Privacy Policy
Effective date: September 15, 2026
This policy explains what information SurfEnglish News ("SurfEnglish", "we", "us") collects when you use the SurfEnglish iOS app and the surfenglish.app website, and how we use it. The short version: most learning data stays on your device, SurfEnglish does not insert or target ads or earn advertising revenue, and we do not track you across other companies' apps or websites. Websites you choose to open may display their own advertising, and optional usage analytics can be turned off inside the app.
What stays on your device
Most of what you do in SurfEnglish is stored locally on your iPhone and is never uploaded:
- Your learning database — translated sentences, looked-up words, language chunks, game statistics and review schedules.
- Articles fetched from custom RSS feeds you add, and cached feed content.
- The on-device AI voice (Kokoro) generates all audio locally — text you listen to with it never leaves your phone. The optional local translation engine (Apple's Translation framework) also runs entirely on-device.
You can clear cached content at any time in Settings → Storage inside the app. Deleting the app removes all local data.
Information we collect
App installation and account identifiers
The app creates a random installation identifier. It is sent to our service so saved items, learning requests and preferences can be returned to the same app installation. It is not an advertising identifier and is not used to track you across apps or websites.
SurfEnglish works without an account. If you choose to Sign in with Apple, we receive an identity token from Apple and store only a one-way hash of your Apple account identifier to recognize you. We do not store your name or email address. Session tokens are kept in the iOS Keychain on your device.
Synced settings (only when signed in)
Signing in enables cross-device sync of your followed topics and custom RSS feed definitions (the names and feed URLs, not downloaded articles). This information is stored on our servers and associated with your SurfEnglish account.
Learning requests and interactions
When you translate a sentence, look up a word, extract chunks, or use the cloud voice, the selected text (with some surrounding context) is sent to our translation service to produce the result. Standard cloud translation may be processed by Microsoft or Google. If you request an AI comparison translation, the same selected text and context may instead be processed by Google Gemini or OpenAI. We use this content to fulfill your request and to cache results; we do not use it for advertising. Saved words, saved articles and related learning interactions may also be stored under the random installation identifier so those features work.
Purchases
SurfEnglish Plus subscriptions are processed entirely by Apple. We never see your payment details. The app verifies your entitlement with Apple and, if you are signed in, associates the subscription with your account so it can follow your Apple ID.
Feedback and support
If you choose to send feedback from the app, we collect the feedback category and message, plus any contact detail you voluntarily provide. The submission also includes the app version and build, iOS version, device model, display language, Plus status and a random installation identifier. If you are signed in, the feedback is also associated with your SurfEnglish account. We use this information only to respond, investigate problems, improve SurfEnglish and protect the feedback service from abuse. It is not used for advertising or cross-app tracking.
If the submission cannot be delivered, the feedback draft is stored on your device and retried later. After delivery, the feedback and accompanying information are stored on our servers and may be sent to our support inbox as a notification. We retain this information only for as long as reasonably necessary to respond, investigate issues, improve the service and meet legal obligations. You can request deletion by contacting support@surfenglish.app.
Usage analytics
Usage analytics are enabled by default and can be turned off at any time in Settings → Data → Share Usage Analytics. We use Firebase Analytics (Google) to understand which features are used — events such as article opened, translation used, game started and subscription purchase or restore result. Firebase also processes an app-instance identifier, approximate region derived from the network connection, device model, operating system, app version and language. Its transport service may process delivery and performance diagnostics.
We deliberately exclude content from analytics: article text, words you look up, translations, custom feed addresses and webpages you open are not included. We also do not attach your SurfEnglish account identifier, Apple account identifier, email address or name to Firebase Analytics. Turning analytics off stops collection and resets the analytics data held by the app on that device.
What we don't do
- No SurfEnglish-operated advertising, ad targeting, or advertising revenue. Websites you choose to open may independently display their own advertising.
- No tracking across other companies' apps or websites, and no use of the Apple advertising identifier (IDFA).
- We never sell your personal information.
Your privacy choices
- Turn usage analytics on or off in SurfEnglish under Settings → Data.
- Delete a signed-in account and synced data under Settings → Account Sync.
- Clear cached website content under Settings → Storage, or remove all local app data by deleting the app.
- Contact support@surfenglish.app if you cannot access an in-app control, want feedback you submitted deleted, or need help with another privacy request.
Third-party services
- Apple — Sign in with Apple, StoreKit purchases, and optional on-device translation language packs.
- Microsoft Azure AI Translator and Google Cloud Translation — standard cloud translation of the text and context you choose to submit.
- Google Gemini and OpenAI — optional AI comparison translations of the text and context you choose to submit.
- Google Firebase Analytics — usage analytics as described above.
- Google Gmail — delivery of internal notifications when you send feedback; the message, optional contact detail and accompanying support information may be processed as email.
- Google favicon service — the app loads small site icons for news sources from Google, which reveals the source's domain name (not the article) to Google.
- Websites you visit — the built-in browser loads the pages you choose to open, like any browser; those sites see your visit under their own policies and may display their own advertising.
Data retention and deletion
- Local data — under your control; clear it in Settings → Storage or by deleting the app.
- Account and synced data — kept while your account is active. In the app, open Settings → Account Sync → Delete Account. After a fresh Sign in with Apple confirmation, SurfEnglish immediately deletes the account, sessions, synced topics, custom feed definitions and server-side learning data for the current app installation. This does not cancel an Apple subscription.
- Deletion support — if you cannot access the in-app control, email support@surfenglish.app and we will help verify and complete the request.
- Analytics — retained according to Firebase Analytics' standard retention settings. You can stop future collection from the in-app setting above.
- Feedback and support — retained only as long as reasonably needed to respond, investigate issues, improve SurfEnglish and meet legal obligations. Email support@surfenglish.app to request deletion.
Security
All network communication uses HTTPS. Session credentials are stored in the iOS Keychain. Custom RSS feeds are fetched over HTTPS only.
Children
SurfEnglish is intended for a general audience and is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
Changes to this policy
If we change this policy, we will update this page and the effective date above. Material changes will be highlighted in the app.
Contact
Questions about privacy? Email support@surfenglish.app.