Privacy policy

Who we are

This policy applies to the Chinese Writer mobile app on Android and iOS, published by Merry Mandarin. It covers both versions unless a platform is specifically named. The Android package name is com.merrymandarin.writer. The responsible company and privacy contact are:

Chinese Writer is an installed mobile app. We do not offer a web app. Our website provides product information, a handwriting demonstration and legal documents. Information about website visitors is covered separately in our website privacy information.

Data stored on your device

The app processes and saves the following information locally to provide its features:

• Handwriting: the strokes you draw, character attempts, practice results and saved pages.
• Your diary: text you enter, handwritten or freehand pages, titles, dates, selected moods, drafts and completed entries.
• Learning progress: character levels, mastery, lesson completion, practice history and favorites.
• Preferences: script choice, writing settings and accessibility options.

Character comparison and dictionary searches run on your device. The dictionary and stroke references are bundled with the app. We do not receive your diary, ink, lookup queries or learning history. Freehand diary pages are not sent to a handwriting-recognition service.

The app has no Merry Mandarin account, ads, advertising identifiers, third-party analytics SDK or automatic crash-report upload to us. We do not sell personal information or share it for cross-context behavioral advertising. We do not use your diary or handwriting to train AI models.

Device services and store purchases

Pronunciation: when you choose to listen, the app passes the practice sentence to your device’s text-to-speech service. Chinese Writer does not record your voice or request microphone access. Installed speech engines and voices are supplied by your operating system or a provider you choose; they may require downloads or process text over a network under their own settings and policies. Use an installed offline voice if you want speech playback to remain offline. We do not receive the text from that service.

Files: importing or exporting opens your device’s file picker. The app reads the backup you select or writes the export you choose; it does not scan your other documents, photos, contacts or location.

Purchases: the app store processes payments and download records under its own terms and privacy policy. We do not collect your payment-card details through Chinese Writer. The store may make transaction, sales or diagnostic information available to us through its developer services. This is separate from the app’s local diary and progress. We use such information only for product administration, support and applicable accounting obligations.

Exports and backups

You control whether to export a diary book or a backup:

• PDF diary books contain the entries you include and their handwriting, dates and other displayed diary details. They are for reading and printing, not restoring app progress.
• .mmwriter backups contain local diary entries, handwriting, practice history, mastery, favorites, preferences and journey progress so you can restore them on another device.

These files are not password-protected or encrypted by Chinese Writer. Save and share them only where you intend. If you choose a cloud-drive destination in the system file picker or send a file to someone, that provider or recipient receives the exported content under their own policies. Exporting does not upload a copy to Merry Mandarin.

There is no automatic cloud backup or account-based recovery service. Android automatic backup is disabled for the app, and the iOS diary archive is marked for exclusion from iCloud backup. Other device-level transfer tools or backups operate outside our control. Export a backup yourself before uninstalling, clearing storage or changing devices.

Retention, deletion and security

Local entries and progress remain on your device until you remove the app’s data or replace it through your device or app controls. To delete all locally stored app data, clear Chinese Writer’s storage in Android settings or delete the app and its data on iOS. Offloading an iOS app may preserve its documents; choose deletion if you intend to erase them.

Exported books and backups are separate files and can remain after you delete the app. Delete those copies from the locations where you saved or shared them, including cloud storage or device backups if applicable. We cannot access, remotely erase or recover your local entries.

The installed app uses app-private storage and the operating system’s access controls. We do not claim additional diary encryption or password protection. Protect access to your device and exported files.

When you contact us

If you email support@merrymandarin.com, we receive your email address, message and any information or attachments you choose to send. Please send only what is needed for your request. Do not send your diary or a full backup unless you intend us to receive it.

We use correspondence to answer questions, resolve problems and meet legal obligations. Authorized staff and our email or support service providers may process it for those purposes. We retain it only as long as reasonably needed to handle the request, maintain a necessary support record, resolve disputes or satisfy applicable legal retention requirements. It is then deleted or anonymized when no longer needed.

Where the GDPR applies, responding to a requested service may rely on Article 6(1)(b), routine support and service protection on our legitimate interests under Article 6(1)(f), and legally required retention on Article 6(1)(c). We do not rely on blanket consent merely because you use the app. Support is operated from Taiwan, and service providers may process correspondence in other countries; applicable transfer safeguards are used where required by law.

Your choices and rights

You can use the core app without sending us personal data. Local export and device deletion controls let you keep or remove information held on your device.

Depending on your location, including rights available under Taiwan’s Personal Data Protection Act, the GDPR or UK GDPR where applicable, you may have rights to access, correct, obtain a copy of, delete, restrict or object to processing of personal information we hold about you. You may withdraw consent for processing based on consent without affecting earlier lawful processing. You may also complain to your competent data-protection authority.

Contact us at the address above and identify Chinese Writer. We may need proportionate information to confirm a request concerns your data. We cannot provide a server copy of diary or progress data because we do not receive it. Practice scores and mastery are learning feedback; they are not decisions with legal or similarly significant effects.

Children

The app does not require a user profile or ask for a name, age or date of birth. We do not knowingly collect children’s personal information through the app. If a child sends personal information to support, a parent or guardian may contact us to request its deletion, subject to applicable legal requirements. Store age ratings and parental controls apply separately.

Changes to this policy

We will update this page when data handling changes and revise the date above. Material changes will be communicated appropriately before they take effect where required. Changes that require permission will be subject to that permission. Contact support@merrymandarin.com with privacy questions.