Privacy Policy

Who operates Parallax

Parallax is operated by Charles Coombs-Esmail, an individual based in California, United States. In this policy, “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Charles Coombs-Esmail operating Parallax.

This policy explains how we handle personal information when you use the Parallax app, visit readparallax.app, or contact us. For privacy questions or requests, email [email protected].

Information we collect and why

Using the app without an account. You can explore Parallax without creating an account. Your learning progress is stored on your device and is not synced to our account database. The app still contacts our servers to retrieve content, and usage and diagnostic information may be collected as described below. Guest use does not mean that no information leaves your device.

Accounts and sign-in. If you create an account with email and password, we store your email address and a password hash, not your password in readable form. If you use Sign in with Apple, we receive an account identifier and information Apple shares with us, which may include a private relay email address. We keep the authentication information needed to maintain and revoke that connection. We use this information to sign you in, protect your account, and provide account recovery and security messages.

If you choose Google sign-in, Google shares an account identifier, email address and available profile name with us so we can create or access your account. We do not request access to your contacts, mail or files.

Profile and progress. If you have an account, we store profile information you provide, such as a display name, and relevant preferences, language or time zone settings. We sync learning activity such as completed chapters, concepts, review schedules, progress, awards and reading preferences so you can continue across supported devices. This information is not a public profile.

Usage and diagnostics. We use PostHog to understand how the app is used and to investigate errors. Information can include an app installation identifier, your internal account identifier when signed in, app and operating-system versions, device characteristics, screen visits, content identifiers, learning and playback activity, completion counts, whether a checkpoint answer was correct, retry counts, and crash or error details. Signed-in events may be linked to your account; we do not describe them as anonymous merely because they omit your name.

Our analytics instrumentation is designed to exclude your email, display name, password, sign-in tokens, answer text and other text you enter. We disable PostHog's session replay and IP-based location enrichment. This does not prevent network providers from receiving an IP address when handling a request.

Service and security records. Our servers and service providers process connection information, such as IP addresses and request details, to deliver content, prevent abuse and diagnose failures. Account-session records can include device/app information, timestamps and a hashed IP address. Some operational records, such as failed email-delivery logs, may contain an email address.

Purchases and subscriptions. Apple processes subscription payments. We and RevenueCat process your internal account identifier, purchased product, transaction and receipt information, subscription status, renewal and expiration dates, and relevant app/device and connection information to verify purchases, restore access, prevent fraud and provide billing support. We do not receive your full payment-card details. We do not send your email address or display name to RevenueCat in this integration.

AI practice and optional voice. The optional Conversation Room sends the explanations you submit, including relevant earlier answers in the same practice, to OpenAI for AI feedback. If you choose “Transcribe with OpenAI,” your recording passes through our server to OpenAI to produce a transcript, which you can review before sending for feedback. Our server does not save the audio recording. We save your latest conversation, including submitted answers, feedback and assessment, with your account until you delete it, replace it with a new conversation or delete your account. Temporary drafts may also remain on your device. We request that OpenAI not store the feedback response as application state; provider security and abuse-monitoring retention may still apply. Avoid including private or sensitive information in practice answers. Voice is optional and typing is always available.

Support and email. If you contact us, we receive your email address and the message and attachments you send. We use them to respond and resolve your request. We also send account security and verification emails when needed.

Your analytics and notification choices

Usage and diagnostics sharing is enabled by default. You can turn it off under You → Privacy → Usage & diagnostics. Your choice is stored on your device and continues to apply after sign-out. Check the setting on each device you use. Turning it off does not delete information already collected; contact us to request deletion. Essential account, content-delivery and security processing continues so the service can operate.

If you enable learning reminders, we process an installation identifier, push token, time zone, reminder preference and learning schedule/activity information to deliver them. This can also happen when you use the app as a guest. Expo and the device platform’s push service handle delivery. Notification permission is optional; you can turn reminders off in the app or change permission in device settings.

Who receives information

We use service providers to operate Parallax:

• DigitalOcean provides hosting, database, storage and content delivery.
• PostHog processes app usage and diagnostic information.
• RevenueCat verifies purchases and manages subscription access.
• OpenAI processes submitted practice answers for AI feedback and optional voice recordings for transcription.
• Google provides Google sign-in when you choose that method.
• Expo delivers app updates and handles push-notification delivery together with platform services such as Apple Push Notification service.
• Resend delivers account verification, recovery and security emails.
• GoDaddy and Microsoft 365 provide and process email for our support mailbox. Your own email provider also handles messages you send and receive.
• Apple provides Sign in with Apple when you choose that sign-in method and distributes the iOS app and processes in-app purchases under its own terms and privacy practices.

Providers receive information relevant to their work for us. We may also disclose information when reasonably necessary to comply with law, respond to valid legal process, protect people or the service, or investigate fraud and security incidents. If operation of Parallax is transferred, relevant information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to applicable law and notice requirements.

We do not sell personal information, rent it to advertisers, or share it for cross-context behavioral advertising. The app has no advertising network, public profile, public comments or user-to-user messaging.

Website storage and tracking signals

The marketing website does not use advertising pixels or behavioral analytics. Hosting providers still process requests and may keep service/security logs. The app uses local storage for settings, cached content, sign-in and progress; this is separate from website cookies.

We do not track you across third-party websites for advertising. Browser Do Not Track signals do not change our practices. Because we do not sell personal information or share it for cross-context behavioral advertising, a Global Privacy Control signal does not need to opt you out of either practice. The app's optional usage collection is controlled by its Usage & diagnostics setting.

Where information is processed

We operate in the United States and use US-hosted account infrastructure and PostHog US Cloud. Service providers may process information in other countries where they or their subprocessors operate. Privacy laws in those countries may differ from the laws where you live. This statement does not waive any rights or transfer safeguards required by applicable law.

Retention and account deletion

We keep account and synced progress information while your account is active so we can provide the service. You can initiate account deletion from the account section of the You tab. Successful deletion removes your account and synced progress from active account systems, ends account sessions, and initiates removal of linked analytics information. If you used Sign in with Apple, we revoke the stored Apple authorization as part of deletion when a revocation token is available. We keep a minimal deletion record containing the account identifier and processing dates to retry analytics removal and prevent restoration from recent backups. It is removed after 30 days once removal requests have been accepted; failed requests remain pending until they can be processed. Analytics providers process removal asynchronously.

Deleting your Parallax account does not cancel an Apple subscription. Cancel separately in Apple subscription settings. Apple and RevenueCat may retain purchase and transaction records after account deletion for subscription management, restoration, fraud prevention, refunds and applicable legal obligations. These billing records are separate from your deleted learning progress. Contact us for questions or deletion requests concerning billing information.

Technical logs, support correspondence and backups have separate retention periods. We keep those records only as needed for their operational purpose, security, resolving requests or applicable legal obligations. Backups expire on their configured rotation rather than being edited record by record. They are not used to restore a deleted account to active use. Information retained for a specific legal or security need is restricted to that purpose and removed when that need ends.

Deleting the app does not delete an account or information already sent to us. Deletion clears learning records on the device making the request. Other offline devices may retain local copies until you clear their app data. Device backups may also retain app data under your device or backup provider's settings. Signing out is not account deletion.

Access, correction and other requests

Email [email protected] to request access to, a copy of, correction of, or deletion of your personal information, or to ask about our practices. Depending on applicable law, you may have additional rights to restrict or object to processing or to appeal a response. Tell us if you are exercising a particular right or acting through an authorized representative.

We may need to verify that the information belongs to you before disclosing or deleting it. Do not email your password or a sign-in code. For guest activity, we may need additional app information because we may not be able to locate it from an email address alone. We will explain any request we cannot fulfill and respond within the time required by applicable law. We do not penalize you for exercising applicable privacy rights.

Users under 16

Parallax is intended for people aged 16 and older. It is not directed to children under 16. If you believe someone under 16 has provided personal information to us, contact us so we can investigate and remove it as appropriate. A parent or guardian can contact us on the same basis.

Security and policy changes

We use safeguards such as encrypted connections, hashed passwords and access controls to protect information. No system can guarantee complete security.

We will update the effective date when this policy changes. For material changes, we will provide a prominent notice in the app or website or contact affected account holders, as appropriate. Where required, we will obtain consent before using information for a new purpose.

Questions: [email protected].