LevelUpStudy Privacy Policy

1. Who is responsible

LevelUpStudy is developed and published by Ahmet Balaman, an independent developer based in Türkiye, who is also the data controller. For any question or request, write to [email protected].

2. Data that is processed

The app processes only the data it needs in order to work:

• Account data: the user identifier provided by Apple during Sign in with Apple, plus the name and email address Apple shares on the first sign-in only. If you use Apple’s "Hide My Email", only the relay address reaches the developer.
• Profile data: your chosen username, the exam you are preparing for, your daily and weekly goals, and a profile photo if you decide to upload one.
• Study data: start and end times of your focus sessions, their duration, the points you earn, your level, your streak, your daily records and unlocked achievements.
• Social data: the users you follow and who follow you, friendship streaks, study rooms you join, and desks you like.
• Desk data: the items you buy in the shop and how they are arranged on your desk.
• Technical data: app version, device model and operating-system version; crash reports; and a device token so notifications can be delivered.

The app never asks for location, contacts, microphone or health data. Photo access is requested only at the moment you choose to upload a profile picture.

3. Where data is stored

• Authentication runs through Google’s Firebase Authentication service.
• Profile, study, social and desk data are stored in a MySQL database on the developer’s own API server.
• Crash reports go through Firebase Crashlytics, basic usage events through Firebase Analytics, and notifications through Firebase Cloud Messaging.

These services are governed by their own privacy policies: apple.com/legal/privacy for Apple and policies.google.com/privacy for Google and Firebase.

4. Why the data is used

• To create your account and keep you signed in.
• To calculate study durations, points, streaks and levels correctly.
• To show leaderboards, your friend list and live study rooms.
• To send streak reminders, break alerts and motivation notifications, if you granted notification permission.
• To fix crashes and improve the app.

5. What other users can see

LevelUpStudy is a social app. Your username, profile photo (if any), level, streak, study time and desk are visible to other users, and you appear on leaderboards with that information.

You are not required to show your real name: you can pick any username and use the app without uploading a photo.

6. Advertising

There are no interruptive ads. Optionally, at the end of a session, you can watch a rewarded Google AdMob ad to earn bonus points. Skipping it never limits any feature of the app.

When an ad is shown, Google AdMob may process device and advertising identifiers under its own policy in order to serve and measure the ad. If you decline the iOS tracking prompt, non-personalised ads are shown.

7. Sharing of data

Your personal data is never sold, rented or transferred to third parties for marketing. It is shared only with the service providers listed above, and only to the extent the service requires.

Data may also be disclosed where a legal obligation or a lawful request from a competent authority applies, limited strictly to the scope of that request.

8. Retention and account deletion

Your study history is retained while your account exists, because your statistics and streak are built from those records.

You can delete your account from Profile > Settings in the app. This removes your account and study data from the server and ends the Sign in with Apple connection. It cannot be undone; deleted study history cannot be restored.

If you can no longer access the app, request deletion at [email protected]. Once ownership of the account is verified, the request is completed within 30 days at the latest.

9. Your rights

Depending on where you live, under GDPR or Turkish data protection law (KVKK) you have the right to access your data, ask for correction or deletion, request restriction of processing, and receive a copy of your data.

To exercise any of these rights, write to [email protected].

10. Children’s privacy

The App Store age rating is 13+. Data is not knowingly collected from users under 13. A parent or legal guardian who discovers that their child created an account can request its deletion at the contact address above.

11. Security

All traffic between the app and the server runs over HTTPS. The server identifies the owner of a request only from a verified Apple/Firebase identity token, so one user cannot write data into another user’s account.

No system is perfectly secure, but access rights are kept narrow and only the data the app actually needs is stored on the server.

12. Changes to this policy

When a new feature changes how data is processed, this policy is updated and the date at the top of the page changes. Significant changes are also announced inside the app.

13. Contact

For any privacy question: [email protected]. Developer: Ahmet Balaman, Türkiye.