Privacy policy

What stays on your phone

Your blocked-app lists, routines, timers, preferences, focus sessions, and personal usage and blocking history are stored locally. ScrollBlock uses this information to apply your rules and show your statistics. This history is not sent to Firebase Analytics.

To recognise a short-form feed, the app uses Android’s Accessibility service to check the app you’re in, visible interface text and elements, and actions such as scrolling or changing screens. This detection happens on your device and is used to enforce the blocking rules you enable.

Why the app asks for permissions

Different features need different kinds of Android access:

• Accessibility: to recognise and leave blocked feeds.
• Usage access: to show app usage and screen-time insights.
• Notification access: if you enable notification blocking, to identify and suppress or defer notifications. This can include the notification’s sender, title, message text, app, and time. Processing happens on your phone; deferred information may be held temporarily to show it after focus mode ends.
• Installed-app access: to let you choose which apps to block.
• Notifications, alarms, and startup access: to keep you informed and run or resume scheduled routines.
• Google account access: for Google Drive backups, if you choose to use them.

You can turn these permissions off in Android Settings. The features that depend on them will stop working.

What Firebase is used for

ScrollBlock uses Firebase Analytics to understand which features are used and improve the app. Google/Firebase services may receive app interactions, device and app information, installation identifiers, diagnostic information, and the Android Advertising ID. Despite its name, that ID is used here for analytics, not to serve ads or target you across other apps.

These analytics help us understand overall usage trends. They are separate from the detailed personal usage statistics and blocking history stored on your phone. They should not be understood as meaning the app collects no information.

Firebase services also support authentication, optional account features, configuration, and operational records needed to run those features. Google processes information through these services; you can read more in the Firebase privacy information and Google Privacy Policy.

Accounts, purchases, and backups

Accounts. Optional account and referral features use an account identifier and Firebase sign-in information. If you add an email address, it is used for verification, recovery, or promotional features such as referral trials.

Purchases. Google Play handles payments and subscriptions. ScrollBlock receives purchase status and related information so it can unlock or restore premium features. We do not receive your payment card details.

Backups. If you create a backup, it can contain your preferences, routines, timers, folders, and personal activity and usage history. A Google Drive backup uploads that information to your Google Drive account. A local export saves it wherever you choose. If you share a backup or activity image, it goes to the recipient or service you select.

Who processes information

Google provides Play Billing, Firebase Analytics, sign-in, installation and configuration services, cloud records and functions, and optional Google Drive backups. Those providers process information needed for the features you use under their applicable terms and privacy policies. Some processing may happen in countries other than the one you live in.

This website does not add analytics or advertising trackers. Its hosting provider, Vercel, may process standard request information to deliver and protect the site. See Vercel’s privacy notice. Following a link to Google Play or another site takes you to that service’s own privacy practices.

How long information is kept

Local app data stays on your phone until you delete it, clear the app’s storage, replace it through a restore, or uninstall the app. Exported files and Google Drive backups stay where you saved them until you delete them separately.

Cloud account and operational records are kept while needed to provide the relevant features. Information handled by Google and Firebase is also subject to their retention settings and policies. Clearing local app data does not automatically delete cloud records or backups. No storage or transfer method is completely secure.

Your choices and requests

You can revoke permissions in Android Settings, clear local app data, stop using backups, delete exported files and Drive backups, and choose not to provide an email address. Manage or cancel a subscription through Google Play; uninstalling the app does not cancel it.

To ask about, access, correct, or request deletion of information associated with an optional account, email work.nareshkarthigeyan@gmail.com. We may need to verify that the request is yours. The privacy rights available to you can depend on where you live.

Children’s privacy

ScrollBlock is not intended for children under 13, or below the age at which local law allows them to consent to data processing without a parent. We do not knowingly seek to collect children’s personal information. Contact us if you believe a child has provided it.

Questions or changes to this policy

If the way ScrollBlock handles information changes, this page will be updated with a new date. For privacy questions or requests, contact Naresh Karthigeyan at work.nareshkarthigeyan@gmail.com.