Privacy Policy

Your privacy matters to us. This policy explains what information Haolei collects, how it is used, and your rights as a user. We are committed to being transparent and keeping your data safe.

Last updated: February 2026

1. Information We Collect

Haolei collects only the minimum data necessary to provide the service.

  • Search queries — entered words are sent to our API server to retrieve results. They are not stored in any persistent database linked to your identity.
  • Improvement suggestions — if you submit a suggestion through the feedback form, we record the word, your suggested meaning, optional notes, and optionally your name and email address.
  • Browser local storage — we store your recent search history and theme preference locally on your device. This data never leaves your browser unless you submit a form.

2. Cookies & Local Storage

Haolei does not use third-party tracking cookies. We use browser localStorage solely to:

  • Remember your dark/light theme preference.
  • Cache recent search terms for the “Recent Searches” widget.
  • Cache API responses to enable offline word lookups.

You can clear this data at any time via your browser’s developer tools or by clearing site data in your browser settings.

3. Cloudflare & Infrastructure

Haolei is hosted on Cloudflare Pages and its API runs on Cloudflare Workers. Cloudflare may collect standard web server logs (IP address, request URL, user agent, timestamp) for security and performance purposes. This data is governed by Cloudflare’s Privacy Policy.

The suggestion form uses Cloudflare Turnstile for spam prevention. Turnstile is a privacy-preserving CAPTCHA alternative that does not use behavioural tracking or cookies. See Cloudflare Turnstile for details.

4. How We Use Your Information

  • To serve accurate dictionary results in response to your searches.
  • To review and process word improvement suggestions.
  • To improve the quality and coverage of the dictionary.
  • We do not sell, rent, or share your personal data with third parties for marketing purposes.

5. Data Retention

Improvement suggestions submitted via the form are retained indefinitely so that we can review and incorporate them into the dictionary. If you wish to have a suggestion deleted, please contact us with the details of your submission.

6. Your Rights

You have the right to:

  • Access personal data we hold about you.
  • Request deletion of any personal data you have submitted.
  • Withdraw consent for data processing at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us.

7. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be reflected on this page with an updated “Last updated” date. Continued use of Haolei after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.