Privacy Policy

1Who we are

This Privacy Policy applies to the StepCivics app for iPhone and Android (“StepCivics” or “the app”) and to this website. StepCivics is operated by D&B Evergreen Adventures LLC (“we”, “our” or “us”), a company registered in the State of Washington, USA. By using StepCivics, you agree to this policy.

StepCivics is built to know as little about you as it can. Where this policy says something stays on your phone, it never reaches us.

2Information we collect

2.1 Your progress and settings

StepCivics saves these on your phone:

• your answers and progress for each question, and your mock test history
• your settings: language, appearance, theme, state and ZIP code
• your interview date and test mode (such as 65/20), if you add them

The state and ZIP code lookups for your officials run on your phone. None of this leaves your phone unless you sign in and back it up (section 4.2).

2.2 Optional sign-in

You don’t need an account. If you sign in with Apple or Google to back up your progress, sign-in goes through Google Firebase Authentication, which keeps:

• an account ID that Firebase creates for you
• your email address. With Sign in with Apple you can choose Hide My Email, and we receive a private relay address instead
• your name, if Apple or Google shares it

We never see your Apple or Google password. Apple and Google run the sign-in itself under their own privacy policies.

2.3 Usage analytics (you can turn this off)

While Share usage analytics is on, the app sends usage events to Google Firebase Analytics, such as finishing a mock test with its score, or opening the Premium screen. Firebase also records the app version, device model, operating system, an approximate location worked out from your IP address and a random ID for this installation of the app.

Analytics never include your ZIP code, interview date, test mode, name, email or the text of your answers, and we don’t link them to an account. Analytics don’t use an advertising ID.

2.4 Crash reports

If the app crashes, it sends a report to Google Firebase Crashlytics with technical details about the error (such as the screen it happened on), the app version, device model and operating system. Crash reports never include your account ID, progress, ZIP code, interview date or email address.

2.5 Ads in the free version

The free version shows Google AdMob ads: a banner on the main screens and, now and then, one full-screen ad after a mock test result, never during a test. We ask Google for non-personalized ads only. Google’s ad software still collects some information to show ads, count views and taps and prevent fraud, such as your IP address and device and advertising identifiers, under Google’s own privacy policy.

• StepCivics never shows Apple’s “Allow tracking” prompt
• In the European Economic Area, the UK and Switzerland, Google’s consent form asks for your choice first. You can change it in Settings → Privacy choices
• The ad software starts only after you finish setup and accept the Terms, and never with Premium

2.6 Premium

Premium is a one-time purchase through the App Store or Google Play. Apple or Google takes the payment, so we never see your card or payment details. Your phone keeps the confirmation that you own Premium; we keep no purchase records.

2.7 Downloads, updates and app checks

The app downloads question updates, officials’ names and audio from our data server on Cloudflare, and app updates from Expo. These requests carry your IP address and basic details such as the app version, never your progress. When you sign in, Firebase App Check (Apple App Attest on iPhone, Google Play Integrity on Android) confirms that the request comes from the real app.

2.8 What we don’t collect

• Your location, contacts, photos, camera or microphone. You type your state and ZIP code yourself
• Your Apple or Google password, or your payment details
• Anything that tracks you across other companies’ apps and websites

3How we use it

• Show your progress, schedule your reviews and score your mock tests, on your phone
• Show the answers for your state and ZIP code, with Premium
• Back up your progress and restore it on another phone, if you sign in
• Show ads in the free version, and unlock and restore Premium
• Find and fix crashes, and understand which features people use
• Answer your messages and meet our legal obligations

We don’t sell your information or build profiles about you.

4Where it’s stored

4.1 On your phone

Your progress and settings are saved in the app’s private storage on your phone. Deleting the app deletes them. If your phone’s own backup is on (iCloud Backup or Android backup), it may include this storage, under Apple’s or Google’s terms.

4.2 Backup to your account (optional)

While you’re signed in and backup is on, StepCivics keeps a copy in Google Cloud Firestore in the United States that only your account can read: your progress per question, your mock test history, and your language, theme and state. It writes the backup at most once a day. Your ZIP code and interview date are never backed up.

4.3 Our servers

Our data server on Cloudflare hands the same public files to everyone: the questions, officials’ names, audio and the app’s settings file. It doesn’t store anything about you. The only thing our servers keep about you is a note of when we emailed you before deleting an unused account (section 7), under a scrambled key, deleted within 45 days.

5Reminders

Study reminders and the reminder to check officials’ names before your interview are created on your phone. StepCivics doesn’t use a push service, so we hold no notification token for your device. Reminders never show your answers or interview details.

6Who receives it

We share information only with the organizations that run parts of StepCivics, and only what each one needs:

Google Firebase, Cloudflare (including Cloudflare Email Service, which sends our emails) and Expo work for us under data-processing terms and may use your information only to provide their service. We don’t sell or rent personal information, and we don’t share it for targeted advertising. We may share information when the law requires it.

7How long we keep it

Inactive accounts. If your account isn’t used for 2 years, meaning StepCivics isn’t opened with an internet connection while you’re signed in, on any phone, we delete your account and backup. We’ll email the address on your account 30 days before, from notices@stepcivics.app. Opening StepCivics in that time keeps your account. Progress on your phone stays there until you delete the app.

8Your choices and rights

8.1 In the app

• Sign in or out, and turn backup on or off, in Settings
• Share usage analytics: turn it off in Settings
• Reminders: Settings, or your phone’s notification settings
• Privacy choices (EEA, UK and Switzerland): change your ad consent in Settings

8.2 Deleting your account

Go to Settings → Delete account. After you confirm and sign in once more, StepCivics deletes your backup, then your account, right away. If you can’t open the app, email support@stepcivics.app from the address on your account. Delete your account has the steps.

8.3 Your privacy rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to know, get a copy of, correct or delete the personal information we hold about you, and to object to some uses of it. Most of it is on your phone, where you can see and change it. For anything else, email privacy@stepcivics.app. We’ll answer within 30 days and won’t treat you differently for asking.

9Security

Everything the app sends travels over encrypted connections (HTTPS), and your backup can be read only by your signed-in account. No system is perfectly secure: if a breach affects your information, we’ll tell you directly, by email or in the app.

10Children

StepCivics is not meant for children under 13, and we don’t knowingly collect their information. If you believe a child under 13 has given us information, email privacy@stepcivics.app and we’ll delete it.

11Users outside the United States

StepCivics is for people preparing for the U.S. naturalization test. We’re based in the United States, and the backup is stored there, where privacy laws may differ from those where you live.

12This website

This website has no accounts, cookies, analytics or ads, and it loads nothing from other companies: even its fonts come from this site. If you pick Light or Dark, your choice is saved in your browser and never sent to us. Cloudflare, which hosts the site, may keep standard request logs.

13Changes to this policy

Each new version gets a new effective date and a short summary of what changed. Before a change applies to you, StepCivics shows that summary in the app and asks you to accept it. Your acceptance is saved on your phone.

14Not legal advice

StepCivics is a study aid and does not provide legal advice. For legal guidance, talk to a licensed immigration attorney or an accredited representative, and check important information at uscis.gov.

15Contact us

Company

D&B Evergreen Adventures LLC

Registered in

Washington, USA

Address

629 S 168th Pl, SeaTac, WA 98148-1620, USA

Product

StepCivics

Privacy

privacy@stepcivics.app

Support

support@stepcivics.app