Privacy Policy

1. Introduction and data controller

TCK Systems LLC is a limited liability company incorporated in the State of Florida, United States, with its registered place of business at 2400 SE Veterans Memorial Pkwy, STE 127, Port St Lucie, FL 34952, United States ("TCK Systems", "we", "us"). We build and run Tech Wonders, a learning game about how technology works.

We are the data controller for the personal data processed through Tech Wonders, as defined by Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (the General Data Protection Regulation, "GDPR") and the national laws that implement it.

This policy applies to everyone who plays Tech Wonders, with or without an account, who buys PRO or a streak shield, or who writes to us. By using Tech Wonders you acknowledge that you have read it. If you do not agree with it, please stop using the service.

2. The personal data we collect

We collect only what Tech Wonders needs. We do not collect special category data (Art. 9 GDPR), such as health, biometric, or racial or ethnic origin data.

Account and profile

Your name, email address, username and, if you add one, a profile photo. They create and keep your account. Your name or username and your photo are shown to other players on the lesson leaderboards.

Sign-in

You sign in with Apple or Google. We receive a sign-in token and, where the provider gives them, your name and email. We never see or store your password with them.

Learning progress

The lessons you pass, your test results (mistakes, stars and time), XP, streaks, hearts, badges, the Daily Wonders you collect and your place on leaderboards. Before you sign up, this progress is kept only on your device; when you sign up, it moves to your account.

Usage and diagnostics

Pages and screens visited, actions taken and technical errors, used to keep Tech Wonders working and to improve it. On this website, analytics only run if you accept them in the cookie notice.

Payments

PRO and the streak shield are paid through Stripe, Inc. on this website and through the Apple App Store in the iPhone app. We never store your full card number or security code. From Stripe we receive only a customer identifier and the status and history of your purchases; from Apple, the transaction details of what you bought.

Device and technical

Your IP address, browser or device type, operating system, language and time zone. Your time zone counts your streak's days; the rest serves security, fraud prevention and showing Tech Wonders correctly on your screen.

Notifications

In the iPhone app, if you allow notifications, a device token, so we can send you reminders: a streak about to end, full hearts, a new Daily Wonder. This website sends no notifications.

Messages to us

When you contact support, the content of your messages and anything you attach, kept to answer you.

Cookies and storage

Described in section 8.

3. Why we use it, and the legal bases

We process your personal data only where a lawful basis under Article 6 GDPR (or the equivalent law that applies to you) exists:

Contract, Art. 6(1)(b)

Creating and running your account, saving your progress, running the leaderboards, delivering the PRO plan or shield you bought, and signing you in.

Legitimate interests, Art. 6(1)(f)

Security and fraud prevention (including checking that purchases are real), keeping Tech Wonders reliable, and understanding how it is used so we can improve it. We have weighed these interests against your rights and freedoms.

Legal obligation, Art. 6(1)(c)

Keeping financial records for the periods the law requires, and answering lawful requests from competent authorities.

Consent, Art. 6(1)(a)

Analytics on this website and notifications in the app. You can withdraw your consent at any time; that does not affect what was done before, or your use of Tech Wonders.

4. AI-generated content

The Daily Wonder, a short tech curiosity published each day, is written and illustrated with AI models from OpenAI, working from our own list of topics. It is made once for everyone: nothing about you is sent to make it, no name, email, account, progress or answer.

No lesson, test answer or message of yours is sent to an AI provider, and nothing you do in Tech Wonders is used to train AI models.

5. Payments, subscriptions and refunds

Payments on this website are processed by Stripe, Inc. (510 Townsend Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA), a PCI DSS Level 1 certified processor. Stripe collects and processes your card data, billing name, address and IP address when you pay, under Stripe's own Privacy Policy. We never have access to your full card number or security code.

Managing a subscription

A subscription bought on this website is managed from your account, through Stripe's customer portal: billing details, a change of plan, or canceling. Canceling takes effect at the end of the period you have paid for; unused time within a period is not refunded unless consumer law requires it.

App Store purchases

A subscription bought in the iPhone app is billed by Apple under its terms and refund policy, and is managed in your Apple account.

Deleting your account

Deleting your account and canceling a subscription are two separate actions: cancel a renewing subscription first (this website asks you to before you delete). If a subscription bought on this website is still active when an account is deleted, we end it at Stripe. A subscription bought in the App Store is Apple's to cancel: it keeps renewing until you cancel it in your Apple account.

Refunds

Unless the law says otherwise, PRO for life and subscription periods that have started are not refundable. When a refund is given, what it paid for ends (PRO, or a streak shield), and an account linked to a reversed or disputed payment may be suspended.

6. Who we share it with

We do not sell, rent or trade your personal data. We share it only with these recipients, and only as far as Tech Wonders needs:

Sign-in: Apple Inc. and Google LLC

We receive sign-in tokens, under each provider's privacy policy.

Payments: Stripe, Inc. and Apple

Your email address (for receipts) and an identifier that links a payment to your account.

Analytics: Google

Google Analytics on this website, only with your consent, and Firebase in the app: pseudonymous usage data, with IP addresses anonymized where possible.

Notifications: Google Firebase Cloud Messaging

The app's device token, to deliver the notifications you allowed.

Hosting and infrastructure

The cloud providers that host this website, our servers and the images we publish, under confidentiality and security obligations.

Email delivery

A transactional email service, for receipts and messages about your account.

Other players

Your name or username and your photo, on the leaderboards.

Authorities

Where the law or a court order requires it, or to protect the rights, property or safety of TCK Systems, our players or the public.

Every processor acts only on our instructions and under the data protection law that applies.

7. How long we keep it

We keep personal data only as long as the purposes above need it, unless the law requires longer:

Account data

As long as your account exists, and up to six (6) years after it is closed, to meet legal and contractual obligations.

Progress and usage data

As long as your account exists; deleted or anonymized within ninety (90) days of its closing.

Purchase and billing records

Up to six (6) years, for tax and accounting.

Support messages

Up to twenty-four (24) months after your question is resolved.

Analytics and logs

Usually twelve (12) to twenty-four (24) months.

Then the data is securely deleted or irreversibly anonymized. Where deleting is not immediately possible (in encrypted backups, for example), the data is kept apart from any processing until it can be removed.

8. Cookies and storage on this website

Strictly necessary

Your sign-in session and security. These cannot be switched off and need no consent.

Preferences

Your theme, language, sound and motion settings and, before you sign up, your progress, kept in your browser's storage on your device.

Analytics

Google Analytics, only after you accept it in the cookie notice.

We do not use cookies for advertising. To change your analytics choice, clear this site's data in your browser: the cookie notice will ask you again.

9. Your rights under the GDPR

Subject to the law and certain conditions, you have the right to:

Access (Art. 15)

Confirm whether we process your data, and get a copy of it.

Rectification (Art. 16)

Correct data that is wrong or incomplete. You can edit your name, username and photo yourself, on Profile.

Erasure (Art. 17)

Have your data deleted where it is no longer needed, subject to legal retention. You can reset your progress or delete your account yourself, in Settings.

Restriction (Art. 18)

Limit how we process your data in certain cases.

Portability (Art. 20)

Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.

Objection (Art. 21)

Object to processing based on legitimate interests.

Consent

Withdraw it at any time, where processing relies on it.

To use any of these rights, write to us at the addresses in section 14. We answer verified requests within thirty (30) days and may first ask you to confirm your identity. You can also complain to a data protection authority where you live, where you work, or where you believe the infringement happened.

10. Children's privacy

Tech Wonders is not directed at, and is not intended for, anyone under the age of sixteen (16). We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 16; if you are under 16, please do not use the service or give us personal data.

If we learn that we have collected data from a child under 16 without verifiable parental consent, we delete it promptly. If you think this may have happened, write to us at info@tcksystems.com.

11. International data transfers

Your data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside the European Economic Area, in particular the United States. These transfers follow Chapter V of the GDPR, using one or more of these safeguards:

Adequacy decisions

Of the European Commission, where they apply.

Standard Contractual Clauses

Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/914, where no adequacy decision applies.

Supplementary measures

Such as data minimization, pseudonymization, and encryption in transit and at rest.

You can ask which safeguard applies to a specific recipient at gdpr@tckrlabs.com.

12. Security and automated decisions

We protect your data with appropriate technical and organizational measures, including:

Encryption in transit

TLS 1.2 or higher.

Encryption at rest

Of sensitive fields, such as sign-in tokens.

Access controls

Data is open only to authorized staff, on a least-privilege basis.

Infrastructure security

Firewalls, intrusion detection and vulnerability assessments.

Breach response

We notify the competent supervisory authority within seventy-two (72) hours of a breach likely to put your rights and freedoms at risk, and the people affected where the law requires it.

No way of sending or storing data is completely secure: we work hard to protect yours, but we cannot guarantee absolute security. We do not make automated decisions, including profiling, that have legal or similarly significant effects on you.

13. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy to reflect changes in the law, in our practices or in Tech Wonders. We will tell you about important changes by email or by a clear notice in Tech Wonders at least thirty (30) days before they apply, and the date at the top always says when it last changed. Using Tech Wonders after a change applies means you accept it.

The rules for using Tech Wonders are in our Terms of Use; this policy is part of them.

14. Contact and data protection requests

For any data protection question, to use your rights, or to report a possible breach, write to us. We aim to answer within thirty (30) calendar days.