Copyright & Privacy

Version L8

Copyright

The built-in Library is presented as material created specifically for dictation practice, including human- and AI-assisted material. Word By Word is not affiliated with or endorsed by ETS, Cambridge University Press & Assessment, IELTS, TOEFL, or any other examination body. Exam names are used only to describe general practice levels or formats.

Third-party components bundled with the app — Piper TTS (MIT license), ONNX Runtime, piper-phonemize, and the open-source voice models — remain the property of their respective authors and are redistributed under their own licences. Attributions are provided in the app's Settings → About panel.

Privacy notice

Word By Word is a free web app operated by an individual based in Hong Kong (the operator, we, or us). This notice explains what happens to information when you use the app. Questions, feedback, and privacy requests may be sent to feedback@wordbyword.cc.

Local and synced data

An Account is required to enter the app. The app keeps some data in browser storage for performance and offline personal practice, and syncs your learning records, vocabulary, coins, preferences, custom exercises, and imported text to your Account. It also makes network requests to load the site, code, and voice assets, and when you choose an AI feature it sends the prompt described below. Hosting and delivery providers may receive technical request data such as IP address, browser information, requested URL, and time. You can clear local copies through the app or your browser.

Accounts and classrooms

We process your email address, one-time-code records, authentication sessions, a hashed 6-digit password when you set one, acceptance of the current Terms and Privacy Notice, and synced learning data including scores, vocabulary, coins, preferences, creations, imports, and progress. If you create or join a class, we also process class and display names, invitation email addresses, memberships, shared My Import materials, class settings, scores, typed answers, correction data, timestamps, and progress. Class members can see shared materials and the class ranking. Teachers can also see student email addresses, progress, submitted answers, and correction sheets; students do not receive correction sheets for class attempts. If you invite a friend, we also process that invitation email address, the invitation record, and whether they joined and completed a first dictation, so we can send the invitation and grant the inviter a coin reward. When a class or friend invitation is sent to an email address that does not yet have an Account, that invitation email includes a random 6-digit initial password. We use this information to provide and secure Accounts, classrooms, and friend invitations, send login codes, passwords, and invitations, sync the app, prevent abuse, respond to requests, and meet legal obligations. We rely on performance of our agreement for essential processing, legitimate interests for proportionate security and abuse prevention, consent where law requires it, and legal obligation where applicable.

What we do not do

We do not currently use advertising, behavioural profiling, third-party advertising cookies, or product analytics scripts, and we do not sell or rent personal information. We disclose information to service providers only as needed to run the app, as described below, and may disclose it if required by law or to protect users, the service, or legal rights.

Service providers and international transfers

Cloudflare provides hosting, request delivery, database, and file storage services. It processes account, classroom, friend-invitation, and technical request data on our behalf.
Resend receives email addresses and message content to deliver one-time login codes, class invitations, friend invitations, and the initial sign-in passwords included with those invitations. When you submit the Feedback form, Resend also receives your message, optional reply email, account or device identifier, device and browser details, first-use date, request IP address, and approximate Cloudflare-derived location to deliver it to the operator and help diagnose the report.
DeepSeek receives AI prompts and related generation instructions when you use Create, Context Drill, or Optimize in My Import. Do not include names, contact details, private communications, sensitive information, or information about a child in a prompt.
Hugging Face and jsDelivr may receive technical request data if the app uses a fallback source to download voice models or speech-runtime files.

These providers may process information in countries outside yours, including the United States and, for DeepSeek, the People's Republic of China. Foreign privacy protections and government-access rules may differ. Where required, we rely on providers' contractual transfer terms or other lawful safeguards. Because this is a globally available service, you should not use Account mode or AI features if these transfers are not acceptable to you.

Voice models and AI-generated content

Voice models and speech-runtime files are downloaded and cached on your device; after the required files are cached, speech synthesis normally runs locally. AI features are different: the words, topic, imported episode text, or other text submitted for generation or Optimize is sent through our Cloudflare function to DeepSeek. We do not intentionally add your email address or full account history to that request, but your prompt itself may identify someone if you put personal information in it. DeepSeek controls its own operational logging and retention under its terms and policies, so we cannot promise immediate deletion or zero retention by that provider. In Account mode, saved AI-created exercises and imported text may be included in your synced data.

Retention, security, and deletion

Account information and synced data are kept while the account exists. Class attempts remain available to the teacher if a student leaves or is removed from a class. Deleting a class deletes its memberships, invitations, and attempts; deleting an Account deletes the classes, memberships, invitations (class and friend), attempts, shared catalog records, password hash, and any unused initial password tied to it. Login challenges expire after 10 minutes; sessions are issued for up to one year unless you log out or delete the Account. Changing a password signs out other devices. Short-lived security and rate-limit records may be kept as needed to prevent abuse. Providers may retain operational logs and backups under their own documented schedules. We use HTTPS, HttpOnly secure session cookies, limited data collection, and provider security controls, but no Internet service can guarantee absolute security.

Settings → Advanced → Delete current account permanently deletes the application's user record, email, sessions, one-time-code record, password hash, synced data, related classroom records, and friend invitations as described above, then clears app data on that device. Deletion from provider backups may take longer under provider retention schedules. Local copies can also be erased with browser controls. To request access, correction, deletion, restriction, objection, portability where applicable, or to withdraw consent without affecting earlier lawful processing, email the address above. We may need to verify your identity.

Children

Children are not permitted to register or own an Account. An Account holder must be at least 18. A child may use the app only under the supervision of a parent or legal guardian who owns and controls the Account. A class or friend invitation for a child must be sent to an adult-controlled email address, and the sender must have appropriate authority to use that address. Adults must not enter a child's private communications, sensitive information, or other unnecessary personal information into imports, creations, or AI prompts. If you believe a child created an Account or information about a child was submitted without appropriate authority, contact us so we can investigate and delete it where appropriate.

This parent-account rule reduces risk but does not eliminate all child-privacy duties in every country. We minimize data, provide no ads or public social features, and limit class rankings and class records to the relevant class members and teacher. Parents remain responsible for deciding whether the service is suitable and supervising use; teachers remain responsible for obtaining any authority or consent required for their class.

Complaints and changes

You may contact us first and may also complain to the privacy regulator where you live or work if applicable. We may update this notice as the app or its providers change. Material changes affecting Account users will be presented for renewed acknowledgement where appropriate.

Terms of use

Word By Word is operated by an individual and provided free of charge for personal, non-commercial educational use. By creating or using an Account, you confirm that you are at least 18, agree to these Terms, and acknowledge the Privacy Notice. A parent or legal guardian may allow a child to use the app only through an adult-owned and controlled Account; children may not register. A teacher who creates a class or invites students, and anyone who sends a friend invitation, confirms that they have the authority needed to share the materials where applicable and to use the invitation email addresses.

The app is offered as-is, without warranty of any kind. We work hard to keep it accurate and reliable, but we are not responsible for errors in dictation scoring, generated content, or playback.

You retain any rights you have in text you import or create. You give us a limited permission to host, process, transmit, and copy that material only as needed to provide Account, classroom, and AI features. Creating a class shares your My Import materials with its active students until you remove the material or delete the class. You must have the right to submit and share the material and must not submit unlawful, infringing, confidential, or personally sensitive material. Content shared over the internet may be copied or redistributed, so please share responsibly.

You must not misuse the service, bypass limits or security, interfere with other users, or use generated material as professional, legal, medical, or other high-stakes advice. We may restrict access necessary to protect the service or comply with law. Features and availability may change or end.

Contact

For general questions, feedback, privacy, copyright, or legal requests, email feedback@wordbyword.cc. Word By Word is operated by an individual based in Hong Kong.