Privacy Policy
oqou is built to keep your reading private. The core reader runs entirely on your device, we collect as little as possible, and we never sell your data or use it for advertising. This policy explains exactly what is collected, why, and who it is shared with.
The short version. Everything you read, import, and save stays on your device. We use anonymous analytics to understand how the app is used, an anonymous account to sync your subscription, and — only if you turn on the optional Pro cloud features — we send the single word or sentence you tapped to our servers to generate an explanation. No name, email, or payment details are ever collected by us.
Who we are
oqou (“we”, “us”) is operated by oqou. This policy applies to the oqou mobile app and the oqou.app website. If you have any questions, contact us at support@oqou.app.
What stays on your device
The documents you import (books, articles, PDFs, pasted text), the words you save, your glossary, review history, and all of your settings are stored locally on your device. Tap-to-translate and the default read-aloud voice also run on-device. On supported devices, the free “Lite” AI explanations are generated on-device by Apple Intelligence. None of this is transmitted to us.
Information we collect
Anonymous identifier
On first launch the app creates an anonymous account (via Firebase Anonymous Authentication) — a random identifier with no name, email, or phone number. It exists so your subscription and usage can be recognized across sessions and is the only id we tie analytics and purchases to.
Usage analytics & diagnostics
We use Firebase Analytics and Crashlytics to understand how the app is used and to fix crashes. This includes events such as importing a document or completing a review, plus standard technical data (device model, operating-system version, app version, general region, and crash logs). It is linked only to the anonymous identifier above — never to your real-world identity. We do not use advertising identifiers (IDFA) and do not track you across other apps or websites.
Subscriptions
If you subscribe to oqou Pro, your purchase is processed by Apple and managed through RevenueCat. We receive your subscription status and Apple’s transaction identifiers tied to your anonymous id. Payment is handled entirely by Apple — we never see or store your card or billing details.
Optional Pro cloud features
The free app does not send your reading anywhere. If you enable the Pro cloud features, then only when you request one we send the specific item you acted on to our backend and on to the relevant AI provider:
- Cloud explanations — the word or phrase you tapped, its sentence for context, and the languages involved, sent to OpenAI to generate the explanation.
- Premium read-aloud voices — the text to be spoken, sent to OpenAI to generate the audio.
These requests are used solely to produce your result. Generated explanations may be cached by their content (so identical requests are cheaper and faster) but are not stored against your identity, and we do not keep a copy of your library on our servers. To prevent abuse of these paid features, the app also sends an Apple-issued App Attest device-integrity token, which confirms the request comes from a genuine copy of the app and contains no personal information.
How we use information
- To provide and operate the app’s features.
- To process and restore your subscription.
- To understand usage in aggregate so we can improve the app.
- To diagnose crashes and maintain reliability.
- To protect the cloud features from abuse and control costs.
Who we share information with
We do not sell your data. We share the limited data above only with the service providers that make the app work, each under their own privacy commitments:
- Apple — App distribution, subscription billing, and App Attest device-integrity checks. Privacy policy
- Google Firebase — Anonymous authentication, usage analytics, and crash diagnostics. Privacy policy
- RevenueCat — Subscription management and entitlement verification. Privacy policy
- OpenAI — Generating AI word explanations and premium neural voices (Pro cloud features). Privacy policy
- Vercel — Hosting the oqou backend and this website. Privacy policy
- Upstash — Caching, rate-limiting, and usage metering for the backend. Privacy policy
Data retention
On-device data remains until you delete it or remove the app. Analytics and crash data are retained according to Firebase’s default retention periods. Cached cloud explanations are keyed by content and expire automatically. If you want your anonymous identifier and associated server-side records deleted, email us and we will action your request.
Your rights & choices
Depending on where you live (for example under the GDPR or CCPA), you may have the right to access, correct, or delete your data, and to object to certain processing. Because we hold no name or email, the practical levers are: delete documents and saved words in-app at any time; reinstall the app to reset the anonymous identifier; or email us at support@oqou.app to request deletion of server-side records. We do not discriminate against you for exercising these rights.
Children’s privacy
oqou is not directed to children under 13 (or under the age of digital consent in your country), and we do not knowingly collect data from them. If you believe a child has provided us data, contact us and we will delete it.
International transfers
Our providers may process data in the United States, the European Union, and other countries. Where required, transfers rely on appropriate safeguards such as the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses.
Security
We use industry-standard measures — encrypted transport (HTTPS), device-integrity attestation for paid endpoints, and minimal data collection — to protect your information. No method of transmission or storage is perfectly secure, but we work to keep the surface area small.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy as the app evolves. Material changes will be reflected by the “last updated” date above, and significant changes will be surfaced in the app.
Contact
Questions about your privacy? Email support@oqou.app.