Privacy Policy

Last updated: 31 July 2026

This Privacy Policy explains what information Kotoba Chan (“we”, “us”, the “Service”) collects, how we use it, and the choices you have. The Service is a free study aid for Japanese kanji and vocabulary. By using it, you agree to this Policy.

1. Information we collect

Information you give us

Account details — your name and email address. If you register with a password, we store it in hashed form (we never keep your plain password).
Social sign-in — if you choose “Continue with Google” or “Continue with Facebook”, we receive your name, email address, profile photo, and a provider account ID from that service. We do not receive your social-media password.
Profile settings — such as your chosen JLPT level and daily study goal.

Information created as you use the Service

Learning progress — which words you have seen, answered, or mastered, and how many days you have practised. This powers your progress bars and streaks.
Login activity — the time of your most recent sign-in.

Information collected automatically

Server logs — like most websites, our host records technical data such as your IP address, browser type, and the pages requested, for security and reliability.
Analytics — only if you accept cookies, Google Analytics collects anonymised usage data (see “Cookies” below).

2. How we use your information

To create and manage your account and sign you in.
To save and display your learning progress.
To send account emails — email verification and password resets.
To keep the Service secure and prevent abuse (for example, rate-limiting sign-in attempts).
To understand how the Service is used and improve it (analytics, with your consent).

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use it for advertising.

3. Cookies and similar technologies

We use a small number of cookies:

Cookie	Purpose	Type
`kotoba_chan_session` / CSRF token	Keeps you signed in and protects forms against cross-site request forgery.	Essential
`theme`	Remembers your light/dark theme choice.	Essential / functional
`cookie_consent`	Remembers whether you accepted or declined analytics cookies.	Essential
`_ga`, `_ga_*`	Google Analytics — measures anonymised, aggregated usage. Set only after you click “Accept”.	Analytics (optional)

Essential cookies are required for the Service to work and are always active. Analytics cookies are never set unless you accept them. You can change your choice at any time using the “Cookie settings” link in the footer, or by clearing cookies in your browser.

4. How your information is shared

We share personal information only with the service providers needed to run Kotoba Chan:

Hosting — our web host stores the application and its database.
Email delivery — our mail provider sends verification and password-reset emails.
Google / Facebook — only if you choose social sign-in, and only to authenticate you.
Google Analytics — only if you accept analytics cookies. IP addresses are anonymised.

We may also disclose information if required by law, or to protect the rights, safety, and security of our users and the Service.

5. Data retention

We keep your account information and learning data for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, your personal data is removed from our active database. Backups and server logs are retained for a limited period and then deleted or overwritten in the normal course.

6. Your rights and choices

Access & correction — you can view and update your name, email, and settings from your Profile page.
Deletion — you can permanently delete your account and its data from Profile → Delete Account, or by contacting us.
Analytics consent — accept or decline at any time via the cookie banner / “Cookie settings”.
Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights under laws such as the GDPR (EU/UK) — including the right to object to or restrict processing, and to data portability. Contact us to exercise them.

7. Security

We protect your data with measures including encrypted connections (HTTPS), hashed passwords, checks that reject known-breached passwords, and rate-limiting against automated attacks. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, but we work to protect your information.

8. Children

The Service is not directed to children under 13 (or the minimum age required in your country). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us information, please contact us and we will delete it.

9. International users

Your information may be processed and stored on servers located in a country other than your own. By using the Service, you understand that your information may be transferred to such locations.

10. Changes to this Policy

We may update this Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the “Last updated” date above. Significant changes may be announced within the Service. Your continued use after an update means you accept the revised Policy.

11. Contact us

Questions or requests about your data? Email us at contact@kotobachan.app.