Iam — Privacy PolicyIam — Offline Bible + AI · Android · io.ionity.iam
Short version: Iam keeps what you read, write and ask on your phone. There are no ads, no analytics and no tracking. Two things are optional and only happen if you choose them: Google sign-in (your Google name, e-mail and photo are kept on your device only) and the ♥ Like button (sends one anonymous record to Google Firebase when you tap it).
1. Who we are
Iam is published by Ionity Global (Pty) Ltd, Centurion, Gauteng, South Africa (author: Johan Wilhelm van Antwerp). We are the responsible party for this app under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). Contact: ai@ionity.today · +27 646 999 877.
2. What stays on your device
Your notes, journal entries, highlights, tags, pins, sketches, reading plans, memorisation progress, reading position, profile names and settings are stored in a local database inside the app's private storage. An optional profile PIN is stored only as a non-reversible hash. None of this is transmitted to Ionity or to anyone else.
3. Optional Google sign-in
You may sign in with your Google account to identify you as the reader inside the app (for example, to show your name and photo on your profile). If you do, Google shares your name, e-mail address and profile photo with the app. These are stored only on your device and are not sent to Ionity's servers, sold or shared. Sign-in is not required — every feature of Iam works without it. You can sign out at any time in the app, and you can remove Iam's access in your Google Account settings (myaccount.google.com/permissions). Google's own processing of the sign-in is governed by Google's Privacy Policy.
4. Optional anonymous “Like”
Iam has a ♥ Like button. Only when you tap it, the app sends a single record to Google Firebase Cloud Firestore (project iam-ionity) containing:
- a random install ID generated by the app (not linked to your Google account, name, e-mail or any device/advertising identifier),
- the time of the tap,
- the app version, and
- the platform (e.g. “android”).
Only one Like per install is kept. The app also reads the total number of Likes to display it. This is used purely to count how many people like Iam. If you never tap Like, nothing is sent. Firebase is operated by Google LLC and may process data outside South Africa under Google's safeguards.
5. Scribe (on-device AI)
Scribe is a language model that runs entirely on your phone. Your questions and its answers are processed locally and never sent to a server. The model file is downloaded once, over HTTPS, from huggingface.co (open-weight models such as Alibaba Qwen and Liquid AI LFM) or from our github.com release mirror — only when you choose a model. Those hosts see an ordinary download request (such as your IP address), as with any website.
6. Photo → verse (camera OCR)
Text recognition uses Google ML Kit's on-device model. Photos you take or choose are processed locally and are not uploaded.
7. Microphone (dictation and voice navigation)
The microphone is used only while you hold the mic button to dictate a note or navigate by voice (e.g. “John 3 16”). Speech is recognised on the device and is not recorded, stored or sent to Ionity.
8. Permissions
| Permission | Why |
|---|---|
CAMERA | Only when you use Photo → verse. |
RECORD_AUDIO | Only while you hold the mic for dictation or voice navigation. |
INTERNET | Optional model download, optional Google sign-in, optional Like. |
POST_NOTIFICATIONS / boot | The local Daily Text reminder (scheduled on the device, no server). |
VIBRATE | Haptic feedback. |
| Storage | Only to save or open a backup file, or an image, that you pick. |
No location, contacts, call log or SMS access.
9. Sharing and links
When you share a verse, note, sketch or Scribe answer, the content goes only to the app you choose in the share sheet. Shared links use the pattern https://www.ionity.today/iam/?ref=JHN.3.16; this web page reads the reference in your browser to open Iam and does not log it.
10. Backups
“Export backup” is started only by you. It creates a file you save wherever you choose (e.g. Google Drive, OneDrive, e-mail). You control that file entirely; Ionity never receives it.
11. Analytics, advertising and selling data
None. Iam contains no analytics SDKs, no advertising, no tracking identifiers, and we never sell or rent personal information.
12. Children
Iam is suitable for all ages. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children; the optional Like is anonymous, and optional Google sign-in data stays on the device.
13. Retention and deleting your data
- Uninstalling Iam deletes all data it stored on your device, including any Google sign-in details.
- You can delete individual notes, highlights and sketches inside the app, sign out of Google, and use “Delete model” in Scribe setup to remove downloaded models.
- The anonymous Like record is kept to keep the count. Because it is not linked to you, we cannot identify it unless you send us the install ID shown in the app; e-mail ai@ionity.today and we will delete it.
14. Your rights
Under POPIA (and the GDPR where it applies) you may ask what information we hold about you, and ask us to correct or delete it. Since almost everything stays on your own device, you are in control of it directly. For any request or complaint, contact us below; you may also contact the Information Regulator of South Africa (inforegulator.org.za).
15. Changes
If this policy changes, we will update this page and the version number above. v1.1 (14 October 2026) adds optional Google sign-in, the optional anonymous Like, and microphone use for dictation and voice navigation.
16. Contact
Ionity Global (Pty) Ltd · Centurion, Gauteng, South Africa
E-mail: ai@ionity.today · Phone: +27 646 999 877
Web: www.ionity.today/iam · ionity.co.za/iam
Google Play: Iam — Offline Bible + AI