Privacy Policy

Cambridge Exam World is a gamified study platform for the Cambridge English exams (B1 Preliminary, B2 First, C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency), operated by Shining Apps LLC ("we", "us", "our"). This policy covers our website and our iOS app.

By creating an account or using the service, you agree to the practices described here. If you don't agree, please don't use the service.

We only collect what we need to run the game, grade your answers, and keep your account working:

• Account details - your name, username, email address, and profile photo, provided when you sign in with Google or Apple. We also store which provider you used and when you signed up.
• Your submissions - the answers you type and the voice recordings you make for writing and speaking exercises, so they can be graded and shown back to you with feedback.
• Game & progress data - your level, XP, streak, hearts, treasures, badges, completed challenges, and leaderboard results.
• Subscription details - your plan and its status. Card payments are handled entirely by Stripe - we never see or store your full card number.
• Support messages - anything you send us through the contact form or by email.
• Technical data - basic device and usage information (browser type, approximate region, time zone, and interaction events) collected to keep the service secure and improve it.

We use your information to:

• Run the game - track your progress, hearts, streaks, treasures and badges across your devices.
• Grade your work - evaluate your writing and speaking answers and return feedback.
• Manage your subscription - process payments (via Stripe) and unlock premium features.
• Support you - answer your questions and resolve issues.
• Improve & protect the service - understand how the app is used, fix bugs, and prevent abuse or fraud.

When you complete a writing or speaking exercise, your text or a short voice recording is sent to a third-party AI provider (currently OpenAI) to transcribe and score it and generate feedback. This processing is used solely to grade that answer and show you results.

We recommend not including sensitive personal information in your exercise answers, since they are processed to produce your feedback.

We do not sell your personal data, and we don't use Facebook or advertising trackers. We share data only with the service providers that make the app work, and only as needed:

• Google & Apple - for "Sign in with Google" and "Sign in with Apple" authentication.
• Stripe - to process subscription payments securely.
• AI provider (OpenAI) - to grade writing and speaking answers, as described above.
• Google Analytics - to understand aggregate, anonymous usage of the site.
• Hosting & infrastructure - trusted providers that store data and run the service on our behalf.

We use a small number of cookies and similar technologies to keep you signed in and to remember preferences such as your theme and sound settings. We also use Google Analytics to measure how the site is used in aggregate. You can block cookies in your browser, though some features may stop working.

We keep your account information for as long as your account exists. Game progress is kept so you don't lose it between sessions. If you reset your progress or delete your account (both available in Settings), the associated data is removed or anonymised. Some records may be retained where required for legal, security or accounting reasons.

You're in control of your data:

• Access & edit - view and update your name, username and photo from your Profile.
• Reset - wipe your stats and progress while keeping your account (Settings → Account).
• Delete - permanently delete your account and its data (Settings → Danger Zone).
• Regional rights - depending on where you live (e.g. the EEA, UK or California), you may have additional rights to access, correct, export or erase your data, and to object to certain processing. Contact us to exercise them.

We protect your data with encryption in transit, access controls, and reputable infrastructure providers. No system is perfectly secure, but we work hard to safeguard your information and to respond quickly if something goes wrong.

Cambridge Exam World is intended for learners aged 16 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under this age. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, contact us and we will delete it.

We operate globally, and your information may be processed in countries other than your own, including the United States. Where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards to protect your data during these transfers.

We may update this policy as the app evolves. When we make material changes, we'll update the "Last updated" date above and, where appropriate, notify you in the app. Continuing to use the service after changes take effect means you accept the updated policy.