Privacy Policy

Last updated: February 2026

Introduction

HWY Enigma LLC ("we," "our," or "us") operates the WhyBuddy mobile application. WhyBuddy is designed for parents and caregivers to get age-appropriate explanations for their children's questions. This app is intended for adult use only — parents use WhyBuddy to help explain complex concepts to their children in an understandable way.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect information when you use WhyBuddy. We are committed to your privacy and have designed our app with minimal data collection practices.

Information We Collect

WhyBuddy operates with a privacy-first approach. All user data is stored locally on your device and never transmitted to our servers.

Data Stored Locally on Your Device:

• Child profiles (name, age, gender) for personalizing explanations
• Saved favorite explanations
• Word of the Day history
• Quiz results and learning progress
• Daily learning streak data
• Notification preferences and app settings

Data Sent to Third-Party Services:

• Search terms and questions you want explained (sent to generate explanations)
• No personal identifiers, child names, or profile information are included in these requests

Subscription Information:

• Subscription status (processed through Apple's StoreKit)

We do NOT collect or store on our servers:

• Names or personal identifiers
• App usage patterns or analytics
• Device information beyond what's necessary for app functionality
• Location data

Device Permissions

WhyBuddy may request the following device permissions, all of which are optional:

• Microphone & Speech Recognition: Used for voice input to speak questions instead of typing. Audio is processed on-device by Apple's speech recognition and is not sent to our servers.
• Camera: Used for the "Ask Why Camera" feature to read text from the real world. Images are processed on-device and are not stored or transmitted.
• Notifications: Used to deliver the daily Word of the Day reminder. You can disable this at any time in Settings.
• Siri: Used for hands-free access to explanations through Siri Shortcuts. Siri requests are handled by Apple and subject to Apple's privacy policy.

How We Use Your Information

The information stored on your device is used solely to provide WhyBuddy's core functionality:

• Generating age-appropriate explanations based on the child's age
• Tailoring explanations to religious or cultural preferences (if provided)
• Saving favorite explanations for easy access later
• Tracking learning streaks and quiz progress
• Delivering daily Word of the Day notifications
• Processing subscription status through Apple's payment system

Information Sharing and Third-Party Services

WhyBuddy uses the following third-party services:

Anthropic API & OpenAI API: Search terms are sent to Anthropic or OpenAI to generate age-appropriate explanations, depending on your app version. No personal identifiers (names, ages, or other profile information) are shared with either service — only the specific word or phrase being explained.

Apple StoreKit: Subscription transactions are processed through Apple's secure payment system. We do not have access to payment card information.

Apple Speech Recognition: Voice input is processed using Apple's on-device speech recognition framework.

We do not:

• Share data with advertisers or data brokers
• Use third-party analytics services
• Display advertisements
• Track user behavior across apps or websites
• Sell or rent personal information to third parties

Data Storage and Security

Local Storage Only: All user data (profiles, favorites, streak data, quiz results) is stored locally on your device using Core Data. This data never leaves your device and is not accessible to us.

No User Accounts: The app does not require account creation, login, or any form of user registration.

Secure Communication: All communication with third-party services uses encrypted HTTPS connections.

Data Removal: Deleting the app removes all locally stored data, including profiles, favorites, and learning progress.

Children's Privacy

While WhyBuddy helps parents explain concepts to children, the app itself is designed for adult use:

• WhyBuddy is intended for parents and caregivers, not direct use by children
• Child profile information (name, age, gender) is stored only on the parent's device
• No child information is transmitted to external servers
• Parents control all interactions with the app
• No direct communication features or social elements
• No behavioral tracking or profiling

Since this is a parent-focused tool with only local data storage, traditional children's privacy concerns are minimized by design.

Your Rights and Choices

• Profile Management: You can edit or delete child profiles at any time within the app
• Favorites: You can remove saved favorites at any time
• Notifications: You can enable or disable notifications in the app's settings
• Permissions: You can revoke microphone, camera, or notification permissions at any time through your device's Settings
• Subscription Management: Manage your subscription through your Apple ID account settings
• Data Removal: Deleting the app removes all locally stored data from your device

Data Retention

All data is stored locally on your device for as long as the app is installed. We do not retain any user data on our servers. Uninstalling the app permanently removes all stored data.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make significant changes, we will notify users through the app or our website.

International Users

WhyBuddy is available internationally. All your data remains stored locally on your device regardless of your location.