Sprout Privacy Policy
Last updated: 2026-09-01
Welcome to Sprout (the "App"). The App is operated by 福建臻星科技有限公司 (Fujian Zstar Technology Co., Ltd.; Unified Social Credit Code 91350100092695777E; registered address: 福州市闽侯县上街镇乌龙江南大道30号清华紫光科技园-海峡科技研发区第1-2#研发楼13层1307), which is also the personal information handler under this policy. We take your privacy seriously. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use, store and protect it, and the rights you have over your information.
1. Information We Collect
- Email address: required for registration, login, password recovery and important notices.
- Password (hashed): we store only an irreversibly hashed form of your password and never the plaintext.
- Phone number (optional): collected only when you choose to bind it, for account security and recovery.
- Learning records: word study status, review progress, study time, streaks and achievements, used to provide progress statistics and personalized features.
- Purchase receipts: order IDs, products, payment channels, receipt tokens and status from in-app purchases, used to grant membership benefits and provide after-sales support.
- Device information: device model, OS version, app version, language and time zone, used for troubleshooting, compatibility and security control.
- Third-party account identifiers: when you sign in with Apple, Google or WeChat, we receive and store the unique user identifier returned by that platform ("sub" for Apple and Google, "unionid" for WeChat), together with the email address and nickname you authorize that platform to share with us, if any. We never receive your password for that platform.
2. How We Use Information
- To provide, maintain and improve core features such as word learning, review, statistics, achievements and membership.
- To protect account and transaction security, including risk control, anti-fraud and troubleshooting.
- To send service notifications (e.g. subscription status changes, security alerts).
- To perform anonymized statistical analysis to improve the product, where permitted by law.
3. Third-Party Services
- In-App Purchases (Apple / Google): membership subscriptions and purchases are processed through the Apple App Store or Google Play, and receipts are submitted to the respective platform for verification. Such processing is governed by Apple's / Google's own privacy policies.
- System Text-to-Speech (TTS): word pronunciation uses the speech-synthesis capability provided by your device's operating system, and the text to be spoken may be processed by the OS. This is governed by the OS vendor's privacy policy.
- Third-party sign-in (Apple / Google / WeChat): when you use one-tap sign-in, the corresponding platform returns a unique user identifier to the App, along with the email address and nickname you have authorized it to share. Builds distributed through mainland-China Android channels embed the WeChat Open Platform OpenSDK to support WeChat sign-in and payment. Such processing is governed by each platform's own privacy policy.
4. Data Storage and Security
- Your data is stored on our servers. We apply technical and organizational measures such as access control, encryption in transit (HTTPS) and password hashing to protect your information.
- We retain your information only for as long as necessary for the purposes above; beyond the retention period or after you delete your account, it will be deleted or anonymized per this policy.
5. Data Sharing
- We do not sell your personal information.
- We share information only: (a) with your explicit consent; (b) as necessary to submit receipts to Apple / Google for payment verification; or (c) as required by law or competent authorities under due legal process.
6. Local Storage
- To improve your experience, the App caches data locally on your device, such as login state, learning progress and preferences. You can remove this cache by clearing the app's data or uninstalling the App.
7. Account Deletion and Data Erasure
- You can request deletion in-app via "Profile — Account Settings — Delete Account", which calls DELETE /api/app/me.
- After deletion, your account and associated learning records, achievements, subscriptions and purchase logs will be deleted and cannot be recovered.
- On deletion, the links between your account and your Apple / Google / WeChat identities are removed as well. For Apple in particular, we actively call Apple's token revocation endpoint to revoke the authorization you granted.
8. Children's Privacy
- The App is not designed for children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we may have collected such information, please contact us using the details below and we will delete it promptly.
9. Your Rights
- You have the right to access, correct and delete your personal information, withdraw consent, and delete your account. You may exercise these rights in-app or via the contact details below.
10. Changes to This Policy
- We may update this policy from time to time. Material changes will be communicated through in-app notifications or similar means. Your continued use after the changes take effect constitutes acceptance.
11. Contact Us
- Operator: 福建臻星科技有限公司 (Fujian Zstar Technology Co., Ltd.)
- Registered address: 福州市闽侯县上街镇乌龙江南大道30号清华紫光科技园-海峡科技研发区第1-2#研发楼13层1307
- For privacy-related questions, contact: privacy@sprout.app