Privacy Policy

1Overview

StorifyMe ("we", "our", "us") is a family story app powered by Google's Gemini AI. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, why, and how we protect it. We are committed to COPPA (US Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) and GDPR (EU General Data Protection Regulation) compliance.

By using StorifyMe you agree to this policy. If you do not agree, please uninstall the app.

2Data We Collect

Account data (Firebase Authentication):

• Google account name, email address and profile photo (used for sign-in only)
• Firebase UID (anonymous identifier used to link your account)

Profile data (stored locally on device):

• Profile name, date of birth (month and year only), avatar emoji
• Preferred genres, content rating, preferred language
• PIN (stored locally, never transmitted)

Story data (stored locally on device):

• Generated story text, title, genre, tone, language
• Favourite status and creation date
• Magic words used in generation

Usage data (anonymous, via AdMob):

• Ad interaction data collected by Google AdMob in release builds only
• No usage data is collected in debug/development builds

3Local Storage

StorifyMe uses Hive, a lightweight local database, to store all profile and story data directly on your device. This means:

• Stories are available offline once generated
• Deleting the app removes all story data permanently
• We cannot recover stories if your device is lost or reset
• Your story content is never visible to us or shared with third parties

We also use SharedPreferences to store app settings such as dark mode preference, onboarding completion status, and ad frequency counters.

4Firebase & Google Services

We use the following Firebase services:

• Firebase Authentication: Handles sign-in via Google. We store only your Firebase UID, email and display name. We do not store passwords.
• Firebase Hosting: Hosts this website (storifyme.co.uk). Standard web server logs apply.
• Firebase Cloud Messaging: Used for optional re-engagement notifications. You can disable these in device settings.

We do not currently use Firestore, Firebase Storage, or Firebase Analytics for user data. Future versions may add optional cloud sync — this will require explicit opt-in consent.

Google's privacy policy applies to Firebase services: policies.google.com/privacy

5AI Story Generation

Stories are generated using Google Gemini API (generativelanguage.googleapis.com). When you generate a story, the following data is sent to Google's API:

• Story parameters: genre, tone, length, content rating, language preference
• Optional: hero name, magic words (words you choose to include)
• Age group (not exact age) for content safety guidelines

We do not send: profile names, actual ages, email addresses, or any personally identifiable information to Gemini.

Gemini API data handling is governed by Google's terms: ai.google.dev/terms

The API key used for Gemini is embedded in the app binary and is rate-limited to prevent misuse. We recommend users obtain their own key from aistudio.google.com for development.

6Advertising

StorifyMe uses Google AdMob to display advertisements. Important notes:

• Ads are shown in release builds only. Debug and development builds show no ads.
• AdMob may collect device identifiers, IP address and ad interaction data per their privacy policy.
• We do not serve personalised ads to users under 13. AdMob is configured with child-directed settings for profiles rated G.
• Interstitial ads appear after every 3 stories generated (configurable).
• Banner ads appear at the bottom of the Story Vault screen.

AdMob privacy policy: policies.google.com/technologies/ads

7Children's Privacy (COPPA)

We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13. The app is designed so that:

• Account creation (Google Sign-In) is performed by an adult account holder
• Children's profiles store only age group (not exact DOB), a chosen emoji avatar, and preferred genres — all on-device only
• No child profile data is transmitted to our servers
• Stories generated for child profiles use age-appropriate content filtering (G and PG ratings)
• Child profiles cannot access adult (PG-13/R) content — enforced by the app

Parents can delete all child profile data at any time by deleting the profile from Settings or by deleting the app. The account owner (first adult profile) has full control over all family profiles.

8Profile Permissions & Account Ownership

StorifyMe uses a permission model based on profile roles:

• Account Owner (👑 Root Profile): The first adult (18+) profile created. Can delete any other profile. Identified by earliest creation date among adult profiles. Can delete the Firebase account and all data.
• Adult Profiles: Can edit their own profile (name, language). Cannot delete other profiles. Can view all account settings.
• Child/Teen Profiles: Can only access story creation and their own story vault. Cannot access account settings or delete profiles.
• Delete Account: Only available to adult profiles (18+) via Settings.

9Data Deletion & Account Removal

You have complete control over your data. StorifyMe provides three levels of deletion — individual stories, family profiles, and full account removal.

Other Deletion Options

• Delete a single story: Open the Vault → long-press a story to enter multi-select mode → select stories → tap the delete icon. Immediate and permanent.
• Delete a family profile: Settings → Family Profiles → tap the profile → Delete Profile. The account owner (root profile) can delete any other profile. All stories belonging to that profile are permanently deleted.
• Uninstall the app: Uninstalling StorifyMe from your device removes all local data including stories, profiles, and settings. Your Firebase Authentication account remains — use "Delete Account" first if you want full removal.

After full account deletion, we retain no data about you. Firebase Authentication records are deleted immediately upon request. We have no cloud backup of stories — once deleted, stories cannot be recovered.

10Your Rights (GDPR)

If you are in the European Economic Area (EEA) or UK, you have the following rights:

• Right of Access: Request a copy of your data (Firebase Authentication data only — story data is on your device)
• Right to Erasure: Delete your account and all associated data via the app (see above) or by emailing us
• Right to Rectification: Correct your profile data directly in the app
• Right to Portability: Export your story data by sharing stories from the app
• Right to Object: Contact us to object to any data processing

To exercise any right, email StorifyMeTeam@storifyme.com. We will respond within 30 calendar days.

11Data Sharing

We do not sell, rent or trade your personal data. Data is shared only with:

• Google Firebase — Authentication and app hosting (essential for the app to function)
• Google Gemini API — Story generation parameters only (no PII)
• Google AdMob — Anonymous ad interaction data in release builds only

All third-party services used are GDPR-compliant. We have no other data-sharing arrangements.

12Security

Security measures we implement:

• All data transmitted to Firebase and Gemini API is encrypted in transit (TLS)
• Firebase Authentication handles all credential management — we never store passwords
• Profile PINs are stored locally on-device only and are never transmitted
• Story data is stored in a local Hive database — not accessible to other apps
• Gemini API key is embedded in the app binary and rate-limited
• AdMob is disabled in debug builds, preventing unnecessary data collection during development

If you discover a security vulnerability, please email StorifyMeTeam@storifyme.com responsibly before public disclosure.

13Policy Changes

We may update this Privacy Policy. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date and notify users via an in-app notification. Continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance.

14Apple App Store & iOS (Coming Soon)

StorifyMe is currently available on Android only via Google Play. An iOS version is in development. When the iOS version launches, the following additional terms will apply:

App Tracking Transparency (ATT)

On iOS 14.5 and later, Apple requires apps to request permission before tracking users across apps and websites. StorifyMe will display Apple's ATT prompt before serving personalised ads on iOS. You may choose to opt out — non-personalised ads will be shown instead.

Apple App Store data practices

When distributed via the Apple App Store, Apple may collect certain device and usage data in accordance with Apple's Privacy Policy. StorifyMe does not control Apple's data collection.

Sign in with Apple

If the iOS version offers Sign in with Apple as an authentication option, Apple may share a unique identifier and, at your option, your name and email address. This data is handled in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

IDFA (Identifier for Advertisers)

On iOS, Google AdMob may request access to the IDFA for ad personalisation. This requires your explicit consent via the ATT prompt. If you decline, ads will be shown without using the IDFA.

14Contact Us

For any questions, concerns or data requests: