Privacy Policy for ListenUp IELTS

 

Effective Date: June 2, 2026

At ByteWhales ("we," "our," or "us"), we are committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application, ListenUp IELTS (the "App").

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By accessing or using the App, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not access the App.

1. Information We Collect
We collect information about you in a variety of ways. The information we may collect via the App depends on the features you use and includes:

A. Personal Data

• Account Information:When you register or log in using email and password (via Firebase Authentication), we collect your email address, password hash, display name, and any profile picture you upload.
  
  
• User Profile & Submissions:We store user-generated content such as your IELTS writing submissions, speaking test records, performance statistics, and user preferences in Firebase Realtime Database and Firebase Storage to synchronize your data across devices.
  
  

B. Device and Usage Data
We automatically collect certain information when you access the App:

• Device Details:We collect info about your mobile device, including your device model, operating system version, unique device identifiers (like IDFA on iOS or GAID on Android), and IP address.
• Usage Statistics:Through analytics tools (Firebase Analytics and Mixpanel), we track how you interact with our App, including page views, features accessed, time spent on pages, and crash reports.
  
  

C. Device Permissions
To provide the App’s core functionalities, we request access to certain features on your mobile device:

• Microphone Access (Speech-to-Text):We require access to your device’s microphone to record your voice for IELTS speaking tests and convert your speech into text for scoring/feedback.
• Camera and Photo Library (Image Picker):We request permission to access your camera or photo gallery when you choose to capture or upload a profile picture.
• Tracking Permission (App Tracking Transparency):On iOS devices, we request your permission to track your activity across apps and websites for personalized advertising and analytics.

2. Third-Party Service Providers
We utilize trusted third-party services to host our databases, track app usage, and display advertisements. These third parties have access to your information only to perform specific tasks on our behalf and are obligated not to disclose or use it for any other purpose:

• Firebase (Google LLC):
  • Authentication:Used to sign you in securely.
  • Realtime Database & Storage:Used to save your progress, configurations, scores, and media files.
  • Analytics & Crashlytics:Used to understand usage patterns and diagnose application stability issues.
  • Privacy Policy:Google Privacy Policy
• Mixpanel (Mixpanel, Inc.):
  • Used to perform detailed user behavioral analysis to improve the user experience.
  • Privacy Policy:Mixpanel Privacy Policy
• Google AdMob (Google LLC):
  • Used to display advertisements in the App. AdMob uses device identifiers (IDFA/GAID) to show relevant, personalized, or non-personalized ads.
  • Privacy Policy:Google Advertising & Privacy
• Apple In-App Purchases (StoreKit) / Google Play Billing:
  • Used to process premium subscription and feature purchases. All payment transactions are handled securely by Apple and Google. We do not store or collect your payment card details.
  • Privacy Policy:Apple Privacy Policy/Google Privacy Policy

3. How We Use Your Information
We use the collected information for various purposes, including to:

• Create, manage, and secure your account.
• Process and score your IELTS speaking and writing submissions.
• Personalize your app experience and display personalized ads (subject to your tracking preferences).
• Monitor and analyze trends, usage, and activities to improve App features and usability.
• Process premium subscription payments and manage purchases.
• Send you system notifications (with your consent) and handle user support queries.

4. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell, trade, rent, or lease your personal data to third parties. We may share information in the following situations:

• With Service Providers:We share details with our backend and analytics partners (Firebase, Mixpanel, AdMob) to run the App.
• Compliance with Laws:We may disclose your information where required by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities.
• Business Transfers:If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, your info may be transferred.

5. Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal data from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. However, please be aware that no electronic transmission or storage method is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Data Retention and Deletion
We retain your personal information only for as long as is necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy.

• Account Deletion:You can request the deletion of your account and associated data at any time. To do so, please navigate to your Profile/Settings screen in the App and tap the "Delete Account" button, or contact us directly at the email provided below. Upon request, we will delete your account information from our authentication systems and database.

7. Children's Privacy
Our services do not address anyone under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from children under 13. If we discover that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, we immediately delete this from our servers. If you are a parent or guardian and you are aware that your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us.

8. Your Privacy Rights (GDPR & CCPA)
Depending on your location, you may have specific rights regarding your personal information under regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• The right to access, update, or deletethe information we have on you.
• The right of rectificationif your information is inaccurate or incomplete.
• The right to objectto or restrict our processing of your personal data.
• The right to withdraw consentat any time where we relied on your consent to process your information.

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the contact details below.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Effective Date" at the top. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.

10. Contact Us
If you have any questions or suggestions about this Privacy Policy, do not hesitate to contact us:

• By email: bytewhalesapple@gmail.com