Privacy Policy

Who we are

Chivoc is a Chinese vocabulary learning service operated by the Chivoc development team. This policy explains how Chivoc handles personal information in the mobile app, website, and related support services.

Questions or privacy requests can be sent to contact@chivoc.com.

Information we collect

Account and profile information

We collect your email address, account identifier, selected language, and, when provided through Google or Apple sign-in, a display name, provider identifier, and verified provider email. We do not retain the profile image supplied by a sign-in provider. Passwords are never stored in plain text; only protected password hashes are stored.

Approximate registration country

When you register, our network provider may provide a two-letter country code inferred from the request IP address. We store that country code to understand broad regional demand and localize the service. We do not retain the raw IP address for this purpose. The result may be inaccurate, including when a VPN or relay is used.

Learning and app activity

We store HSK level, daily goal, words studied, answers, learning progress, exercise mode, streaks, language preferences, and related timestamps so progress can synchronize across sessions.

Authentication and security information

We temporarily process verification codes, password-reset requests, session tokens, sign-in method, and limited technical logs needed to prevent abuse and diagnose failures. Verification codes and pending requests expire automatically.

Purchases and support

When paid features are enabled, we may receive product, entitlement, transaction, refund, and app-store region information from Apple, Google, or a purchase-management provider. We do not receive your full payment-card number. If you contact us, we process the message and any information you choose to include.

How we use information

• Create, secure, and authenticate your account.
• Save learning settings and synchronize progress.
• Send verification, password-reset, and service emails.
• Provide purchases, entitlements, refunds, and customer support.
• Measure reliability, prevent fraud, and fix technical problems.
• Understand aggregate regional usage and improve language support.
• Meet legal, tax, accounting, and app-store obligations.

Legal bases

Where applicable law requires a legal basis, we process information to perform our contract with you, comply with legal obligations, protect the service and our users through legitimate interests, and obtain consent where required. You may withdraw consent for optional processing without affecting earlier lawful processing.

Service providers and transfers

We use service providers to operate Chivoc. These may include Supabase for PostgreSQL hosting, Resend for transactional email, Cloudflare for DNS, delivery, security, and country-code routing, Google Cloud for application hosting, Google and Apple for sign-in, and Apple, Google, or RevenueCat for in-app purchase processing when those features are enabled.

Providers process information under their own terms and our service arrangements. Because they may operate in different countries, information can be transferred internationally with safeguards required by applicable law.

Advertising and website technologies

Chivoc does not currently display third-party advertising or use advertising trackers. If advertising is introduced, we will update this policy, the app-store privacy disclosures, and any consent choices before advertising-related collection begins.

The current Chivoc website does not use non-essential cookies or analytics cookies. Google or Apple authentication pages may use technologies governed by those providers when you choose their sign-in services.

Retention and deletion

Account and learning information is kept while your account remains active. Short-lived verification and password-reset records normally expire within minutes. Security logs are retained only as long as reasonably necessary for protection and troubleshooting. Purchase records may be retained where required for tax, accounting, fraud prevention, or dispute handling.

You can request or initiate account deletion from the app. Deleting an account removes account credentials, linked sign-in identities, learning settings, and synchronized progress, subject to records we must retain by law. Deleting Chivoc does not automatically cancel an App Store or Google Play subscription; subscriptions must also be managed through the applicable store.

Your choices and rights

Depending on your location, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, restrict, object to, or receive a copy of personal information, and to complain to a data-protection authority. To exercise a right, use the in-app controls or email contact@chivoc.com. We may need to verify your identity before completing a request.

Security

We use reasonable administrative and technical safeguards, including protected credentials, access controls, encrypted network transport, environment-based secrets, and limited provider access. No service can guarantee absolute security, so please use a unique password and keep your device secure.

Children

Chivoc is not directed to children under 13, or a higher minimum age where local law requires it, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from such children without valid parental authorization. If you believe a child has provided information improperly, contact us so we can investigate and delete it.

Changes and contact

We may update this policy as Chivoc develops. Material changes will be presented in the app or through another appropriate notice, and the date above will be updated. Contact contact@chivoc.com with privacy questions or requests.