Privacy Policy

Last updated: November 1, 2026

Pod Atlas ("we", "us") is thepodatlas.com, a free directory of podcasts run by its founder, Vahid Davoudi, an individual based in the United States, who is the controller of the personal data described here. This policy explains what information we collect, why, and the choices you have. Questions: hello@thepodatlas.com.

What we collect

Visitor statistics. Only if you accept the cookie notice, we load Google Analytics to count visits and see which pages are popular. It uses cookies and receives your IP address (which we ask Google to anonymize), browser and device details and the pages you view. If you decline, Google Analytics is not loaded at all and no analytics cookies are set. You can change your choice at any time with Cookie settings at the bottom of every page.

Accounts. If you create an account, we store your name, email address, optional profile photo, short bio, handle, the shows and episodes you save (visible only to you), and when you accepted our Terms and this policy, using Google Firebase (Authentication and Firestore). You can sign up with email or with "Continue with Google"; with Google, Google shares only your name, email address and profile photo with us. Signing in with Google does not give us access to your YouTube account or any YouTube data.

What you post. Posts, comments, likes and shares in the Community are public and visible to anyone, together with your display name, handle and photo.

Watch Together. When you join a watch party we store, for that party, the name you type, your profile photo if you are signed in, whether your camera and microphone are on, the chat messages and reactions you send, and the playback position (play, pause, jumps). Everyone in the same party can see these. Your camera video and microphone audio go directly between the people in the party (peer to peer, encrypted by your browser) or, when a direct connection isn't possible, through an encrypted relay server; we do not record or store them. Because connections are direct, the other people in a party can technically see your IP address, as in any video call. A participant can record everyone's camera and voice (never the episode) into a video on their own device; everyone sees a notice while recording is on, and Pod Atlas does not receive or keep these recordings. Guests who aren't signed in get a temporary anonymous ID from Google Firebase.

On your device. We store a few preferences in your browser (site language, saved list and cookie choice). If you are not signed in, these never leave your device.

Embedded players and links

When you play an episode, your browser connects directly to the podcast's own audio host, or to YouTube for video podcasts (using YouTube's privacy-enhanced mode). Those services may collect information under their own privacy policies, including Google's Privacy Policy. Links to listening apps take you to those apps' sites.

YouTube API Services

Pod Atlas uses YouTube API Services to show public information about YouTube video podcasts: channel names, pictures, subscriber and video counts, and recent episodes. By using Pod Atlas and watching YouTube videos on it you agree to be bound by the YouTube Terms of Service. Google's handling of data is described in the Google Privacy Policy.

What we collect through YouTube API Services: only public channel and video information. We never request access to your YouTube account, and we do not access, collect or store any information about your YouTube account or activity. ("Continue with Google" for Pod Atlas accounts only shares your name, email and photo, as described above.)

Storage and deletion: public YouTube data is stored only temporarily and is refreshed or deleted within 30 days, as YouTube's Developer Policies require. To ask us to remove a channel or any information, email hello@thepodatlas.com and we will delete it within 7 days.

Sharing: we do not sell or share YouTube data with anyone. Videos play in YouTube's own embedded player (privacy-enhanced mode), which may set cookies under Google's policies.

If you ever connect a Google account to a site that uses YouTube API Services, you can revoke its access at any time from Google security settings.

How we use information, and why

• To provide your account, saved items and Community features (because you asked for them when you signed up: performance of our agreement with you).
• Visitor statistics (only with your consent, which you can withdraw at any time with Cookie settings).
• Keeping the site safe and working, such as preventing spam and abuse and fixing errors (our legitimate interest in running a safe service).
• Answering your messages and legal requests (legitimate interest and legal obligations).

We do not sell or share your personal information, and we do not use it for targeted advertising.

Service providers and international transfers

Netlify (hosting), Google Firebase (accounts and Community data), Google Analytics (statistics, only with your consent) and GitHub (site updates) process data for us under their data processing terms. Data is stored and processed in the United States. Where data from the UK, EU or Switzerland is transferred to the United States, these providers rely on recognized transfer safeguards, such as the EU Standard Contractual Clauses (and the UK Addendum) and, where they are certified, the EU-US Data Privacy Framework.

How long we keep it

Account data, saved items and posts are kept until you delete them or your account; we then delete them within 30 days, except where we must keep something to meet a legal obligation. Analytics data is kept for 14 months. Public YouTube data is refreshed or deleted within 30 days.

Your choices and rights

You can edit or delete your posts and profile at any time, and change your cookie choice with Cookie settings. You can ask us to access, correct, delete or export your data, or to restrict or object to how we use it, by emailing hello@thepodatlas.com; we answer within 30 days. Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time. If you are in the UK or EU you can also complain to your data protection authority (in the UK, the Information Commissioner's Office). California residents have the right to know, delete and correct their personal information and not to be discriminated against for using these rights; we do not sell or share personal information.

Children

Pod Atlas accounts are for people aged 13 and over. If you believe a child under 13 has created an account, contact us and we will delete it.

Changes

If we change this policy we will update the date above.