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January 2025 3 Updates
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Privacy Policy v4.2 — Enhanced Data Processing Transparency
Privacy Policy
Effective

Significant updates to our privacy policy to align with the latest GDPR guidelines and to provide users with greater transparency regarding how we collect, process, and share language data. This update introduces new user controls for data management and clarifies our AI training data usage policies.

Added
New Section 7.3: User Data Export & Deletion — Users can now request a complete export of their search history, saved words, and personalized data in JSON or CSV format. Full account deletion requests are processed within 30 days.
Modified
Section 4.1: AI Training Data — Clarified that anonymized search queries may be used to improve our AI definition engine. Added explicit opt-out mechanism for users who prefer not to contribute to model training.
Modified
Section 3.2: Third-Party Sharing — Updated vendor list to include new analytics partners. Added detailed data processing agreements for each third-party service.
GDPR CCPA Data Rights AI Transparency
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Terms of Service v3.1 — API Usage & Rate Limits
Terms of Service
Effective

Updated our Terms of Service to clarify API usage policies for Enterprise plan customers, including new rate limiting structures, acceptable use policies for automated queries, and data licensing terms for commercial applications.

Added
New Section 12: API Service Level Agreement — Guaranteed 99.9% uptime for Enterprise API access. Detailed rate limits: Free (50 req/day), Pro (10,000 req/day), Enterprise (unlimited with fair use policy).
Added
New Section 12.4: Commercial Licensing — Clarified that API response data may be used in commercial applications under Enterprise plans. Attribution requirements for free tier usage.
API SLA Commercial Use
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Accessibility Policy v1.0 — WCAG 2.2 AA Compliance
Accessibility
Effective

Dictionary is committed to providing an inclusive experience for all users. This new policy outlines our commitment to WCAG 2.2 AA compliance, including screen reader support, keyboard navigation, color contrast standards, and support for assistive technologies across all platforms.

Added
New Accessibility Statement — Full WCAG 2.2 AA compliance target by Q3 2025. Current audit results published with known limitations and remediation timeline. Dedicated accessibility contact: accessibility@dictionary.com
WCAG 2.2 Accessibility Inclusion
December 2024 2 Updates
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Content Guidelines v2.5 — AI-Generated Content Policies
Content Guidelines
Effective

Updated content guidelines to address the integration of AI-generated definitions and examples. Establishes clear policies on how AI-assisted content is reviewed, verified by our editorial team, and labeled for users. Also covers community-submitted definitions and the moderation process.

Added
AI Content Verification Process — All AI-generated definitions must pass human editorial review before publication. AI-assisted content is marked with an indicator showing the level of human verification.
Modified
Community Content Policy — Updated review timeline for user-submitted definitions from 14 to 7 business days. New quality scoring algorithm implemented for prioritizing reviews.
AI Content Editorial Community
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Data Retention Policy v1.3 — Search History & Analytics
Data Protection
Effective

Clarified data retention periods for different types of user data. Search history is now retained for 12 months (reduced from 24 months) for active users. Anonymous analytics data is aggregated and retained for 36 months. Personal identifiers are separated from usage data after 90 days.

Modified
Retention periods updated: Search history (12 months), Saved words (indefinite until deleted), Personal identifiers (90 days before anonymization), Analytics aggregates (36 months).
Added
Automatic data purging schedule published. Users receive email notifications 30 days before their search history is automatically purged.
Data Retention Analytics Privacy
November 2024 2 Updates
Copyright & DMCA Policy v2.0 — Intellectual Property Protections
Copyright
Effective

Comprehensive update to our copyright and DMCA compliance policies. Establishes clearer procedures for reporting intellectual property violations on community-submitted content, including a streamlined takedown process and counter-notification procedures for users.

Added
New DMCA complaint portal at dmca.dictionary.com. Response time reduced to 48 hours for valid takedown requests. Repeat infringer policy: 3 strikes results in permanent account suspension.
Modified
Section 5: User Content License — Clarified that users retain copyright of their submissions but grant Dictionary a non-exclusive, worldwide license to display and distribute content on the platform.
DMCA Copyright Intellectual Property
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Compliance Policy v1.1 — International Data Transfer Standards
Compliance
Effective

Updated compliance policies to reflect new international data transfer requirements, including EU-US Data Privacy Framework certification, Standard Contractual Clauses for international partners, and data localization commitments for specific regions.

Added
EU-US Data Privacy Framework certification achieved. Data processing in EU/EEA regions now occurs exclusively within EU-based infrastructure. Cross-border transfer mechanisms documented and audited quarterly.
GDPR International Data Transfer SCC
October 2024 3 Updates
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Privacy Policy v4.1 — Cookie & Tracking Preferences
Privacy Policy
Effective

Enhanced cookie management and tracking preference controls. Users now have granular control over essential, analytics, personalization, and marketing cookies. Implemented a new consent management platform that remembers preferences across devices for logged-in users.

Added
Granular cookie consent categories: Essential (required), Analytics (optional), Personalization (optional), Marketing (opt-in). Cookie preference panel accessible from any page via the shield icon in the footer.
Modified
Section 6: Cookies — Updated cookie inventory table with 23 cookie categories. Maximum cookie lifespan reduced from 24 months to 13 months for non-essential cookies.
Cookies Consent Tracking
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Terms of Service v3.0 — Subscription & Refund Policy
Terms of Service
Effective

Major restructuring of our subscription and refund policies. Introduced a 14-day money-back guarantee for all new subscriptions, clarified auto-renewal cancellation windows, and added family plan provisions with up to 6 accounts under one subscription.

Added
Section 8.3: 14-Day Money-Back Guarantee — Full refund available within 14 days of first charge for new subscribers. No questions asked. Refund processed within 5 business days.
Added
Section 8.5: Family Plan — Up to 6 family members can share one Pro subscription. Each member gets independent accounts with shared billing. Admin can manage member permissions.
Modified
Auto-renewal — Cancellation window extended. Cancellations made within the last 7 days of the billing cycle apply to the next billing period. Users receive reminder emails 7 and 3 days before renewal.
Subscription Refunds Billing Family Plan
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Content Guidelines v2.4 — Community Moderation
Content Guidelines
Archived

This update has been superseded by Content Guidelines v2.5 (December 2024). Archived for reference purposes.

Previous community moderation policy update that introduced automated spam detection and a revised reporting workflow. Key provisions have been incorporated into the newer v2.5 guidelines with expanded AI content policies.

Archived Moderation Community