Privacy Policy for Takeaway Tale

Last Updated: 2025-11-23

Welcome to Takeaway Tale! This Privacy Policy explains how Takeaway Tale ("we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, and discloses information when you use our services. This policy applies to the Takeaway Tale mobile application (the "App") and our promotional website (the "Website"), collectively referred to as our "Services."

We are committed to protecting the privacy of our users, especially children. Our Services are designed for children and their families, and we handle all information with the highest standard of care in compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

1. Information We Collect

Our goal is to create a safe and engaging experience with minimal data collection. We do not collect names, email addresses, phone numbers, or precise locations from children.

A. Information Stored Locally on Your Device

The App uses your device's local storage to save your personal preferences. This data stays on your device and is not transmitted to our servers. It includes:

• Favorite Tales: A list of the tales you have marked as favorites.
• Theme Preference: Your choice of light, dark, or system default theme.
• Reading Preferences: Your choice to show or hide images within a tale.

B. Information Processed for Analytics (App Usage)

To help us understand what stories children enjoy most and to improve the App, we use Google Firebase Analytics. This service collects anonymous, aggregate data. It does not collect Personal Identifiable Information (PII) or use Advertising IDs (IDFA/AAID) to track users across other apps.

We collect the following usage events:

• Content Views: Which tales are opened and read.
• Media Interactions: When audio is played or paused, and when videos are opened.
• Features Used: When a user downloads a coloring page or adds a tale to favorites.
• Search Terms: General keywords searched within the App (to help us add better content).
• General Device Info: Device model, operating system, and general region (e.g., "United States") to ensure technical compatibility.

C. Information Processed for Technical Functionality

• IP Address: To deliver content (images, audio files) to your device, your IP address is processed by our essential infrastructure providers: Cloudflare, Inc. and Google, LLC. This is a technical requirement of the internet and is not used to build user profiles.

2. How We Use Information

The limited information we process is used exclusively to:

• Deliver the content of the tales (text, images, audio) to the App.
• Analyze aggregate usage trends (e.g., "500 users read 'The Three Little Pigs' this week") to determine which stories are popular.
• Identify technical bugs or crashes to improve App stability.
• Enable the download of supplementary materials (PDFs, Audiobooks).

We do not build user profiles, serve targeted advertisements, or use collected information for marketing purposes.

3. Cookies and Local Storage

Our Service is a Progressive Web App (PWA). Whether you access it directly through a web browser or "install" it to your device's home screen, it functions using standard web technologies. Therefore, we use the following storage methods:

• Local Storage: We use your browser's Local Storage to save your personal preferences (such as your "Favorites" list, theme selection, and image visibility settings) directly on your device. This ensures your settings are remembered between visits.
• Cookies (Analytics): Our analytics provider, Google Firebase/Google Analytics, places first-party cookies (e.g., "_ga") on your device. These allow us to distinguish unique user sessions and count how many people read specific tales. These cookies collect anonymous, aggregate data and do not identify you personally.

You can manage or delete these cookies and clear Local Storage through your device's browser settings at any time. Please note that clearing Local Storage will erase your saved "Favorites."

4. Information Sharing

We do not sell or rent any personal information. We only share data with essential third-party service providers who assist in the operation of the App. These providers are contractually bound to protect this data:

• Google Firebase: Used for anonymous app analytics and backend infrastructure.
• Cloudflare: Used for content delivery and security.
• YouTube: Used to host optional video content (subject to YouTube's Terms of Service).

5. Parental Rights and Opt-Out

As a parent or guardian, you have the right to control your child's online privacy. Since we do not collect personal contact information (like names or emails), we cannot retrieve or delete data associated with a specific individual upon request, as the data is anonymous.

To stop data collection:

• Remove the App: Delete the "Takeaway Tale" icon from your home screen.
• Clear Data: Clear your browser's cookies and cache. This will delete the analytics cookies and the anonymous instance ID associated with your device.

6. External Links and Parental Gates

Our App may contain links to external resources (such as YouTube videos or Privacy Policy pages). To ensure child safety, the App includes a Parental Gate (a mathematical challenge) that must be solved before any external link can be opened or any file downloaded.

7. Data Security

We employ industry-standard technical measures to protect the integrity of our Services. Data sent to our service providers is encrypted using SSL/TLS (Secure Sockets Layer).

8. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new policy on this page. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically.