Zoho
- The policy allows AI training; it does not describe an opt-out.
- Your data is used to target ads at you; you can opt out.
- Data is shared with partners and affiliates; you can opt out.
- Staff may review your content; the policy does not describe an opt-out.
You own your files; Zoho uses slices of them for AI, staff can read some data, and subscriptions auto-renew.
Agent Trust Hub uses AI and may make mistakes. Review reports and confirm their contents before relying on them.
- Uses your content for AI training with no opt-out
Collected
Account info, usage logs, cookies, and if you allow it, contacts, photos, camera, and location.
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Privacy policy
“When you elect to allow it, some of our mobile applications have access to the camera, call history, contact information, photo library, and other information stored on your mobile device.”
Training
They run the service, market to you, and use slices of your data to improve AI.
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Privacy policy
“using crops of service data to improve accuracy of the algorithms; and (ii) using your organization's data for developing models specific for your organization.”
Sharing
Zoho staff, group companies, processors, resellers, and app developers you install can see some data.
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Privacy policy
“We do not sell any personal information. We share your information only in the ways that are described in this Privacy Policy, and only with parties who adopt appropriate confidentiality and security measures.”
Kept
After you close the account, live data can sit up to six months, then backups another three.
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Privacy policy
“Once you terminate your Zoho user account, your data will eventually get deleted from active database during the next clean-up that occurs once in 6 months.”
Controls
You can request access, export, or deletion, unsubscribe from marketing, and turn off optional cookies.
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Privacy policy
“We provide you complete control of your service data by providing you the ability to (i) access your service data, (ii) share your service data through supported third-party integrations, and (iii) request export or deletion of your service data.”
Fine print
Plans auto-renew; they can change terms with 30 days’ notice; is capped and you them.
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Terms of service
“Your subscription will be automatically renewed at the end of each subscription period unless you downgrade your paid subscription plan to a free plan or inform us that you do not wish to renew the subscription.”
Expand “Read the exact line” to see the source alongside the explanation.
What you can turn off
The controls and opt-outs their own documents describe, and where they say to find them.
Request export or deletion of service data
Privacy policy Part II: request export or deletion; privacy@zohocorp.com
Unsubscribe from non-essential emails
Unsubscribe link in those messages
Cancel auto-renew at least seven days before
Inform Zoho or downgrade to a free plan before renewal
Turn off mobile access to contacts, photos, and location
Device settings for the Zoho apps
If a switch is not where they say, the deletion request above still applies.
Line by line
The lines that matter most, worst first.
They can use cut-down, bits of what you store to train their AI, and your org’s data to build models just for that org. No opt-out is described.
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Privacy policy
“using crops of service data to improve accuracy of the algorithms; and (ii) using your organization's data for developing models specific for your organization.”
For example, a crop of a document you uploaded could be used to make their parsing models better.
Zoho workers and contractors can open your stored data for support, spam checks, and OCR checks.
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Privacy policy
“We may provide access to your service data to our employees and individuals who are independent contractors of the Zoho group entities involved in providing the services”
For example, a contractor might look at an email you marked as spam or a scanned receipt you uploaded.
If someone sues Zoho because of how you used the service, you may have to pay their legal costs.
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Terms of service
“You agree to and Zoho, its officers, directors, employees, suppliers, and affiliates, from and against any losses, damages, fines and expenses”
For example, if you share someone else’s files and they sue Zoho, you could be on the hook for lawyer fees.
If Zoho causes you harm, they say they will not pay more than $1000 or a year of fees, whichever is higher.
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Terms of service
“IN NO EVENT SHALL ZOHO’S ENTIRE TO YOU IN RESPECT OF ANY SERVICE, WHETHER DIRECT OR INDIRECT, EXCEED ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($1000)”
For example, if a bug wipes a large project, they still cap what they will pay you.
If you turn on those permissions, the apps can reach contacts, photos, camera, and similar phone data.
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Privacy policy
“When you elect to allow it, some of our mobile applications have access to the camera, call history, contact information, photo library, and other information stored on your mobile device.”
For example, a Zoho mobile app could read your photo library after you grant access.
Closing the account does not wipe data right away; it waits for a twice-a-year cleanup.
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Privacy policy
“Once you terminate your Zoho user account, your data will eventually get deleted from active database during the next clean-up that occurs once in 6 months.”
For example, if you delete your account in January, live copies might stay until a cleanup months later.
Paid plans keep charging unless you cancel or downgrade in time, at least seven days before renewal.
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Terms of service
“Your subscription will be automatically renewed at the end of each subscription period unless you downgrade your paid subscription plan to a free plan or inform us that you do not wish to renew the subscription.”
For example, if you forget to cancel a week before the date, they charge the card they already have.
Your files stay yours. Zoho only gets permission to handle them as needed to run the product.
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Terms of service
“You own the content created or stored by you. Unless specifically permitted by you, your use of the Services does not grant Zoho the license to use, reproduce, adapt, modify, publish or distribute the content”
For example, they can store and show your document to you, but they say they will not use it as a marketing sample without permission.
They say they do not sell your personal information.
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Privacy policy
“We do not sell any personal information.”
For example, they claim they will not sell your email list to an unrelated buyer.
Big privacy changes should come with a month’s email warning if your address is verified.
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Privacy policy
“If we make significant changes to the Privacy Policy that affect your rights, you will be provided with at least 30 days' advance notice of the changes by email to your primary email address.”
For example, if they expand how they use data, they say they will email you 30 days first.
Words to know
Legal words from the lines above, in plain English.
- de-identified
- Data with your name and obvious identifiers removed, though it can sometimes still be traced back to you. For example, your chats with names stripped out may still be kept and studied after you delete your account.
- sell or share
- Under California law, selling means passing your data to others for money or other value; sharing means passing it on for targeted ads. For example, letting an ad network use your browsing history in return for ad space counts as a sale.
- personal data
- Any information that is about you or can be linked to you, from your name to your phone's ID. For example, your email, your IP address and the list of apps on your phone are all personal data.
- third parties
- Any company or person other than you and the app, such as advertisers, partners or analytics firms. For example, an analytics company that receives a record of every screen you tap is a third party.
- service providers
- Outside companies that handle your data on the app's instructions, such as a cloud host or an email sender. For example, the company that stores the app's files in the cloud sees your data but only does what the app tells it.
- indemnify
- You promise to pay the company's legal costs and losses if your use of the service gets it sued. For example, if you post a song you do not own and the label sues the app, you owe the app's lawyer bills.
- affiliates
- Other companies owned by or connected to the same parent company. For example, if you use one app, its sister apps under the same owner may also get your data.
- limitation of liability
- A cap on what the company will ever pay you if something goes wrong, often only what you paid in the last year. For example, if a leak of your data costs you thousands, the most you may get back is a month's subscription fee.
- worldwide license
- You let the company use your content anywhere on earth, usually for free and for as long as it likes. For example, a video you post can be shown in ads in any country without asking you again.
How we got here · grade C · score 44/100 · 15 of 15 policy answers backed by a verified quote · 2 not stated
What does the app collect beyond what it needs to work?
Besides account and content, they collect device logs, cookies, and, if you allow mobile access, camera, contacts, photo library, call history, and location.
Does it record your voice, face or body, and what happens to that?
Not stated in the documents.
Are your chats and uploads used to train AI models, and is that off by default?
They use anonymized crops of service data to improve algorithms and org data for org-specific models, with no training opt-out described.
Can employees or contractors read your conversations, and when?
Employees and contractors may access service data to fix errors, check spam, and verify OCR, with no review opt-out described.
Are you profiled or tracked for advertising?
They use first-party cookies and tracking for targeted engagement and share with marketing partners; you can disable cookies and unsubscribe from non-essential mail.
Do they sell or share your data, and can you opt out?
They say they do not sell personal information, but they share with group companies, processors, resellers (with an opt-out), and marketplace developers.
What rights do they take over what you type and what the AI makes?
They say you own content you create or store, and the license is only what is needed to provide the services.
How long do they keep your data after you delete it, and can you delete it in the app?
You request export or deletion. After account termination, live data waits for a six-month cleanup, then backups three more months.
Does it build a lasting memory or profile of you, and can you see, edit or turn it off?
Not stated in the documents.
Do they commit to basic security, and have they leaked data?
They say they are certified to industry standards and use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards, and they give a security contact.
Is there a real age gate, and are teens protected?
You must be of legal age to accept the terms. A separate parents’ notice is mentioned, but no age-assurance process is described here.
Will they tell you when the rules change, and is the policy specific?
The privacy policy is dated. Significant changes that affect rights get at least 30 days’ email notice.
Can they close your account without warning, and can you get your data out first?
They may terminate if they believe you violated the agreement. Inactive unpaid accounts get prior notice and a backup option after 120 days.
If something goes wrong, who pays?
Services are as-is, liability is capped at $1000 or twelve months of fees, and you must indemnify Zoho for claims about your use.
Do subscriptions renew on their own, and can you get a refund?
Subscriptions auto-renew on the last card used unless you downgrade or tell them at least seven days before. Price increases wait until the next cycle.
The privacy policy is 4,660 words at a professional or legal expert level (Flesch reading ease 13.3); the terms are 3,974 words at a professional or legal expert level.
