Privacy Policy

Introduction

Hack The News ("we", "our", or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information when you use our iOS application.

By using Hack The News, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

Information We Collect

Hack The News is designed with privacy in mind. We do not require you to create an account, and we do not collect personal information such as your name, email address, or phone number. However, we do collect certain data to provide and improve the app:

Usage Analytics

We use Firebase Analytics to collect anonymized usage data, including:

• Screen views and navigation patterns
• Feature usage events (e.g., search queries, article link taps, summarization and translation requests)
• App launch frequency

This data is collected in aggregate and is not linked to your personal identity. It helps us understand how the app is used and where we can improve the experience.

Device Identifier

We use your device's vendor identifier (a unique ID assigned by Apple to your device for our app) to manage AI summary usage limits. This identifier is not shared with third parties for advertising or tracking purposes.

Local Data

Your preferences and settings — such as theme, accent color, compact mode, translation language, and widget configuration — are stored locally on your device and are not transmitted to our servers.

How We Use Information

The information we collect is used for the following purposes:

• Provide core functionality: Fetch and display publicly available stories, comments, and user profiles from Hacker News
• Power search: Process your search queries to return relevant results via the Algolia Hacker News Search API
• Generate AI summaries: When you request an article summary, the article URL is sent to our backend service which uses OpenAI to generate a summary
• Manage subscriptions: Process and verify in-app purchases and subscription status
• Deliver push notifications: Send you notifications if you have opted in
• Improve the app: Analyze anonymized usage data to identify bugs, improve features, and enhance user experience
• Manage app configuration: Deliver feature flags, version updates, and app settings via Firebase Remote Config

Third-Party Services

Hack The News uses the following third-party services, each with their own privacy policies:

• Hacker News API (Y Combinator): We fetch stories, comments, and user information from the official Hacker News Firebase API. This is publicly available data.
• Algolia Hacker News Search: Powers the in-app search feature. Your search queries are sent to Algolia's servers to return results. Algolia Privacy Policy
• Firebase (Google): We use Firebase for analytics, push notifications (Cloud Messaging), remote configuration, app security (App Check), cloud functions, and temporary summary storage. Firebase Privacy Policy
• OpenAI: Article URLs are sent to OpenAI via our backend to generate AI-powered summaries. No personal data is included in these requests. OpenAI Privacy Policy
• RevenueCat: Manages in-app subscriptions and purchases. RevenueCat processes transaction data provided by Apple and does not receive your personal information from us. RevenueCat Privacy Policy
• WishKit: Allows users to submit and vote on feature requests within the app. WishKit Privacy Policy
• Apple App Store: The app is distributed through the Apple App Store, which may collect information as per Apple's Privacy Policy.

AI-Powered Features

Hack The News offers AI-powered article summaries. When you request a summary:

• The article URL is sent to our backend service, which forwards it to OpenAI for processing
• Generated summaries are temporarily cached on our servers for up to 3 days so other users can benefit from the same summary without re-generating it
• No personal data is included in summary requests

The app also includes an on-device translation feature powered by Apple's Translation framework. Translations are processed entirely on your device and no data is sent to external servers.

Push Notifications

Hack The News may send push notifications using Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM). To deliver notifications, a device token is generated and stored by Firebase. You can opt out of push notifications at any time through your device's Settings app.

In-App Purchases

Hack The News offers a premium subscription managed through Apple's App Store and RevenueCat. All payment processing is handled by Apple. We do not have access to your payment information. Subscription status is verified through RevenueCat to unlock premium features such as unlimited AI summaries and additional customization options.

Data Security

We take data security seriously. Your local preferences are stored securely on your device using iOS's built-in storage mechanisms. All network communications use HTTPS encryption. We use Firebase App Check with Apple's AppAttest to verify that requests to our backend originate from legitimate instances of our app.

Data Retention

AI-generated article summaries are cached on our servers for up to 3 days and then automatically deleted. Link preview metadata is cached locally on your device for up to 5 days. Analytics data is retained according to Firebase's standard retention policies. Local preferences persist on your device until you delete the app.

Advertising

Hack The News does not display advertisements and does not share your data with advertising networks.

Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Opt out of push notifications through your device's Settings
• Delete all locally stored data by uninstalling the app
• Request information about any data we may hold related to your device
• Request deletion of any data associated with your device identifier

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information below.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us:

• Email: [email protected]
• Support Page: hack-the-news.app/support