Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains what information the Kotomichi app ("the app") collects, how it is used, and the choices you have. The app is operated by FRY Systems ("we", "us").
1. If you use the app without an account
Without an account, we do not sync a copy of your learning progress or study history to your account in the cloud. Your local learning records and settings are saved on your device.
This does not stop the usage, crash, and advertising data collection described in sections 3 and 4, which also applies when you use the app without an account. If you use the contact form, section 5 also applies. Local records can be removed by clearing the app data or uninstalling the app; your operating system may keep or restore a device backup according to your device settings.
2. If you create an account
When you sign in with Google, Facebook, Apple, or email, we receive and store:
- an account user ID;
- your email address and a display name from the sign-in service (with Apple, this may be a private relay address);
- which sign-in method you used;
- a copy of your learning records: items you have learned or need to review, daily study counts, medals, streak, learning goal, and display language.
We use this to keep your progress safe and to let you continue on another device. We never receive your password for Google, Facebook, or Apple.
3. Usage and crash information
To understand how the app is used and to fix problems, we use Firebase Analytics and Firebase Crashlytics (provided by Google). They collect:
- app activity, such as screens opened, lessons started or finished, study item counts and duration, review ratings, streak length, and medals earned;
- preferences and app status, such as display language, learning goal, whether you are signed in, and whether reminders are enabled;
- device and app details, such as device model, operating system, app version, app-instance and installation identifiers;
- approximate country or region (from your IP address);
- crash reports and diagnostic information.
We do not intentionally attach your name, email address, or account user ID to these analytics or crash reports. These reports use device or installation identifiers and are not anonymous merely because they do not include your name. We have disabled advertising ID collection in Firebase Analytics and do not use these analytics for personalized advertising.
4. Advertising
The app shows ads from Google AdMob. Google Mobile Ads SDK may collect and share your IP address (which can indicate approximate location), advertising ID, App Set ID on Android, device information, app and ad interactions (such as app launches, taps, and video views), and diagnostic information (such as launch time, hangs, and energy usage). This data is used to provide and measure advertising, analyze performance, and prevent fraud and abuse. App Set ID is used for purposes such as analytics and fraud prevention, not for personalized advertising or ad measurement.
- On iPhone, the advertising ID is used only if you allow tracking. You can change this in iOS Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking.
- On Android, you can reset or delete your advertising ID in your device settings. This does not remove other SDK identifiers or stop all data collection.
- In regions where the law requires it (for example the EEA, the UK, and some US states), we ask for your consent, or give you a way to opt out, before your information is used for personalized ads. Where available, you can change your choice in Settings > Ad privacy choices. Non-personalized or limited ads may still involve data processing for delivery, security, and fraud prevention.
Ads are set to be suitable for users aged 13 and over.
5. Contact form
If you send us a message, we receive the message, its category, the app version, your device's operating system, and your display language. If you choose to give a reply email address, we receive that too. We use this only to answer you and to improve the app.
6. Notifications
Study reminders are scheduled on your device. We do not send push notifications from a server, and we do not collect a notification token.
7. What we do not collect
We do not collect your precise location, contacts, photos, microphone recordings, or payment information.
8. Services we use
We use the following companies to operate the app:
- Google: Firebase Authentication, Cloud Firestore, Cloud Storage (to deliver learning audio), Firebase Hosting (for our public pages), Firebase Analytics, Firebase Crashlytics, Google Sign-In, Google AdMob, and Gmail (to forward contact-form messages to us);
- Meta: Facebook Login (we have turned off Facebook's automatic app event logging and advertising ID collection);
- Apple: Sign in with Apple.
Downloading audio or visiting our public pages also sends technical request information, including your IP address, to Google. Advertising data may be shared with Google and its advertising partners as described in section 4 and the applicable consent messages. Each provider handles information under its own privacy policy. We do not sell your personal information for money.
US residents: under some US state laws (for example in California), letting Google AdMob use device information for personalized ads may count as "sharing" personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. Where available, you can opt out of this sharing in Settings > Ad privacy choices.
9. Our social media accounts
We publish short learning videos on our official "Kotomichi Japanese" accounts on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. We post them automatically from our own servers using the YouTube API Services, the Meta Graph API, and the TikTok Content Posting API. These tools act only on our own accounts. The app does not use them, and they never access your account on those services.
- When you watch, like, or comment on our posts, the platform processes that information under its own privacy policy. We can see public comments and profile names like anyone else, and we may reply to comments. We do not copy comments or profile information into our own systems.
- Links in our posts and profiles (for example nihongo-app-8b0e4.web.app/s/...) open Google Play or the App Store with a campaign label that shows which post or account you came from. We use this label only in aggregate install statistics, as described in section 3.
- Our use of the YouTube API Services is subject to the YouTube Terms of Service (https://www.youtube.com/t/terms) and the Google Privacy Policy (https://policies.google.com/privacy).
10. Where information is stored
Information is stored on Google's servers, which may be outside your country (for example in the United States). By using the app, you understand that your information may be processed there.
11. How long we keep information
- Account information and cloud learning records: until you delete your account.
- Contact-form messages, including copies stored in Firestore and forwarded email: only as long as needed to handle your inquiry, and no longer than 2 years after receipt. You can ask for earlier deletion.
- Firebase Analytics: user-level and event-level data follows the retention period configured for our Analytics property. Standard properties offer 2 or 14 months; a user identifier's retention may restart when you use the app again, depending on the property setting. Aggregated reports may be retained longer. Contact us for the current setting.
- Firebase Crashlytics: Google keeps crash reports and associated identifiers for 90 days before starting removal from live and backup systems.
- Advertising and technical service logs: retained by the relevant provider according to its policies, the processing purpose, and applicable legal requirements. Deleting your app account does not automatically delete data held under separate device or advertising identifiers.
12. Deleting your data and your rights
- Delete your account in the app: Settings > Account > Delete account. This deletes your account and the learning records saved in the cloud. Account deletion does not remove local records. Clear the app data or uninstall the app to remove them; device backups may be kept or restored according to your operating system settings.
- If you cannot use the app, email info@fry-systems.com from the email address of your account, and we will delete your account and data within 30 days.
You can also ask us to show, correct, or delete your information by contacting us. Depending on where you live, you may have other rights under data protection laws.
13. Children
The app is not intended for children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect information from them. If you believe a child under 13 has given us information, contact us and we will delete it.
14. Security
We protect your information with access rules so that only you can read your learning records, and with encrypted connections. No method is completely secure, but we work to protect your information.
15. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy when the app changes. We will show the new effective date at the top, and we will tell you in the app about important changes.
16. Contact
Questions or requests about your information: info@fry-systems.com, or the contact form in Settings > Contact us.