Terms of Service - Accént

1. Acceptance of Terms

By creating an account or using Accént ("the Service"), operated by Birdierun Technologies and Media GmbH, Switzerland, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use the Service.

2. Description of Service

Accént is a language learning application that helps English speakers learn French, German, Spanish, and Italian pronunciation by mapping sounds from their native English accent to target-language phonemes. The Service includes conversation scenarios, pronunciation coaching, ear training, rhythm and cadence exercises, AI-powered accent detection, text-to-speech audio generation, and related learning content.

3. Account Registration

You must provide a valid email address to create an account
You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account
You must be at least 16 years old to use the Service
One person may not maintain more than one account
You are responsible for all activity that occurs under your account

4. AI and Voice Data Processing

The Service uses artificial intelligence (AI) to power core learning features. By using the Service, you acknowledge and agree that:

Voice recordings you submit for accent detection are processed by third-party AI services (OpenAI) to analyse your English accent
Text-to-speech audio is generated using OpenAI's API, where learning content (words and phrases) is sent for audio generation
Pronunciation scoring is performed locally using an on-device AI model — your voice recordings for this feature are not sent to external servers
AI-generated coaching content, tips, and pronunciation guidance may be produced using language models
Voice recordings for accent detection are processed in real time and are not permanently stored by us or our AI providers
Your personal data, including voice data, may be transferred to and processed in the United States (see our Privacy Policy for details on safeguards)

You may choose not to use voice-based features. In that case, no voice data will be collected or transmitted. However, certain features such as accent detection and pronunciation scoring require voice input to function.

5. Acceptable Use

You agree not to:

Use the Service for any unlawful purpose
Attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of the Service
Interfere with or disrupt the Service or servers
Use automated systems (bots, scrapers) to access the Service
Reverse engineer or attempt to extract the source code
Resell, redistribute, or commercially exploit the Service or its content
Submit voice recordings containing content intended to harm, harass, or deceive others

6. Intellectual Property

All content, including but not limited to learning materials, phoneme matrices, conversation scenarios, pronunciation coaching data, AI-generated audio, and software, is owned by Birdierun Technologies and Media GmbH or its licensors and protected by Swiss and international intellectual property laws. You may not copy, modify, or distribute this content without written permission.

7. User Data

Your use of the Service is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which describes how we collect, use, and protect your data, including voice recordings and AI processing. You may export or delete your data at any time through your Account Settings.

8. Service Availability

We strive to keep the Service available at all times but do not guarantee uninterrupted access. AI-powered features depend on third-party services and may experience temporary unavailability. We may modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the Service at any time. We will provide reasonable notice before any significant changes.

9. Limitation of Liability

The Service is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind. AI-generated content, including pronunciation feedback, accent analysis, and coaching suggestions, is provided for educational purposes and may not always be perfectly accurate. To the maximum extent permitted by Swiss law, Birdierun Technologies and Media GmbH shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from your use of the Service, including any reliance on AI-generated content.

10. Account Termination

You may delete your account at any time through Account Settings. We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these terms. Upon account deletion, all associated data will be permanently removed in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

11. Changes to Terms

We may update these terms from time to time. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated terms. We will notify registered users of significant changes via email. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page will be revised accordingly.

12. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms of Service are governed by and construed in accordance with the substantive laws of Switzerland, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any disputes arising from or in connection with these terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts in Zurich, Switzerland. Mandatory consumer protection provisions of your country of residence remain unaffected.

13. Contact

For questions about these terms, please contact:

Birdierun Technologies and Media GmbH
Switzerland
Email: legal@birdierun.ch