Privacy Policy — Sika

Last updated: 10 September 2026

Sika is a self-study app for the IDF Bahad 1 "Mikraot Yisrael" exam. This document explains what we collect, why, and how we keep it private.

1. What stays only on your device

Most activity is stored locally using your platform's standard secure storage (UserDefaults on iOS, SharedPreferences on Android):

• Answer history (powers the weekly chart + streak count).
• Flashcard "known / not yet" state.
• Preferences (theme, podcast speed, autoplay-next).
• List of podcast episodes you've downloaded.
• The cached audio files themselves (~10 MB per episode).

This data never leaves your device. Uninstalling the app wipes it completely.

2. Onboarding survey and feedback — via Google Forms

2.1 Onboarding survey (one-time)

On first launch, we ask three questions to help us understand our audience and improve the app:

• Name (optional — leave it blank if you prefer).
• Approximate timing of your exam (week / two weeks / month+).
• How you heard about the app (friend / commander / social).

These answers are POSTed once to the developer's Google Forms. We do not store your IP address, device identifier, or anything beyond the answers you typed.

2.2 Feedback (opt-in)

From the profile screen, you can send us free-text feedback. The text is submitted to the same Google Form and saved in a private sheet. Sending is entirely your choice.

3. Email address — existing-user list

The app is moving to a model where some content requires a purchase. To make sure existing users get full Premium access at no charge, we show a one-time screen asking for your email address.

• Providing your email is entirely optional — you can tap "Later" and keep using the app normally.
• If you do provide it, we store it together with a random device identifier the app generates (a random number, not linked to your identity), so we can grant you Premium access automatically when the transition happens.
• We may send one or two messages to this address about the transition and significant version updates. We do not sell or share your email with third parties for advertising.

Your email and device identifier are stored in Firebase (a Google service) — see section 5.

4. Push notifications

If you allow notifications, the app stores a notification token (a Firebase Cloud Messaging registration token) — a technical identifier that lets a server deliver a notification to your device. It is used for:

• A small number of messages — e.g. when a new version or the Premium upgrade is available.
• No ads, no spam.

You can turn notifications off any time in your device settings. The token is stored in Firebase alongside the device identifier and, if you provided one, linked to your email.

5. Firebase services and what Google processes

Sections 3–4 use Firebase, a Google platform. Specifically:

• Cloud Firestore — the database where the email, notification token, and device identifier are stored.
• Firebase Cloud Messaging — the notification delivery mechanism.
• Firebase Remote Config — on launch the app fetches a small settings file (e.g. whether a mandatory update is required). This is a read only; no personal data is sent.
• Firebase Anonymous Authentication — the app signs in to Firebase anonymously (no account, no password) purely so it can write your record securely. This creates a random Firebase identifier not linked to any personal profile.

Google processes this data on our behalf under the Firebase Data Processing Terms. As with any internet service, Firebase automatically records basic technical data (such as your IP address) when your device contacts its servers. Google may process this data on servers located outside Israel, including in the United States and the EU.

6. Network usage

The app contacts the network only when:

• Downloading a podcast episode — a single GET to Cloudflare R2 for the .m4a file. No additional tracking.
• Submitting the onboarding survey or feedback — a one-time POST to Google Forms (see section 2).
• Firebase — storing the email / notification token / device identifier, and fetching the settings file (see sections 3–5).
• First-time font load — the Heebo font is fetched from Google Fonts on first launch; cached after that.

The app does not run behavioural analytics, ad tracking, or sell data.

7. What we do not collect

• Phone number, location, national ID.
• Advertising identifiers (IDFA / GAID).
• In-app usage / behavioural analytics.
• Automatic crash beacons.
• Access to microphone, camera, contacts, or photo library.
• Your study content (answers, progress) — that stays on-device only.

8. Permissions requested

• Internet — to download podcasts and reach Firebase.
• Storage — to save progress and downloaded podcasts.
• Notifications — optional; only if you allow it. Revocable any time in device settings.

9. Data retention and deletion

We keep your email, notification token, and device identifier for as long as they are needed for the Premium migration and for sending essential updates. To request deletion of your email and record, email guyzahavi7@gmail.com and we will remove them within a reasonable time.

10. Changes

If our practices change, we'll update this document and release a new app version. The "Last updated" date at the top always reflects the latest change.

11. Children

The app is intended for adults (IDF cadets, age 18+). It is not directed at children under 13.

12. Contact

For privacy questions, email: guyzahavi7@gmail.com.