Privacy Policy
Last updated: April 1, 2026
Quips is an AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) app built for non-speaking individuals. We believe privacy is a right, not a feature. This policy explains exactly what data the app collects, where it goes, and how you control it.
What We Collect
Account Data
When you create an account, we store the following in Google Firebase:
- Email and display name — for authentication and account identification
- Age group — whether you are 13 or older, or under 13 (used to restrict AI features for younger users)
- Account timestamps — when your account was created and last used
- AI consent records — whether you opted in or out of cloud AI features, with a timestamp and the consent version
Users under 13 are signed in anonymously. No email or password is collected for under-13 accounts.
AI Feature Data (Optional, 13+ Only)
If you are 13 or older and you explicitly consent to AI features, the app sends the following to OpenAI's API for word prediction:
- The letters you've typed so far (the current word prefix)
- Recent words in your current message (for context)
- Your personal vocabulary patterns (frequent words and phrases learned on-device)
- A device identifier used for rate limiting
This data is sent only when you are actively typing and AI predictions are enabled. It is not stored by Quips after the prediction is returned. OpenAI's data handling is governed by OpenAI's privacy policy.
AI features are entirely optional. You can revoke consent at any time in Settings, and the app will use only the offline dictionary for predictions.
Quiz & Learning Data
If you complete quizzes assigned through the app, the following is stored in Firebase:
- Question ID, whether you answered correctly, number of attempts, and a timestamp
Local Device Data (Never Leaves Your Device)
The following data is stored only on your device and is never transmitted to any server:
- Word learning history — which words you use, how often, and in what context. This powers the on-device personalization engine.
- Saved documents — letters, math expressions, and other work you save
- Board layouts and preferences — your customized keyboard arrangements and settings
- Language preference — English or Spanish
- Recent message contacts — names and phone numbers of contacts you've sent messages to, stored locally for convenience
How We Use Your Data
- Authentication — to sign you in and maintain your account
- Word prediction — to predict the word you're spelling (cloud AI requires consent; offline dictionary works without it)
- Personalization — to learn your vocabulary and improve predictions over time (all on-device)
- Age-appropriate access — to ensure users under 13 cannot access cloud AI features
Third-Party Services
| Service | What It Receives | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Google Firebase | Account data, age group, consent records, quiz results | Authentication and data storage |
| OpenAI | Typed text context (13+ with consent only) | AI-powered word prediction |
No other third-party services receive your data. The app contains no analytics SDKs, no ad networks, and no tracking pixels.
Children's Privacy
Quips takes children's privacy seriously:
- Users who indicate they are under 13 are signed in anonymously — no email or password is collected
- Cloud AI features are completely blocked for under-13 users. No typed text is ever sent to OpenAI.
- Under-13 users can still use all communication boards with the offline 50,000-word dictionary
- Quiz results are the only data stored remotely for under-13 users
Your Controls
- Revoke AI consent — go to Settings and turn off AI features at any time. Predictions will switch to offline-only mode immediately.
- Delete your account — in Settings, tap "Delete Account." This permanently removes all your data from Firebase, including consent records and quiz results.
- Manage iOS permissions — camera, microphone, photos, and contacts permissions can be revoked anytime in iOS Settings. The app only uses these when you explicitly activate features that need them (head tracking, video recording, photo boards, messaging).
- Clear local data — signing out or uninstalling the app removes locally stored learning data, documents, and preferences.
Device Permissions
| Permission | Used For | Data Sent Remotely? |
|---|---|---|
| Camera | Head tracking (ARKit) and video recording | No |
| Microphone | Audio recording for communication videos | No |
| Photos | Adding images to communication boards | No |
| Contacts | Selecting recipients when sending messages | No |
Data Storage & Security
- All network communication uses HTTPS encryption
- Custom API keys are stored in the iOS Keychain (hardware-encrypted, device-only)
- Learning data stays on your device and is never uploaded
- Firebase data is protected by authentication rules — only you can access your data
Data Retention & Deletion
- Account deletion permanently removes all Firebase data (user profile, consent records, quiz results) and your authentication credentials
- Local data (documents, learning history, preferences) persists on the device until you sign out or uninstall the app
- We do not retain data after account deletion
What We Don't Do
- We don't collect analytics or usage metrics
- We don't show ads or use ad networks
- We don't sell or share data with data brokers
- We don't track your location
- We don't collect crash reports
- We don't use fingerprinting beyond a device identifier for API rate limiting
Changes to This Policy
If we make material changes, we'll update this page and the "Last updated" date. For significant changes affecting data collection, we'll notify users in the app.
Contact
Questions about this privacy policy or your data? Contact us at contact@quips.app.