Privacy Policy

Last updated: June 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how OnlineViolinTuner.com collects, uses, and handles information when you visit or use this website. OnlineViolinTuner.com is operated by Mason (contact available via the Contact page).

By using this website, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1. Overview

OnlineViolinTuner.com is a free educational website providing a browser-based violin tuner and supporting content about violin tuning, string physics, and playing technique.

Our approach to privacy:

We do not require user accounts or registration
We do not sell personal information to any party
We do not record, store, or transmit microphone audio
We do not build profiles based on your tuning sessions or playing activity
Data collection is limited to what is necessary to operate the website and serve advertising

2. Microphone Access and Audio Processing

Microphone tuning mode. The microphone-based tuning mode requires access to your device microphone to detect the pitch of your violin strings in real time.

When this mode is in use:

Microphone access is requested through your browser’s standard permission prompt — never without your explicit approval
All audio processing occurs in real time inside your browser using the Web Audio API
Audio is not recorded, not stored, not uploaded, and not transmitted to any server at any point
No audio files are created during or after your session
When you stop the tuner or leave the page, all audio data is cleared from browser memory
Your playing is never connected to any cookie, analytics identifier, or advertising profile

Reference tone mode. The reference tone mode produces audio output through your device’s speakers or headphones. It does not capture microphone input and does not process any audio from your environment. No audio data handling applies to reference tone mode.

If you deny microphone permission, you can still use the reference tone mode and access all educational content on the site. Only the microphone tuning mode requires permission.

A complete technical explanation of how audio is processed is on the Data Security page.

3. Automatically Collected Information

When you visit OnlineViolinTuner.com, certain technical information is collected automatically. This may include:

Browser type and version
Device category (desktop, mobile, tablet)
Operating system
Pages visited and time spent on each page
Referring URL
Approximate geographic region (country or city level — not precise location)

This information is aggregated and does not identify individual users. It is used to understand how the site is used and improve tool performance and content.

4. Google Analytics

OnlineViolinTuner.com uses Google Analytics to measure website traffic and usage patterns. Google Analytics collects the automatically collected data described in Section 3.

Google Analytics data is processed by Google LLC and is subject to Google’s Privacy Policy at policies.google.com/privacy.

Google Analytics does not have access to your microphone, does not collect audio input, and does not have access to your tuning session data.

To opt out of Google Analytics tracking across all websites, install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

5. Google AdSense and Advertising

OnlineViolinTuner.com uses Google AdSense to display advertisements. Google AdSense is an advertising service provided by Google LLC.

How Google AdSense uses cookies:

Google AdSense uses cookies — including the DoubleClick cookie — to serve ads to users based on their prior visits to this website and other websites across the internet. These cookies allow Google and its partners to show you advertisements relevant to your interests.

You may opt out of personalised advertising by visiting Google’s Ads Settings at adssettings.google.com.

You may also opt out of third-party vendor use of cookies for personalised advertising at:

aboutads.info/choices — Digital Advertising Alliance
youronlinechoices.eu — EU users
networkadvertising.org/choices — Network Advertising Initiative

What Google AdSense does not access:

Google AdSense does not have access to your microphone, does not collect audio input, and does not have access to your violin tuning session data. Advertising cookies are entirely separate from the audio processing that occurs when you use the tuner.

For more information on how Google uses data from sites that use its services, visit policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites.

6. Cookies

OnlineViolinTuner.com uses cookies for the following purposes:

Essential cookies — required for basic site functionality such as page navigation and tool operation.

Analytics cookies — used by Google Analytics to collect aggregated usage data as described in Section 4. Do not identify individual users and do not have access to microphone or tuning data.

Advertising cookies — used by Google AdSense to display relevant advertisements as described in Section 5. Set by Google, not directly by OnlineViolinTuner.com.

Full details on cookie types, specific cookie names and lifespans, and browser-level management instructions are in the Cookie Policy.

7. Information You Provide Voluntarily

If you contact OnlineViolinTuner.com through the Contact page, we receive your email address and the content of your message. This information is used only to respond to your inquiry. It is not shared with third parties, not used for marketing, and not added to any mailing list. Contact data is retained only as long as necessary to resolve the inquiry.

8. Third-Party Services

OnlineViolinTuner.com uses the following third-party services:

Service	Purpose	Privacy Policy
Google Analytics	Website traffic measurement	policies.google.com/privacy
Google AdSense	Advertising	policies.google.com/privacy
WordPress / Hosting	Site infrastructure	Provider’s own policy

These services receive only the data necessary to perform their functions. OnlineViolinTuner.com does not sell, rent, or share personal data with any third party for their own marketing purposes. Microphone audio and tuning session data are not shared with any third-party service.

9. Children’s Privacy

OnlineViolinTuner.com is intended for a general audience including students of all ages. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13. If you believe a child under 13 has submitted personal information through the Contact page, please notify us via the Contact page so it can be removed.

10. Data Security

Reasonable technical and organisational measures are in place to protect the limited data handled by this site. The browser-based design of the tuner — in which all audio processing occurs locally in the user’s browser and no audio reaches any server — means the most sensitive user data (your playing) is never exposed to server-side risk at any point. Full details are on the Data Security page.

11. Your Privacy Rights

EU and EEA users (GDPR): You have rights of access, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability, and objection. To submit a GDPR data request, contact us via the Contact page with the subject line “GDPR Data Request.” We will respond within 30 days.

California residents (CCPA): You have rights to know, delete, correct, and opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information. Note that the use of Google AdSense may constitute “sharing” of data for cross-context behavioural advertising under CCPA. You can opt out via adssettings.google.com or by enabling a Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal. To submit a CCPA request, contact us with the subject line “CCPA Privacy Request.” We will respond within 45 days.

Full details for both frameworks are in the GDPR and CCPA Notice page.

12. External Links

OnlineViolinTuner.com contains links to external websites for educational or reference purposes. This Privacy Policy applies only to OnlineViolinTuner.com. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of external websites.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated periodically. The effective date at the top of this page will be updated when material changes are made. Continued use of the website after an update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

14. Contact

For privacy-related questions, data requests, or concerns, contact us through the Contact page.