1. Introduction
This Privacy Policy explains how LevelNews ("we", "our", "us") collects, uses, stores, and discloses information when you use our website, mobile applications, and related services (collectively, the "Service"). By using the Service you agree to the practices described here. If you do not agree, please do not use the Service.
2. Information We Collect
We collect the following categories of information:
- Anonymous identifiers. When you first open the mobile application, a randomly generated installation identifier is created on your device and sent to us. This identifier does not contain personally identifying information and is used to maintain your preferences and progress without requiring an account.
- Device and technical information. Platform (iOS, Android, web), application version, operating system name and version, device model where available, and preferred system language. This data helps us deliver an appropriate experience and diagnose issues.
- Preferences you provide. Your selected English level, target language variant, native language, and topics of interest. These choices personalize the content shown to you.
- Reading interactions. Articles you open and, where relevant, words or sentences you select for translation.
- Cookies and local storage (website). Small technical cookies such as your selected level and theme preference. These cookies are essential to the functioning of the website and do not track you across other sites.
We do not intentionally collect names, email addresses, phone numbers, physical addresses, payment information, precise location data, or other directly identifying personal information unless and until you create an account or contact us voluntarily.
3. How We Use Information
We use the information described above to:
- operate, maintain, and improve the Service;
- personalize content (e.g., show articles at your chosen reading level and language variant);
- process translation and content-generation requests;
- diagnose technical problems and protect the Service from abuse;
- comply with applicable legal obligations and respond to lawful requests.
4. AI-Generated Content and Third-Party Services
LevelNews uses third-party artificial-intelligence providers (including, without limitation, OpenAI) to generate level-adapted content from publicly available news sources and to translate words and sentences within articles. When you use the translation feature, the word or sentence you select is sent to our backend and may be forwarded to the AI provider for processing. We do not transmit your installation identifier or other account information alongside these requests. We may cache the result of a translation to avoid repeated calls.
Use of these third-party services is subject to their own privacy policies. We do not control how these providers retain or process data submitted to them. If you do not wish for content you read or select to be processed by such providers, you should refrain from using the affected features.
5. Cookies and Local Storage
The website uses a small number of first-party cookies and browser local-storage entries strictly to remember your interface preferences (such as your selected English level and theme). We do not use advertising cookies or third-party analytics cookies at this time. You can clear these at any time through your browser settings; doing so will reset the relevant preferences.
6. Data Sharing and Disclosure
We do not sell your information. We may share information:
- with service providers that operate parts of the Service on our behalf (such as hosting, infrastructure, and AI providers), only to the extent necessary for them to perform their services;
- when required by law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request;
- to protect the rights, property, or safety of LevelNews, our users, or others;
- in connection with a merger, acquisition, financing, or sale of assets, in which case appropriate confidentiality obligations will apply.
7. Data Retention
We retain information for as long as the associated installation or account remains active, plus a limited period afterwards needed to satisfy operational and legal requirements. Anonymous installation data may be deleted by uninstalling the application and clearing local storage, which severs the link between your device and our records.
8. Your Rights
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, delete, or restrict the processing of your information, or to object to certain uses. To exercise any such rights, contact us using the details below. Because most of our processing involves anonymous identifiers rather than personally identifying data, our ability to locate records about you may depend on the information you can provide.
9. Children's Privacy
The Service is not directed to children under the age of 13 (or the equivalent minimum age in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect information from such children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, please contact us and we will take appropriate steps to delete it.
10. International Data Transfers
Our servers and those of our service providers may be located in countries other than your own. By using the Service you understand that your information may be transferred to, stored in, and processed in such countries. Where required, we rely on appropriate legal mechanisms to safeguard such transfers.
11. Security
We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. No method of transmission or storage is, however, completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date above. Material changes will be communicated through the Service. Your continued use of the Service after a revision becomes effective constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
13. Contact
For questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, contact us at [email protected].