle them and follow-up questions. Specific legal claims or obligations may require longer retention for the relevant duration and deadlines; this also applies to evidence of security incidents. VPS logs follow the hosting criteria above; local browser data follow the deletion options described above.

8. Your rights

Subject to legal conditions, you may request access, correction, erasure, restriction and data portability (GDPR Arts. 15–20). Where processing relies on consent, you may withdraw it at any time for the future.

Objection: For processing based on GDPR Art. 6(1)(f), you may object on grounds relating to your particular situation (Art. 21). Contact info@clevercast.net.

You may also complain to a data protection authority (GDPR Art. 77), particularly where you live or work or where the suspected infringement occurred. For the operator in North Rhine-Westphalia, the North Rhine-Westphalia Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (LDI NRW) is one contact point.

These notices are updated when features or services change.