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 at maplecitizen.ca (the "Service"). This policy applies to personal information we collect through the Service. By using the Service, you consent to the practices described here.

2. Information we collect

Account information

If you sign in, we collect your email address. If you sign in with Google, we also receive your name, profile photo, and a Google account identifier, according to your Google account settings and the permissions you grant.

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. Because an account is required to use the Service, this information is stored on your device and synced to your account so it is available across your devices.

Leaderboard data (opt-in)

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

Payment information

Purchases 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.

Technical information

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 5).

Analytics and product improvement

To understand how the Service 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.

Advertising data

On the 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, and — only where you have consented — to personalize them. We do not share the study data in your account (your answers, mistakes, and progress) with advertising providers. See section 5 for how advertising works and your choices.

3. How we use your information

• to provide, operate, and secure the Service and your account;
• to save and sync your progress across devices;
• 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 and measure its performance (Maple Citizen Pro is ad-free);
• to understand and improve the Service.

We do not sell your personal information for money. The free tier is supported by advertising; see section 5 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.

4. 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. Where we (or our advertising provider) use cookies or identifiers for personalized advertising, we rely on your consent and will ask for it before showing personalized ads; you can decline, choose non-personalized ads instead, or withdraw your consent at any time (see section 5).

5. Cookies and local storage

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, 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

The free tier of the Service 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.

Where required by law — including under Quebec's Law 25 and PIPEDA — we rely on your consent for personalized (interest-based) advertising and will ask for it before such ads are shown. You can choose non-personalized ads instead, and you can change or withdraw your choice at any time. You can also manage Google's ad personalization at My Ad Center. Declining personalized ads, or using an ad blocker, will not remove your access to the free features. Maple Citizen Pro is ad-free.

6. 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) and, on the free tier, advertising and ad measurement (Google AdSense);
• Supabase — account, authentication, and database hosting (stores your account and synced progress);
• Stripe — payment processing and subscription management;
• Cloudflare — website and serverless hosting, and privacy-friendly (cookieless) web analytics;
• Microsoft — product analytics, session recordings and heatmaps (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.

7. 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. By using the Service, you consent to this transfer and processing. You may contact us for more information about our providers and where they process data.

8. 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).

9. 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, contact us at support@maplecitizen.ca. We may need to verify your identity, and we will respond within the time required by law.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will change the "Last updated" date above and, for material changes, provide additional notice where appropriate. Your continued use of the Service after an update means you accept the revised policy.

14. How to contact us & how to complain

For privacy questions or requests, contact Zongheng Tian at 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).