Last updated: August 4, 2026
The short version: Idiom Buddy does not collect anything about you.
No account, no sign-up — nothing to log into.
No tracking, no analytics, no ads — and no third-party trackers.
Everything stays on your device — your favorites and settings never leave it.
The one exception is optional: if you turn on AI Lookup, the phrase you searched is sent to Anthropic using your own API key. We never see it.
Idiom Buddy (“the app”) is a bilingual English / 中文 reference app for learning idioms and phrasal verbs, developed by Bruce Foster (“we,” “us”). This policy explains what the app does — and doesn’t do — with your information.
None. We do not collect, store, or receive any personal information. There are no accounts, no login, no analytics, no advertising identifiers, and no third-party tracking software in the app. We have no servers that receive your data, because the app doesn’t send us any.
A few things are saved locally so the app remembers your preferences. This information stays on your device and is never transmitted to us:
Favorites
The idioms and phrasal verbs you star.
Settings
Your language (English / 中文), appearance (light / dark), and chosen AI model.
Anthropic API key
Only if you choose to add one for AI Lookup. It is stored securely in the iOS Keychain and used solely to contact Anthropic on your behalf.
To remove any of this, clear your API key in Settings or delete the app — that erases everything the app has stored.
When a phrase you search isn’t in the built-in collection, you can optionally ask the app to generate an entry using AI. This feature is off until you add your own Anthropic API key, and the app is fully usable without it.
If you use AI Lookup:
The phrase you searched is sent directly from your device to Anthropic (anthropic.com) over an encrypted connection, using your API key.
The request is billed to your own Anthropic account, and is subject to Anthropic’s Privacy Policy.
We do not see, receive, or store the phrase or the result — the exchange is between your device and Anthropic only.
The app uses one external service, and only when you choose to: Anthropic, for the optional AI Lookup described above. There are no other third-party services, SDKs, analytics providers, or advertising networks in the app.
Idiom Buddy is a general-audience educational app suitable for all ages. Because the app collects no personal information from anyone, it collects none from children.
If this policy changes, we’ll update the “Last updated” date above. Because the app’s approach is simply to not collect data, we don’t expect meaningful changes — but any that occur will be reflected here.
Questions about this policy or the app? Get in touch: jb.foster@shaw.ca.
Idiom Buddy — a bilingual idiom reference. This policy applies to the Idiom Buddy iOS app.