Privacy Policy

Overview

Deutsch Lernen ("the app", "we", "us") is a German-learning app for iPhone and iPad, published by Built by Win. This policy explains what information the app collects, why, where it is stored and how you can delete it.

The short version: we collect what's needed to run your account and sync your progress, plus anonymous-by-default usage and crash data to improve the app. We don't show ads, and we don't sell or share your data for advertising.

What we collect

Depending on how you use the app, we collect the following:

• Account details. If you sign in with Apple or Google, we receive a user ID and the email address and name your provider shares. Sign in with Apple lets you hide your email. If you continue as a guest, we create an anonymous ID and receive no personal details.
• Learning data. Your level, which words you've practised and mastered, review schedules, daily activity, your streak, words you save and decks you create.
• Dictionary searches. A search for a word that isn't built into the app is sent to our own server (a Google Cloud Function), which looks it up in a dictionary built from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). The search term isn't stored with your account.
• Push notification details. If you allow notifications, the app stores a push token for this device with your account, along with the app version, iOS version and device model, so we can send announcements to the right devices. We also keep a copy of each announcement sent to you.
• Usage data. Which features you use, when a practice session starts and ends, how long dictionary searches take, whether you open a reminder or an announcement, and whether you turn announcements on or off. Collected with Firebase Analytics and linked to your account ID.
• Crash reports. Device model, iOS version and the state of the app when it crashed, collected with Firebase Crashlytics.
• App integrity checks. Firebase App Check uses Apple's App Attest to confirm requests come from the genuine app. It does not identify you.

What we don't collect

The app does not collect:

• Your location, contacts, photos, camera or microphone.
• Payment information. The app has no purchases today.
• Advertising identifiers. There are no ads and no ad tracking.

How we use it

• To sign you in and keep your progress in sync across your devices.
• To schedule your reviews and show your progress.
• To send occasional announcements, such as a new version, new content or an exam tip. At most two a month, and never to bring back someone who stopped practising.
• To understand which features help people keep learning, and to fix bugs and crashes.

What stays on your device

Some features work entirely on your iPhone or iPad and send nothing to us:

• Translation in Lesen uses Apple's on-device Translation framework.
• Your 24-hour practice reminder is a local notification scheduled by the app. It doesn't go through our servers.
• Recent dictionary lookups are cached on your device. iOS may clear the cache when storage is low.
• Text-to-speech uses the voices built into iOS.

Third-party services

The app relies on these services, each with its own privacy policy:

• Google Firebase (Authentication, Cloud Firestore, Cloud Functions, Cloud Messaging, Analytics, Crashlytics, App Check): stores your account and learning data, answers dictionary lookups, delivers announcements through Apple's push service, and processes usage and crash data. firebase.google.com/support/privacy
• Sign in with Apple and Google Sign-In: only if you choose them. apple.com/legal/privacy · policies.google.com/privacy
• Reading sources in Lesen: articles load directly from the publisher's website (for example Nachrichtenleicht or logo!). Those sites may use cookies under their own policies. The app doesn't block or alter them.

Where your data is stored

Account and learning data is stored in Google Cloud Firestore. Data is encrypted in transit (TLS) and at rest. Security rules restrict each account's data to that account; nobody else signed in to the app can read it.

Settings and a copy of your progress are also kept on your device so the app works offline.

How long we keep it

Learning data is kept for as long as your account exists. Analytics data is kept for up to 14 months under Firebase's standard retention. Crash reports are kept for up to 90 days.

Copies of announcements sent to you are deleted automatically after 90 days. A device's push token is deleted when you turn announcements off, sign out or delete your account; tokens from devices that haven't opened the app for a year are deleted automatically.

Deleting your data

Needs your review

You can delete your account in the app under Profile → Delete account. This removes your sign-in, the learning data stored with it and your devices' push tokens. Copies of past announcements expire within 90 days.

You can turn announcements off in Profile → Learning, or turn off all notifications in iOS Settings. Turning announcements off deletes this device's push token.

You can also email us to ask for deletion, or for a copy of your data, and we'll handle it within 30 days. Signing out clears your progress from that device.

Your rights

Depending on where you live, including under the GDPR and UK GDPR, you may have the right to access, correct or delete your data, to restrict or object to processing, and to complain to your local data protection authority. Email us to exercise any of these rights.

Children

The app is not directed at children under 13 (or under 16 in the EEA), and we don't knowingly collect their data. If you believe a child has given us data, contact us and we'll delete it.

Changes to this policy

If this policy changes, we'll update the date at the top of this page. Significant changes will also be noted in the app's release notes.

Contact

Questions or requests about your privacy: email us using the link below, or use the contact form on the support page.