Frequently Asked Questions

Short answers to the things people ask most. Can't find what you need? Email [email protected].

The basics

What is The Chonkerton?

An on-demand, personalized audio news digest. We pull fresh stories from the news, summarize them, and narrate them with AI voices, so you get a short, recent rundown built around the topics you actually care about, on demand, whenever you want to listen.

Are the summaries really AI-generated?

Yes. Both the written summaries and the narration voices are AI-generated. We say so openly because we think transparent AI use beats hidden AI use. Treat the summaries as a fast briefing, not a substitute for primary reporting; for anything that matters, go read the original source.

How is this different from a podcast?

Podcasts are pre-recorded on someone else's schedule and cover what the host chose. The Chonkerton is generated on demand from recent news and shaped by your interests. It's a fresh, personalized briefing rather than a fixed episode.

Pricing & billing

How much does it cost?

The free tier gives you unlimited listening, supported by short audio ads between stories. The paid tier is $5/month and removes the ads. Same content, no interruptions.

Is there a free trial?

Yes. The paid tier starts with a 7-day free trial. A payment method is required to begin, but you won't be charged if you cancel before the trial ends.

How do I cancel?

Open your account settings and use the Stripe customer portal link to cancel any time. Your ad-free access continues through the end of the period you've already paid for, then your account returns to the free tier.

What's your refund policy?

If you're unhappy, email [email protected] within 7 days of a charge and we'll refund it in full, no questions asked. Beyond 7 days, refunds are handled case by case.

Content & sourcing

Where do the stories come from?

Only from sources we're allowed to use: public RSS feeds, sources where the author has given explicit consent, and public-domain material. We never summarize paywalled articles. A paid subscription grants personal reading rights, not the right to redistribute. Every summary attributes its original source.

How do I change the topics or voice I get?

Your interests, narrator voice, and topic opt-outs are all editable from your account settings at any time. The more you listen and rate stories, the better the feed gets at matching you.

Account, privacy & devices

How do I get my data, or delete my account?

You can download a copy of your data or permanently delete your account and its data directly from your account settings. See our Privacy Policy for the full details on what we collect and why.

Can I install it like an app?

Yes. The Chonkerton is a progressive web app, so you can install it to your home screen on iPhone and Android, or to your desktop in Chrome, and control playback from your lock screen. No app store required.

I'm not getting login or account emails.

Check your spam folder first, and add [email protected] to your contacts. If they're still not arriving, email us (from another address if needed) and we'll sort it out.

See also: Terms of Service · Privacy Policy.