1. Introduction
VisualVocab ("we," "us," "our") is an AI-powered visual language learning application for iOS (Bundle ID: app.visualvocab.ios).
This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your choices regarding your data. VisualVocab is designed with privacy in mind — two of our three AI modes process data entirely on your device, and we collect only the minimum data necessary to provide our service.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Account Information
All features require a registered account. Depending on your sign-up method, we collect:
- Email & Password: Your email address and a securely hashed password
- Google Sign-In: Your name and email address provided during the OAuth consent flow
- Apple Sign-In: Your name and email (may be a private relay address if you choose "Hide My Email")
2.2 Camera Data
Camera access is required for object detection and identification. How images are handled depends on the active AI mode:
- YOLO Mode: Camera frames are processed entirely on-device by the YOLOv26n TensorFlow Lite model. No images are transmitted over the network. Frames are processed in memory and discarded immediately after inference.
- Claude AI Mode: When you tap or draw to identify an object, the current camera frame is captured, cropped to your selection, and sent to Anthropic's Claude API via a Supabase Edge Function over HTTPS. The image is not stored by us after the API response is returned.
- Apple AI Mode (iOS 26+): Camera frames are processed entirely on-device using Apple Vision Framework and Apple Foundation Models. No data leaves your device.
2.3 Vocabulary Data
Object identification results — including translated labels, source labels, confidence scores, credit cost, and encounter counts — are stored in our database and associated with your account for cloud sync.
2.4 Credit & Purchase Data
- Credit balance and transaction history (credits earned, spent, and purchased)
- In-app purchase receipts verified server-side against Apple's validation endpoints
- We do not store payment card or Apple ID billing information — all payment processing is handled by Apple
2.5 Preferences & Settings
- Selected source and target language pair
- Active AI detection mode
- Theme preference (Light / Dark / System)
- Haptic feedback and high-performance mode toggles
3. How We Use Your Information
- To authenticate you and maintain your account
- To process camera images for object identification (cloud transmission only in Claude AI mode, and only when you explicitly tap or draw)
- To store and sync your vocabulary across sessions and devices
- To manage your credit balance and process in-app purchases
- To remember your language, theme, and app settings
- To verify in-app purchase receipts and prevent fraud
4. Third-Party Services
Supabase
Purpose: User authentication, database, Edge Functions, credit management.
Data shared: email, auth tokens, vocabulary records, credit transactions. Supabase Privacy Policy
Anthropic (Claude API)
Purpose: Cloud-based image identification in Claude AI mode.
Data shared: cropped camera images sent only when you explicitly tap or draw to identify. Anthropic does not use API inputs to train their models. Anthropic Privacy Policy
Apple Services
Purpose: Apple Sign-In authentication, In-App Purchase payment processing, on-device Vision Framework and Foundation Models (no data transmitted to Apple for on-device inference).
Apple Privacy Policy
Google (OAuth)
Purpose: Google Sign-In authentication.
Data shared: name and email provided during Google OAuth consent. Google Privacy Policy
5. Data Storage & Security
- Account data, vocabulary, and credit records are stored in Supabase's managed PostgreSQL database with Row Level Security (RLS) enforcing user-scoped access
- All data is transmitted over HTTPS/TLS
- Authentication tokens are stored securely on-device
- Credit operations use atomic database transactions to prevent race conditions
- IAP receipts are verified server-side with idempotency protection
- We do not sell your data to third parties
6. Data Retention
- Account data is retained as long as your account exists
- Vocabulary records persist until you delete them or your account
- Credit transaction logs are retained for fraud prevention
- Camera images are processed in real time and not persistently stored — in Claude AI mode, images are transmitted, processed, and discarded
7. Your Rights & Choices
- Delete individual vocabulary entries within the app at any time
- Request full account deletion by contacting us (see Section 11)
- Choose YOLO or Apple AI mode to keep all image processing on-device — no images will be sent to the cloud
- Use Apple's "Hide My Email" feature during Apple Sign-In to keep your real email private
- Revoke camera permissions at any time via iOS Settings
8. Children's Privacy
VisualVocab is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have inadvertently collected data from a child under 13, we will delete that information promptly.
9. International Data Transfers
Your data may be processed in jurisdictions where our service providers (Supabase, Anthropic) operate. By using VisualVocab, you consent to the transfer and processing of your data in these jurisdictions.
10. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Your continued use of VisualVocab after any changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.