Privacy Policy

Spelling Bees ("we", "us", "our") is a UK-based spelling-practice application for children in Years 3–6, part of the Tweenage family of apps. If you have any questions about this policy or your data, contact us at hello@answerthequestion.co.uk.

We collect the minimum data needed to provide the service:

• Parent account: email address and a hashed password (via Supabase Auth)
• Child profile: a first name (which may be a nickname) and avatar preference only — no surname, date of birth, address, or school
• Practice data: spelling attempts, word-mastery stars, streaks, scores, and timestamps, so the App can schedule reviews and show progress
• Optional setup data: an 11+ exam date (if you choose to enter one) and any school spelling words you type in for your child to practise
• Payment data: processed securely by LemonSqueezy — we never see or store your card details

Spelling Bees does not use artificial intelligence or large language models. We do not send your child's name, practice data, typed words, or voice to any AI provider. There is no profiling, no automated decision-making that affects the child, and no behavioural advertising. The spaced-repetition schedule is a simple, transparent algorithm that runs on the curated word list.

The App can read words aloud (text-to-speech) and, if you switch on the optional "spell aloud" mode in Settings, listen to your child spelling a word using the device microphone. Both features use your browser's built-in Web Speech API.

• The microphone is used only when you have explicitly enabled "spell aloud", and only during a practice or test word.
• We do not record, store, or transmit any audio ourselves.
• Depending on your browser, speech may be processed on-device or sent by the browser/operating-system vendor (for example Google in Chrome, or Apple in Safari) to their own speech services to convert it to text. That processing is governed by your browser/OS provider's privacy policy, not ours.
• If you would rather no audio leaves the device, simply leave "spell aloud" off — the App works fully with the keyboard.

Under the UK GDPR and the Data Use and Access Act 2025, we rely on:

• Contract: to deliver the service you have purchased — our primary basis
• Legitimate interest: to keep the App working, provide support, and send essential service emails

We do not rely on consent for core service delivery. We do not send marketing email unless you have separately opted in (for example, by requesting the free word list).

The App is used by children aged 7–11, so the UK ICO's Age Appropriate Design Code (the "Children's Code") applies. We have designed the App to comply with it:

• Parent-managed accounts: the account holder is always a parent or guardian. Children do not create accounts, give an email address, or submit personal data directly.
• Data minimisation: we store only a first name (which can be a nickname) and a chosen avatar — no surname, date of birth, school, address, or photograph.
• High privacy by default: all child data is private to the parent account. Database row-level security ensures one family can never see another's data.
• No profiling or manipulation: no behavioural advertising, no automated decisions affecting the child, no AI.
• No dark patterns: streaks and stars exist to encourage a healthy practice habit, not fabricated scarcity or autoplay designed to extend screen time.
• No geolocation and no child-to-child contact — there are no leaderboards, messaging, forums, or shared content between users.
• Parental controls: a parent can view all practice data, change settings, and delete a child's profile and all associated data at any time.

If you have any concerns about how your child's data is handled, please contact us at hello@answerthequestion.co.uk.

Data is stored securely in Supabase, which uses PostgreSQL databases hosted within the EU (Frankfurt, Germany). All data is encrypted in transit (TLS) and at rest. Row-level security ensures each parent can only access their own family's data.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your data. We share data only with the processors that run the service:

• Supabase: database hosting and authentication
• Vercel: application hosting and privacy-friendly, cookieless usage analytics (aggregate only)
• LemonSqueezy: payment processing (they have their own privacy policy)
• Resend: sending essential service emails (account confirmation, receipt, password reset, welcome)

We do not use Google Analytics, advertising networks, retargeting, or cross-site tracking. Data is not transferred outside the EU/UK except where a processor relies on appropriate safeguards (Standard Contractual Clauses or a UK adequacy decision).

We use only an essential Supabase session token (required to keep you signed in — it cannot be disabled while you use the App) and Vercel's cookieless analytics, which counts page views in aggregate and sets no tracking cookie. We use no advertising, retargeting, or cross-site tracking cookies. Affiliate links on the reading-list page (Amazon, Bookshop.org) may set their own cookies on those sites if you click through; that is governed by their policies, not ours.

We keep your data for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account (Settings → delete account, or by emailing us), all associated data — parent account, child profiles, and practice data — is permanently removed within 30 days.

Under UK GDPR you have the right to:

• Access: request a copy of your personal data
• Rectification: correct any inaccurate data
• Erasure: request deletion ("right to be forgotten")
• Portability: receive your data in a machine-readable format
• Object: object to processing based on legitimate interest

To exercise any of these rights, email hello@answerthequestion.co.uk. We will respond within 30 days.

If you are not satisfied with how we handle your data, contact us first at hello@answerthequestion.co.uk and we will work to resolve it. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO): ico.org.uk.

We may update this policy from time to time. If we make significant changes, we will notify you by email. The "last updated" date at the top of this page always reflects the most recent version.