01 Who we are
AFTA AI (“AFTA”, “we”, “our”, or “us”) is a Somali language technology company developing speech, text,
and data infrastructure for the Horn of Africa and beyond. This Privacy Policy applies to:
- AFTA AI public website and landing pages
- AFTA Voices (Somali ASR / TTS)
- AFTA Lex (Lexicon & text intelligence)
- AFTA Data Studio (Evaluation & embeddings)
- Online forms, contact forms, and dataset access requests
By using our website or services, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.
02 Information we collect
2.1 Information you provide
- Name, email address, phone number, and organization details
- Role, department, and country
- Messages sent via contact forms or email
- Dataset access or licensing request information
- Files you upload (audio, text, documents)
- Feedback, survey responses, or support requests
2.2 Technical & usage information
When you visit our website or use our tools, we may automatically collect:
- IP address and approximate location (country or region)
- Browser type, device type, and operating system
- Pages viewed, click paths, and timestamps
- Error logs, performance data, and diagnostics
2.3 Audio, text, and language data
When using AFTA Voices, AFTA Lex, or AFTA Data Studio, we may process:
- Audio samples submitted for transcription or synthesis
- Text submitted for analysis, search, or evaluation
- Metadata such as file duration, format, and language
- Model outputs (transcripts, analyses, scores, or embeddings)
We do not use customer-submitted content to train general-purpose foundation models without explicit
permission or a dedicated agreement.
03 How we use information
3.1 Service delivery
- Provide ASR, TTS, lexicon, and evaluation services
- Operate tools, dashboards, and APIs
- Respond to requests, demos, and support tickets
3.2 Improvement & research
Where permitted by law and contract, we may use data to:
- Improve accuracy and robustness of Somali ASR/TTS/NLP models
- Build evaluation benchmarks, quality metrics, and dashboards
- Enhance reliability, performance, and security of our systems
Where possible, we anonymize or aggregate data used for research and improvement.
3.3 Communication
- Respond to contact and dataset access forms
- Send important updates, security notices, or licensing information
3.4 Security, compliance, and misuse prevention
- Detect, investigate, and prevent abuse or misuse of our services
- Comply with contractual and regulatory obligations
- Protect AFTA AI, our users, and our partners from harm
04 Legal bases for processing
Where applicable (for example under GDPR), we process data based on:
- Contractual necessity — to deliver services you have requested.
- Legitimate interests — to improve services, maintain security, and operate our business.
- Consent — where you explicitly agree to a specific use or program.
- Legal obligations — to comply with laws and regulations.
05 Data storage & security
We use technical and organizational measures designed to protect your data, including:
- Encrypted storage for sensitive data where appropriate
- Role-based access control and logging
- Isolated environments for processing speech and text datasets
- Regular monitoring for misuse, abuse, or unauthorized access
While we work hard to protect your information, no system is completely secure. Please avoid sharing
highly sensitive personal data through general-purpose forms.
06 Retention & sharing
6.1 Data retention
We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to:
- Provide services and support
- Meet legal, regulatory, or contractual requirements
- Maintain legitimate business and research interests
6.2 Sharing of information
We do not sell or trade personal data.
We may share limited information with:
- Trusted service providers (hosting, email, security) under strict agreements
- Research partners (using anonymized or aggregated data)
- Authorities, if required by law or legal process
07 International transfers
AFTA AI may process and store data in different regions. When personal data is transferred across borders,
we use safeguards such as:
- Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or equivalent mechanisms
- Data processing agreements with vendors and partners
- Technical controls to minimize exposure and access
08 Your rights
Depending on your jurisdiction and applicable law, you may have rights to:
- Access personal data we hold about you
- Request correction of inaccurate data
- Request deletion of your personal data
- Restrict or object to certain processing
- Request a portable copy of your data
To exercise these rights, contact us at
privacy@aftaai.com. We may need to verify your identity
before fulfilling requests.
09 Cookies & analytics
We use limited cookies and similar technologies to:
- Enable core site and form functionality
- Measure aggregated usage patterns and performance
- Improve reliability and user experience
You can manage cookies via your browser settings. Some site features may not function correctly if you
disable all cookies.
10 Datasets & licensing
When you submit a dataset access or licensing request, we use the details you provide to:
- Verify your identity and institutional affiliation
- Assess eligibility under AFTA AI dataset policies
- Prepare appropriate licensing or research agreements
Usage of AFTA AI datasets is governed by the applicable AFTA AI Dataset License Agreement and any
signed contracts between your organization and AFTA AI.
11 Children’s privacy
AFTA AI services are not directed toward children under 16 years old, and we do not knowingly collect
personal data from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us
so we can take appropriate steps.
12 Changes & contact
We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or data
practices. When we make significant updates, we will adjust the “Last updated” date at the top of this page
and may provide additional notice.
The current version of this Privacy Policy is always available at:
https://aftaai.com/privacy.html
If you have questions or concerns, contact: