FlowChinese Privacy Policy

Welcome to FlowChinese. We take your privacy and the protection of personal information very seriously. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, store, share and protect your information when you use FlowChinese, and how you can manage your information.

Please read this privacy policy carefully before using FlowChinese. If you do not agree with the contents of this policy, please stop using this App or related services.

1. Information we collect

We will only collect necessary information to provide learning, translation, account, subscription, customer service and security-related functions. Depending on the features you use, we may collect the following information.

1.1 Account and login information

When you log in using Apple login, Google login or email verification code, we may collect:

• A user identifier, such as that returned by Apple or Google;
• Email address;
• Login credentials, access token or refresh token;
• Account status, membership level, points balance;
• The nickname, avatar and other information you actively provide or are returned by logging in to the service shall be subject to the actual authorization scope.

We use this information to create and maintain your account, synchronize learning records, identify member rights, ensure account security, and process account deletion when you actively request it.

1.2 Learning and product usage information

In order to provide a learning experience, we may collect or process:

• Course learning progress, practice records, Pinyin and Chinese character learning status;
• Usage records of scene courses, news and cultural content, AI coaching, translation and other functions;
• Member rights status and points consumption record;
• In-App messages, push message reading status and local cache status.

This information is used to save learning progress, restore your learning status, provide personalized content, calculate membership or point benefits, and improve product experience.

1.3 Pictures and camera information

When you use photo translation or select pictures from the album for translation, we will access the camera or picture content you authorized and use the relevant pictures for recognition and translation.

We do not access cameras without system authorization. Images are only used for translation or related function processing you requested. Whether the image will be temporarily processed, cached or saved by the server depends on the actual server implementation; if the server saves the image, it should only be saved within the scope required to implement functions, security audits or legal requirements.

1.4 Microphone, voice and audio information

When you use voice translation, speaking practice, voice evaluation or AI coaching voice functions, we will access your authorized microphone and process your recording or audio clips.

Audio data is used for speech recognition, pronunciation assessment, translation, AI dialogue, or generating learning feedback. We do not access the microphone without system authorization. Whether the audio will be temporarily processed, cached or saved by the server depends on the actual server implementation; if the audio is saved, it should only be used for the purpose of providing related services, quality improvement, security audits or legal compliance.

1.5 Purchase and Subscription Information

When you purchase an auto-renewable subscription or points item, the purchase is processed by Apple. We will not collect or save your bank card number, payment account password and other complete payment information.

In order to activate, verify and synchronize membership or points rights, we may process:

• The transaction identifier returned by Apple;
• Product ID, purchase status, subscription status, expiration time;
• Purchase voucher or transaction signature data;
• Points purchase and consumption records.

1.6 Device, log, diagnostic and performance information

To ensure the stable operation of the App and locate crashes and performance issues, we may collect:

• Device model, system version, App version, language and regional settings;
• Network request status, interface time consumption, error code;
• Crash logs, performance logs, diagnostic information;
• Diagnostic or service identifiers generated by the Firebase SDK such as Firebase Installation ID;
• Device identifier generated for account security or local identification.

This information is mainly used for crash analysis, performance monitoring, security protection, error troubleshooting and service improvement.

1.7 Push notification information

If you allow notifications, we will use system push capabilities to send you study reminders, in-App messages, or service notifications. You can turn off notification permissions at any time in iOS system settings.

If it is used for marketing notifications in the future, we will provide corresponding unsubscribe or close methods as required by applicable law.

2. How we use information

We will use the information collected for the following purposes:

• Provide, maintain and improve FlowChinese’s learning, translation, AI coaching and voice assessment functions;
• Create, verify and protect your account;
• Synchronize learning progress, membership rights and points balance;
• Process subscriptions, points purchases, resume purchases and transaction verification;
• Send necessary service notifications, account notifications or learning reminders;
• Carry out crash analysis, performance monitoring, error troubleshooting and security protection;
• Respond to your customer service, feedback, account deletion or privacy rights requests;
• Comply with applicable laws, regulations, regulatory requirements, and App Store review requirements.

3. Third-party services

To provide login, crash analysis, performance monitoring, payment and system capabilities, we may use the following third-party or platform services:

• Apple: Sign in with Apple, App Store, StoreKit, subscriptions and in-app purchases;
• Google: Google Sign-In;
• Firebase: Firebase Core, Firebase Crashlytics, Firebase Performance;
• Cloud server and backend infrastructure: used for accounts, course content, data storage and service operations. For third-party AI services used by AI features, see Section 3.1.

Third-party services may process related information in accordance with their own privacy policies. We will try our best to only access third-party capabilities necessary to provide services, and require service providers to protect your information in accordance with applicable laws.

3.1. AI Features and Third-Party AI Services

The following FlowChinese features use third-party AI services to process your data:

**Voice Practice & Voice Translation**

• Data processed: Your voice recordings (audio data)
• Sent to: Alibaba Cloud (alibaba.com) AI service
• Purpose: Mandarin pronunciation assessment and real-time voice translation
• Retention: Data will be automatically deleted after fulfilling the service purpose or upon expiry of the retention period required by applicable laws and regulations; never used to train AI models

**Photo Translation**

• Data processed: Photos you select or capture
• Sent to: Alibaba Cloud (alibaba.com) image recognition service
• Purpose: Recognizing and translating Chinese text in images
• Retention: Data will be automatically deleted after fulfilling the service purpose or upon expiry of the retention period required by applicable laws and regulations; never used to train AI models

**AI Coach**

• Data processed: Text messages you enter in conversations
• Sent to: Alibaba Cloud (alibaba.com) AI service
• Purpose: Generating personalized learning suggestions, correction feedback, and conversation practice
• Retention: Data will be automatically deleted after fulfilling the service purpose or upon expiry of the retention period required by applicable laws and regulations; never used to train AI models

Before using these features, the app will clearly explain the data usage and ask for your consent. You can withdraw your consent at any time in Profile → Settings. After withdrawal, the relevant features will stop sending data. Withdrawal does not affect data that was already processed before withdrawal.

Alibaba Cloud Privacy Policy: https://www.alibabacloud.com/help/en/legal/latest/alibaba-cloud-international-website-privacy-policy

4. How we share information

We will not sell your personal information. We only share information under the following circumstances:

• Necessary to implement functions, such as sending pictures, audio, text or purchase vouchers to the server to complete translation, voice evaluation, AI dialogue or rights verification;
• Sharing with service providers, such as cloud services, crash analysis, performance monitoring, login and payment related services;
• In accordance with the legal requirements of laws and regulations, judicial authorities, regulatory agencies or government departments;
• To protect the rights, property and safety of users, us or the public;
• Transfer relevant information subject to legal requirements in connection with a merger, acquisition, asset transfer or similar transaction.

5. Data storage and retention

We will retain your information for the period necessary to fulfill the purposes stated in this policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law or regulation.

Generally speaking:

• Account information will be saved during the duration of your account;
• Learning progress, membership rights and points records will be saved for the period required to provide services;
• Crash, diagnostic and performance data are retained for as long as necessary to troubleshoot issues and improve service;
• Pictures, audio and translation content should only be saved for the period required to provide relevant functions, which is subject to actual server implementation;
• When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize identifiable account data, but data necessary for legal, financial, dispute handling, security audits, or backup recovery may be retained for the necessary period.

6. Data Security

We will take reasonable technical and administrative measures to protect your information, including but not limited to:

• Control access to camera, microphone and notifications using system-level permissions;
• Use security mechanisms such as Keychain to store login tokens;
• Use HTTPS to communicate with the server;
• Restrict internal access;
• Monitor abnormal logins, interface errors and security risks.

Please note that no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage is guaranteed to be completely secure. If you find that there are security risks in your account or data, please contact us in time.

7. Your Rights and Choices

To the extent permitted by applicable law, you may:

• Access, correct or update your account information;
• Log out within the app;
• Apply to delete your account within the app;
• Turn off camera, microphone, notification and other permissions in system settings;
• Manage or cancel subscriptions in the App Store or Apple ID settings;
• Contact us to request access, correction, deletion, restriction of processing or export of your personal information.

We may need to verify your identity before processing related requests. We will handle account deletion requests in accordance with applicable laws and service implementation; some transaction, financial, security or legal records may continue to be retained for compliance reasons.

8. Children’s Privacy

FlowChinese is for general Chinese learners. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age specified by applicable law. If you are a minor, please use this App with the consent and guidance of your guardian.

If a guardian believes that a child has provided us with personal information without consent, please contact us and we will deal with it as soon as possible after verification.

9. International Transfers

Because we may use servers, third-party SDKs or cloud services located in different countries or regions, your information may be transferred, stored or processed outside your country or region. We will take reasonable steps to protect your information in accordance with applicable law.

10. Updates to this policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. After updating, we will provide the new policy version on the App, official website or App Store page, and update the effective date. If policy changes have a significant impact on your rights, we will remind you in an appropriate manner.

Your continued use of FlowChinese after the policy is updated means that you are aware of the updated content.

11. Contact us

If you have any questions about this privacy policy, personal information processing or account deletion, please contact us through the following methods:

Contact email: [email protected] Operator: darkhorse3721 Address: Beijing, China