White Bear — Privacy Policy

Last updated: 29 July 2026

White Bear is an offline iOS / iPadOS app for learning Russian. It is designed to work without an account, without tracking, and without sending your data to any server.

Data we collect

None. White Bear does not collect, transmit, or share any personal data.

• No account is required.
• No analytics SDKs, ad networks, or third-party trackers are embedded.
• No usage data, device identifiers, or crash reports are sent to us.
• The app makes no network requests in normal operation.

Data stored on your device

All study data — flashcard progress, spaced-repetition state, reading progress, bookmarks, daily-goal settings, and reminder preferences — is stored locally on your device using Apple's standard storage APIs. It never leaves the device unless you explicitly export a backup file yourself.

You can erase your study progress at any time by deleting the app.

Camera and photos

If you use the scan feature, Cyrillic text in your photos and documents is recognized on-device using Apple's Vision framework. Images are never uploaded or sent to the developer.

iCloud sync

White Bear does not use iCloud or any cloud sync. Backup and restore works via a local file that you export and import yourself.

Notifications

If you enable the daily reminder in Settings, White Bear schedules a local notification on your device at the time you choose. Notifications are generated entirely on-device — no notification server is contacted, and the reminder content is not sent anywhere.

Text-to-speech audio

Russian audio is generated on-device by Apple's built-in AVSpeechSynthesizer. No audio request is sent to any server.

In-app purchases and ads

White Bear is a one-time paid purchase. There are no in-app purchases, subscriptions, or advertisements.

Children's privacy

Because White Bear collects no personal data of any kind, it is safe for users of all ages. The app does not knowingly collect information from children under 13.

Changes to this policy

If this policy changes, the updated version will be posted at this URL with a new "Last updated" date.

Contact

Questions about this policy or about how White Bear handles data? Email Zhongwen-Hover@pm.me.

White Bear is developed by Matthias Holl.