Privacy Policy

Effective: 2026-05-09

This Privacy Policy explains how ENS Korea ("we", "us", "our") handles personal data in connection with the mobile app Korean Crossword (Bundle ID: com.enskorea.koreancrossword) on Google Play and the Apple App Store. We designed this app to be privacy-first: your puzzle progress stays on your device, and the only personal data that leaves your device is what is needed to show ads and keep the app reliable.

1. Who we are

Korean Crossword is operated by ENS Korea, an indie development team based in the Republic of Korea. We are the data controller for the personal data described in this policy.

Contact: sugar729729@gmail.com

2. What data we collect

2.1 Stored only on your device (not transmitted to us)

• Puzzle progress: completed puzzles, ★ ratings, unlocked bundles
• Acorn balance and earning history
• Settings: UI language, hint language, sound preferences
• Tutorial completion status

This information is stored using local storage on your device (such as AsyncStorage). We do not have access to it, we do not back it up to any server, and we cannot recover it if you uninstall the app.

2.2 Collected by Google AdMob to serve ads

Korean Crossword is free and supported by ads from Google AdMob. AdMob may collect:

• Advertising identifier (Android Advertising ID / iOS IDFA, if you allow tracking)
• IP address (used to determine approximate location, such as country and region)
• Device information (model, operating system version, language, screen size)
• Ad interaction data (which ads you saw, clicked, or watched to completion)
• Approximate location (derived from IP, not precise GPS)

We do not directly receive your advertising ID, IP address, or device identifiers from AdMob. AdMob uses this data on its own behalf in accordance with Google's Privacy Policy.

2.3 What we do not collect

• We do not require any account or sign-up.
• We do not collect your name, email address, phone number, or contacts.
• We do not access your camera, microphone, photos, or files.
• We do not collect precise GPS location.
• We do not process payments or store payment information (the app is fully free).

3. How we use your data

The limited data described above is used to:

• Display advertisements (banner, interstitial, rewarded) so we can keep the app free.
• Comply with applicable advertising and privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA).
• Prevent ad fraud and abuse (handled by Google AdMob).

4. Legal basis (GDPR)

If you are in the European Economic Area (EEA), the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, our legal bases for processing personal data are:

• Consent — for personalized advertising and the use of your advertising identifier. You give this consent through the in-app consent dialog (powered by Google's User Messaging Platform / UMP SDK), and you can withdraw it at any time from the in-app privacy options.
• Legitimate interest — for non-personalized advertising, basic ad delivery, fraud prevention, and operating the app reliably. You can object at any time by contacting us.

5. Advertising and third parties

Korean Crossword uses the following third-party services to deliver and manage advertising:

• Google AdMob (Google LLC) — banner, interstitial, and rewarded ads. Privacy Policy · How Google uses information
• Google User Messaging Platform (UMP) SDK — collects and stores your consent choices for ads in regions with privacy laws (EEA, UK, Switzerland, and applicable U.S. states).

AdMob may share data with advertising partners listed in the consent dialog and in Google's ad technology providers list. These partners act as independent data controllers under their own privacy policies.

We do not sell your personal data to third parties.

6. Consent management (GDPR / CCPA / ATT)

EEA, UK, Switzerland (GDPR): When you first launch the app, you will see a consent dialog asking whether you allow personalized ads. You can choose Consent, Do Not Consent, or Manage Options. You can revisit and change your choice at any time from the in-app privacy settings.

California and other applicable U.S. states (CCPA / state privacy laws): You may see a "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" notice, allowing you to opt out of the sharing of your data for personalized advertising.

iOS App Tracking Transparency (ATT): On iOS devices, the system asks for your permission before any app can use your IDFA to track you across other apps and websites. If you decline, we and our partners will only deliver non-personalized advertising on iOS.

7. International transfers

Because Google AdMob is operated by Google LLC (a U.S. company) and uses globally distributed infrastructure, the data described in Section 2.2 may be transferred to and processed in countries outside your country of residence, including the United States. Google relies on lawful transfer mechanisms such as the EU–U.S. Data Privacy Framework and Standard Contractual Clauses, as detailed in Google's Privacy Policy.

8. Data retention

• On-device data (Section 2.1): retained until you uninstall the app or clear app data.
• Ad-related data (Section 2.2): retained by Google in accordance with its retention policies. We do not retain copies.
• Consent records: stored locally on your device by the UMP SDK and refreshed periodically as required by IAB TCF.

9. Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:

• Access the personal data processed about you
• Request correction or deletion
• Object to or restrict processing
• Withdraw consent at any time (without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing)
• Lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority
• Opt out of the "sale" or "sharing" of personal information (residents of California and other applicable U.S. states)

Because we do not store any personal account data on our servers, most rights related to data we directly process are exercised by:

• Changing your consent inside the app's privacy settings, and / or
• Resetting your Advertising ID in your device settings, and / or
• Uninstalling the app (which deletes all on-device data).

For requests directed to Google AdMob, please refer to Google's privacy controls. For any other request, contact us at sugar729729@gmail.com and we will respond within 30 days.

10. Children's privacy

Korean Crossword is designed for general audiences (Korean-language learners). It is not directed at children under 13 (or under 16 in the EEA). We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has used the app, please contact us at sugar729729@gmail.com; we will work with you to address the concern, and AdMob's tagForUnderAgeOfConsent mechanism is available for restricted ad delivery.

11. Security

The app does not transmit personal data to our own servers, which substantially reduces security risk. Communication with third-party advertising services is encrypted in transit. No method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure, but we and our partners follow industry-standard practices.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time, for example to reflect new features or legal requirements. The "Effective" date at the top will be updated. For material changes, we will provide a notice within the app or on this page.

13. Contact

If you have any questions, requests, or complaints regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us: