Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

Maple Citizen ("we", "us", or "our") is an independent Canadian citizenship test study aid operated by Zongheng Tian and available as a website at maplecitizen.ca and as an iPhone app (together, the "Service"). This policy applies to personal information we collect through the Service. When you give us personal information after reading this policy, you consent to its use for the purposes described here. Where the law requires a separate consent, such as for analytics or advertising cookies on the website, we ask for it separately. Our person in charge of the protection of personal information is Zongheng Tian, owner (support@maplecitizen.ca).

2. The website and the iPhone app

This policy covers the Maple Citizen website and iPhone app. You can take the 10-question baseline assessment without an account; to keep studying, you sign in (on the website, and in the iPhone app from version 1.0.1). With an account, your study progress and purchase access are associated with your account and synchronized through Supabase. Smart Review, a Pro feature, uses your answers and progress to pick practice questions for you, only when you start a Smart Review session (see section 3). Google sign-in may provide your name, email, account identifier and profile-image URL; the URL may be stored in shared account metadata. The website may display that image; the current iPhone app displays an initial avatar and has no photo-library upload feature. Leaderboard participation is optional; the iPhone leaderboard displays a name and XP.

The cookie, advertising and analytics provisions below describe use of the website in a browser and are marked "website". Advertising in the iPhone app is described in section 3, under "Advertising in the iPhone app". The iPhone app does not embed Microsoft Clarity, Google AdSense or Google Ads. The sign-in providers and software libraries it uses may process authentication and service-usage data as described in their own disclosures: for example, Google sign-in may process a user identifier, and an approximate location derived from your IP address to help prevent fraud (Google's disclosure).

You can delete your account on the website under Profile › Delete account, or in the iPhone app under Profile › the gear icon › Settings › Delete account. If your account is linked to Sign in with Apple, we ask you to confirm with Apple again, and we then revoke Maple Citizen's Apple authorization.

3. Information we collect

Account information

You can take the 10-question baseline assessment without an account. When you sign in, we collect your email address. If you sign in with Google, we may also receive your name, a profile-image URL, and a Google account identifier, according to your Google account settings and the permissions you grant. If you sign in with Apple, on the website or in the iPhone app, we receive an Apple account identifier, the email address you choose to share (Apple may give us a private relay address instead of your own) and, the first time only, the name you choose to share. On the website, choosing Sign in with Apple takes you to Apple's own sign-in page; nothing from Apple loads before that. Apple then sends the result to our server, which signs you in.

Study and usage data

Your quiz attempts, answers, mistakes, flagged questions, module progress, readiness score, streaks, and badges — so we can save your progress and personalize your review. Before you sign in, this information stays on your device. When you sign in, it is synced to your account so it is available across your devices.

Personalized practice (Smart Review)

Choosing practice questions from your past answers is a form of profiling under Quebec law. Smart Review does this only when you start a Smart Review session: our server then scores your synced answers to pick about 18 questions and returns only their numbers. It doesn't run in the background, and its results are never used for advertising or shared. If you don't want it, don't start a session. You can also erase your answers by resetting your progress or deleting your account. Separately, mock tests (a Pro feature) can include questions you missed before; you can turn this off with the "Mix my mistakes into mock tests" switch on the Mock test page (in the iPhone app, the Test tab).

Leaderboard data (opt-in)

If you choose to join the leaderboard, your display name and, on the website, (if available) your profile photo are shown publicly to other users, along with your score or standing. The iPhone leaderboard shows your name and XP. Participation is optional, and you can leave at any time.

Payment information

Purchases on the website are processed by Stripe. We do not collect or store your full payment card number. We receive limited information from Stripe, such as your subscription or entitlement status, plan, and transaction identifiers needed to give you access.

Purchases in the iPhone app are made through Apple's In-App Purchase system and are processed by Apple. We never see your payment details. We receive purchase and subscription information from Apple (such as the product, its status and transaction identifiers) to give you Pro access, and we record it against your account if you are signed in.

Technical information

Website: like most websites, we and our providers automatically collect limited technical data such as IP address, device and browser type, and log/diagnostic data, and we use cookies and similar local-storage technologies (see section 6). In the iPhone app, our hosting and sign-in providers receive standard network information, such as your IP address, when the app signs you in or syncs your progress.

Analytics and product improvement (website)

To understand how the website is used and to improve it, we use Cloudflare Web Analytics and Microsoft Clarity. Cloudflare Web Analytics is privacy-friendly and does not use cookies. Microsoft Clarity collects aggregated usage metrics and pseudonymized session recordings and heatmaps (such as mouse movements, clicks, scrolls, and the pages you visit) using cookies and similar technologies; Clarity automatically masks the text you type. We use this only to measure and improve the Service, not to identify you personally. Clarity is provided by Microsoft and processes this information under Microsoft's privacy statement. The current iPhone app does not include Microsoft Clarity.

Advertising data (website)

On the website's free tier, our third-party advertising provider (currently Google, via Google AdSense) may collect information through cookies and similar technologies when ads are shown — such as a device or advertising identifier, IP address, approximate (coarse) location, and information about how you interact with ads. This is used to serve, limit the frequency of, and measure ads. We ask Google for non-personalized ads only: they are not based on your interests or on your activity on other websites and apps. We do not share the study data in your account (your answers, mistakes, and progress) with advertising providers. See section 6 for how advertising works and your choices.

If you arrive from a Google ad, we keep the ad's click ID with your account, and the website tells Google Ads when you sign up or buy (with the purchase amount), so we can measure our ads. Until you accept advertising cookies, this is sent without cookies.

Advertising in the iPhone app

From version 1.0.3, the iPhone app shows ads to free accounts, served by Google AdMob. The app shows Apple's prompt once, asking whether to allow tracking. If you allow it, the app gives Google your device's advertising identifier (IDFA), and Google may personalize your ads: it can use the IDFA to link your activity in this app with information from other companies' apps and websites, to choose ads and to measure them. If you don't allow tracking, or don't answer, Google doesn't get the IDFA and we ask for non-personalized ads only: they are not based on your interests or on your activity in other apps and websites. You can change your choice at any time in your iPhone's Settings › Privacy & Security › Tracking. In both cases, to show ads, limit how often they appear, measure them and prevent fraud, Google's software in the app may collect your IP address (to estimate your approximate location, such as your city, which can be used to choose ads), a device identifier limited to our app, information about the ads you see and tap, and crash and performance data (Google's disclosure). Google may process this information outside Quebec and Canada (see section 8). We do not share the study data in your account with Google. Ads can't be turned off in the free version: Maple Citizen Pro has no ads, and the app does not start Google's ad software for Pro accounts. You can read about ads at any time in Settings › Help › About ads, and report an ad in Settings › Help › Report an ad.

4. How we use your information

• to provide, operate, and secure the Service and your account;
• to save and sync your progress across devices;
• when you start Smart Review, to pick practice questions from your answers and progress;
• to run the leaderboard, if you opt in;
• to process payments and trials and manage your Pro access;
• to send you transactional messages about your account and security (for example, sign-in links);
• to prevent fraud and abuse and to comply with legal obligations;
• to display advertising on the free tier of the website and the iPhone app and measure its performance, and, in the iPhone app if you allow tracking, to let Google personalize it (Maple Citizen Pro is ad-free);
• to understand and improve the Service.

We do not sell your personal information for money. The free tier of the website and the iPhone app is supported by advertising; see section 6 (website) and section 3 (iPhone app) for how advertising-related information is handled and the choices you have. We do not use the study data in your account — your answers, mistakes, and progress — to target ads.

5. Consent

We collect, use, and disclose personal information with your consent, which may be express or implied depending on the sensitivity of the information and the context. You can withdraw your consent at any time (subject to legal or contractual limits) by deleting your account or contacting us; doing so may limit your ability to use parts of the Service. On the website, we ask for your consent before we or our advertising provider use advertising cookies, and you can withdraw it at any time (see section 6). Ads on the website are never personalized. In the iPhone app, ads are personalized only if you allow tracking when Apple's prompt asks, and you can withdraw that permission at any time in your iPhone's Settings › Privacy & Security › Tracking (see section 3).

6. Cookies and local storage (website)

This section describes the website. The iPhone app does not use browser cookies; it keeps your progress and settings in its own storage on your device. On the website, we use cookies and browser local storage to keep you signed in, remember preferences (such as your light/dark theme), and store your progress on your device. On the free tier, with your consent, we and our advertising provider also use cookies and similar identifiers to serve and measure ads. You can review or change your analytics and advertising cookie choices at any time using the “Cookie settings” link in our website footer, or clear or block cookies in your browser settings (though some features may not work properly without them).

Advertising and your choices (website)

The free tier of the website is supported by ads served by a third-party advertising provider (currently Google, through Google AdSense). When ads are shown, Google and its partners may set cookies and use identifiers to serve, cap, and measure ads. Google acts as an independent party for the information it collects through its ad services, under Google's advertising policies.

We ask Google for non-personalized ads only: they are not based on your interests or on your activity on other websites and apps. Google chooses them using the page you're viewing and your approximate location (such as your city), estimated from your IP address. Ads load only after you accept advertising cookies, and you can change or withdraw your choice at any time with the “Cookie settings” link. Declining advertising cookies, or using an ad blocker, will not remove your access to the free features. Maple Citizen Pro is ad-free.

7. How we share information — our service providers

We share personal information only as needed to run the Service, with providers acting on our behalf:

• Google — authentication (sign-in); on the free tier, advertising (Google AdSense on the website, Google AdMob in the iPhone app); measuring our Google Ads; and older support emails (received before October 9, 2026), which remain in a Gmail account;
• Apple — Sign in with Apple, on the website and in the iPhone app; In-App Purchases in the iPhone app; and our support inbox (emails to support@maplecitizen.ca are delivered to iCloud Mail);
• Supabase — account, authentication, and database hosting (stores your account and synced progress);
• GitHub (Microsoft) — our daily database backup: GitHub's servers make the backup and encrypt it right away, and only the encrypted copy, which only we can open, is kept;
• Resend — sending sign-in emails and codes, and the notice before a free trial ends;
• Stripe — payment processing and subscription management on the website;
• Cloudflare — website and serverless hosting, and privacy-friendly (cookieless) web analytics on the website;
• Microsoft — product analytics, session recordings and heatmaps on the website (Microsoft Clarity).

These providers are expected to use the information only to provide their services to us. We may also disclose information if required by law, to enforce our Terms, or to protect rights, safety, and security.

8. International data transfers

Our service providers may store and process your information on servers located outside your province and outside Canada, including in the United States and other countries. While in another country, information may be subject to that country's laws, including lawful access by courts, law enforcement, and government authorities. Before we entrust your information to a provider outside Quebec, we assess whether it will be adequately protected, and we rely on our written agreements with that provider, as Quebec law requires. You may contact us for more information about our providers and where they process data.

9. How long we keep your information

We keep personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Service, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. When you delete your account or ask us to delete your information, we will delete or de-identify it within a reasonable period, except where we must retain certain records (for example, transaction records for tax or accounting purposes). You can delete your account yourself on the website under Profile › Delete account, or in the iPhone app under Profile › the gear icon › Settings › Delete account; if the account is linked to Sign in with Apple, we ask you to confirm with Apple again and then revoke Maple Citizen's Apple authorization. A subscription bought through Apple continues until you cancel it in your Apple subscription settings. Section 15 lists how long we keep each kind of information.

10. Your privacy rights

Subject to applicable law, you have the right to:

• access the personal information we hold about you and ask how it is used;
• correct inaccurate or incomplete information;
• withdraw consent and delete your account and associated data;
• leave the leaderboard at any time;
• where applicable under Quebec's Law 25, request portability of certain information and, in some cases, that information be de-indexed or no longer disseminated.

To exercise these rights, write to support@maplecitizen.ca. We may need to verify your identity. We reply in writing within 30 days. If you ask for portability, we send the information you gave us, including your answers and progress, in a structured, commonly used format such as JSON.

11. Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards — including encryption in transit and access controls provided by our hosting and authentication providers — to protect personal information. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

12. Children's privacy

The Service is intended for adults preparing for the Canadian citizenship test and is not directed to young children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from a child without appropriate consent. If you believe a child has provided personal information without consent, contact us and we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

13. Data breaches

If a breach of security safeguards involving your personal information creates a real risk of significant harm, we will notify you and the appropriate authorities — such as the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada and, where applicable, Quebec's Commission d'accès à l'information — as required by law, and we will keep records of breaches as required.

14. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we change the "Last updated" date above. Before an important change takes effect, we tell you by email or with a notice on the website and in the app. If a change would let us use your information for a new purpose, we ask for your consent first where the law requires it.

15. How we manage personal information

These are our rules for handling personal information. They are approved by our person in charge of the protection of personal information.

• Who is responsible. Zongheng Tian, owner, is the person in charge of the protection of personal information. Maple Citizen has no employees: he is the only person who can access account data, and only to run the Service, answer requests or fix problems. Our providers (section 7) handle information only under their written agreements with us.
• How long we keep it. Account and study data: while your account exists, then deleted from our database when you delete your account (copies in our hosting provider's backups are erased on its schedule, and copies in our own encrypted daily backups within 30 days). After a deletion we keep only a coded form of the account's internal ID (not your email address) and the deletion date, for up to 31 days, so that the account stays deleted if we restore a backup. Without an account: only on your device, until you clear it. Purchase and tax records: six years, as the Canada Revenue Agency requires. Support emails: up to two years after your request is closed. Website session recordings (Microsoft Clarity): 30 days, or up to 9 months for a small sample.
• How to make a privacy complaint. Write to support@maplecitizen.ca with "Privacy complaint" in the subject. We answer in writing within 30 days and keep a record of every complaint. If you're not satisfied, you can contact the authorities listed in section 16.
• Incidents. If personal information is lost, accessed or disclosed without authorization, we act to reduce the risk, record the incident, and notify you and the regulators when there is a risk of serious injury (section 13).

16. How to contact us & how to complain

For privacy questions, requests or complaints, write to our person in charge of the protection of personal information: Zongheng Tian, owner, support@maplecitizen.ca.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (priv.gc.ca). Residents of Quebec may also contact the Commission d'accès à l'information du Québec (cai.gouv.qc.ca).