WHY App - Privacy Policy

This privacy policy describes how WHY ("we," "our," or "the app") collects, uses, and protects your information. Your privacy is important to us, and we are committed to transparency about how data is handled.

1. Information We Collect

a) Account Information

We use Firebase Anonymous Authentication to create a session. No personal information such as name, email, or phone number is required to use the app. If you provide a child's name in Settings, it is stored locally on your device and is never sent to our servers.

b) Practice Data

The app stores progress data (stars earned, scenes completed, difficulty levels) in Firebase Firestore, associated with your anonymous account ID. This data is used to track learning progress and customize the experience.

c) Subscription Information

Subscription status (active/expired) is stored in Firebase Firestore to verify access to premium features. Payment processing is handled entirely by Apple. We do not collect or store any payment information.

2. Third-Party AI Service — Data Sharing Disclosure

The app uses OpenAI's API to power certain features. Before any data is sent to OpenAI, you will be asked for your explicit consent within the app. You may decline and still use all non-AI features.

What data is sent to OpenAI:

Answer Evaluation: The practice question, your child's typed or spoken answer, target vocabulary words, and difficulty level are sent to evaluate the response and provide encouraging feedback.
AI Conversations (Smart Practice): The scene description, question, model answer, and the back-and-forth conversation text are sent to generate appropriate follow-up questions.
Text-to-Speech: Text content from practice scenes is sent to generate audio read-aloud.
Scene Generation: Difficulty level, age setting, and general category preferences (e.g., "emotions," "daily life") are sent to create new practice scenarios.

What is NOT sent to OpenAI:

Your child's name
Photos or images
Location data
Device identifiers
Any personally identifiable information

How data is transmitted and protected:

All data is transmitted over HTTPS (encrypted in transit).
Data is routed through our secure Firebase Cloud Functions — the app does not communicate directly with OpenAI.
Requests are authenticated using Firebase Auth tokens to prevent unauthorized access.
OpenAI processes the data in real time to generate responses. Per OpenAI's API data usage policy, API data is not used to train their models.

Your control:

You are asked for consent before any data is sent to OpenAI.
You can revoke consent at any time in the app's Settings screen.
If you decline, all non-AI features (practice scenes, progress tracking, parent guide) remain fully functional.

3. How We Use Information

4. Data Storage and Security

Practice progress and subscription data are stored in Google Firebase (Firestore), hosted in the United States. Data is protected by Firebase's security rules and is only accessible with a valid authentication token. All network communication uses HTTPS encryption.

5. Children's Privacy

The app is designed to be used by children with parental guidance. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. The app uses anonymous authentication and does not require any personal details. The child's name, if provided, is stored only on the local device.

6. Data Retention

Practice data is retained as long as the anonymous account exists. If you delete the app, your local data is removed. To request deletion of server-side data, contact us at the email below.

7. Third-Party Services

8. Your Rights

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Changes will be reflected by the "Last updated" date at the top of this page.

Privacy Policy