Privacy Policy
Last updated: June 2025
We believe transparency is the foundation of trust. This page explains exactly what data we collect, why we collect it, and how you can control it.
1. Introduction
Welcome to Sparken. We are committed to protecting your personal information and being transparent about what we collect and why. This Privacy Policy explains how we handle your data when you use our IELTS academic preparation platform.
By using Sparken, you agree to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of the platform.
2. Data We Collect
We collect the following information when you create an account or use our platform:
Account Information
When you sign up via Google OAuth or email and password (powered by Clerk), we receive and store:
Full name
Email address
Profile image URL
A unique Clerk user ID linked to your account
Usage & Performance Data
Reading test results, including your answers and the number of correct responses
Study activity and progress on the platform
Analytics Data
We use PostHog to collect anonymised usage analytics, such as pages visited, features used, and session duration. This helps us understand how users interact with the platform so we can improve it. PostHog may collect your IP address and device/browser information as part of this process.
Contact Form Submissions
If you reach out to us via the contact form on our website, we retain the message content and your email address to respond to your inquiry.
3. How We Use Your Data
We use the data we collect for the following purposes:
To provide the service — delivering practice tests, tracking your progress, and personalising your study experience
To manage your account — authenticating your identity and syncing your profile information via Clerk
To improve the platform — using anonymised analytics from PostHog to identify issues and improve features
To communicate with you — responding to support requests submitted through our contact form
To enable future features — as we expand to paid features and AI-powered writing assistance, your data will be used to deliver those services
We do not sell your personal data to third parties.
4. Third-Party Services
Sparken uses the following third-party services that may process your data:
Clerk (clerk.com) — Authentication provider. Clerk handles account creation, login sessions, OAuth flows, and device management. Clerk stores your account details securely and is subject to its own Privacy Policy.
MongoDB — Our database provider where we store your profile data and test results. Data is stored securely and access is restricted.
PostHog (posthog.com) — Product analytics platform used to collect anonymised usage data and improve the platform.
Each of these providers is contractually obligated to handle your data responsibly and in compliance with applicable data protection laws. We recommend reviewing their individual privacy policies for full details.
5. Data Storage & Security
Your data is stored in MongoDB and managed through Clerk's secure infrastructure. We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, loss, or misuse.
However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your data, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.
6. Your Rights & Controls
You have the following rights over your personal data:
Update your profile — You can change your name, surname, and profile image at any time from your account settings.
Manage signed-in devices — You can view and remove active sessions and devices from your account security settings (powered by Clerk).
Delete your account — You can permanently delete your account and all associated data at any time from your account settings. This action is irreversible.
To exercise any of these rights or if you have questions about your data, please contact us via the contact form on our website.
8. Children's Privacy
Sparken is open to users of all ages, as IELTS preparation is relevant to a wide range of learners. However, we do not knowingly collect personal data from children under the age of 13 without verifiable parental consent.
If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information without your consent, please contact us and we will delete that data promptly.
9. Future Payment Processing
Sparken is currently free to use. In the future, we plan to introduce paid features such as premium reading tests and a Pro plan. When payment processing is introduced, we will update this Privacy Policy to reflect how payment data is handled. We intend to use a reputable third-party payment processor and will never store raw payment card details on our servers.
10. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal reasons. When we make significant changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
Continued use of the platform after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
11. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please reach out to us through our contact page. We aim to respond to all inquiries within a reasonable timeframe.
Have questions about your data?
We're happy to help clarify anything in this policy or assist with data requests.
Contact Us