This policy explains how Spelling Bee Africa ("we", "us") collects, uses and protects your information when you use the Spelling Bee Africa mobile app (Android and iOS) and the website at spellingbeeafrica.com. It applies to the app published on Google Play as com.africa.spellingbeeafrica and on the App Store as SpellingBee Africa.
1. Information we collect
Information you give us
- Account details — email address, phone number, or the Google/Apple account you sign in with, plus the username and avatar you choose.
- Support messages — anything you send us by email.
Information created as you play
- Game data — scores, levels completed, daily streaks, leaderboard position, and multiplayer match history.
- Purchase records — which in-app items you own. Payments are processed by Google Play or the Apple App Store; we never receive or store your card details.
Information collected automatically
- Device and app information — device model, operating system version, app version, language, and a device identifier used for security and crash diagnosis.
- Usage analytics — screens opened, features used, and session timing, so we can see which parts of the app work well.
- Notification token — if you allow notifications, so we can send reminders about your streak.
2. How we use your information
- Create and secure your account and sign you in.
- Save your progress, streaks, purchases, and leaderboard standing across devices.
- Run multiplayer matches and show your username and score to other players in a match or on a leaderboard.
- Send streak reminders and service notifications, if you have allowed them.
- Detect and prevent abuse, cheating, and fraudulent purchases.
- Understand how the app is used and improve it.
We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use it to show you third-party advertising.
3. What other players can see
Your username, avatar, level, streak, and scores are visible to other players on leaderboards and in multiplayer matches. Your email address and phone number are never shown to other players.
4. Services we use
| Service | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Google Firebase (Authentication, Firestore, Realtime Database, Storage, Cloud Functions, App Check) | Accounts, saved game data, multiplayer, avatar storage, and abuse prevention |
| Firebase Analytics and Cloud Messaging | Usage analytics and push notifications |
| Mixpanel | Product analytics |
| Google Sign-In and Sign in with Apple | Optional sign-in methods |
| Google Play Billing and Apple In-App Purchase | Processing purchases |
These providers process data on our behalf under their own privacy terms. We share information with them only as needed to run the service, and we may also disclose information where the law requires it.
5. Where your data is stored
Data is stored on Google Cloud infrastructure and may be processed in countries outside your own, including the United States and the European Union. We rely on our providers' contractual safeguards for those transfers.
6. How long we keep it
We keep your account and game data for as long as your account exists. When you delete your account we remove your profile, game statistics, and purchase records from our live systems, normally within 30 days. Backups and records we must keep for legal, tax, or fraud-prevention reasons are retained longer and then deleted.
7. Deleting your account and data
You can delete your account and all associated data at any time:
- In the app, open Profile → Delete Account and confirm. You will be asked to sign in again first.
- Or email support@spellingbeeafrica.com from your registered email address and we will delete your account within 30 days.
Deleting your account is permanent. Purchases and progress cannot be restored afterwards.
8. Your rights
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, export, or delete your personal information, to object to or restrict certain processing, and to withdraw consent. You can edit your profile in the app, or contact us at support@spellingbeeafrica.com to exercise any of these rights. If you are in South Africa, you may also lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator.
9. Children
Spelling Bee Africa is an educational game used by learners, including children. We collect only the information described above, we do not show third-party advertising, and we do not use children's data for profiling. If a child under the age of consent in their country wants an account, a parent or guardian should create it and supervise its use. If you believe a child has given us personal information without parental consent, contact us and we will delete it.
10. Security
Traffic between the app and our servers is encrypted in transit, access to production data is limited to authorised personnel, and requests are validated with Firebase App Check. No system is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.
11. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. Changes are posted on this page with a new "Last updated" date, and significant changes will also be announced in the app.
12. Contact us
Questions about this policy or your data: support@spellingbeeafrica.com