Privacy policy

Updated October 17, 2026. This policy describes Malinka, a Russian learning app published by Watson Studio. Contact: [email protected].

Your account and learning

You can use learning features as a guest. If you create an account, we process your account identifier, email address and information provided by your chosen sign-in service, such as your name and profile image. Firebase Authentication handles sign-in. Learning progress, custom words, word groups and study statistics are stored on your device and can be synchronized through Firebase with your account on other devices.

Guest recovery and widgets

Guest recovery uses a random installation secret stored on your device and a server record associated with a hashed recovery identifier. On supported store installations, Malinka verifies an Apple app transaction or a Google Play Integrity response. On Android, a hashed app-scoped device identifier is also sent to the Malinka server. These records help recover guest progress and prevent unauthorized access. Limited deletion markers are kept to prevent recovery of deleted accounts. Home and lock screen widgets use a local copy of the words and translations selected for study; account email addresses are not included in widget storage.

Purchases

Apple or Google processes store payments. Adapty helps us verify purchases and provide Premium access for the correct account. Malinka configures the Adapty SDK to disable its IP-address enrichment, IDFA collection on iOS and Android advertising-ID collection. This SDK setting does not mean that Adapty receives no IP addresses: its servers may still process connection IP addresses under its server settings and privacy policy. Purchase identifiers, subscription status and limited diagnostic events may be processed to restore access and prevent duplicate purchases. We do not receive your store payment-card details. Cancelling an account does not automatically cancel an App Store or Google Play subscription; manage those subscriptions in the store.

On iOS, Adapty can automatically obtain an Apple Ads attribution token and send it with the Adapty profile identifier to analyze how users find Malinka and relate attribution to subscription metrics. This is separate from the optional permission to display Yandex or Unity ads in Malinka. Apple can return limited attribution information when App Tracking Transparency permission is not authorized.

Audio and live translation

Microphone audio used for pronunciation practice and live translation is processed on your device with a downloaded speech model. Raw audio is not uploaded to Malinka or DeepSeek.

Live translation is optional. Only after explicit permission in the app, recognised text in Russian or your selected native language and recent text context from the same session are sent through the Malinka translation server to DeepSeek, a third-party AI service, for translation between Russian and your selected native language. The request also includes a randomly generated session identifier, the selected source and translation languages and segment positions.

Before the first text is sent, the app explains this sharing and asks you to allow it. Your choice is saved on your device for that version of the disclosure. Declining, closing the request or opening the privacy link does not grant permission and sends no text. You can continue using local flashcards and other learning modes without allowing online translation. Retrying saved text online also requires this permission.

Malinka keeps recent text context in server memory to translate subsequent segments of the same session. Translation history also has a local copy in the app, which you can clear there. Words or groups you choose to save from a translation follow the learning-data synchronization rules above.

Provider information is available in the DeepSeek privacy policy. That document distinguishes DeepSeek’s own services from applications built on its platform; Malinka processing and your choices are described here. For questions or deletion requests about information sent through Malinka, contact [email protected].

Advertising, diagnostics and notifications

Free features may display ads from Yandex and Unity Ads through Unity LevelPlay where those providers are enabled; Premium removes ads. Ads remain off if you choose an age group under 18 or do not choose an age group. Adults can give a separate, optional permission before Malinka initializes an advertising SDK or starts ad requests. The age-group choice stays on your device. The choice is saved on your device for that version of the disclosure. Declining, dismissing the request or opening the privacy link does not give permission. You can continue learning without allowing ads.

If you allow ads, advertising providers may process device and installation information, IP addresses and approximate location derived from them, advertising identifiers, ad interactions, purchase-related signals and diagnostic information to load ads, measure performance and prevent fraud. The Malinka advertising integration does not send microphone audio or Malinka account identifiers. It uses the SDKs' restrictive personalization and CCPA settings and disables Yandex location collection. These settings do not prevent all provider processing or guarantee that every ad is contextual. On iOS, advertising SDKs also require your separate Apple App Tracking Transparency permission before Malinka initializes them or starts new ad requests. If that system permission is declined, restricted or unavailable, ads stay off and learning remains available. If you allow it, advertising identifiers may be used by advertising providers to link activity across other companies’ apps and websites for advertising measurement. You can change the system permission for Malinka in iOS Settings. It is separate from your advertising choice in Malinka. Provider policies: Unity and Yandex.

You can change or withdraw ad permission in Settings. Withdrawal stops Malinka from starting new ad requests; an ad already open may finish. Information already shared cannot be recalled, and withdrawal does not undo processing already started by an advertising provider. A new permission after withdrawal takes effect after restarting Malinka. If withdrawal cannot be saved, ads stay off for the current launch and Settings shows a warning and retry action; retry before restarting because a previous saved permission may otherwise remain. To request deletion of data already processed by an advertising provider, use that provider's privacy controls or contact details; Unity ads include privacy choices.

Firebase processes installation identifiers, product interactions and diagnostics for app analytics and service operation. Firebase Analytics may derive an approximate region from a masked IP address. On iOS, Firebase Analytics is used without Ad ID support. AppMetrica and Meta are not configured or activated. You can manage notification and microphone permissions in your device settings.

This website

Watson Studio uses Cloudflare to deliver and protect this website and Cloudflare Web Analytics to measure page visits and performance. Cloudflare processes request and technical browser information for those purposes. See the Cloudflare privacy policy.

Your choices

You can control microphone and notification permissions in your device settings. You can sign out, reset learning progress, or request account deletion in the app’s account settings. You may also contact us to request deletion or ask about your data. Account deletion removes account and synchronized learning data; purchase records may be retained when required for subscription handling, refunds or applicable obligations.

Our service providers may process information in countries outside your country of residence. Their policies explain their respective processing: Google, Adapty, Yandex, and Apple. DeepSeek’s policy is linked in the live translation section above.